Drawing The Colorline essays

Drawing The Colorline essays Drawing the Color line by Howard Zinn gives light to some of the horrible truths of slavery, racism and early American History. The chapter from A Peoples history of the United States goes into detail on the slave trade, conditions of 17th century America, how and why slavery happened, and the many conflicts slavery brought about. Zinn first tells us how American was prone to getting into slavery because of the condition in the early 17th century. People were starving, and the settlers couldnt do enough work to feed even themselves. Zinn tells us that some were so starved in the winter that they dug up graves to eat the corpses(24). Also, many of the settlers werent used to working and didnt even know how. They didnt want to work, yet they wanted to eat and make money off of their new discovery of tobacco planting. They couldnt force Indians because the Indians were tough, resourceful, and at home in these woods (25). So, the early settlers got into the African slave trade. Zinn suggests that the colonists may have been so enraged that the Native Americans could so easily survive, even with little technology, that it made the colonist want to do anything just to keep up with them. Zinn explains that blacks were not the easiest of peoples to capture into slavery because they were 100 million strong, and the only thing that set them apart from whites was their lack of guns. Often times Africans were capturing other Africans for profit. They sometimes marched in shackles for 1,000 miles, 2 in 5 dieing, to be put in cages when they reached the coast. Choking in the stench of their own excrement(28) the slaves were shipped across the Atlantic, 1 in 3 dieing on the journey over, some jumping overboard to their death to escape further suffering. Although there were indentured white servant ...

Conjugation of Pedir, Servir, and Vestir

Conjugation of Pedir, Servir, and Vestir Pedir (to request), servir (to serve), and vestir (to dress or wear) are among the common Spanish verbs in whose conjugation the -e- in the stem sometimes changes to -i-. Other verbs that follow the pattern of pedir as shown below  include competir (to compete), despedir (to send off, among other meanings), impedir (to impede or prevent), medir (to measure), and repetir (to repeat). Irregular forms are shown below in boldface. Translations are given as a guide and in real life may vary with context. Infinitive of Pedir pedir (to request) Gerund of Pedir pidiendo (requesting) Participle of Pedir pedido (requested) Present Indicative of Pedir yo pido, tà º pides, usted/à ©l/ella pide, nosotros/as pedimos, vosotros/as pedà ­s, ustedes/ellos/ellas piden (I request, you request, he requests, etc.) Preterite of Pedir yo pedà ­, tà º pediste, usted/à ©l/ella pidià ³, nosotros/as pedimos, vosotros/as pedisteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas pidieron (I requested, you requested, she requested, etc.) Imperfect Indicative of Pedir yo pedà ­a, tà º pedà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella pedà ­a, nosotros/as pedà ­amos, vosotros/as pedà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas pedà ­an (I used to request, you used to request, he used to request, etc.) Future Indicative of Pedir yo pedirà ©, tà º pedirs, usted/à ©l/ella pedir, nosotros/as pediremos, vosotros/as pedirà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas pedirn (I will request, you will request, he will request, etc.) Conditional of Pedir yo pedirà ­a, tà º pedirà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella pedirà ­a, nosotros/as pedirà ­amos, vosotros/as pedirà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas pedirà ­an (I would request, you would request, she would request, etc.) Present Subjunctive of Pedir que yo pida, que tà º pidas, que usted/à ©l/ella pida, que nosotros/as pidamos, que vosotros/as pidis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas pidan (that I request, that you request, that she request, etc.) Imperfect Subjunctive of Pedir que yo pidiera (pidiese), que tà º pidieras (pidieses), que usted/à ©l/ella pidiera (pidiese), que nosotros/as pidià ©ramos (pidià ©semos), que vosotros/as pidierais (pidieseis), que ustedes/ellos/ellas pidieran (that I requested, that you requested, that he requested, etc.) Imperative of Pedir pide (tà º), no pidas (tà º), pida (usted), pidamos (nosotros/as), pedid (vosotros/as), no pidis (vosotros/as), pidan (ustedes) (request, dont request, request, lets request, etc.) Compound Tenses of Pedir The perfect tenses are made by using the appropriate form of haber and the past participle, pedido. The progressive tenses use estar with the gerund, pidiendo. Sample Sentences Showing Conjugation of Pedir and Similarly Conjugated Verbs No podemos retener a extranjeros que no quieren pedir asilo. (We cant keep holding foreigners who dont wish to ask for asylum. Infinitive.) Hay muchas veces en las que ella y su madre se han vestido igual. (There are many times in which she and her mother have dressed alike. Present perfect.) La ley no impide venta de alcohol cerca de las escuelas. (The law doesnt prevent alcohol sales near schools.  Present indicative.) Estoy satisfecho con estos resultados porque los muchachos compitieron en contra de los mejores del paà ­s. (Im satisfied with these results because the boys competed against the countrys best. Preterite.) Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial hubo enormes aviones que servà ­an como bombarderos, volaban sobre el enemigo. (During World War II there were huge airplanes that served as bombers, flying over the enemy. Imperfect.)  ¿Se repetir la historia? (Will history repeat itself? Future.) No vas a creer lo que estn vistiendo. (You wont believe what theyre wearing. Gerund.) Rodrà ­guez insistià ³ en que su partido pedirà ­a a los catalanes que votaran sà ­ a quedarse en Espaà ±a. (Rodrà ­guez insisted that his party would ask Catalonians to vote yes to remaining in Spain. Conditional.) Es violatorio de la Constitucià ³n que impidan el derecho a las protestas. (It violates the Constitution for them to impede the right to protest. Present subjunctive.) Quisiera unos padres que no midieran el tiempo al estar conmigo. (I wanted parents who wouldnt ration their time being with me. Imperfect subjunctive.) No pidas perdà ³n. (Dont ask for forgiveness. Imperative.)

Guest lecturer reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Guest lecturer reports - Essay Example By so doing, no one will be to blame upon failure of a particular technology. There are different views on the relationship between technology and society. Technological determinism argues on the basis of engineers devising a technology which is either rejected or adapted by the society. It sees technological development as inevitable and autonomous. Political determinism incorporates commercial imperatives and global capitalism while social constructivism relays the possibilities of innovation when technology is embedded in its social context. Engineers as societies have management thus self-regulated. They operate on the basis of division of labour and it is such management that aided in the launch of the Challenger Space Shuttle. Being the 2nd innovation in the space exploration, it completed nine successful missions before exploding in the 10th mission. Although it halted the passion for space missions, judgments on the cause of the explosion began. Political explanation linked t he explosion to low temperatures while engineers put blames on the management. The judgment was considered from scientific perspective where an analysis on the design of the space shuttle was made. It was finally discerned that Challenger explosion was due to failure of any joints that exist between the two lower sections of the right solid rocket motor [Rumerman, 2000]. Basically, there are technical problems that existed but engineers did not concentrate to it. Perhaps, joint rotation was a minor problem and was fixed by SRB O-rings. However, NASA and Morton Thiokol (MT) engineers do not reach a consensus on the O-ring problems. Tests are done to solve the conflicting ideas of the size of gap that affected the sealing capacity of the rings. NASA uses electrical instrument to measure rotation and concludes that joint rotation is a serious problem because SRB fails test. On the other hand, Morton Thiokol engineers prove that joint rotation is not a serious problem despite failure of SRB in the 8th cycle of the hydro burst test. The challenger launch decision is thus upheld to meet appropriate professional standards. Judgments should be made based on evidence relating to materials, environment and people. Considering this fact, they make sure that before implementing a particular technology, it is safe enough to be handled by people. Scientific ideas and principles may be complex and controversial if it differs from social judgment (National academics, 2013). Engineering judgments should provide pragmatic solutions. For instance, the rocket motor is designed with seals which work under conditions of temperature and pressure that exceed expected launch. This helps to create a scientific experience to bring back the thought that long halted the launch of space program until the facts of the dimensional problems were identified. In order to protect public welfare, engineers must be aware of the test designs to be applied in providing solutions (Lewis, & Richard, 1 988). The challenger launch decision therefore was based on a new recommendation which stated that low temperature was not a big problem notwithstanding facts that the prediction of the launch temperatures was outside NASA specifications. This follows acceptance of recommendations made by MT engineers and a decision to launch the space shuttle

Time Orientation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time Orientation - Essay Example These three orientations, regardless of culture gender or educational background one has, are often experienced by everyone contrary to what is shown in the video where certain cultures are more inclined to a particular orientation. Perhaps there is a truth to that matter though but, the point is, people somehow come to some points in their lives where they experience the three orientations. In this paper, this writer’s personal assessment of his own past, present and future orientations will be discussed in detail along with the benefits and disadvantages of such orientations. When times are tough and there seems to be no hope for the future, I tend to think about the good times in my past. I think about the people who love and care for me and the events that I enjoyed as a younger person. This is perhaps because I feel like it is a way of escape from the difficulties I am going through. After a few moments, I often feel better and encouraged so that I challenge myself to fac e my present circumstances instead of run away from them or feel disappointed about things. This is an advantage one can have from reminiscing about the past. The joys of life experienced in the past become reminders that life is not always bad. Moreover, bad experiences can also serve as inspirations, showing that despite the bad times, one has overcome and is still surviving in the present despite the difficulties. Nevertheless, there are also disadvantages in dwelling in the memories of the past. For instance, in my experience, whenever I am reminded about the people who have hurt me, I feel angry and eventually, I do not feel so good. Hatred and unforgiveness build up in my mind and heart and I tend to waste my time thinking about how I could get even with them. Thinking so much about the present in the meantime also has its advantages and disadvantages. Whenever I observe other people who seem to have nothing to do but enjoy themselves, I get envious and think that I deserve su ch enjoyment as much as they do. Therefore, I seek to be with friends rather than stay at home and study. Watching movies and playing video games make me forget about my problems or any unpleasant situations so that I spend much time in front of the television or computer. These indeed give pleasure but they also are bound to make nothing out of a man because they are not productive. A good future is sacrificed for the little contentment of a man who dwells in the present. Surely, enjoyment is not only wonderful but is also important especially in this fast-paced and busy world because it relieves a person from stressful days. Nevertheless, staying too long in the present can lead to a failure to prepare for future needs. Being future oriented on the contrary can make a person’s life miserable than it ought to be. Personally, when I think about Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, I tend to imagine myself being the next person to discover the next great creation in the world of computers, become famous and wealthy. This often leads me to dream and plan, think about what kind of house I want, imagine myself in the latest car model and give a beautiful woman the best wedding there can ever be. This leads me to demand too much from myself, sometimes forgetting to give myself a little pleasure. I become stingy not only to other people but also to myself whenever I dwell in my future orientation. However, it cannot be denied that this situation is good considering that there are

Internal combustion engine Essay Example for Free

Internal combustion engine Essay ?1. The seven suspects who may have contributed to the failure of GM’s EV1 program are: a. Customers (guilty) a. i. Consumers wanted a three hundred mile range and eighty-five mile per hour speed on their electric cars but this was not plausible when running off of a battery. a. ii. When customers compare cars they don’t care much about the environmental risks they only care about the price, the miles per gallon, and the mileage range. Customers had a difficult time seeing the difference between regular cars and electric cars so there was not enough demand. b. Battery Technology (not guilty). b. i. Batteries were too weak to make the car go as far as consumers were hoping so they bought the less expensive gasoline vehicles that could go the desired distance. c. Oil Companies (guilty) c. i. Oil companies got very involved with electric cars because if everyone were to switch to battery operated vehicles, there would no longer being a large demand for gasoline. d. Car Companies (guilty) d. i. The GM car didn’t seem to be catching on and there did not seem to see a profit in electric or hybrid cars so they didn’t see it as effective to keep manufacturing the car. e. Government (guilty) e. i. Government officials did not approve of the electric car so they did nothing to assist General Motors in selling it. e. ii. President Carter supported clean energy but President Nixon cared so little about clean energy he had the solar panels taken off the roof of the White House. f. C. A. R. B. California Air Resources Board (guilty). f. i. Lloyd was elected chairman of the board four months before they got rid of the electric car and he persisted to demolish it. g. Hydrogen Fuel Cells (guilty) g. i. Hydrogen Fuel Cells seemed more appealing to consumers because Shell stations could provide hydrogen. g. ii. Hydrogen Fuel Cells had General Motors beat because their cars could travel 100-125 miles per fill up while the EV could only travel about 75 miles. Also, hydrogen cars have about three to four times more energy than a car running on batteries. 2. The suspect I feel is most responsible is the consumers because they only look at the simple facts; they couldn’t care less whether or not their car is destroying the environment. Consumers only care about the price, mileage, and miles per gallon of a vehicle which all lacked on the EV because car companies saw it fair to lose a bit of the â€Å"basic car features† in order to improve the environment. 3. The nickel metal hydride battery enabled the GM EV1 to have a real world range of 250 km and the Chevrolet S10 achieved a range of 110 to 130 km with full charge and can usually last for years on end depending on how many times you have to recharge the full battery. Today, nickel metal hydride batteries are commonly used for cameras, camcorders, cell phones, pagers, medical instruments, etc. An interview published last year in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said that there was going to be a new approach to photovoltaic thin-film production that would allow factories to make enough solar panels in a year to produce at least one gigawatt of electricity annually—roughly the scale of a nuclear power plant—at the price of coal. The argument for thin-film solar panels is that thin-film solar can actually be cheaper than one dollar a watt, low price solar panels are opening up new markets (which could lead to a surge in demand), and the fastest, cheapest way to meet that demand could be building thin-film solar factories, since you can build those factories for a third as much as silicon solar panel factories. Although this seems beneficial, the main arguments against thin-film solar panels are the cost of everything else that goes into the final cost of solar power (including installation costs, which are now higher than the cost of panels themselves), you can save much more money if higher efficiency solar panels are put in because the company would have to buy less panels, and thin-film solar panels are actually less efficient than silicon ones. Because of the strong points of the argument, I do not think that putting in thin-film solar panels is worth the trouble when time and money could be saved with more efficient panels. 4. The goal of Plug in America is to get Americans to switch to a car that uses clean, affordable, domestic electricity for some or all of its energy. The best way to reduce carbon emissions is to utilize the ever cleaner, greener, more renewable grid to power transportation. Only grid-rechargeable cars can attain the end goal of zero-emissions and ensure fuel price stability. Plug in America works with General Motors, Nissan, and Mitsubishi all of which sell electric vehicles. The main Plug in America is based out of San Francisco, California. Around 2005, all of the major automakers planned to call back their leased electric vehicles (which were only available in California) and crush them. A group of drivers formed to stop them and wanted to buy the cars they had been driving. They were unsuccessful with the GM EV-1; this was the subject of the movie Who Killed The Electric Car. But GM did not crush the S-10 pickups, and the protestors saved half of the Toyota RAV4-EVs. Plug In America then kept up a continuous campaign to convince automakers that there is demand for electric vehicles, and that they should build them instead of crushing them. There are now several electric vehicles in the marketplace, and by the end of 2012 there will be dozens of models. Plug In America no longer needs to protest; instead they now consult with the automakers and offer training to auto dealers. 5. The newest electric cars are: a. The 2013 Smart fortwo electric car couple/convertible a. i. This car is available in select dealers across the country. a. ii. This car gets 122 miles per gallon equivalent (1 gallon of gasoline=33. 7 kW-hr) in cities and 93 miles per gallon equivalent on highways.a. iii. Over a five-year span, someone with a Smart fortwo electric car would save about $8,750 because the annual fuel cost is only $600. a. iv. The driving range of this car in is 68 miles. b. The 2013 Scion iQ EV b. i. There will be approximately 90 iQ EVs available for fleet and car-sharing applications at select dealers across the country. b. ii. This car gets 138 miles per gallon equivalent (1 gallon of gasoline=33. 7 kW-hr) in cities and 105 miles per gallon equivalent on highways. b. iii. Over a five-year span, someone with a Scion iQ EV would save about $9,250 because the annual fuel cost is only $500. b. iv. The driving range of this car in is 38 miles. c. The 2013 Honda Fit EV c. i. This car is available in California and parts of Oregon c. ii. This car gets 132 miles per gallon equivalent (1 gallon of gasoline=33. 7 kW-hr) in cities and 105 miles per gallon equivalent on highways. c. iii. Over a five-year span, someone with a Honda Fit EV would save about $9,250 because the annual fuel cost is only $500. c. iv. The driving range of this car in is 82 miles. d. The 2013 Fiat 500e d. i. At this time, this car is only available in California. d. ii. This car gets 122 miles per gallon equivalent (1 gallon of gasoline=33. 7 kW-hr) in cities and 108 miles per gallon equivalent on highways. d. iii. Over a five-year span, someone with a Fiat 500e would save about $9,250 because the annual fuel cost is only $500. d. iv. The driving range of this car in is 87 miles. Since the ranges of these electric cars are actually quite good, I would be able to drive an electric car in my daily life. On average, I don’t drive very far but for days I do I think I would need to have a gasoline powered car that can be refilled quickly and easily at a gas station. At night, I would just have to plug my car in so that it could be fully charged in the morning and it would be sufficient enough to get to school and work. 6. The arguments for and against electric cars are: a. One criticism of electric cars is that they often just replace one source of carbon pollution with another. Instead of a combustion engine that burns gasoline, you get a plug-in vehicle that depends on electricity from burning coal. All in all, electric cars still look pretty good in comparison, especially since they’re not burning any gasoline and putting additional carbon in the air, but it looks like it’s not, strictly speaking, true that â€Å"It takes more electricity to drive the average gasoline car 100 miles, than it does to drive an electric car 100 miles. † This probably explains why Nissan abandoned its sticker. The energy comparison still looks positive for electric cars, but the talking point isn’t nearly as neat and clean. b. In order to support large numbers of electric cars there will have to be an infrastructure built where these cars can be recharged. Although, even with charging stations, an electric car can take up to eight hours to fully charge and this is quite the inconvenience for people traveling. The idea of a â€Å"swop† has been presented where the driver gives in their used battery for a battery that is fully charged but doing this could cost the government a lot of money. c. Yes, the batteries that power electric cars (and hybrids, for that matter) can be recycled. For decades, lead-acid batteries powered the few electric vehicles that were on the road. The latest models, with their lighter weight and longer range, use lithium-ion batteries, just like laptops and cell phones. In either case, the batteries that power electric cars can be recycled. When the battery packs in a lithium-ion-powered vehicle are deemed too worn out for driving, they still have up to 80 percent of their charge left. So before they ever get to a recycling center, these batteries are used to prop up the grid, especially alongside energy sources that may not be quite as steady, like wind or solar power. The batteries can store power to help the flow of electricity stay on an even keel rather than ebb and flow with the weather. An electric car battery is costly, but can last as much as 100,000 miles. They usually come with a 10 year or mileage limit warranty. Sources: http://www. greenbatteries. com/nibafa. html#How%20many%20times http://www. pluginamerica. org/ http://www. fueleconomy. gov/feg/evnews. shtml http://www. wlv. ac. uk/default. aspx? page=31209 http://www. howstuffworks. com/can-electric-car-batteries-be-recycled. htm http://www. technologyreview. com/view/512746/dont-count-out-thin-film-solar/

Whitmans O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinsons Hope is a Thing with F

Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!" And Dickinson's "Hope is a Thing with Feathers" America experienced profound changes during the mid 1800’s. New technologies and ideas helped the nation grow, while the Civil War ripped the nation apart. During this tumultuous period, two great American writers captured their ideas in poetry. Their poems give us insight into the time period, as well as universal insight about life. Although polar opposites in personality, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman created similar poetry. Dickinson’s â€Å"Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and Whitman’s â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† share many qualities. "Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† contain a similar scansion. Both have a predominantly iambic meter. The unaccented beat followed by the accented beat creates a rising meter. Each poem also contains notable exceptions to the iambic meter. In "Hope is a Thing with Feathers,† the first line ‘Hope is the thing’ contains a trochee followed by an iamb. â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† contains even more exceptions to the iambic meter. Line 5, ‘But O heart! heart! heart!’ consists of an imperfect root followed by two spondees, or feet with two equally accented syllables. Both Line 6 ‘O the bleeding drops of red’ and line 8 ‘Fallen cold and dead’ have trochaic meters with an imperfect root at the end. The remainder of the poem has an iambic meter until the last two lines: ‘Walk the deck my Captain lies, /Fallen cold and dead.’ The iambic meter... Whitman's O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinson's Hope is a Thing with F Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!" And Dickinson's "Hope is a Thing with Feathers" America experienced profound changes during the mid 1800’s. New technologies and ideas helped the nation grow, while the Civil War ripped the nation apart. During this tumultuous period, two great American writers captured their ideas in poetry. Their poems give us insight into the time period, as well as universal insight about life. Although polar opposites in personality, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman created similar poetry. Dickinson’s â€Å"Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and Whitman’s â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† share many qualities. "Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† contain a similar scansion. Both have a predominantly iambic meter. The unaccented beat followed by the accented beat creates a rising meter. Each poem also contains notable exceptions to the iambic meter. In "Hope is a Thing with Feathers,† the first line ‘Hope is the thing’ contains a trochee followed by an iamb. â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† contains even more exceptions to the iambic meter. Line 5, ‘But O heart! heart! heart!’ consists of an imperfect root followed by two spondees, or feet with two equally accented syllables. Both Line 6 ‘O the bleeding drops of red’ and line 8 ‘Fallen cold and dead’ have trochaic meters with an imperfect root at the end. The remainder of the poem has an iambic meter until the last two lines: ‘Walk the deck my Captain lies, /Fallen cold and dead.’ The iambic meter...

Federalists vs Democrat Republicans

10/13/11 Federalists Vs. Democratic-Republicans Hearing about political parties, Washington was not too keen on the idea. Conversely, he was part of the uprising of the first two political parties. Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, previously named anti-federalists, were the two different political organizations. The first two parties to evolve were very different regarding beliefs of the common people, views of the government, their stances on the foreign policy, and ways to manage finances. Alexander Hamilton, a political mastermind, was the first leader of the Federalists.Like him self, the Federalist followers were wealthy land owning men who were powerful and held high jobs within the cities. They believed that industries of mercantilism and business were going to be significant contributors to the success of America’s future. Therefor Federalism was very popular in New England and the North part of the United States because of the popularity of â€Å"big businessà ¢â‚¬  in those areas. In fear of getting in the middle of a war with another country they did not want any ties with any other countries, but to trade with them. Hamilton and his followers also believed in a very strong central government.They wanted a secure executive branch and trusted it as the key for a strong nation. However, they followed the Constitution, but if they found the need to change anything, and it was necessary and proper and would benefit the nation, they were ok to make the change. The federalists were very strong supporters of the British. Hamilton felt that they should not get involved with the war between France and Great Britain, this however angered the French because without them, they believed, America would have lost the Revolutionary war. Thomas Jefferson led the Democratic-Republicans.This party’s followers were considerably less wealthy than the Federalists. Supporters came from the south and west where there were more of the farmers, small bus iness owners, and employees of the new nation. The beliefs of these people were very contrary to those of the Federalists. They followed the constitution very strictly and anything that was opposing the constitution the Central Government had no place on handling the issues. They felt that there should not be too much power placed on the federal government and that the legislature should hold more of the power.Their beliefs were that a strong Central Government would diminish the rights of the states and the people. This party saw the future of America flourishing under agriculture. They did not want the national bank as the Federalists did because it was not originally written in the Constitution. Also in contrast to the Federalists, the Democratic-Republicans did not like the British and wanted nothing to do with them. Between the two parties, consolidating the differences down to major dissimilarities, the Federalist Party is one I side with for some distinct reasons. A loose int erpretation of the Constitution is a major upside in my opinion.If America were to make no changes to the constitution we would be fixed in a system of roundabouts. The same problems would keep arising and there would be no way to change them while under strict interpretations. The last difference is the strong central government with a secure executive branch. The distinction of powers in the government insures separation of the powers and does not give positions concurring powers and rights. Although the representation of the lower totem-pole citizens is marginal, they can make changes based on the representation of the people because of the equalized powers of the government.

Life †Religion Essay

In my opinion, there is no specific meaning of life. There also is a part of me that thinks that life really doesn’t have a meaning at all. But, since I have to try to define life, I would have to say it’s a combination of things in your life that you are living for, or the purpose of you being on this earth. Everyone most likely has a different purpose for being alive. Whether it is family, school, or your career; those things have a lot of impact on your life and also decisions that you make throughout life. In our society, many families instill faith and morals early into their children’s lives by continuing traditions or practices of religious faith. The idea of faith and moral beliefs are instilled in a person by attending or participating in church activities and reading the Bible or other religious texts. When there is a sound moral foundation in a person’s life it may give them the motivation through faith to build a sound structure for their life or to achieve personal goals. Simply put, a person may believe through faith that it is possible to achieve an education, start a family, or to have a successful business or career because of their foundation in faith. The reason why I somewhat think that life really doesn’t have a meaning, is because no matter what anyone does or how well or righteous someone lives their life, in the end they still die. What happens after that? Nothing, you never come back nor will you have any recollection of what went on during your lifetime here on earth. A person can bust their behind in working doing good for the community and everything else and in the end you still end up in the same place as everyone else, good people or bad people, you die. Another reason why I believe life doesn’t have a meaning is because all of the people in this world have to suffer, they still go through pain, they have to watch loved ones die, they still have to go through heartache, and rough times. Being poor, homeless, and not having food for as single meal in the day. Where is the meaning in life when people have to wake up hungry or worry about where they will lay their head that night? I’d say there is none when you look at it from that perspective. In my opinion, the meaning of life is too complex for the human brain to comprehend. People tend to say that they know what the meaning of life is, but who really knows the answer. There are various opinions and schools of thought, however, most people can never and will never reach a clear understanding of what the meaning of life is. If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering. †? Viktor E. Frankl. Frankl could not have said this quote any better, most people can say that they have found meaning in their life but at the same time, there are some people wondering if the only reason they are on this earth is to suffer on a daily basis throughout their entire lives.

Top 5 Websites for Your Job Search Over the Holidays

Top 5 Websites for Your Job Search Over the Holidays Most job seekers conduct their search by applying for positions posted on various job search websites. They might look on LinkedIn, monster, indeed, or one of many industry-specific sites and identify appropriate jobs. While this tactic is an essential part of every job search, and while some people find jobs this way, the competition is enormous. If you saw the job online, so did hundreds or thousands of other qualified candidates who are also throwing their hat in the ring. For many, a more fruitful job search strategy is to identify companies where you want to work, then approach them regarding what you have to offer. This â€Å"hidden job search† strategy has been effective for thousands of professionals who have created their dream job. To conduct a â€Å"hidden job search,† the first step is to create a list of target companies. This practice, which requires a lot of research, allows you to take control of your search instead of letting the internet dictate what jobs you apply for. The next step is to identify the people you are connected with at those companies and to contact them to start conversations. The holidays are a perfect time to do some valuable research on what companies you might want to work for. Here are my 5 top recommended websites for your job search over the holidays: 1.   LinkedIn.com. LinkedIn is probably the best site for discovering your connections at any company. First, search for companies using the search bar and dropping down to Companies. Type in your keywords or the company name to get a list of companies that fit your target. Once you choose a company you want to research, go to the company page where you will be informed of â€Å"How You’re Connected† to the people at that company. For instance, when I go to the Dell page, I am informed that I have 5 first-degree connections (including the Talent Acquisition Senior Advisor in Phoenix) and 4,406 second-degree connections there. If I wanted to know what it’s like to work at Dell, I’d have quite a few people to reach out to!   On the company page for most mid- to large-sized companies, you can look at the Careers tab to find out what jobs are available there. And if you want to get the company’s news, click on Follow to get their updates.   Challenge: There is no â€Å"Advanced Search† available for Companies, so you are not able to search based on location or other more refined terms. 2.   CareerCloud.com. This site collects news articles (newspaper headlines, online media, and press releases) that indicate company expansion and restructuring. In other words, it saves you the work of doing a google search to find out what jobs might be opening up in your industry. From the home page, click on the Hidden Jobs app and you will be able to choose any U.S. state to see who’s hiring in that state. Then click on â€Å"view source† to read the news. It’s free! Challenge: No ability to search by city, only state; and you don’t know what level of position might be available until you read the source material. 3.   Manta.com. From the bottom section of Manta’s home page, you can search for both U.S. and   non-U.S. companies by either industry or location. You can then filter your results by Company Revenue, Number of Employees, Type of Ownership (Public or Private), and Location Type (Headquarters, Branch or Single Location). Within any given industry, you can browse by location as well. You will get the company’s website and snail mail address and you’ll have the option to â€Å"Follow company† (an option that requires you to set up a free account). Challenge: Although manta is a great tool for research, I don’t see the value of building a network here if you have a robust LinkedIn network. Without a network, you won’t find a lot of information about people who work at any given company. 4.   ZoomInfo.com. From ZoomInfo’s home page, scroll down to the section that says â€Å"Browse ZoomInfo’s company directory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  You can search in the US or Canada for companies by industry and then by city. You can then click on any of the search results to found out a company’s address, web address, revenue and number of employees; look a bit further to discover title and contact information of key employees. With a free profile (Community Edition), you can view up to 80 contacts per month. Challenge: Some of the information on this site is out of date. Links to companies often do not work. Also, the initial list of companies is merely alphabetical and does not have any filtering options, so you may find yourself clicking on company names rather blindly. 5.   Glassdoor.com. If you’re looking for inside information on any company, this is the site for you. Click on the Companies tab, enter the name of a company and its location, and you’ll get an overall company rating by company employees, a list of salary ranges for various positions (a magic bullet for that dreaded â€Å"Salary Requirements† question!), reviews by employees including pros, cons, advice to senior management, and whether the person would recommend the company to a friend, and information about the company’s interview process and questions. For full functionality, you’ll need to create an account. I’d say it’s worth it for the interview and salary information alone! The site also has job listings. Challenge: The site is more integrated with Facebook than LinkedIn so you might not be able to find your professional connections at a company without logging in separately to LinkedIn. Also, it’s hard to tell whether information provided by company employees could be skewed. Using a combination of all these resources for your research will give you a remarkable amount of information and will put you worlds beyond the average job seeker in terms of your confidence and preparedness in your job search. Isn’t getting this kind of ammunition worth spending a bit of time during the holidays? Please let me know what sites you’ve found the most useful for your job search research. And have a wonderful holiday! Category:Job SearchBy Brenda BernsteinDecember 23, 2013

History of San Juan, The Capital of Puerto Rico

History of San Juan, The Capital of Puerto Rico The capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan ranks high on the list of most historic cities in the New World, with early explorers establishing a settlement there 15 years after  Columbus’s monumental first voyage. The city has been the scene of many historic events, from naval battles to pirate attacks. Modern San Juan, now a top Caribbean tourism destination, embraces its long and fascinating history. Early Settlement The first settlement on the island of Puerto Rico was Caparra, founded in 1508 by Juan Ponce de Leà ³n, a Spanish explorer and conquistador best remembered for his quixotic quest to find the Fountain of Youth in 16th-century Florida. Caparra was deemed unsuitable for a long-term settlement, however, and the residents soon moved to an island a short distance to the east, to the present site of Old San Juan. Rise to Importance The new city of San Juan Batista de Puerto Rico quickly became famous for its good location and port, and it rose to importance in the colonial administration. Alonso Manso, the first  bishop  to arrive in the Americas, became bishop of Puerto Rico in 1511. San Juan became the first ecclesiastical headquarters for the New World  and served as the first base for the Inquisition as well. By 1530, barely 20 years after its founding, the city supported a university, a hospital, and a library. Piracy San Juan quickly came to the attention of Spain’s rivals in Europe. The first attack on the island took place in 1528, when the French razed several outlying settlements, leaving only San Juan intact. Spanish troops started building San Felipe del Morro, a formidable castle, in 1539.  Sir Francis Drake and his men attacked the island in 1595 but were held off. In 1598, however, George Clifford and his force of English privateers managed to capture the island, remaining for several months before illness and local resistance drove them away. That was the only time El Morro castle was ever captured by an invading force. The 17th and 18th Centuries San Juan declined somewhat after its initial importance, as wealthier cities such as Lima and Mexico City thrived under the colonial administration. It continued to serve as a strategic military location and port, however, and the island produced significant sugarcane and ginger crops. It also became known for breeding fine horses, prized by Spanish conquistadors campaigning on the mainland. Dutch pirates attacked in 1625, capturing the city but not the fort. In 1797, a British fleet of approximately 60 ships attempted to take San Juan but failed in what is known on the island as â€Å"The Battle of San Juan.† The 19th Century Puerto Rico, as a small and relatively conservative Spanish colony, did not participate in the independence movements of the early 19th century. As the armies of Simon Bolà ­var and Jose de San Martà ­n swept across South America liberating new nations, royalist refugees loyal to the Spanish crown flocked to Puerto Rico. Liberalization of some Spanish policies – such as granting freedom of religion in the colony in 1870, encouraged immigration from other parts of the world, and Spain held onto Puerto Rico until 1898. The Spanish-American War The city of San Juan played a minor role in the Spanish-American War, which broke out in early 1898. The Spanish had fortified San Juan but did not anticipate the American tactic of landing troops at the western end of the island. Because many Puerto Ricans did not oppose a change of administration, the island basically surrendered after a few skirmishes. Puerto Rico was ceded to the Americans under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War. Although San Juan had been bombarded for a time by American warships, the city suffered relatively little damage during the conflict. The 20th Century The first few decades under American rule were mixed for the city. Although some industry developed, a series of hurricanes and the Great Depression had a profound effect on the economy of the city and the island in general. The grim economic situation led to a small but determined independence movement and a great deal of emigration from the island. Most emigrants from Puerto Rico in the 1940s and 1950s went to New York City in search of better jobs; its still home to a great many citizens of Puerto Rican descent. The U.S. Army moved out of El Morro Castle in 1961. San Juan Today Today, San Juan takes its place among the Caribbeans top tourism destinations. Old San Juan has been extensively renovated, and sights like the El Morro castle draw large crowds. Americans looking for a Caribbean vacation like to travel to San Juan because they don’t need a passport to go there: it is American soil. In 1983 the old city defenses, including the castle, were declared a World Heritage Site. The old section of the city is home to many museums, reconstructed colonial-era buildings, churches, convents, and more. There are excellent beaches close to the city, and the El Condado neighborhood is home to top-notch resorts. Tourists can reach several areas of interest within a couple of hours from San Juan, including rainforests, a cave complex, and many more beaches. It is the official home port of many major cruise ships as well. San Juan is also one of the most important ports in the Caribbean and has facilities for oil refining, sugar processing, brewing, pharmaceuticals, and more. Naturally, Puerto Rico is well-known for its rum, much of which is produced in San Juan.

Managing Financial Risks With Derivatives Thesis

Managing Financial Risks With Derivatives - Thesis Example According to the research findings in the current business environment markets have become increasingly global. Global data is increasing very fast with the establishment of a number of multinational companies. Although financial risk has increased significantly in recent years; risk and risk management are not contemporary issues. The result of increasingly global markets is that risk may originate with events thousands of miles away that have nothing to do with the domestic market. Quick changes in market reactions can be expected with availability of instantaneous information. The economic climate and markets can be affected very quickly through changes in exchange rates, interest rates, and commodity prices. Counter- parties can rapidly become problematic. As a result, it is important to ensure that financial risks are identified and managed appropriately. Preparation is the key component of risk management. Derivative is the widely used strategy adopted for risk management. It t ends to avoid or minimize risk occurrences faced by the institutions. Usage of proper derivative instruments provides advantages of cheaper foreign exchange, cheaper interest rate and an opportunity to sell shares at flexible prices. Derivative instruments tend to transfer risk from the user to the providers. It is traded widely among financial institution and exchanges. Derivatives play a fundamental part an important role in the risk management of equity, bonds, or short term interest rates. Use of derivative instruments like futures, forward, hedging, and swaps comes into play for effective control of financial risks (grammar mistakes in this sentence). Derivative instruments like futures, forward, hedging and swap can be used effectively to control financial risks. Many The various financial risk (sense) Many risk elements that exist in the market are like credit risk which arises from the potential that an obligor is either unwilling to perform on an obligation or its ability t o perform such obligation is impaired resulting in economic loss to the bank. Besides market risk is the risk that the value of on and off-balance sheet positions of a financial institution will be adversely affected by movements in market rates or prices such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, equity prices, credit spreads and/or commodity prices resulting in a loss to earnings and capital. liquidity risk is the potential for loss to an institution arising from either its inability to meet its obligations or to fund increases in assets as they fall due without incurring unacceptable cost or lose operational risks " is the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and system or from external events " (Risk Management Guidelines for commercial Banks &

DB-5 Intellectual Property Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DB-5 Intellectual Property Law - Research Paper Example However, it does not affect the validity of the patent acquired by Omni Chemical Co. in State Y because â€Å"patents are specific to particular jurisdictions† (Patent Lens, n.d). Since Bumpkin had published his discovery without patenting it, any person or business was free to use this discovery or any of its contents without prior permission. The Green Chemical Ltd. may argue that this discovery had been made available worldwide and hence it could be considered as general information. However, the case scenario specifically states that the journals which published the discovery of Bumpkin in State Y had never been checked or used by anyone prior to 1992. In that situation, the Omni Chemical Co. attained a patent in 1988 for their production formula, which included this discovery in State Y and hence no other individual or business in this State has the right to use this compound. The argument that Nitrophos has not been separately patented in State Y is not valid as this information is a part of the Omni Chemical’s production formula. Intellectual property right laws clearly define various rights of a patentee. Patent right â€Å"is an exclusive lic ense or right granted to a company or an individual to produce a particular product or use a particular technology on the basis of its claim to be the discoverer of the product or technology.† (Nayar, 2010, p.143). Referring to this definition, it is clear that the Omni Chemical Co. has obtained a license over its fertilizer from the State Y Patent Office and hence the company has the sole right to manufacture and distribute the product across state Y. Such a license would serve Omni Chemical Co. as a tool to prevent unauthorized reproduction and distribution of the patented product. Patent laws do not allow third parties to use any content of the patented property and therefore the Omni Chemical Co. has complete right over its fertilizer called Fast Grow39. The fact that Omni Chemical Co. is a