Knowledge & Understanding questions Essay

1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome ANSWER Neurodegenerative diseases is a common cause of dementia which mean that the brain cells known at the neurons either are degenerating therefore the neuron die off quicker which will lead to a more decline in the person mental health such as memory, language and sometimes their physical abilities all depending on which area of the brain is infected. Dementia affects the brain and the loss of function of the brain in such a way that the things we normally take for granted, for example our ability to remember things (time, date, events, to use language all of these things begin to disappear. Also there are more causes of dementia caused by depression, brain tumours, thyroid hormone, and head injuries. Some of these causes of dementia can also be dementia –like conditions which may be treatable or non-progressive. These neurodegenerative diseases are known to us as Alzheimer’s fronto temporal dementia, and Lewy bodies are where over time a build up of abnormal protein deposits in the brain cause the gradual change and damage to the neurons which will cause the shrinkage of the brain. 1.2 Describe the types of memory impairment commonly experienced by individuals with dementia ANSWER Dementia is a collection of symptoms including memory loss, personality change, and impaired intellectual functions resulting from disease or trauma to the brain. These changes are not part of normal ageing and are severe enough to impact daily living skills, independence, and relationships, while Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, there are also many other forms, including vascular and mixed dementia. Common signs and symptoms of dementia may include: Memory loss Impaired judgement Difficulties with abstract thinking Faulty reasoning Inappropriate behaviour Loss or communication skills Disorientation to time and place Gait, motor and balance problems Neglect of personal care and safety Hallucinations, paranoia, agitation. The most common forms of mental decline associated with ageing are: Slower thinking and problem solving Decreased attention and concentration Slower recall As the dementia progresses the individual ability to look after themselves from day to day may also become affected. 1.3 Explain the way that individuals process information with reference to the abilities and limitations of individuals with dementia ANSWER The working of the brain are very complex, the human brain is made up of around 100 billion cells, main these cells are called neurons. If the neurons is switched off is resting when it is switched on it fires electrical impulses along its body known as the axon. Some people with dementia often confuse things, this may be very distressing for their family or carers, but can be called as a natural aspect of their memory loss. An individual with dementia may be trying to interpret a world that no longer makes sense to them that because them brain is processing the information incorrectly. An individual with dementia may receive care from a provider who does not maintain a good standard of continuity with their staff, for a person with dementia it is very important as they must become familiar with  the people who care for them to gain trust and familiarity with their daily routine. Communication could not be structured correctly for the person who causes confusion and lack of understanding as they are unable to comprehend what is expected of them. Infections, change of medication, change of environment, pain and stress, social skills, understanding and interaction levels may decrease or fluctuate. However an individual process the information in different ways therefore depending on their abilities will depend on their limitations as suffering with Dementia. 1.4 Explain how other factors can cause changes in an individual’s condition that may not be attributable to dementia ANSWER Change of diet, environment, and medication can cause changes in an individual condition; in spite of the fact experiencing a loss of reduction in memory does not mean always indicate a form of dementia. There are many other conditions which could affect an individual health which can be a difference between dementia, depression and confusional state. Sensory changes due to age related degeneration example macular degeneration and cataracts affecting vision, loss of hearing and increase of tinnitus affecting balance, reduced metabolism causing poor appetite. The part of the brain which was affected will determine how the person will be affected. Some condition that may affect the memory are listed below: Brain injury- which can be caused by an external trauma such as a blow to the head or internal factors such as a result of a stroke or aneurism. Brain tumour – a tumour of the brain can be benign (slow growing, non cancerous) or malignant Medication – some prescription medication can have side effects which can affect somebody’s memory. Diet – some foods can have an effect on a person’s memory. Stress –is the emotional and physical strain caused by individual’s response to pressure from the outside world. Stress can affect an individual’s health in many ways, including memory difficulties. 1.5 Explain why the abilities and needs of an individual with dementia may fluctuate ANSWER Each individual may experience dementia in different ways. There is no definitive direction or path that the condition will follow and there are no exact timescales in which the condition may progress. Somebody with dementia can have â€Å"good days† and â€Å"bad days†. Believed all depends on how we are feeling, how much sleep we have had, and what activity we are doing and how much we want to do that activity. On the other hand changes that may occur in their day to day life, changes of people (changes of carers on a regular basis), therefore not being consistent in a routine programme. 2.1 Describe the impact of early diagnosis and follow up to diagnosis ANSWER Generally speaking for most people receiving the diagnosis of dementia is very distressing, also can be very upsetting for their loves one. Many people in nowadays still, think of dementia as being a condition which causes people to go â€Å"crazy†. When supporting somebody who is exhibiting any signs or symptoms of forgetfulness, confusion or the inability to find the right words when communicating, it is important that they see their GP. In the early stages diagnosis can be difficult to make as the symptoms of dementia can develop slowly, also the symptoms can be similar to symptoms of other health condition. The early diagnosis of dementia is essential in order to: Rule out other conditions that may be treatable Access advice, information and support Allow the person with dementia and their family to plan and make arrangements for the future. Although there is not cure at the present, there are various medications available which can help improve symptoms and possibly to slow down the progression of disease. Following diagnosis, an individual may want to live as independently as they can. In order to aid a person to self look after themselves, the individual could place a list of important telephone numbers by their phone, labels also could be placed on cupboards doors to  remind them of the contents. However the quality of life, fear, feeling lack of control, loss of dignity, loss of identity, invasion of privacy, fear or losing own home, inability to communicate needs and preferences, loss of friends , increased risk of falls, nutrition, personal hygiene all of these factors are playing a huge impact in an individual life diagnosed with dementia. 2.2 Explain the importance of recording possible signs or symptoms of dementia in an individual in line with agreed ways of working ANSWER The recording signs or symptoms of dementia in an individual day by day life can be made, depends of the policies and procedures of the company such as verbal, written, electronic, accurate, timely, and confidential reporting. When monitoring somebody’s condition, it is important to record any findings in line with the organisation’s policies and procedures. The following areas area those which it is very important to monitor and record in the person, as these will show what changes have occurred and over what period: Memory Behaviour Personality Ability to cope with daily living skills Care- giving strategies Activities that person enjoys Any medication that they have taken that day Below are shown some key points in importance of recording: To obtain specific facts about health, personal matters To measure accurately the individual needs To ensure health and safety of all involved To accurately record the action agreed To ensure nutrition needs are accurately met To make sure hygiene needs are met Follow the Smart model( specific, measurable, realistic and time based) to be  sure the individuals family and carers have their needs met. 2.3 Explain the process of reporting possible signs of dementia within agreed ways of working ANSWER The diagnosis of dementia does not always occur from the first visit to GP. Generally there is a process in which the person goes through in order to receive a definitive diagnosis. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has advised guidelines in supporting people with dementia, where the early diagnosis of dementia it is included. The person history A cognitive and mental state examination A physical examination A review of all medication including over the counter remedies To report a concern, the organisation’s guidelines and procedures have to be followed, usually most reports are given to a designated member of staff, this may be line manager, supervisor or manager, always try to avoid by giving the personal opinion. Also agreed ways of working may be: Medical diagnosis Referral pathway Diagnosis tests Profiling Observation Care planning Review Follow up Continuation of care 2.4 Describe the possible impact of receiving a diagnosis of dementia on: A) The individual B) Their family and friends ANSWER The impact on the person and their family receiving a diagnosis of dementia can vary, some may see it as a relief that the cause if their difficulties has been diagnosed while others may be in disbelief, preferring not to acknowledge what they have been told. Impact on the individual: Confusion Shock Frightened Denial of failings Disorientation Trying to construct sense of meaning into the situation Destruction of hope Loss of future goals May have to retire early Financial implications May need to stop driving Loss of socialisation Whatever feeling the diagnosis creates in the person, you should encourage and support them to talk about their feelings. Impact on family and friends: Loss of socialisation Increased stress levels Feeling of guilt Need to balance commitments Anger Loss of financial support/ increased financial needs Fear Feeling embarrassed The individual’s family and friends should respect the wishes of their loved one. 3.1 Compare a person-centred and a non-person-centred approach to dementia care ANSWER When an individual been diagnosed with dementia it is important to bear in mind that people with dementia are individuals first, with their condition of dementia coming second. They may also be mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons or daughters. Person-centred care is a way of providing care with the person at the centre of everything you do, or another way of describing it is individualised care- care that is given to the person according their needs, wishes, beliefs and preferences. Studies have shown that a person-centred approach can help reduce agitation in the person with dementia where the agitation is often causes by the person’s frustration in not being able to express themselves . Recognising individuality Enabling choices Enabling social relationships Valuing the individual Providing the opportunity for stimulation Inclusion Looking at the person a s unified whole Once a person needs have been identified, plans should be made to draw up a support plan which will describe how those needs will be met. Nothing should be planned for the individuals for them without them. A non person-centred approach can be identify such as: Dictating form of care to be used Not recognising the individual’s uniqueness and needs Exclusion Lack of choice Not allowing participation in decision making Not allowing the individual to exercise their rights Responding to behaviour rather than looking at the unified whole Not empowering the individual 3.2 Describe a range of different techniques that can be used to meet the fluctuating abilities and needs of the individual with dementia ANSWER Many people with dementia are able to live in their own homes for most their lives with care being given to them by their families. As a carer or support for those suffering with dementia, must focus on the skills and abilities that the person has, rather those that they have lost. Ensure that they are fully aware of and respect the person’s background, their history, likes and dislikes. Be prepared for changes and adapt flexible approach. Not every day may be the same in supporting people with dementia. By learning about each individual ‘history and background, can be designed the care and the type of support provided around their specific needs. Ensure that individual’s support plan is kept as up to date as possible and shows alternative methods to use for various fluctuations in their support needs, share the information with the rest of the carers., provide a stable environment and suitable surroundings as one of the main triggers resulting in somebody with dementia becoming agitated and confused is a change in their routine. To ensure stability it is important to : Have consistent, regular staff, unfamiliar faces can cause the person great upset Maintain a familiar environment, if there some new decorations needs to be undertaken try to make the new decor similar if not the same as it was previously. Ensure that the individual is in a non stressful, constant and familiar environment Establish a regular routine regular physical activity and adequate exposure to light and improve any sleep disturbances.

Prove or conversely disprove the inverse square law Essay

My aim of this experiment is to prove or conversely disprove the inverse square law, which simply states that the intensity of any point source, which spreads its influence equally in all directions without a limit to its range, will decrease in intensity inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Background information Research As first proposed by Isaac Newton when proposing his universal law of gravitation it became clear to him that the intensity of gravity would decrease according to the inverse of the square of the distance. This is the heart of the inverse square, which states for any point source, which spreads its influence equally in all directions without a limit to its range, will obey the inverse square law. Quite simply the inverse square law states that for sources emitted from a point the intensity will be deduced as the inverse of the square of the distance. You double the distance you reduce the intensity by a factor of 1/4. This has applications in electric fields, light, sound, gamma radiation, and gravity. All of these are expressed in the medium of a field. To explain the properties involved in a field it is useful to use the idea of flux. When water flows form a ‘source’ to a sink it is transferred at a certain rate, or flux. The flux density will be the mass of water per second crossing a unit area perpendicular to the flow. We can think of energy density in a similar way. Energy flux density is normally referred to as intensity. Field strength and energy flux density are related. The strength of a field will fall off proportionally. The idea of flux can be applied to fields in which there is no obvious evidence for anything actually being transferred, such as static electrical fields, gravitational fields and magnetic fields. The mathematics that model flux are the same whatever the field. Generally this can be summed up in a formula which states the intensity at a point on a sphere of influence will be deduced by the source strength divided by 4 times pi times the radius squared, where this is the surface area over which the initial source has spread it’s influence. I = S / 4? r2 This formula manifests itself in a variety of ways when put into context. When applied to gravity the formula to show the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of a body is, 4? GM = Intensity at the surface of sphere of influence. Where G is the gravitational constant, M the mass of the object, and r the distance from the centre point. By cancelling out the 4? section we are left with the more elegant formula, GM = acceleration due to gravity r2 Where acceleration due to gravity would be equivalent to the intensity of the source. As the distance is doubled, the intensity is reduced by a factor of 4. So theoretically gravity obeys the inverse square law. When applied to sound we get the formula, P = I 4? r2 Where P is the source power, I the intensity at surface of sphere, and r the distance from the source power. So again we see that as we double the distance we reduce the intensity by a factor of 4. The differce here that as sound is not of ethereal nature it is affected by its surroundings and only works without reflections, or reverberations. The behaviour of point charges in an electrostatic field will obey coulombs law, which in turn obeys the inverse square law. The formula here is, Q = E 4 0 r2 Where Q/? 0 is the source strength, E is the strength of the electrostatic field, and r is the distance. So again we see that as the distance is doubled, the intensity of the field is reduced by a factor of four.

Night Essay by Elie Wiesel Essay

Night/Worms from Our Skin: Literary Analysis Essay – Dehumanization Hunger. Terror. Despair. Flames. Death. These are just a few things men and women saw during the time at Auschwitz, Gleiwitz, and Buchenwald. Separated from their family members, these people felt many hardships. In this essay, I will evaluate how men and women that were dehumanized had the will to survive despite starvation, physical labor and fear of separation. Night is essentially Elie Wiesel’s memoir about his experiences in the Holocaust while Worms from Our Skin tells about Mam’s excruciating experiences on Khmer Rouge. Both Wiesel and Mam faced starvation during dies of desperation. â€Å"Bread, soup – these were my whole life. I was a body. Perhaps less than that even: a starved stomach. The stomach alone was aware of the passage of time.† (Wiesel 50). Wiesel only really has a strong sense of starvation throughout the book. How is it possible for one to turn on his own father, to murder him like he never knew him before? In the book Night, Wiesel states that of a son killing his father so he could eat a piece of bread which his father had saved. Every time that Elie thinks he and the prisoners have suffered as much pain as they can bear and have behaved as cruelly as possible to one another, the Nazis lead them to behave even more basely and without human respect. People eat the snow off the people’s backs as stated by Elie in the book. People were so desperate for food that they didn’t know what else to eat. In Mam’s perspective, Chamroeun a mother of three chil dren couldn’t feed them. In the end, all three children died because of starvation. Separation of families was a strong and leading cause of unforgiveness during the Holocaust and Khmer Rouge. Mam stated that little children were taking out of homes so that the Khmer Rouge could indoctrinate them. Stein, the niece of Eliezer’s mother finds Eliezer and his father at Auschwitz and is desperate to hear news of his family. Eliezer lies and tells him his family is doing fine, which keeps him alive for awhile. Stein is very shocked of the separation of his family and he only keeps living for his family. In the selection after they arrive in Gleiwitz, Elie and his father was almost separated but Elie causing confusion allows him and his father not to get separated and move on not going to the crematorium. â€Å"I was putting one foot in front of the other, like a machine. I was dragging this emancipated body that was still such a weight. If only I could have shed it! Though I tried to put it out of my mind, I couldn’t help thinking that there were two of us: my body and I. And I hated that body.† (Wiesel 85). Elie stated this because of the physical labor he had to go through. Groups had to run through the heavy snow for twenty kilometers with no rest and if you could not run they shot you to your death. Also Elie had to lift heavy stones of slab in order to survive. As quoted by the gate at Auschwitz â€Å"Work will make you free†. (Wiesel 40). In Worms from Our Skin, Mam had to work fifteen hours a day in order to survive and also had to walk several kilometers in order to reach the fields they worked. Elie Wiesel exemplied dehumanization of the many Jewish prisoners in Night. He showed the readers a personal view of the Nazi’s treatment to the prisoners. They lost their possessions, family, morality and their identity. They also had to face starvation, labor and separation. In Mam’s perspective, she had to face the consequences of losing her father and facing excruciating physical labor. Succinctly, Hitler, Khmer Rouge and the Nazis dehumanized and inhumanely tortured the Jews and innocent people.

Protection lighting of aircraft Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12500 words

Protection lighting of aircraft - Thesis Example Despite these major advancements in knowledge, a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) study for the 5 year period from 2007 to 2011, says that on average 22,600 fires are caused in the US by lightning each year. In addition to property damage of $ 451 million, these fires cause on average 9 deaths, 53 serious injuries (Ahrens). Lightning protection measures do not prevent lightning strikes but help reduce damage caused by them. Dr. Richard Kithil, the President of the National Lightning Safety Institute is quoted on their website as saying, â€Å"Lightning is a capricious, random and unpredictable event. Its physical effects include current levels sometimes in excess of 400 kA, temperatures up to 50,000 degrees F and speeds approaching one-third the speed of light. Globally some 2000 on-going thunderstorms cause about 100 lightning strikes to earth each second. Lightning prevention or protection in an absolute sense is impossible. A diminution of its consequences together with incremental safety improvements is all that is possible† (Kithil). Most parts of the US experience 20 to 80 thunderstorm days in a year. Parts of South America and Africa have 100 to 200 thunderstorm days in a year. On a typical thunderstorm day, there could be as many as 10,000 lightning strikes to ground (NLSI Report). The Office of Emergency Management for New York City reports that the Empire State Building is struck by lightning on average 25 times a year and in one particular thunderstorm, it was hit 8 times in 24 minutes (OEM- NYC). The fact that the iconic building remains undamaged by these lightning strikes shows that well designed and applied lightning protection measures serve to minimize the risk of damage due to lightning strikes. 1.3) Airplanes fly in close proximity to thunderclouds and should be vulnerable to lightning strikes. Some 19,500 commercial aircraft are estimated to be

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example These theorists argue that social networks provide privileged access to entrepreneurs to their required resources which helps them progress in the business. On the other hand, there are factors other than knowing others which contribute to successful entrepreneurship. The paper develops a critical view towards the notion of social networking and contact-building and its relationship with entrepreneurship. The significance of social relations in entrepreneurship has since long been recognized with the same being used by entrepreneurs to obtain resources and advice on starting their business. This is because the need for contacts is evident at various phases of the new business. Relationships between entrepreneurs and those who possess resources required for the startup are quintessential to the success of a new business. Although the entrepreneur possesses the competence and knowledge as well as a novel idea to run the business, complementary resources may be required. Contacts provid e the resources, knowledge and/or market accessibility required for making the business idea work. Knowing individuals and organizations that operate amongst themselves broadens the resource base available to entrepreneurs for successfully running the business. Contacts that enable success of the new firm comprise the social capital and are essential components of entrepreneurial networks. The social capital, therefore, refers to the individuals who help entrepreneurs in getting things done. These contacts include, but are not limited to, individuals in the professional networks as well as friends and peers from past jobs. They form the basis of the wider entrepreneurial networks that comprise of not just individuals but clusters of companies and organizations. By increasing the size of their networks and number of contacts, entrepreneurs can get access to greater information and resources from those who are knowledgeable. Furthermore, the way in which entrepreneurs â€Å"positionà ¢â‚¬  themselves in the network determines the extent to which they are able to take advantage of their contacts. The aim of such positioning is to shorten the path to the contacts in order to get tasks done. Finally, members of the social network often tend to organize themselves by interacting amongst themselves which leads to the development of ‘multiplex’ ties that benefit the entrepreneur even more. Furthermore, family members too can play an important role in entrepreneurial success. In fact, they play a critical role in so far as entrepreneurship is examined in the context of family business (Rosenblatt et al., 1985). Therefore, knowing family members who have been involved in entrepreneurial business in the past is definitely an ingredient for success for family-run entrepreneurial businesses. Entrepreneurs can benefit from the unique business-specific knowledge that is possessed by their family members including parents. Most importantly, for maintaining confi dentiality of the business idea, most entrepreneurs may find it easier to obtain advice and guidance from their kin rather than non-kin contacts. On the other hand, having strong family ties may inhibit entrepreneurs from accessing a much larger pool of resources and information from non-kin contacts (Birley, 1985) (Renzulli et al., 2000). It is rare to have knowledgeable individuals from all disciplines of business (such as operations, marketing, HR) in one’s family (Renzulli et al., 2000). Hence, entrepreneurs will, at various times acquire the support of their acquaintances for this purpose. However, this social network is not developed instantaneously and may

Learning and Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Learning and Assessment - Essay Example Although, the alternative assessment strategies using various technologies was better way to assess a student than the traditional one, yet using both types of assessments in triangulation was the most appropriate approach. Before discussing that which method was better, one must keep in mind what is assessment and what are its essentials In literal terms, the word assessment means to determine the real worth of something. In the educational setting, it refers to the evaluation done by the teacher to find the extent to which the student had been able to learn something. A good assessment should be complex enough to involve the students in real thinking process, open enough to appreciate diverse opinions but at the same time, it should also be constraint enough to enable a fair scoring system. Initially, the only method for the assessment, used by the teachers, was the traditional one. This means that a written test used to be taken, having questions and answers, preferably in the form of Multiple Choice Questions. This tradition was followed for centuries. Even today, this traditional methodology of assessment is being used in most of developing countries till matriculation level, atleast. On one hand, this approach was easy to conduct and scoring could be done more objectively but this traditional approach led to several problems too. The first problem was the misrepresentation of learning... The goal of assessment is to check for the level to which the student had learnt. But a written test was just a sampling of those learning outcome, only on the basis of that 'sample', it would not be appropriate to grade the student. Another problem with written test is that, ideally the evaluation should be a continuous process. However, the written test used to be the evaluation only at certain point of time. There is a possibility that the student would not have been feeling well at that time and thus could not attempt the paper well, in such cases; such assessment strategy fails to portray the true picture. THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES - Advantages and Drawbacks: On the contrary to the real purpose of assessment, a written test could provide the true picture only if the writing skills of the students permitted so, thus it became primarily the test of writing skill before being the test of original stuff. Suppose there was the written test of science, it should test whether the student has grasped the particular concept or not (Shepardson 2001), but two students delivering the same content, but one had better abilities to express himself, he was likely to get more marks than the other. However, the alternative assessment strategies used various technologies to remove the loopholes of the traditional system. The alternative assessment strategies were based on the ideas that the assessment should be able to involve the student to involve in thinking process that is supposed to be invoked in him, because of the learning that he had gained. Furthermore, it was not dependent totally on the writing skills of the students. Above all, it was capable of accepting the diverse ideas and responses. However, one major challenge

Art and Creativity how they affects to the world Essay

Art and Creativity how they affects to the world - Essay Example Tentative Thesis: While oftentimes art and creativity are regarded as elements of existence that are cursory or secondary importance, it’s clear this is a falsehood. This research examination considers the ways that art and creativity are central aspects of contemporary existence. This text examines the important connection between art and commerce. It has a number of notable points that reflect the nature of art as crucial to individual development and a central element, not only in aspects of human development, but also business, entertainment, and overall innovation. The essay will consider this source for its points on the importance of art and human development. This text considers the importance of arts in the public schools. It argues that art improves students’ long-term success and aids them in comprehending outside subjects. The research essay will implement both these points in the research. This text argues that regions that have successfully developed economic regions have done so through cultivating an innovative ‘creative class.’ In these regards, it considers the central importance of creativity in business. The research essay will consider this source in terms of its indication of the importance of art on economic development. This text considers the importance of art in schools. It argues that in addition to improving student success, it improves the overall standing of the school. The research essay will consider this source in relation to the importance art plays on student achievement. This text examines the importance art in human development. Gardner argues that art contributes centrally to an individual’s ability to comprehend new concepts. This essay will consider this source in relation to the indications it makes in regards to art and human development. This text considers the nature of innovation and the business environment. It argues that creativity is a core element

Who were the samurai What role did the samurai play, both militarily Essay

Who were the samurai What role did the samurai play, both militarily and otherwise - Essay Example This is exactly what samurai’s did. These men were confident warriors who served their country during a tumultuous time in it’s history. Samurais came to be during the Heian period. The Japanese army, which was under the control of the emperor, disbanded as the emperor began to lose power. As the emperor lost power, clans formed to collect taxes. In their own interest, however, they heavily taxed the citizens, driving many away from their homes. â€Å"Regional clans grew powerful by offering lower taxes to their subjects as well as freedom from conscription. These clans armed themselves to repel other clans and magistrates from collecting taxes. They would eventually form themselves into armed parties and became samurai,† (Samurai History) The samurai went on to protect the citizens, primarily farmers, as well as their fellow clans from the corrupt tax collectors. They eventually began to wear armor that was typical of Japanese warriors of that era. The ethical c ode which they set up for themselves, known as bushido, set them aside, making them a class of their own. When Emperor Toba died in 1156, chaos ensued. No one knew which of his sons would take over. A civil war between the two sons was the result, with neither of which gaining control. Rather, the two prominent samurai clans, the Minamoto and Taira, fought over power, with the Taira establishing the first shogunate (Szczepnski). These two clans would clash again, however, with the Minamoto coming out on top. This led to the transition to the Kamakura Shogunate. Samurai rule was interrupted when imperial rule tried to re-implement itself. This unsuccessful run lasted only 3 years, however, leading to the weak rule of the Ashikaga Shogunate. There was daimyo interference during the Ashikage Shogunate, which led to the 10 year long Onin War, and eventually to the Sengoku. During the Sengoku, various daimyo clans battled to overthrow samurai rule and establish themselves as rulers. It w asn’t until 1868 that the samurai were overthrown during Meiji Restoration. â€Å"Emperor Meiji abolished the samurai's right to be the only armed force in favor of a more modern, western-style conscripted army. Samurai became Shizoku () who retained some of their salaries, but the right to wear a katana in public was eventually abolished along with the right to cut down commoners who paid them disrespect,† (Samurai History). Perhaps the most lasting legacy of the samurai was the bushido code. Samurai were known for their impeccable conduct and followed eight virtues to continue to behave accordingly. (Clark) The first of these virtues was Rectitude or Justice. In other words, samurai were to use reason in their actions, not acting out irrationally and bringing shame upon themselves. The second, courage, was emphasized to only be truly courageous if it was acted upon with rectitude in mind. The third, benevolence or mercy, was highly emphasized because of how important it was in the writings of Confucius. Confucius believed that â€Å"†¦the highest requirement of a ruler of men is Benevolence,† (Clark). The fourth, politeness, emphasized civialrous actions, rooted in benevolence. The fifth, honesty and sincerity, meant denouncing financial importance and recognizing luxury as â€Å"the greatest menace to manhood,† (Clark). The sixth, honor, was what the life of the samurai was about. It was about living with fear of bringing shame upon themselves and their clan. The seventh, loyalty, was important to relations between clan members. There were no excuses for betraying a fellow samurai. The last, character and self-control, best summarizes the meaning of the bushido code. Clark puts it best, describing it as teaching â€Å"

Integrated Marketing and Communication Term Paper

Integrated Marketing and Communication - Term Paper Example However, depending on the context and environment in which the business is operating, different interpretations of IMC have evolved. IMC has gained importance from both academic researchers and corporate decision makers. According to academic scholars, the concept of IMC cannot be defined with the help of any rigid definition. An in depth understanding of the various ways of marketing communication would be useful in explaining the huge utility of this term in the present business context and the marketing activities made by companies all over the globe (Drummond & Ensor, 2005). Integrated marketing communications The procedure followed in integrated marketing communications refers to a series of activities made by companies in succession to one another. These activities are â€Å"the strategic analysis, choice, implementation and control of all elements of marketing communications which efficiently, economically and effectively influence transactions between an organization and its existing and potential customers, consumers and clients† (Panda, 2007, p. 524). ... This applies to any category of corporate organization that deals with any kind of product or service. Companies can however, customize each individual process of this entire system according to the marketing objectives and production goals of the organization. For all the years since 1950, companies have used this concept of marketing communications as an all inclusive notion of marketing that acts as an envelope to all the different levels of marketing activities and communication of the companies. However, the technique of integrating these varied functional areas strategically into the functioning of the companies differs from company to company. The approach is unique to the pattern of resource allocation made by the company and also its position and status relative to its competitors (FitzGerald, 2000). In this paper the concept of integrated marketing communications has been critically evaluated and the different elements of this process have been studied in order to device a single strategy for marketing communications. The prime aim of this strategy would be to allow companies to achieve customer satisfaction by following IMC. It would help companies to identify target audiences from the markets and frame the most appropriate strategy to communicate with them. Companies generally use multiple channels of communication. In order to generate best results, the strategy developed through the IMC process should be consistently used while executing each of all the communication functions made by the firm (FitzGerald, 2000). IMC Strategy & Plan Every organization runs its business with a three-fold objective; increasing market share, maintaining competitive advantage over the current rivals of the company and

Position Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Position Statements - Essay Example In fact, there is a very simple test to check whether there group is a team or not. If there is at least one common objective that can only be accomplished by the joint efforts of all people involved then that group is a team (Hardingham, 1998). On the other hand if we dig deep down in a technical aspect, if there is only one person accountable for the objectives that a group of people is working to achieve by joining efforts, then that cluster of people cannot be regarded as a team. That is a group. But it doesn’t mean this structure is less efficient or less effective than a team (Parker, 2003). But the more important question than the definition of group or team is the direction of these collections of individuals. Where are they heading? It is a common misconception that forming only a team will help increase the efficiency, if there is no specific purpose to bring together people, either as a group or as a team it is not going to serve the purpose. Another misapprehension is that only companies and giant corporate have mission and vision statements. An effective team is like a small dense company model that takes care of the mission it is given and acts under a team or group leader who recognizes the potential and individual abilities of team/group members. That is how a team work or a group is defined which amazingly a small number of people

College personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

College - Personal Statement Example caring and loving grandparents, I always longed for the presence of my own parents and for a lifestyle where I would be able to spend more time with them and share even little details of my day. My grandparents always ensured that my studies would not affected by the irregular working hours of my parents and taught me how to be focused towards the attainment of personal goals. The vacuum of the special bond with my parents never made me bitter about life, rather it always proved to be a driving force for my existence to lead a different life than theirs. After I completed my high school, my parents moved back to my city but it was too late for me to get close to them and nurture our relationship. One day, a fear that often came to my mind became a reality; my parents asked me to join their business. My lonely childhood had already taught me that this decision would not just be a choice of a career, rather a lifestyle that can influence one’s values and ideas due to its demanding nature. I declined their offer and decided to live my life on my own terms while standing on my own feet. Needless to state that their commitment to their business gave me a lifestyle and commendable opportunities to acquire education, however a balance should have been struck between work and personal life to provide their child with the things that money cannot buy. One of the facts that my life has made me believe is that family, friends, hopes and dreams do not accumulate to define us as much as what we do for a living. Everything can be influenced and changed by what we do in the real world to make our presence in the professional life. I aspire to get admission in your esteemed university and prove my own identity and existence which is free from other people’s ideologies. My independent childhood and focused vision has taught me how to organize myself and achieve personal goals. Alongside earning the status of a reputable and successful professional, I want to lead a family

The Bill and In Deep Essay Example for Free

The Bill and In Deep Essay The Bill, shown on ITV1 at around 8. 00, and In Deep shown on BBC1 at around 9. 00, and after the news, are both police dramas. Therefore, they both are targeted to police drama fans. However, there are differences between two. In The Bill, there are lots of different codes and conventions found in typical police dramas. For example, there is a police station, panda cars, uniformed and plain clothed police, who carry out everyday tasks, such as dealing with burglary, assault, and racial abuse. In In Deep, there are also lots of codes and conventions of police drama, but they are different to that found in The Bill. For example, the policemen are plain clothed undercover policemen, there is a secret operation, cover stories, involvement in drugs, and 24 hour surveillance on a potential bad guy, which gives the program more of a gangster police drama feel about it. In The Bill, the narrative structure is very different to that in In Deep. It has very quick scene changes, and lots of intertwining storylines, very like a soap opera, in that there are many storylines going on throughout the episode. This is probably the reason that it is put onto our screens at a primetime slot, and therefore appeals to audiences who prefer the soap genre. Because the episodes are on every week, the budget is lower, so thats why the mainly the same locations are used, and thats why it develops more of a soap formula, as they cannot do really big scenes. In Deep has the narrative structure of a film, rather than a soap. The storyline is focused around one main storyline, with lots of twists coincided with it. It also shows a lot more violence, and more brutal scenes, because it is a series, therefore has a higher budget to film and construct these scenes. The Bill and In Deep has lots of enigma codes. For example, in The Bill, whether a beaten up man will tell on the police man that beat him up, and is a suspect off work with somebody, or is she, likes she says, ill, and in In Deep, will the coppers covering as drug dealers killer the supplys wife. These enigma codes keep up the audience interest in watching to the end of the episode. There is also a fair representation of policemen in both. In The Bill, you get to see more of the policemens personal life, and the question on how much personal life should be brought into the work place. In In Deep, the question is whether them acting as criminals is any better then the actually criminals themselves. All these points keep the watcher interested, and keeps audiences coming back to watch other episodes.

Global Recession: US Responses

Global Recession: US Responses LCB/2356 Explain the predictions that the OECD have made concerning the US economy, making sure that you define the terms â€Å"Budget Deficit† and â€Å"Debt† in your solution. A budget deficit is when the nations is spending more then their revenue received. This would mean that expenditure exceeds tax revenue resulting to a budget deficit. The term â€Å"Budget Deficit† is usually used to refer the government expenditure rather than businesses. A debt is an amount of money that is owed to another person or organizations. A debt is usually repaid after a certain amount of time given or when is able too depending on the situation. A debt is a method that is used for some corporation or businesses for making a large purchase of something that they cant afford. The prediction made by the OECD with the budget deficit of 2011 being tacked at 10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the American debt increasing to 101.1% of GDP. This helps prove the fact that the American government is spending way more than its actually receiving in revenue. This would also help us assume that the American government is putting into effect on the fiscal policy which means that the government increases their spending and decreases taxation. This would lead to budget deficit as expenditure surpasses revenue. There are two schools of thought on how the US government should deal with its current economic problems Deficit Reduction As for the Greek and Irish Governments, Deficit reduction entails a fiscal policy where it decrease the governments spending and increases the taxation rates in order to increase revenue. The objective of a deficit reduction is to make sure that the revenue that the nation is getting are greater than the expenditure that they are doing. Therefore reducing the deficit and possibly bringing about a surplus in budget. A budget surplus would help the nation pay its debts therefore giving the government a capable of developing without having have to repay theirs debts in long term which will also ease up the political tensions with other nations economically. Contractionary fiscal policy, while the budget deficit is reduced and also decreasing the national’s debt, it also has a lot of disadvantages to it. As it decreases the expenditure, aggregate demand would decrease because it is Consumption + Investment + government Spending + (Export – Imports) (C+I+G+(X-M). As increasing the taxes it would reduce the aggregate demand therefore it may cause disincentives to work therefore it would affect the productivity, However this would not effect is the income is really high and balances out with the higher tax. As the government’s spending decreases this would also lead to increase in unemployment which would lead to decrease in consumption because there is no money to be spent by the general population. As shown in the graph above of a contractionary fiscal policy. The decrease in the amount of government spending, G in C+I+G+(X-M) leads to the Aggregate Demand Curve shifting inwards from the AD to AD1. Therefore this will decrease the price level which is an indication of inflation in the economy as shown from PL to PL1. This would also lead to the Real Domestic Output to be decrease from RDO to RDO1. We have to consider the long term affects of Contractionary Fiscal Policy that while it allows a decrease in debt, decrease in spending and increased revenue which reduces the budget deficit. The problem that arises from this as unemployment and decrease in government spending will result in low economic growth and giving it slow progression. Fiscal Stimulus and Progressive Taxation Another school of thought regarding the plan of action to deal with the ongoing American economic crisis is to implement a Keynesian stimulus package with the reform of the tax system in order to make it more progressive. A Keynesian stimulus package is when the government puts in more money in the economy in order the strengthen the economy and preventing a recession by boosting employment and spending, this is also known as a expansionary fiscal policy. A Expansionary Fiscal Policy seeks to expand the money supply in order to have a higher economic growth. The long term effects of expansionary fiscal policy would also have to be considered, Constant economic growth, more job employments, and also more consumption which helps with the economy. However, As the economic grows the inflation rates does too, it also leads to an increase of budget deficit as the expenditure is higher than the revenue gained and increasing the debt that the government would borrow, which eventually would h ave to be repaid. Therefore as for the government to spend more they would have to increase the taxation to balance out the revenue and expenditure. A progressive tax system is when the taxable base amount increase, the tax rates would too. This refers to the more money the person or the organizations makes, the more tax they are charged and the less they are making the less tax they would have to pay. This aims to allow the lower tax payers to be able to keep more money in order for them to continue consuming while increasing the tax revenue. However, people in the higher tax bracket would find this unfair because they would rather everyone pay the same amount therefore implementing this system would make it hard. One of the main goal of the progressive income tax is to make it a tool for redistributing income from the upper class to the lower and middle class, this would help keep the income gap from growing between the rich and the poor. It would also give more revenue to the government because they are collecting more money from the higher incomer earners. This is make the government collect more money from the tax payers rat her than if everyone had to pay the same amount or percentage. As a result, this would help the government develop or provide more programs and services that benefit the society. However progressive tax system also has some disadvantages for it, One would be that some businesses would be discouraged to expand or invest as additional profit is taxed at higher prices. It would also make people feel discrimination as I said before the higher tax earners would see it unfair to them because this system doesn’t promote equality amongst individuals. As shown in the graph above, Its showing the effects of the expansionary fiscal policy, when the government spendings are increased leading to an increase in aggregate demand from AD to AD1 as G in C+I+G+(X-M) making the Aggregate Damand curve to shift inwards. This would also mean that the increase in Price Level, Which is from PL to PL1 and an increase in Real Domestic Output, Which is from RDO to RDO1. Explain in broad terms the background to the â€Å"Credit Crunch† and how this impacted on the real economies of both the USA and the UK The â€Å"Credit Crunch† also known as the financial crisis of 2007 to 2008 is the worst global financial crisis since the â€Å"Great Depression† of the 1930s with its after effects still being considered still as shown by the Euro Crisis. There may be a number of reasons which may include of the credit crunch but its not limited to; the burst of the housing bubble in America, Lack of banking regulation, however the biggest cause would be the encouraged risk of taking from years of stable economic growth and low inflation rates which makes the borrowing and purchasing of bad securities and properties. The housing bubble of America started earlier in 2006 as the house prices were all risen up more than 100%, this is beause of the ease of attaining mortgages at that time. This led to people deciding to take loan and acquire additional property in order to take advantage of the higher value in properties, in other words to buy and resell properties to make a profit. Regardless of that, people in the end are not able to pay their loans because of predatory lending, which is when the loans are advertised at a low interest rate but are switch out to adjustable rate mortgages where the interest charged would be higher amount of the interest paid. This then led to people having have to lose their properties and also leading to a huge decrease in property prices. Therefore this would lead up to a liquidity issue however banks had no liquid assests and leading to the decline and eventually bankruptcy of many banks. The collapse of the mortgage repayment was considered the start of the financial crisis. Another reason would be that the lack of financial regulation and supervision of financial institution who were involved in the risky investments, excessive borrowing and lack of transparency. The borrowing of money made by many banks in order to invest in their project usually ended up being a failure resulting of the bank investing on something that they cant make profit off therefore giving them the inability to repay their debts. The fact that this happened in a very large scale in cooperating many different banks linking each other, it led to the bankruptcy of both borrowers and lenders giving them no more or insufficient money to function. References http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/expansionary_policy.asp (Accessed 20.11.14 [Online]) http://www.econport.org/content/handbook/ADandS/AD/Shift.html (Accessed 20.11.14 [Online]) http://www.sparknotes.com/economics/macro/aggregatedemand/section1.rhtml (Accessed 20.11.14 [Online]) http://www.ehow.com/info_7742308_pros-cons-budget-deficit.html (Accessed 20.11.14 [Online]) http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stimulus-package.asp (Accessed 22.11.14 [Online]) http://www.economicshelp.org/macroeconomics/fiscal-policy/fiscal_policy_criticism/ (Accessed 22.11.14 [Online]) http://hubpages.com/hub/Flat-Tax-vs-Progressive-Tax-Pros-and-Cons-for-the-US (Accessed 23.11.14 [Online]) http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/progressive-tax-system-definition-pros-cons.html (Accessed 23.11.14 [Online]) http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditcrunch.asp (Accessed 26.11.14 [Online]) http://www.investopedia.com/university/credit-crisis/credit-crisis4.asp (Accessed 26.11.14 [Online])

Industrial Pollution And Environmental Sustainability Environmental Sciences Essay

Industrial Pollution And Environmental Sustainability Environmental Sciences Essay Industrial pollution is one of the main causes of pollution worldwide. Apart from health hazards, water pollution due to discharge of contaminated water and global warming are some of the harmful effects of industrial pollution. Industry accounts for more than half the volume of all water pollution and for the most deadly pollutants. Some 370,000 manufacturing facilities in the United States of America alone use huge quantities of freshwater to carry away wastes of many kinds. The waste-bearing water, or effluent, is discharged into streams, lakes, or oceans, which in turn disperse the polluting substances. In its  National Water Quality Inventory,  reported to Congress in 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concluded that approximately 40% of the nations surveyed lakes, rivers, and estuaries were too polluted for such basic uses as drinking supply, fishing, and swimming. The pollutants include grit,  asbestos, phosphates  and  nitrates,  mercury,  lead, caus tic soda and other sodium compounds,  sulfur  and  sulfuric acid, oils and  petrochemicals.(Sell, 1992) In addition, numerous manufacturing plants pour off undiluted corrosives, poisons, and other noxious byproducts. The construction industry discharges slurries of gypsum, cement, abrasives, metals, and poisonous solvents. Another pervasive group of contaminants entering food chains is the  polychlorinated biphenyl  (PCB) compounds, components of lubricants, plastic wrappers, and adhesives. In yet another instance of pollution, hot water discharged by factories and power plants cause thermal pollution by increasing water temperatures. This increase changes the level of oxygen dissolved in a body of water, thereby disrupting the waters ecological balance, killing off some plant and animal species while encouraging the overgrowth of others. Global warming is one of the most common and serious consequences of industrial pollution. The emission of various  greenhouse  gases such as CO2, methane (CH4), among others from various industries, increases the overall temperature of the earth, resulting in global warming. Global warming has various serious hazards, both on the environment as well as on human health. It results in melting of glaciers and snow-capped mountains, causing an increase of the water levels in seas and rivers, thereby increasing the chances of flood. Apart from this, global warming also has numerous health risks on humans, such as increase of diseases such as malaria and dengue, cholera, Lyme disease and plague, among others.(Freeman, 1995) Industrial pollution, as stated above, is one of the major causes of air pollution. With the increase in the number of industries and factories due to the industrial revolution; air pollution also has increased significantly. The emissions from various industries contain large amounts of gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur and nitrogen, among others. These gases, when present in elevated levels in the atmosphere, often result in various environmental and health hazards such as acid rain, and various skin disorders in individuals.(Freeman, 1995) Pollution emitted from the industries is also one of the major factors contributing towards water pollution. Dumping of various industrial waste products into water sources, and improper contamination of industrial wastes, often result in polluting the water. Such water pollution disturbs the balance of the ecosystem inside, resulting in the death of various animal and plant species present in the water.(Freeman, 1995) Soil pollution is defined as a phenomenon is which the soil loses its structure and fertility due to various natural and artificial reasons. Dumping of industrial wastes is one of the prime factors contributing towards soil pollution. Industrial wastes contain large amounts of various chemicals which get accumulated on the top layer of the soil, resulting in loss of fertility of the soil. Such loss of fertility ultimately results in changes in the ecological balances of the environment due to reduction in plant growth.(Freeman, 1995) Other Common Effects Certain other common effects of industrial pollution include damaging  building sand structures, increasing the risk of various occupational hazards such as asbestosis, pneumoconiosis, among others.(Freeman, 1995) Pollution of Love Canal The infamous case of the pollution of Love Canal, on Lake Erie in New York, brought environmental pollution to the public attention in the 1970s. From 1942 to 1953, several chemical companies dumped 20,000 metric tons of chemical waste at this site. In 1953 the land was sold to the local board of education, and the 99th Street School was constructed on the land. The school attracted families to the neighborhood, which grew to contain 800 single-family homes and 240 apartment units by 1978. Unfortunately, eighty different chemicals, including dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), started to leach through the soil, and residents began complaining of odd smells in their houses and experiencing many unexplainable health problems. The school was closed in August 1978, and the federal government contributed $10 million for the relocation of 200 families nearest the site. In 1980 President Carter sent additional funds, for the relocation of 700 more families.(Shen, 1999) Conclusion: Strict Legislation is required to control Industrial Pollution. In England and Wales, pollution from industrial installations has been controlled to some extent for over 150 years. The Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 (the PPC Regulations) were introduced under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 and built on existing systems. The PPC Regulations replaced the pollution control regimes called Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) and Local Air Pollution Control which had been set up under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA 1990). The PPC Regulations also transposed the Integrated Pollution and Prevention and Control Directive (now Directive 2008/1/EC) the IPPC Directive. The primary aim of the IPPC Directive is to ensure a high level of environmental protection and to prevent and where that is not practicable, to reduce emissions to acceptable levels. Separate legislative provisions are in place to transpose the IPPC Direc tive in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the offshore oil and gas industries. In America, federal laws stipulate that generators of hazardous waste are responsible for the proper storage and disposal chemicals from the cradle to the grave.(Department of Environment, 2009) Using environmentally-friendly products like Oil Gone Easy S-200 and supporting environmental conservation organizations are some steps that can be taken to curb industrial pollution.

A Walk to Remember - The Human Heart :: Walk to Remember Essays

A Walk to Remember - The Human Heart    A Walk to Remember, by Nicholas Sparks take you on a whirl wind journey into the depths of the human heart, and leads Landon, one of the main characters, to a decision so stunning it would lead him irrevocably on the   road to manhood. Landon the most popular boy in Beuford High and fall's > unexpectedly in love with Jamie, and unpopular, bible-bearing girl. It was   kismet that brought these two together, and an incurable disease that would   tear them apart. Landon had recently broken up with his girlfriend of 1-1/2   years and it was a twist of fate that make Jamie his date for the homecoming   dance. They went to the dance and did not speak to each other until they were both cast a the lead in the towns Christmas play. After the play was over   Landon found   himself wanting, and being with Jamie everyday, he was falling in love with her. Then came the shock of his life, Jamie revealed to him that she had Lucima. Landon was torn apart and had no idea what to do, so he   turned to the bible for guidance and help. He made the decision that he loved   Jamie too much to let her dreams slip away, so he asked her to marry him.   They were married on March 12,1959. She died shortly after that, but he never forgot her. Landon and Jamie are the too main characters in the book. Landon is the richest, most popular boy at Beuford High, and Jamie is poor,   unpopular and almost nonexistent at school. Jamie helps out at the orphanage, picks up hurt animals, and carries a bible with her every where. Whereas   Landon has never even thought of people without a home or money and he only opens a bible when he has to at church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my opinion Landon is a normal teenage boy, who's only concerns are: girls and cars. I think that Jamie helped him see how powerful the bible is and how it feels good to help people in need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This book takes place in Beuford, a town in North Carolina.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There was a lot of foreshadowing in the book but the one that stands out the most is when Landon asked Jamie to the dance and she thinks for a

Using Technology to Cope with Terrorism :: War Terror Essays

Using Technology to Cope with Terrorism Each one of us has our own unique story of where we were when we learned of the attack on the World Trade Center towers. It’s a story we’ve told to friends and a story we’ll continue to tell as this event transforms from a living reality to a historical one. Some were awoken by roommates, others informed by colleagues passing through the hall, and others happened to turn on the television and watch with horror as the World Trade Center towers burned and finally collapsed. As word spread, though, Americans became united in their need to know exactly what had happened. We turned on the television, we paused to listen to radios filtering out of cars, we visited Internet news sources again and again, clutching and grasping for facts, hoping that some sort of clarity would calm us. Hour after hour we sat by the television trying to make sense of it all. Unconfirmed reports were treated as facts by frantic news anchors, sketchy reports of hijacking were announced and t hen confirmed. The news changed by the minute. A nation in shock began calling loved ones across the country, just to check in and to share the horror together. Cell phone networks were inoperable in many areas of the country, not just in New York. Web-traffic became so congested that viewing CNN’s web page became virtually impossible. We used these fleeting news sources as a way to grasp reality. But for many it didn’t become a reality until we saw it the way our parents and grandparents had in years past; black and white banner headlines announcing the tragedy in a format that couldn’t be refreshed, revised, or corrected. It was permanent, and it was true. The unimaginable had happened. And for those of us outside of New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. we used the technology around us to begin to comprehend. Trying to understand what it was like when the building collapsed, we listened to and read countless witness testimonies. Though weary with despair we felt that it was our duty to experience the agony of watching the collision and the collapse over and over again, as if we could alleviate some of the New Yorkers’ suffering by taking some of it on as our own. We watched around-the-clock coverage from ground zero; we contributed to discussion boards and listservs on the Internet, we held countless discussions among family members and friends.

Plato’s Objection to Poetry Essay

He was the first systemic critic who inquired into the nature of imaginative literature and put forward theories which are both illuminating and provocative. He was himself a great poet and his dialogues are full of his gifted dramatic quality. His Dialogues are the classic works of the world literature having dramatic, lyrical and fictional elements. According to him all arts are imitative or mimetic in nature. He wrote in The Republic that ‘ideas are the ultimate reality’. Things are conceived as ideas before they take practical shapes. So, idea is original and the thing is copy of that idea. Carpenter’s chair is the result of the idea of chair in his mind. Thus chair is once removed from reality. But painter’s chair is imitation of carpenter’s chair. So it is twice removed form reality. Thus artist/poet takes man away from reality rather than towards it. Thus artist deals in illusion. 1. Plato’s objection to Poetry from the point of view of Education: a. In ‘The Republic’ Book II – He condemns poetry as fostering evil habits and vices in children. Homer’s epics were part of studies. Heroes of epics were not examples of sound or ideal morality. They were lusty, cunning, and cruel – war mongers. Even Gods were no better. (Troy-Achilles beheding Apollo’s statue, oracles molested†¦ insults of Gods, Gods fight among themselves, they punish instead of forgiveness†¦Ahaliya-Indra, Kunti’s children, Narad’s obsession to marry, Hercules son of Zeus and Alcmene, Hera’s jealousy-snakes-fenzy to kill children†¦) b. Plato writes: â€Å"if we mean our future guardians to regard the habit of quarreling among themselves as of all things the basest, no word should be said to them of the wars in the heaven, or of the plots and fighting of the gods against one another, for they are not true†¦. If they would only believe as we would tell them that quarreling is unholy, and that never up to this time has there been any quarreling between citizens†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ these tales (of epics) must not be admitted into our State, whether they are supposed to have allegorical meaning or not.† c. Thus he objected on the ground that poetry does not cultivate good habits among children. 2. Objection from Philosophical point of view: a. In ‘The Republic’ Book X: Poetry does not lead to, but drives us away form the realization of the ultimate reality – the Truth. b. Philosophy is better than poetry because Philosophy deals with idea and poetry is twice removed from original idea. c. Plato says: â€Å"The imitator or maker of the image knows nothing of true existence; he knows appearance only †¦. The imitative art is an inferior who marries an inferior and has inferior offspring.†(Dorothea’s ideal in Middlemarch shattered, Kshtriya dharma – not to hit enemy without weapon, Tess’s providence, evil wins & God is silent, unrewarded virtue†¦) 3. Objection form the Moral point of view: a. In the same book in ‘The Republic’: Soul of man has higher principles of reason (which is the essence of its being) as well as lower constituted of baser impulses and emotions. Whatever encourages and strengthens the rational principle is good, and emotional is bad. b. Poetry waters and nourishes the baser impulses of men – emotional, sentimental and sorrowful. c. Plato says: â€Å"Then the imitative poet who aims at being popular is not by nature made, nor is his art intended, to please or to affect the rational principle in the soul; but he will prefer the passionate and fitful temper, which is easily limited †¦. And therefore we shall be right in refusing to admit him into a well-ordered state, because he awakens and nourishes and strengthen the feelings and impairs the reason †¦ Poetry feeds and waters the passion instead of drying them up; she lets them rule, although they ought to be controlled, if mankind are ever to increase in happiness and virtue Plato’s Objection to poetry Plato was the disciple of Socrates, a great poet, a mystic and a philosopher. He was not a professed critic but his objections are found in forms of speech and dialogues in The Ion, the Symposium & the Republic and the Laws. Plato’s three main objections to poetry are that poetry is not ethical, philosophical and pragmatic. (i) His Objection From Educational Point of View :- In ‘The Republic’ Plato condemns poetry (art) as cultivating evil habits and vices in children. As he thought that the description in the poetry is â€Å"Twice removed from Reality† and it is not dealing with real, practical world. So, he does not want his ‘future guardians’ to learn all such things that are mere imitation of imitation. (ii) Feedback to Educational Point of View :- Plato objected poetry on the basis of education, by saying that it cultivates evil habits and not practical. But it is not so about all the poems or all the arts. As at that time Homer’s epics were the part of studies and in them heroes were lusty, cunning and cruel dealing only with war and other things. Even the portrayal of Gods & Goddesses was imperfect as they were also depicted quarreling and fighting. So Plato objected arts (poetry). But he did not understand that poetry also has literal, allegorical or connoted meaning. (iii) Plato’s Disagreement on Philosophical Point of View :- Plato states that, â€Å"Philosophy deals with idea and poetry are twice removed from the original idea. So, Philosophy is better than poetry†. As it nurtures the rational impulses of human being and not the emotional, this is better than later one. He even says that, â€Å"The imitator or maker of the image knows nothing of true existence; he knows appearance only†¦ The imitative art is an inferior who marries an inferior and has inferior offspring.† In his Theory of Mimesis. (iv) Response to Philosophical Point of View :- Plato stated that poetry is away from reality and it is imitation only, but this imitation is not a slavish copy like a photocopy work, but a creative one. In response to Plato, R.A.Scott quotes that, â€Å"But though the poet creates something less than reality, he also creates something more.† This ‘more’ is intuition and perception which is essential to lead towards reality. (v) Plato’s claim of poetry against Morality :- In â€Å"The Republic† Plato said that, soul of man has higher rational and lower emotional impulses. Poetry waters and nourishes the lower impulses instead of drying them up. He calls it as â€Å"needless lamentation and ecstasies at the imaginary events of sorrow and happiness†. Plato being a moralist even objected male dominance and female exploitation. (vi) Reaction to Moral Point of View :- AS a moralist Plato says that poetry does not teach morality, but teaching is not the function of art or poetry. It is to deal with aesthetic pleasure only. Even by description of male dominance or female exploitation the poet has a good intention of provoking people against it and not to promote it. So, Plato opposed art in general and poetry in particular, but his most famous disciple, critic, scholar logician and practical philosopher- Aristotle and other critics and poets like R.A. Scott, David Daiches, etc. defended them on various other angles. Plato’s Objection to poetry Plato’s theory of Mimesis: The arts deal with illusion or they are imitation of an imitation. Twice removed from reality. ïÆ'Ëœ As a moralist Plato disapproves of poetry because it is immoral, as a philosopher he disapproves of it because it is based in falsehood. ïÆ'Ëœ Philosophy is better than poetry because philosopher deals with idea/truth, whereas poet deals with what appears to him/illusion. ïÆ'Ëœ He believed that truth of Philosophy was more important than pleasure of poetry. ïÆ'Ëœ Plato was the most distinguished disciple of Socrates. The 4th century of BC to which he belonged was can age of inquiry and as such Plato’s chief interest was Philosophical investigations which form the subject of his great works in form of Dialogues. He was not a professed critic of literature and his critical observations are not found in any single book. They lie scattered in seven of his dialogues more particularly in The Ion, The Republic and The Laws. He was the first systemic critic who inquired into the nature of imaginative literature and put forward theories which are both illuminating and provocative. He was himself a great poet and his dialogues are full of his gifted dramatic quality. His dialogues are the classic works of the world literature having dramatic, lyrical and fictional elements. According to him all arts are imitative or mimetic in nature. He wrote in The Republic that ‘ideas are the ultimate reality.’ Things are conceived as ideas before they take practical shapes. So, idea is original and the thing is copy of that idea. Carpenter’s chair is the result of the idea of chair in his mind. Thus chair is once removed from reality. But painter’s chair is imitation of carpenter’s chair. So, it is twice removed from reality. Thus, artist/ poet take man away from reality rather than towards it. Thus, artist deals in illusion. Plato’s three main objections to poetry are that poet ry is not ethical, Philosophical and pragmatic, in other words, he objected to poetry from the point of view of Education, from Philosophical point of view and moral point of view. It is not ethical because it promotes undesirable passions, it is not philosophical because it does not provide true knowledge, and it is inferior to the practical arts and therefore has no educational value. Plato then makes a challenge to poets to defend themselves against his criticisms. Ironically it was Plato’s most famous student, Aristotle, who was the first theorist to defend literature and poetry in his writing. Poetics: Throughout the Republic Plato condemns art in all forms including literature or poetry. Despite the fact that he wrote, Plato advocates the spoken word over. The written word, he ranks imitation on a lower plan than narrative, even though his own works read like dramatic scripts. (The Republic is written in dialogues form with characters doing all the talking).It appears as though his reasoning is that imitation of reality is not in itself bad, but imitation without understanding and reason is. Plato felt that poetry, like all forms of art, appeals to the inferior part of the soul, the irrational, and emotional cowardly part. The reader of poetry is seduced into feeling undesirable emotions. To Plato, an appreciation of poetry is incompatible with an appreciation of reason. Justice and the search for Truth. In the Ion, he suggests that poetry causes needless lamentation and ecstasies at the imaginary events of sorrow and happiness. It numbs the faculty of reason for the time being. Paralyses the balanced thought and encourages the weaker part of soul constituted of the baser impulses. Hence poetry has no healthy functions and it cannot be called good. To him drama is the most dangerous form of literature because the author is imitating things that he/she does not understand. Plato seemingly feels that no condemn drama from one source: a faculty understanding of reality. Miscommunication, confusion and ignorance were facets of a corrupted comprehension of what Plato always s trived for- Truth. Plato is, above all, a moralist. His primary objective in The Republic is come up with the most righteous, intelligent way to live one’s life and to convince others to live this way. Everything else should conform in order to achieve this perfect state. Plato considers poetry useful only as a means of achieving this state that is only useful if it helps one to become a better person and if it does not, it should be expelled from the community. Plato’s question in Book 10 is the intellectual status of literature. He states that the good poet cannot compose well unless he knows his subject and he who do not have this knowledge can never be a poet, Plato says of imitative poetry and Homer, a man is not to be reverenced more than the truth. Plato says this because he believes that Homer speaks of many things of which he has no knowledge, just as the painter who paints a picture of a chair does not necessarily know how to make a chair. His point is that in order to copy or imitate correctly, one must have k nowledge of the original. Plato says that imitation is twice removed from the truth. Stories that are untrue have no value as no untrue story should be told in the city. He states that nothing can be learned from imitative poetry. Plato’s commentary on poetry in The Republic is overwhelmingly negative. In Books 2 and 3 Plato’s main concern about poetry is that children’s minds are too impressionable to be reading false tales and misrepresentations of the truth. As stated in Book 2, for a young person cannot judge what is allegorical and what is literal; anything that he receives into his mind at that age is likely to become indelible and unalterable, and therefore it is most important that the tales which the young first hear should be models of virtuous thought. He is essentially saying that children cannot tell the difference between fiction and reality and this compromises their ability to discern right from wrong. Thus, children should not be exposed to poetry so that later in life they will be able to seek the Truth without having a preconce ived or misrepresented view of reality. Plato reasons that literature that portrays the gods as behaving in immoral ways should be kept away from children, so that they will not be influenced to act the scene way. Another objection is that it is often viewed as portraying either male: dominance or female exploitation people argue that this should not be the way the world works; therefore, it is not the Truth. These claims sound much like the claims that Plato is trying to make when he asserts that certain poetry should be kept out of the hands of children. While the power of censorship can be abused, Plato seemed to believe that his stance is justified because he is trying to make children grow to be good, moral individuals. While Plato has some very negative views on the value of literature, he also states the procedures that he feels are necessary in order to change poetry and literature from something negative to something positive. He does feel that some literature can have redeeming values. Good, truthful literature can educate instead of corrupting children. In the city Plato would allow only hymns to the gods and praises to famous men. Plato does not want literature to corrupt the mind; he wants it do display images of beauty and grace. Plato’s view may be deemed narrow minded by today’s society, but one must remember that Plato lived over 2000 years ago. He probably wrote The Republic with the best intentions for the people of his time. While his views on censorship and poetry may even seem outland today, Plato’s goal was to state what he judged to be the guidelines for a better human existence. 1) Plato’s Objection to poetry from the point of view of Education: a) In the Republic Book 2- He condemns poetry as festering evil habits were in children. Homer’s epics were part of studies. Heroes of epics were not examples of sound or ideal morality. They were lusty, cunning, and cruel war mongers. Even Gods were no better (Troy- Achilles beheading Apollo’s statue, oracles molested†¦ insults of Gods, Gods fight among themselves, they punish instead of forgiveness†¦Ahalya- Indra, Kunti’s children, narad’s obsession to marry, Hercules son of Zeus and Almene, Hera’s jealousy- shakes-Frenzy to kill children†¦) b) Plato writes:† if we mean our future guardians to regard the habit of quarreling among themselves as of all things the bests, no word should be said to them of the wars in the heaven or of the plots and fighting of the gods against one another, for they are not true †¦If they would only believe as we would tell them that quarreling is unholy, and that never up to this time has there been any quarreling between citizen†¦.These tales (of epics) must not be admitted into our state, whether they are supposed to have allegorical meaning or not.† c) Thus, he objected on the ground that poetry does not cultivate good habits among children. 2) Objection from Philosophical point of view: a) In â€Å"The Republic† Book 10: poetry does not lead to, but derives us away from the realization of the ultimate reality- the Truth. b) Philosophy is better than poetry because Philosophy deals with idea and poetry is twice removed from original. c) Plato says:† The imitator or maker of the images knows nothing of true existence; he knows appearance only†¦ The imitative art is an inferior who marries an inferior has inferior offspring.†[Dorothea’s ideal in Middle march shattered, Kshtriya drama-not to hit enemy without weapon, Tess’s providence, evil wins and God is silent, unrewarded virtue†¦] 3) Objection from the Moral point of view: a) In the same book in â€Å"The Republic†: soul of man has higher principles of reason. (Which is the essence of its being) as well as lower constituted of baser impulses and strengthens the rational principle is good and emotional is bad. b) Poetry waters and nourishes the baser impulses of men emotional sentimental and sorrowful. c) Plato says: â€Å"Then the imitative poet who aims at being popular is not by nature made, nor is his art intended, to please or to affect the rational principle in the soul; but he will prefer the passionate and fitful temper, which is easily limited. And therefore we shall be right in refusing to admit him into a well-ordered state, because he awakens and nourishes and strengthen the feelings and impairs the reason†¦poetry feeds and waters the passion instead of drying them us; she lets them rule, although, if mankind are ever to increase in happiness and virtue. There are Plato’s principle charges on poetry and objection to it. Before we pass on any judgment, we should not forget to keep in view the time in which he lived. During his time: 1) Plato says that art being the imitation of the actual is removed from truth. It only gives the likeness of a thing in concrete and the likeness is always less than real. But Plato fails to understand that art also give something more which is absent in the actual. The artist does not simply reflect the real in the manner of a mirror. Art is not slavish imitation of reality. Literature is not the photographic reproduction of life in all its totality. It is the representation of selected events and characters necessary in a coherent action for the realization of artist’s purpose (Namesake: Jhumpa Lahiri and Mira Nair). He even exalts idealizes and imaginatively recreates a world which has its own meaning and beauty. These elements, present in art are absent in the raw and rough real. R.A Scott-James rightly observes:†but though he creates something less than that reality. He also creates something more. He puts an idea into it. He gives his intuition of certain distinctive and essential qualities. This ‘more’ this intuition and perception is the aim of the artist. Artistic creation cannot be fairly criticized on the ground that it is not the creation in concrete terms of things and beings. Thus, considered it does not take us away from the Truth but leads us to the essential reality of life. 2) Plato again says that art is bad because it does not inspire virtue, does not teach morality. But it teaching the function of the art? Is it the aim of the artist? The function of art is to provide aesthetic, express emotions and life. It should never be confused with the function of ethics which is simply. If he fails in doing so, he is a bad artist. There is no other criterion to judge his worth. R.A Scott-James observes: â€Å"Morality teaches art does not attempt to teach. It merely asserts it is thus or thus that life is perceived to be. That is my bit of reality, says the artist. Take it or leave it- drew any lessons you like from it- that is my account of things as they are- if it has any value to you as evidence or teaching, use it, but that is not my business: I have given you my rendering, my account, my vision, my dream, my illusion- call it what you will. If yours is any lesson in it, it is yours to draw, not mine to preach.† Similarly Plato’s charge that needless lamentations and ecstasies at the imaginary events of sorrow and happiness encourage weaker part of soul and numbs faculty of reason. This charge is defended by Aristotle in his Theory of Catharsis. David Daiches summarizes Aristotle’s views in reply to Plato’s charges in brief: â€Å"Tragedy gives new knowledge, yields aesthetic satisfaction and produces a better state of mind. 3) Plato judges poetry now from the educational standpoint, now from the philosophical one and then from the ethical one. But he does not care to consider it from its own unique standpoint. He does not define its aims. He forgets that everything should be judged in terms of its own aims and objective its own criteria of merit and demerits. We cannot fairly maintain that music is bad because it does not paint, or that painting is bad because it does not sing. Similarly, we can not say that poetry is bad because it does not teach philosophy of ethics. If poetry, philosophy and ethics had identical function, how could they be different subject? To denounce poetry because it is not philosophy or ideal is clearly absurd. 1) Plato’s Valuable Contribution to Literary Criticism: In spite of Plato’s prejudices against poetry and art in general he remains the first great philosopher of arts. His findings about the nature of imaginative literature and representational fine arts remain valid even today. He has laid the first foundation brick of systematic literary criticism. His valuable contributions are following: 1) According to Wimsalt and Brooks: In Ion, Plato has drawn our attention to two principles (1) being able to compose poetry is not the same as to give rational of it; (2) Poetry is not concerned with making scenic statements. 2) He is the first critic to point that literature represents in a refined version the raw material supplied by life itself. Poetry may be called imitation of recreation. But the basic fact is that it derives its subject from life itself and from the world. It cannot invent anything that is never observed. R.A Scott-James is quite right when he says: â€Å"To him we owe the first statement of the mimetic or imitation character of art.† 3) Plato also right in saying that the only aim of the poet is to please the people, though his disapproved and denounce of the poet on this account is not fair. 4) It was Plato’s insight that discovered for the first time that all the fine arts have common aims although they employ different media. Scott-James observes: â€Å"Having got thus far, we observe that he has discovered a real community between all the fine arts. A poet who makes a poem and a painter who points a picture are engaged in the same sort of activity. They do not us e4 the same medium, but otherwise they are engaged on the same task.† Thus, as a moralist, he made some errors but he gave some important starting points to judge literary art.

Media lab

Taking over the counter drug for some of the symptom of cold, fever and some ailments that we experience is not the best thing to do; it is actually deprivation of ones defence mechanisms. This is because some of the common sickness like cold serves as defence mechanism to the body. Common cold tends to notify a person of the environment he or she is and sometimes tells you to relocate from the place. If these symptoms are not there it might result into organ damage without notification. Defences like running nose, cough, fever and diarrhoea, are beneficial because they tend to notify us of an underline problems, for instance a person experiencing diarrhoea will know that he or she has taking something that is toxic and will stop and desist from taking such things. Some of these diseases also help in the cleansing process. For instance, when a person coughs, it cleans the bacterial from the respiratory passage and the lungs. The problem we are facing is the ability to distinguish between disease and defence of the body systems. Since the pathogens that cause diseases evolved before us, we are liable to them, so there is a need for our body to fight those pathogens and our body has over time develop these defence mechanism against these pathogens. These defence mechanism are so important to the body to the extent that if they are absent in the body, it can lead so impaired function of the systems or even death. For instance, the early nausea experienced by the pregnant women   most times prevent them from eating bad food that can injure their foetus and also people that   experience no pain always have joint problems or die young. REFERENCE: David Krog (2003)   http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_krogh_biology_3/ Retrieval Date: April 23; 2008 Anthony Trollope (June 1995): Sickness can be Good; http://www.chester.ac.uk/~sjlewis/DM/TEXTS/TEXT2.H Retreival Date:April 23, 2008.

The Tequesta Tribe

The Tequesta was a small, peaceful native American tribe. They were the first tribe in south Florida and they lived in Biscayne bay which is now present day Miami dade county and half of Broward county they also had some small island in the Miami keys. They built many villages at the mouth of the Miami River and along the coastal islands. The chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. The Tequesta lived in Huts. like many other tribes in Florida the houses were built with wooden posts, raised floors, and roofs thatched with palmetto leaves. uring the year the main village relocated to barrier islands or to the Florida Keys during mosquito season which lasted about three months. They wore light clothing The men wore a sort of loincloth made from deer hide while the women wore skirts of spainsh or plant fibers hanging from a belt. The Tequesta native American tribe were hunters and gatherers. They relied mainly on fish, shellfish, nuts, and berries for food. The m en caught sharks, sailfish, sea cows which is a manatee. TheTequesta men also consumed cassina known by the black drink which drunk on important rituals. while the women and children gathered clams, conchs, oysters, and turtle eggs in the shallow waters. The manatee was considered a delicacy and served mainly to the chiefs and other important leaders. In the Everglades, they hunted bear, deer, wild boar, and small mammals. The Tequesta used shells and sharks' teeth for a variety of tools. These included hammers, chisels, fishhooks, drinking cups, and spearheads.Sharks' teeth were used to carve out logs to make canoes The Tequesta language may have been closely related to the language of the calusa of the southwest Florida coast and the Mayamis who lived around lake okeechobee in the middle of the lower Florida peninsula. The Tequesta were once thought to be related to the Taino, the Arawakin people of the Antilles. The Tequestas had many weird customs such as: when they bury their c hiefs, they buryed the smallbones with the body and put the large bones in a box for the village people to adore and hold as heir gods. They also stripped the flesh from the bone, burned the flesh and then gave the cleaned bones to the dead chief's relatives, with the larger bones going to the closest person. The miami circle is the site of a known Tequesta village south of the mouth of the Miami River . Ithas of 24 large holes or basins, and many smaller holes, which have been cut into bedrock. Together these holes form a circle approximately 38 feet in diameter. Other arrangements of holes are apparent as well.The Circle was discovered during an archeological survey of a site being cleared for construction of a high-rise building. Charcoal samples collected in the circle have been radiocarbon dated to approximately 1,900 years ago. The tequesta were second in power among the small tribes of Florida’s southeast coast. To the northwere the Jeaga and Jobe, and to the west and southwest were the powerful Calusa. According to historians of the early 20th century the chief of the Tequesta was related to the chief of the Calusa.The first record of European contact with the Tequesta was in 1513, by Juan Ponce de Leon when he discovered florida's coast. During the 1500s, Europeans began arriving in Florida. At first the Tequesta did not welcome these new visitors. But before long, the Europeans won their friendship by bribing them by bringing gifts of colored cloth, knives, and rum. The Tequesta numbered about 800, but they started to die out as a result of settlement battles, slavery, and disease. By the 1800s the Tequesta tribe had only a few survivors.

The Chinese Voyages of Exploration

The Chinese Voyages of Exploration Succeeded by the non-Chinese Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty is considered to be the last native dynasty to exist. The Ming Dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644 and is known as the greatest era of social stability and organized government (European). Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming Dynasty; he is also known as Hongwu, Taizu, and Ming Taizu. Hongwu died in 1382, leaving his grandson, Huidi, the next heir. However, Chengzu, or Yongol, created a military campaign to seize the thrown. This started a three year civil war, but Yongol overcame Huidi and took the thrown as emperor in 1403. Yongol wanted all other countries to fear his Dynasty’s power and see it as being the strongest (Asia). He created an expansion plan of China’s tribute system and as a result Zheng He was appointed to lead seven voyages (Europe). Zheng He, a muslim eunuch, was captured at the age of ten and was given the task of grouping boys to be castrated. During the time of the voyages, China’s technology was used to help build these massive ships that set sail. Known as â€Å"treasure ships,† these 400 feet long and 600 feet wide boats were equipped with nine sails, four decks, and armed with twelve cannons. There were also separate watertight compartments that had been recently invented. There were two major advantages of these compartments. One was if the ship was hit, it would not sink and the second was that it offered a way of carrying water for the passengers, animals, and fish. Another invention that was put onto these ships was sternpost rudders. Sternpost rudders were used to maneuver in crowded harbors and narrow channels and were easily attached to the outside rear (Asia). The Chinese would navigate by using a compass and sailing directions. Over the past 300 years, China had been strengthening its power in sea. A network of trade had been established in relation to their growing need for spices, herbs, and raw materials. Zheng He started his first voyage in 1405, which was made up of 317 ships with over sixty of them being treasure ships and almost 28,000 men. He began his journey first stopping in Champa, Central Vietnam and Siam, present day Thailand. From there, he sailed to Java, Malacca, and his main destination of Cochin, India making his trip last until 1407. Zheng He’s second voyage started in 1409 and lasted two years. Although he did not take part in the voyage, he organized sixty-eight ships to travel to Calicut to take part in the inauguration of the new king. From 1409 to 1411, the third voyage set sail. Zheng He took forty-eight ships and 30,000 soldiers to the same places that the first voyage went, but also included the Malay peninsula and Ceylong. In Ceylong, war broke out between the native’s and his men. So, Zheng He ceased the fighting and captured the King. He proceeded to bring him back to China where he was later released. The fourth voyage was much longer than the first three in distance. Lasting between 1413 and 1415, Zheng He, accompanied by twenty-five year old Muslim translator Ma Huan, stopped in many of the countries he previously visited. Yet, this time he controlled sixty-three ships and more than 28,000 men to Hormuz, which is located on the Persian Gulf. Starting in 1417, Zheng He’s fifth voyage headed to Aden, Africa, cities known as Mogadishu and Brawa, and Malindi. Many ambassadors decided to return to China with Zheng He. Again, it took two years to complete the expedition. The sixth voyage began in 1421, and only lasted a year. Zheng He visited the same countries mainly to return the ambassadors. In 1431, the seventh and final voyage took place. Due to Yongol’s death, his successor Xuande set forth the expedition. For two years, Zheng He visited places like the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Aden, and Hormuz. His fleet consisted of more than 27,000 men and over one hundred ships. He also visited Jidda by traveling up the Red Sea. In 1433, on his return trip to China, Zheng He died and was buried at sea (Asia). These expeditions created a line of communication between the Chinese and Southeast Asia. However, the voyages were stopped due to many reasons. One reason is cost. These trips were seen as a waste of money because during this time, China was campaigning against the Mongols and funding the construction of Peking (Europe). According to the court, Yongol used the Dynasty’s money in extravagant ways to promote land and sea expeditions. Also, his move of the capital from Nanjing to Beijing was very costly as well as his ordering of the construction of the Forbidden City, which involved greater than a million workers. His decision to widen the Grand Canal to allow more transportation was also cost effective. Another reason for the ceasing of the voyages was due to natural disasters. Epidemics in Fujian, lightening strikes ruining the newly designed Forbidden City, and the flooding of the Yellow River leaving millions without shelter and over 1000 acres infertile in 1448 were major money traps. Even though the Mongols had departed from Chinese borders, Pirates and smugglers became a major factor in the south (Asia). Zheng He’s voyages were supported by the Eunuchs and frowned upon by the Conservative Confucian court. In 1477, talk about another voyage had entered the courts. The vice president of the Ministry of War immediately took possession of Zheng He’s records stating that they are â€Å"deceitful exaggerations of bizarre things far removed from the testimony of people’s eyes and ears (Asia). † The Chinese were no longer interested in overseas affairs mainly because the Ming Dynasty’s major source of income was due to land tax and not trade tax. Thus, China did not become a maritime power and over time the non-Chinese ruled the seas (Europe). These voyages can be seen as the reason China fell behind in new technological advances as well as losing their dominance over the rest of the world. Work Cited â€Å"The Ming Dynasty's Maritime History. † The European Voyages of Exploration. Copyright 1997. The Applied History Research Group, Web. 3 Mar 2010. . â€Å"The Ming Voyages. † Asia For Educators. Copyright 2009. Columbia University, Web. 3 Mar 2010. .