Existentialism in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer - 1866 Words

The existentialist is one who is concerned only with that intense moment of awareness with only his senses at his disposal, never looking to the future – the most living awareness. McCandles, the protagonist, in Into the Wild has come to the realization that existence is already being dead and accepting the fact that life is absurd and marvelous. He embraced the sublime absurdity of existence by renouncing the language games society plays. What is so enticing about the existentialist is that he is not concerned with the pressure of appearances and small talk which society employs to lie about what they think and feel. Existentialism is accepting the inevitability of death and living life for the moment without entertaining hope or falsities that distract one from living and accepting truth. The existentialist sees the simplicity in life and the absurdity of complicating it with pretences and lies, the existentialist is a naked man, he is one who becomes one with the rest of creation in accepting his fate on this earth and not hoping for anything more – he simply exists. After graduating from college McCandless, the protagonist in Penn’s Into the Wild, donates all his savings to charity, burns all of the money he has and goes on a journey into the wilderness, removing himself from society. He suggests that the wild will kill the disciplines that have been instilled within him, what he refers to as: â€Å"the false being within† and being ‘poisoned by civilization’. He feelsShow MoreRelatedThe Search For Truth in Into the Wild by John Krakauer1983 Words   |  8 PagesMcCandless was born February 12, 1968 in El Segundi, California. Later on, due to Walt McCandless, Christophers father, success as an aerospace engineer [Christopher] was raised in the comfortable upper middle class environs of Annandale, Virginia(Krakauer 14). Similarly to many people today, Walt McCandless made injurious decisions; during the birth of Christopher and his sister, Carine, Walt was still married. In turn, this leaves them to be bastard children . Christopher was an intellectual that

Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program - 1342 Words

The Mental Health Intensive Case Management program (MHICM) was created to improve the quality of life for people dealing with severe mental illness. Also to helped build skills that one can use to live successfully in the community at large. Veterans who are referred to MHICM are male and female range in age from there early twenty’s to their eighties. Unfortunately the main diagnosed for many of these veterans is schizophrenia and other severe mood disorders. â€Å"No one symptom or sign is found in all individuals; rather, the final diagnosis rest upon the total symptom picture† (E. Fuller Torrey, 2001) Veterans who are in the program, suffer from a wide range of complex needs such as finding food, shelter and clothing†¦show more content†¦One major tenant of the program is recovery and recovery oriented treatments. Due to the nature of the mental illness that the veteran is suffering from their needs may be judge on a more in-depth assessment of the ve teran. Case Mangers will on average personally visit a veteran two to three times a week. This is done so that the veteran who has issues coming to a VA facility won’t have to miss treatment. Case Mangers depending on the severity of illness will commit to a more intensive case management services. This would be done if a veteran is in a process of detrition if all are in agreement who are motoring the veteran. Case Manager and psychiatrist who hold daily rounds will review the veterans chart a proper course of action. Assessment and treatment data will be reviewed and analyzed by leadership to determine if program would be effective. . Intensive case management is characterized by a multidimensional approach by which many outreach services are in the community of the veteran who

Caravaggio painting Free Essays

Aggravating painting As I viewed the four paintings the Aggravating painting stood out to be the best in portraying the story of Narcissus. I chose this painting mainly because of the clear image we are given of the boy dwelling over his beautiful reflection coming from the water. Aggravating shows great contrast in this painting showing off the boys pale skin and silky hair which is seen to be attracting. We will write a custom essay sample on Caravaggio painting or any similar topic only for you Order Now The image itself is very simple. Aggravating did not include too many distractions leaving only the boy at the center of the image. This catches the viewer’s attention quickly so they can tie in the image to the story. The second image that best fits the story would be the image drawn by Waterholes. In this image he has Narcissus lies on his stomach looking at his reflection in the water. What I liked the most about this image is the artist chose to add color which brought out more emotion in the painting itself. Waterholes chose to place Echo nearby showing off her left breast as she is mesmerism’s by Narcissus. The choice of coloring is also appropriate as Waterholes uses the color red signifying he love Echo had for Narcissus. The third image that I thought fit the story best is from the artist Poisson. In this Image there is no water or any type of reflection of Narcissus. Instead Narcissus is lying on the ground as he seems to be dead, while Echo is resting on a rock watching him passionately as she grieves over his death. I’m not so sure who the baby in this image is but I know that the flower besides Narcissus stands for the reincarnation of Narcissus after his death. The last image does that fit in describing the story of Narcissus. The image doesn’t come off to the viewer as an easy image to summarize. I thought of the image more as a metaphor to the story of Narcissus. In the image there are two reflections of what seems to be a hand holding up an egg. In the left hand side everything is dark and the egg has flower coming out which seems to be dead. In the right hand side the flower from the egg seems to be healthy and alive. This resembles Narcissus because after he died he turned into a beautiful flower which was brought back into the light. Aggravating painting By Deane_23 How to cite Caravaggio painting, Papers

International Energy Policies Case Study on Choi And Hwang

Question: Recent decline in the global oil prices has shown the overarching influence and impact of OPEC member States collective energy policies on the global energy security vis-a-vis both the oil industry and national economies. Critically discuss different policy measures that non OPEC member States can take to mitigate the impact of OPECs current trend as an international oil producer cartel? Answer: The upsurge of oil and gas usage across the globe is becoming a potential factor of economic and financial growth. Choi and Hwang (2012) have been critical in the approach while stating that oil and gas are the primary attributes economic growth of every nation across the globe. From the Western world to the countries of Middle East, in order to use the oil and natural gas the organizations are needed to abide by some specific policies to maintain the sustainability of the power and keep the teething competition aloof. In this current essay the researcher is going to discuss about the different policies that the non OPEC member states are to undertake in order to mitigate the impact on the international oil producers. This essay at the same time will also examine the energy policy frameworks to demonstrate the challenges that these countries are facing. Ensuring stabilization in the international market place of oil and natural gas, OPEC plays the most pivotal role by deciding the international market price of these minerals. Cooper (2003) has critically mentioned that the basic motto of OPEC is to reduce the autocratic approach of any one of the Middle East Asian countries by stabilizing the market orientation with application of the successful marketing policies. The crude oil that seems to be marketed from these countries appears to be purchased by almost all countries of the world. But it needs to be mentioned that almost every county of the world is having the storage of crude oil which after the extensive usage needs to be exported (Ec.europa.eu, 2015). In order to indulge and control these approaches, there has been a radical fall in the oil price. This seems to have caused some rigorous effects on the conditional factors of export and import business of oil and natural gas. The oil price from the middle of 2014 has fallen ra dically which, as stated by Merino and Ortiz (2005), is going to stay low during the first quarter of 2015. But the impact of this price fall is severe in the market place. Cunado (2011) has been seemed to be critical in stating that with the radical fall in the price shortfall in the government revenue generation can be easily noticed. As the oil companies are to face teething economic crunch, they prefer in slashing down the employees which results in increasing of the unemployment problem. Finally, the economy sustains an immense recession. All these directly cast its effect on the social instability. The economy of the oil exporting countries in a large aspect depends on proper exportation. This helps in bridging gaps between budgetary deficits and helps the country in paying off the international debts. Venezuela, as for example, in 2014 has witnessed 14.1% budgetary deficit on it GDP which has significantly increased from 3.5% of 2008. A research identifies that with the drop of $10, Venezuela has lost around $7.5 billion revenue generation (Blog.euromonitor.com, 2015). This seems to have made the economy of the country vulnerable. On the other hand, countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE also seems to have lost a huge amount of money which brought turmoil in the economic situation of these countries. On the other hand, this sharp decline in the oil price has proved to be a booster for the major oil importing countries. The economic sustainability for these countries is successfully attained. For these countries it has proved to be a charming time of coping up with the major infla tion rate. With the fall of oil price, as mentioned by Cheon and Urpelainen (2012), a certain decline in the petrodollar can be seen. This allows in attaining a major setback in this approach both for the importing and exporting countries. Kavand and Shahmoradi (2011) on the contrary has mentioned, the revenue generated by exporting the oil to the demanding countries is in a large aspect is recycled by purchasing different products from these countries. But the fact is with this downfall as the level of earning goes down, the import also comes to a limited level. In this way a gradual setback in the petrodollar can be found. It has been identified to be one of the most severe effects that let the organizational and economical recession. At the same time, as critically argued by Mann (2012), if some of the specific states of a country stand to be responsible in order to handle the price of crude oil, and if the downfall of price can be seen, this may not effect severely on the national economy as a whole. For instance, in USA, Texas and Alaska seems to be the major oil exporters. If Texas and Alaska get more setbacks in this business, it may not to cast its impact on USA as a whole (Forbes, 2015). With lowering of the price, more sophisticated the approach it may become. Competition in the global oil market is gradually increasing, responsible in changing the market orientation as a whole. Al-Rashed and Len (2015) has mentioned OPEC cartel has affected the oil market in the last four decades severely. But in doing so, it seems in a large aspect OPEC is becoming a challenge for the other small oil exporting companies. Merino and Ortiz (2005) has argued that the formation of OPEC had been aimed at reducing the autocracy of the oil companies of the world and thereby adjusting the price of the product. However, in the past few years OPEC has been seen to be severely lagging behind in order to manage the crude oil price. The notion of the oil price is not sophistically been managed which effects on creating more problems in this approach. As the natural resources are gradually decaying in these days, in order to adjust with these all projection on this effect of managing this ethics is having the ethical approach of managing the international business pro cess. The process of economic development effects on the development of the effects. The approach of economic development is significant which helps in developing in marketing effects. The failure of managing all these economic approaches is helpful in managing the economic development. The sophisticated policies are significantly managed in this approach. In the past few years, the non OPEC countries seem to have faced a severe setback in order to manage the economical ethics. The high inflation rate in these countries has become a sophisticated approach of managing the oil price. Resurgence of the soaring inflation seems to have cast its effect on managing of the economic pressure. But these countries seem to face difficulties in order to make their proper business in the international level. Internationally the crude oil manufacturers in the international field seem to pass through severe setbacks which have added more problems for the organizational development. Kavand and Shahmoradi (2011) seems to have been critical in this approach by stating that apart from the OPEC countries, the Western and American countries are on the verge of intense economic development and try to ponder upon the growth of the other countries. The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) also play a pivotal role in oil and gas excav ation (Globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.in, 2014). But in the international market these countries are having only a little value. Cooper (2003) has argued that although the contribution of these countries in world oil trading business is limited, but their economy is largely dependent on oil trading. Non OPEC oil supply, a report of Al-Rashed and Len (2015) sheds light, in 2014 has been estimated to have grown up by 1.73 mb/d. OECD countries are estimated to have received an average hike of 1.51 mb/d in the last quarter of the 2014. But this hike is in no way having any match with the global business of OPEC. In 2014 OPEC has received 26.69 mb/d hike which is far better than that of the other OECD and BRICS nations (Peak Oil Barrel, 2015). Both USA and Canada has received a sophisticated growth which results in conjuring the international market place. Chalabi (2010) can be quoted by saying that the international policy of crude oil often seems to go through an intense level of market penetration which seems to cast a scurrilous effect on the national development. Political pressure and competitive setback are the main problems that non-OPEC countries are to suffer from. It is needed to be mentioned that OPEC countries has severely politicized in order to manage the market ethics. In order to attain the economical benefits, OPEC countries let not other non-OPEC countries to sell crude oil in the international market place. Rather, as mentioned by Mann (2012) largely the price of the crude oil is decided by the OPEC countries which let the non-OPEC countries to sell their products in the same price, creating trouble in order to manage the market. Cooper (2003) has mentioned that the severe approach of cherishing the competitive advantages by the OPEC countries is becoming the main problem for the other countries. Mann (2012) has shown that 55% of the OPEC countries are from the Middle East while 8% are from OPEC Americans and 7% from the OPEC Africa, 15% are from the North America and 8% are from the other countries. More to be added, the OPEC countries are more intrinsic in their approaches which leads to develop the strategical economic ethics. In is needed to be mentioned that with the formation of the organizational structure the process of ethical development can be noticed. In the past few years, it is seen that OPEC has earned a lot in this business which helps in managing the international economy (Bridge and Le Billon, 2013). Merino and Ortiz (2005) are of this view that as the trading of oil and natural gas is literally sophisticated in the approaches to lead the economic development both national and international, its impact in this current trend is literally sophisticated. In the international field of growth and development, as noticed by Cooper (2003), the economic setbacks are genuine approaches to manage the international ethics of management. Now the question stands in this way what are the remedies that non-OPEC countries can apply. After Chalabi (2010) it can be said as like OPEC, the Western, European, Asian and African countries are needed to be collaborated to bring forth a new era of development. Controlling over the market place by these organizations helps in managing the international economic development. Chalabi (2010) is of this view that a cap is needed to be fit on the marketing policy and international policy of OPEC. The autocracy of controlling the price of the crude oil is needed to be reduced. Gradual decline in this approach is literally helpful. Approach of OECD and other oil companies is needed to be sophisticated in their approaches to monitor the marketing process of OPEC. At the same time, as the international economic ups and downs in a large aspect is controlled by the crude oil price, specifically managed and controlled by OPEC, is needed to be reduced. The dependence of international share mar ket is over the oil price is needed to be curtailed up. The strategic growth of the market with unification of the non-OPEC countries is significantly needed. The economic strangulation is specifically needed to be cut up. Throughout this particular essay the researcher has mentioned the points targeting at how the non-OPEC countries can step up to their approach to gain the market advantages. At the same time, the researcher has shed light on the current situation of trading of crude oil in by the OPEC and the non-OPEC countries. The researcher has come to this conclusion that to avoid the autocracy of the oil companies, OPEC has been formed but the situation seems to have never changed. Moreover, the impact of OPEC on the international economy has literally a provident approach in order to manage the strategical approaches. Finally, it needs to be mentioned that the change in the strategies of the OPEC business is literally needed to be changed. References Books Aleksandrov, N., Espinoza, R. and Gyurko , L. (2012).Optimal oil production and the world supply of oil. [Washington, D.C.]: International Monetary Fund. Bridge, G. and Le Billon, P. (2013).Oil. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Chalabi, F. (2010).Oil policies, oil myths. London: I.B. Tauris. Journals Al-Rashed, Y. and Len, J. (2015). Energy efficiency in OPEC member countries: analysis of historical trends through the energy coefficient approach.OPEC Energy Review, 39(1), pp.77-102. Cheon, A. and Urpelainen, J. (2012). Oil prices and energy technology innovation: An empirical analysis.Global Environmental Change, 22(2), pp.407-417. Choi, S. and Hwang, S. (2012). Do traders' positions predict oil futures prices? A case study of the 2008 oil market turbulence.International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 35(6), p.456. Cooper, J. (2003). Price elasticity of demand for crude oil: estimates for 23 countries.OPEC Review, 27(1), pp.1-8. Cunado, J. (2011). STRUCTURAL BREAKS AND REAL CONVERGENCE IN OPEC COUNTRIES.Journal of Applied Economics, 14(1), pp.101-117. Kavand, H. and Shahmoradi, A. (2011). Oil price changes and total productivity fluctuations in an oil-exporting country.OPEC Energy Review, 35(2), pp.157-173. Mann, Y. (2012). Saudi Arabia's Policy Toward non-OPEC Countries.Diplomacy Statecraft, 23(2), pp.381-391. Merino, A. and Ortiz, A. (2005). Explaining the so-called "price premium" in oil markets.OPEC Review, 29(2), pp.133-152. Websites Blog.euromonitor.com, (2015). How Does the Sharp Decline in Oil Prices Impact Oil Exporters? - Analyst Insight from Euromonitor International. [online] Available at: https://blog.euromonitor.com/2015/01/how-does-the-sharp-decline-in-oil-prices-impact-oil-exporters.html [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015]. Ec.europa.eu, (2015). European Commission | Choose your language | Choisir une langue | Whlen Sie eine Sprache. [online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015]. Forbes, (2015). The Economic Impact Of Falling Oil Prices: 'Expansionary Disinflation'. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonhartley/2015/01/12/the-economic-impact-of-declining-oil-prices-expansionary-disinflation/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015]. Globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.in, (2014). Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: OPEC Blames Speculators, Non-OPEC Countries, US Frackers for Oil Price Crash. [online] Available at: https://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.in/2014/12/opec-blames-speculators-non-opec.html [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015]. Peak Oil Barrel, (2015). Non-OPEC Charts - Peak Oil Barrel. [online] Available at: https://peakoilbarrel.com/non-opec-charts/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015].

Cultural Audit in Society

Roman And Athenian Civilization Essays - Roman Empire, Superpowers

Roman And Athenian Civilization Essays - Roman Empire, Superpowers Roman and Athenian civilization Both the Roman and the Athenian civilization enjoyed recreation and cherished it dearly. Recreation was and is one of the most important things in a person?s life. If a person has a total lack of recreation there are chances of melancholy that can later on lead to death. Having recreation in our lives gives us a sense of happiness thatwe all need. The Romans were alike with the Greeks in a few ways. The Romans watched chariot races to entertain them just like the Greeks did, what was so fascinating About the Romans is that they had the biggest arena in the Mediterranean called the Circus Maximus. The arena held about two hundred fifty thousand people, that was five times as much as the collosseum. The Athenians didn?t like the barbaric fighting as much as the Romans did; the Athenians were more aristocratic. The Romans loved watching gladiator?s fight in the collosseum, which seated fifty thousand spectators. The colloseum was used for fights, two people which were either slaves condemned criminals or Christians fought until someone?s life was taken away. The collosseum was also used for condemned criminals, or Christians to fight wild animals, or starving beasts. This is one of the biggest difference?s that the Greeks had from the Romans. Another difference between the Greek and the roman empire was, the fact that the Romans had festivals that represented something for the king or ruler at that time, but in Greece it was mostly sport festivals and festivals that honored the gods. Something that the Romans didn?t have but the Greeks did and could brag about was the Olympic games. The Olympic games took session every four years and had five events (the pentathlon), wrestling, running, chariot races, jumping, and the javelin. Today more than twenty events take place that is one way that the ancient Greek life affected ours today. The Romans and Greek Empire had similarities and differences in their way of recreation. Mostly the differences overruled the similarities and this is perfectly normal because they were and are two different cultures. Recreation though played a very important role in both cultures and in any other culture in the world.

Business Research Ethic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Research Ethic - Essay Example In recent years, numerous businesses have been found guilty of unethical business research practices. Companies such as Enron and AIG are by far the biggest that come to mind, as they fraudulently reported profits, amongst other falsified reports, that persuaded current shareholders and potential investors that their current business model was more fiscally sound than it actually was. These ‘White Collar’ professionals made the news in recent years due to their big promises and ability to deliver – for a season (Shurden, Santaudreu, and Shurden, 2010, p. 117). Through than many questionable business practices, AIG ended up paying bonuses in the billions of dollars, even in the midst of receiving government bailout money. This one action, almost more than any other, got the public and the government questioning at what point certain business practices become unethical and affect all of society, not only a select few. Business ethics has long been a grey area. As th is article effectively points out, it is often difficult to determine what practices are truly unethical, and which are simply questionable. In the end, it is important to consider this topic because such behavior can truly impact the masses. As the authors state, â€Å"Our laws are a starting point for ethical conduct and are implemented in order for society to avoid extreme situations† (Shurden, Santaudreu, and Shurden, 2010, p. 117). In many of these situations, the injured parties are the shareholders, employees, and anyone in the public directly or indirectly involved in the company. The point is made, therefore, that unethical business research practices affect more than just the immediate parties involved. In the case of AIG, a massive government financial bailout was required to keep the company from failing. The company was deemed to be too valuable to allow the unethical practices to destroy the viability of the institution. To have done so would have not only impac ted thousands of jobs in America, but would have also resulted in repercussions felt around the world as global financial institutions have vast holdings in AIG. Taxpayer money was used, then, to inject needed capital into the company to keep it afloat until such time that the company could be reorganized and new management bought in (Shurden, Sataudreu, and Shurden, 2010, pp. 118-119). Enron is another example mentioned in this article. The unethical business research practices at this company began when they falsified information that it gave to the public. This resulted in people, both outside and inside the organization, believing that the company was financial sound and provided a great investment opportunity. The opposite, in fact, was true and the failure of the company resulted in great hardship not only in America, but globally as well (Shurden, Sataudreu, and Shurden, 2010, pp. 121-122). Society was greatly impacted by both of these examples. When large companies willingly conduct their business research in an unethical manner, trust begins to wither away. Our capitalist system is predicated on a certain amount of trust. We need to believe in the companies that we support in order to help them prosper and thrive in today’s rapidly advancing and global society. Each time that trust is violate, society becomes a bit more

Abolitionist Women in 1790-1850 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Abolitionist Women in 1790-1850 - Research Paper Example As the Victorian cultural age began to seep into the previous colonies, the rights that women previously enjoyed began to be stripped away. The history of the abolitionist movement among white women was an attempt to better than position in the newly formed United States of America. Not only did these women want to gain more political clout but also to recapture the rights that were taken away. The women who took a stand prior to 1790 became the forerunners in the women’s abolitionist movement. Immigrants came to North America to get away from persecution in Europe in hopes of being able to have the ability to live their lives how they say fit. In the new country there was the ability to make the laws they want, in the manner that benefited the community the most. Because of this the laws and regulations regarding voting and land owning were different that of Europe. Initially women held many of the same rights as their male counterparts. This was due to both a lack of populat ion as well as many of these women held positions of power in their home countries and that attitude carried over to when they immigrated to the United States. Most of the colonies before 1776 and the creation of the United States allowed women to vote in elections. When the states gained the power to rewrite their constitutions, many retracted the right and refused to allow women the freedom to vote. It was only New Jersey who maintained the right to vote for women in the 19th century when the men who held power stripped the right as well. Although women were not allowed to publically voice their opinion, many were still maintained as the head of household, and their husbands listened to what the women were saying. Women have always held a position of power inside the home, while men tended to be powerful outside the home. Because of this, many women began to meet while husband worked to talk about the political and social issues of the time. When their husbands returned home, thes e homemakers related what they learned and how they felt to their husbands who in turn responded by voting a specific way. These small groups of women also began to vocally demand change with a lot of the societal issues of the time. What began as small home based groups quickly turned into large groups of women meeting to discuss suffrage and other issues occurring in their respective areas. Due to the Victorian era of cultural ideals, women were expected to be at home, managing the home and not dealing with political or social issues.1 So when women started to come out of the houses to fight for suffrage and abolishing slavery it was considered scandalous. Due to the causes that women were fighting for, it commonly believed that there should be more black women than white women. Many of the issues these women fought against directly impacted the black populations. However during the abolitionist movements of the late 1790s and early 1800s the majority of women who were vocal were white.2 This is not to say that there were not highly vocal black women, but the majority of the abolitionist movements were white women. Soon after the United States became a country, individual states began to take away many of the rights that women held prior to 1776. This caused many women to stand up for their rights. In the beginning they were viewed as a group of women who had too much time on their hands, and could cause no real waves in both the social or political realms. In 1780 however laws started to be passed that allowed a method for slaves to become free. This led to the Northwest Ordinance of 1878 that stated all slaves northwest of the Ohio River were free, and prohibited the act of slavery.

Strategic Management Unit 3 IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management Unit 3 IP - Research Paper Example First, such firms benefit from gaining market share and further positioning themselves in best locations. This could affect the theory in that higher market share could cause an increase in cost of operation thus diluting the associated high returns. Secondly, first movers gain new knowledge relevant for success in their fields (Li, Lam, Karakowsky & Qian, 2003). Changes in the knowledge could cause the first mover to find ways to fast learn the emerging knowledge. Being the first, such firms also secure resources and commitments for their provision (Eggers, Grajek & Kretschmer, 2011). This impacts the theory in the context where there is limited information on the resources available. Finally, they have the advantage of establishing and securing long-term relationships with investors, suppliers, customers and distributors, an important concept for firms seeking to develop long lasting business entities. However, Hill, Jones and Schilling (2013) observe that first movers suffer cost disadvantage as they have to establish most of the infrastructure from scratch. This affects the theory in that organisation that requires high set-up capital shy away from pioneering markets, products or services. There is a high uncertainty associated with first movers. This would particularly impact on the theory if the entity is not familiar with the regulations, needs and culture of the target geographical regions. Thirdly, first movers face the risk of adopting a losing strategy that would make them fail and leave opportunities for late entrants who would have learnt from their mistakes (David, 2013). This would be the case if the first mover would not be able to make predictions on their investments. Finally, first movers could invest in obsolete or inferior technology, making this theory particularly unappealing to entities in businesses where technology advances

Knights Templar

Knights Templar Knights Templar â€Å"The Knights Templar was a religious military order that arose during the first and second crusades and their secrets and wealth destroyed the organization† (Campbell 29-33). The Knights Templar started out as a small group of monks and eventually grew to become a powerful religious order. Members had duties and certain lifestyles as a Templar. The order rapidly spread across Europe after it began. The Templar would become one of the most innovative and influential groups during the Crusades period (â€Å"Templars†). The Knights Templar is shrouded in secrecy; this would be their downfall and their biggest calling card. The original name or the full name for the Knights Templar can be quite a mouth full â€Å"[t]he Holy Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon is the full name of the Order†(Campbell 29-33). Most paraphernalia refer to them as the Knights Templar. Some call the members just Templar, or warrior monks. The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon is another name used (Campbell 29-33). People back in the time of the crusade would have called them heroes. After the first crusade, two new military orders came about in Jerusalem (Read 17-24). One, the Knights Hospitallers, or Knights of Saint John, whose task was to aid the wounded in Outremer, or the land across the sea (Read 17-24). The second military order to arise was the Knights Templar, whose duty was to defend the pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land (Campbell 29-33). In 1118, before the start of the Order, Hugues de Payan and eight fellow knights went to Jerusalem and offered their se rvices to the king. The king offered housing to the knights at the former mosque al-Aqsa, which was located on the site of King Solomons great temple (Hughes 34). The Order was born here and received its name from the temple it was protecting. The Knights Templar took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The religious order was created at the Temple of Solomon and swore to protect the Holy Land (Campbell 29-33). Hughes states in his book that â€Å"[t]he Templar fought bravely against the Saracens, not leaving battle unless outnumbered three to one† (34). The order received the blessing of the Pope in 1129, and the Templar soon got recognition as heroes. With the Popes blessing, the Templar could now recruit members and raise money through donations. Donations came to the Templar in large amounts. The warrior monks were given wealth, jewels, and property (Hughes 34). King Alfonso I of Argon gave the Templar one-third of his Spanish Empire on his deathbed (Read 17-24). They owned land in France, Spain, England, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, and other places. Men also went to the Templar to support their cause, and some in hopes of getting rich. The Knights Templar did have their critics though (Sterns 84-111). The Templar owned houses all across the map, and they used that to their benefit. The Knights Templar became the first bankers in a way. Travelers would deposit money at one Templar building, and travel, with a statement of deposit, to another city (Knight, and Lomas 121). They would then cash in their statement and receive the same amount of money at another Templar structure at their final destination. This was a very safe method, because the traveler could not be robbed. The Templar began to escort travelers on their fleets of ships, charging a fee for both services. That allowed them to take in a large sum of money (Knight, and Lomas 121). The Order was so beloved by the Christian people that the Pope freed the Templar from loyalty to any ruler. From then on the order only answered to the Pope. The Templar later became involved with politics. They served on royal committees and councils. The duties of a Templar split among the regions (Hughes 17). In the east, they remained fier ce warriors defending Christianity, and in the west, they became farmers and merchants. The order was rapidly gaining wealth and riches (Campbell 29-33). During the second crusade, the Templar fought for the Christian effort. They were among some of the highest skilled fighters during this time. Indrikis Sterns quotes a 13th century author by saying†[t]hey are marked by their trademark white helmets and armor, which bears a red cross† (84-111). During the second crusade, the knights became very powerful and wealthy due to payments for their services from several empires. This excluded King Phillip IV of France. He was greatly in debt with the order, owing them large sums of land and money (Hughes 17). The King was worried about his debts to this powerful and influential order. Phillip IV called upon Pope Clement V to put all the members of the order on trial for heresy and other crimes committed. The Pope found no fault in the Order under the trials of heresy but did find fault in their initiation ceremonies. The Pope had them burned at the steak for unspeakable acts against the church (Sterns 84-111). The Knights Templar were said to spit upon a cross before battle and kiss their leaders to show complete obedience to them. The order was not destroyed, but badly crippled. The Knights Templar was hidden in darkness and secrecy, and they will always remain a mystery. This is believed to have led to their downfall. The Knights Templar was said to possess a great secret (Hughes 17). This secret may have been practical knowledge, which if revealed could undermine Christianity or some people believe that the Templar had some great relic. â€Å"Possibly, a piece of the true cross or the crown of thorns worn by Jesus was in their possession† according to Campbell (29-33). The shroud which Jesus was wrapped in his tomb, a piece of wood from a bath used by Jesus, a bronze bowl used to wash the feet of the disciples at the last supper or the head of John the Baptist are all rumored (Hughes 34). The Holy Grail used in the last supper is the most famous of all the relics thought to be owned by the Templar (Knight, and Lomas 121). It is truly unknown whether the Templar had any of these artifacts. Maybe they had one, or two, possibly all, but nobody can be certain. With the amount of land and money that the Templar had, and the possible possessions of great relics, specifically the Holy Grail, people were bound to envy the order (Knight, and Lomas 121). Some people also say that the Knights Templar and their relics live on under the Freemasons. The Masons are said to use many of the same symbols and rituals of the Knights Templar. Things do not help the cause when the Freemasons are also just a shrouded into secrecy as the Knights Templar (Knight, and Lomas 121). Whether the Order lives on or not is a question to be left answered by the opinions of us all. A person may believe all the tales or that the Freemasons, the makers of our country are members of the Order. One may also believe that the entire story of the Knights Templar and the later Freemasons is a complete hoax. However, what would history be without mystery and intrigue? Works Cited Campbell, G.A.Knights Templar: The Rise and Fall. San Francisco: Kessinger Publishing, 2004. 29-33. Print. Hughes, Charles. â€Å"How The Vatican Destroyed the Knights Templar.†Independent26 October 2007: 34. Print. Knight, Christopher, and Robert Lomas.The Hiram Key. Sacremento: Fair Winds Press, 2003. 121. Print. Read, Pierce.The Templars. 1. New York: MacMillan, 1999. 17. Print. Sterns, Indrikis.Crime and Punishment among the Teutonic Knights. 1. 57. New York: Medieval Academy of America, 1982. 84-111. Print. â€Å"Templars.† Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Supplement. American Council of Learned Societies. Charles Scribners Sons, 2004. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History/

One Tear That Meant the World :: essays research papers

I have always enjoyed having a best friend that was male. Whether we were swimming, jogging, fishing, or just talking for hours, I never got bored. We balance one another. I will never forget the day I lost that all. The day my best friend left ended up touching me the most.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I stepped outside, the pavement felt like ice, yet the air had a warm breeze to it. It was a gorgeous August day. Not a single worry mingled in the air. The birds were chirping long, beautiful melodies. Melodies I had heard many mornings that summer. They sang when it was going to be a wondrous day. Nothing seemed wrong to anyone except to me. Today, my birthday, August first, my best friend was leaving for the Navy. He was going to serve our country. For six dreadful years, I’d have to live without him. The only communication would be a few cards and letters and one long distance call. This day reminded me of those long rainy days, the days where the clouds blocked out the suns bright rays of sunlight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The clock finally struck four and it frightened me because the sweet sound of the clock seemed loud and harsh. It sounded kind of like I was in a horror movie. I dreaded walking across the street to say good bye to my dear friend, but I knew I had to go. As I walked across the street it seemed like a mile. My legs ached and my throat was dry. I could hear the pattering of my feet on the pavement and the thud of my heart racing about ninety miles a minute. I just wanted to run up to him and beg him to stay, but I knew I couldn’t do that. I finally walked up to him and started to cry. I cried as though I had lost someone close to me, but I hadn’t. There was a part of me that was dying. My heart was aching and I couldn’t stop it. I hugged him for five minutes, but it only seemed like seconds. My tears started to disappear. He let me know how much he’d miss me and how he couldn’t believe he was leaving. I could feel the tears starti ng to come again, but I kept them in. I knew there was something I wanted to say, but I couldn’t.

black beauty and the american standards of beauty Essay

Beauty is generally defined as the quality or combination of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit. While this definition supports the commonly-held belief that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, American standards of beauty have not had many variations over the past few decades. Since the beginning of American history, there have been three ideal archetypal symbols of womanhood that have to do with physical beauty: light skin, a slim body, and straight hair.[1] While there has been some dynamicity, it was very slight and has rarely ever encompassed physical characteristics more commonly attributed to women of color, such as a dark complexion, a voluptuous figure, and thick, kinky hair. The prevalence of the Eurocentric American standard of beauty among young African-Americans has led to self-esteem issues and controversy, but despite the detrimental aspects, it has been a unifying force in the African-American co mmunity. The European standard of beauty, which has always been integrated into American culture, was formed long before African-Americans were introduced into the western hemisphere as slaves. It was used in comparison to African-Americans as a method of stripping black women of their femininity and justifying their inferiority. In historical advertisements and visual performances, physical attributes associated with black people—such as bigger lips, darker skin, and, for women, a larger figure—were exaggerated in order to emphasize how different blacks were from white people, and assert control over them in almost every aspect of life, especially how there were perceived by other races and their own self-perception.[2] As slaves, blacks did not have tools for self-adornment and, while black women could wear different hairstyles to express themselves, they often dressed in what was necessary for hard labor, which did not leave much room for femininity. The article, â€Å"Beauty Culture,† by Tiffany M. Gill, tells of the creation of the black beauty culture industry, post-slavery, as a means of defining beauty in their own lives.[3] This industry, however, was wrought with controversy because of the two categories of products available, those which enhanced the natural physical traits of black women and those that seemingly attempted to conform to white beauty standards. The black beauty culture industry was faced with the task of battling stereotypes that suggested that blacks were innately ugly and that their physical attributes were the reason for their low political, social, and economic status. The importance of the black beauty culture industry is proven by the fact that, during the Great Depression, the industry did not face the same economic downturn as many other black businesses, and women were willing to barter food and other necessities in order to get their hair styled.[4] As the public presentation of black wome n increased, so did hair chemicals that allowed them to mimic the hairstyles of white women, and a well-groomed African-American woman became synonymous with straightened hair, which contradicted the political identities of black women. The Black Power Movement boasted the belief that â€Å"Black is beautiful!† which was revolutionary in its appraisal of black culture, politics, and even style. This created a strong sense of racial pride in the African-American community and unity, especially as beauty colleges became key institutions in the black community. Hairdressers and salon owners were some of the most politically active people in black communities, and their places of business were a safe haven from the humiliations of Jim Crow.[5] By accepting the physical differences between blacks and other ethnicities, the African-American community was able to assert more control over their own definition of beauty and improve their personal lives. Black women no longer had to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards and could stand together to show that they were just as attractive and feminine. This huge part of leisure culture also offered women alternatives to jobs as domestic servants or agricultural laborers . Yet, despite the Black Power aesthetic being popularized over sixty years ago, the overall American standards of beauty still do not accommodate women with darker skin and textured hair. The fact that American beauty standards still hold true to the ideal woman being light, thin, and straight-haired, is evidenced by a simple Google image search of â€Å"beautiful women.† Of the top 100 results, only two are African-American women. Black women, despite an increase in black pride and acceptance of natural features in their own community, are still being judged according to and oppressed by Eurocentric beauty standards. According to a survey analysis done by Dia Sekayi, 72.8 percent of black women attending various historically black colleges throughout the United States, expressed discomfort with the way beauty for black women is defined by the media and society’s expectations of them.[6] Forty-six percent wish they had smaller bodies and thirty-two percent are displeased with their natural hair texture.[7] The use of chemicals and weaves to make black hair resemble the hair of white women and skin lightening lotions show that many black women are not ple ased by their appearance. It’s obvious that beauty has intangible elements, such as confidence and likability, but even these things can be affected by one’s physical appearance. When young girls do not feel as if their beauty is being validated, concern for their appearance impacts their quality of life long-term. Scholarly literature supports the notion that that meeting or not meeting the ideal standard of beauty might impact the quality of girls’ experiences at school, both on a social and an academic level.[8] This issue is important because without a less stringent view of American beauty, black women will continue to be judged by a standard of beauty, even if they choose not to embrace it, that is nearly impossible for most to meet. Black women are currently resisting the dominant aesthetic standard and embracing their own cultural ideas of beauty but in many instances are pushed to hide their true selves. Women who have chosen to wear their hair unstraightened or braided have encountered discrimination in their workplace, despite kinky hair and braids being key hairstyles in black communities across the globe.[9] While there may be a growing acceptance of natural hairstyles in many places of business, there are some Americans who don’t understand that multiple standards of physical beauty must coexist, and if they do not, people who don’t conform to the standard will suffer. It is important for young black girls to feel comfortable in their own skin and grow up knowing tha t they can be their own special brand of beautiful and that there are people who look like them in the media, whether they are dark or light, slim or curvaceous. Battling against aesthetic hegemony is not easy for black women living in the United States, and oftentimes dissonance and frustration is felt because of society’s views on beauty and the impracticalness of American beauty in regards to women of all colors, shapes, and sizes. However, a lessening of assimilation into white culture is being seen and African-Americans are taking Eurocentric beauty trends and turning them into something more. Black women use their African roots and their own sense of artistry to create unique styles that reflect a black culture and the beauty and femininity that they were once disparaged of.    Bibliography Sekayi, Die. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 467-477. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/3211197. (Accessed November 2, 2015) Gill, Tiffany M. â€Å"Beauty Culture.† Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center, (2008): 1. http://www.oxfordaasc.com.proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/article/opr/t0003/e0023 (accessed November 3, 2015).    [1] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 469. [2] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [3] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [4] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [5] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [6] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 474. [7] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 474. [8] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 468. [9] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1

Concussions in Sports Essay Example

Concussions in Sports Essay Example Concussions in Sports Essay Concussions in Sports Essay Concussions in Sports With today’s contact sports, there is always one thing on the mind of its athletes, concussions. There are many discussions today in professional leagues such as the NFL and NHL surrounding this controversial topic, most of them revolving around how to make the game safer and prevent these terrible injuries. There have also been multiple lawsuits against these leagues because of concussions. Football was almost made illegal before the invention of helmets because too many players were getting concussions and other head and neck injuries. These types of injuries are not to be taken lightly, as they can lead to complications in the future. In today’s ever changing health world, concussions are a big deal, especially in sports. People are beginning to take more notice to the alarming increase of this injuries over the past few years. This year in the NFL alone, there have been a total of 102 concussions reported by players. Along with that, five playe rs have reported repeated concussions. There were ten total repeat concussions reported last year alone. Many of these athletes have experienced further complications and even death as a result of concussions. For example, Derek Sheely, a 22-year-old fullback at Frostburg State in Maryland, died on the practice field as a result of a concussion. What happened was he took a hit during practice and was bleeding from his forehead. He told his coaches he did not feel right and that he had a headache, he was evaluated four times by a trainer without a concussion test, so he was told to go back out to practice. He then took another hit to the head and told his coaches again that he felt nauseous and had a headache. He was told by his coaches to â€Å"quit your complaining, quit acting like a wimp and get back out there.† Soon after, he collapsed on the field. He was pronounced dead right there. There are also several lawsuits against the NFL and NHL as a result of players being imp roperly diagnosed and

How to Conjugate the French Verb Détester

How to Conjugate the French Verb Dà ©tester The French verb  dà ©tester  means to hate. Unlike some other verbs, this one is fairly easy to remember because of its similarity to the English word detest. As with the English verb, you would use  dà ©tester  to express an extreme dislike for something, such as food or a particular household chore youre not fond of. Like the majority of verbs in French,  dà ©tester is a regular verb. Conjugating Dà ©tester Verb conjugations can become a headache for French students because there are so many verb forms to remember. Not only does the infinitive ending change with each tense and mood, it also changes with each subject pronoun. For   example, I hate is je dà ©teste and we will hate is nous dà ©testerons. Its easier to memorize all these forms if you practice them in context and simple sentences. Subject Present Future Imperfect je dteste dtesterai dtestais tu dtestes dtesteras dtestais il dteste dtestera dtestait nous dtestons dtesterons dtestions vous dtestez dtesterez dtestiez ils dtestent dtesteront dtestaient Present and Past Participle The  present participle  of  dà ©testant  is formed by adding -ant  to the verb stem of  dà ©test. While its primarily used as a verb, you will find it useful as an adjective, gerund, or noun as well. Beyond the imperfect, another form of the past tense hated is the  passà © composà ©. This one is formed in a different manner and relies on the  past participle  dà ©testà ©. To complete it, you must also conjugate the  auxiliary verb  avoir.   As an example, I hated is jai dà ©testà © and we hated is nous avons dà ©testà ©. More Conjugations There will be times when you will need to imply some degree of uncertainty to the verb  dà ©tester  as well. For this, use the subjunctive verb mood. In a similar fashion, the conditional form is used when the hating is dependent on something else happening. You should not use the passà © simple unless youre reading or writing in French. The same applies to the imperfect subjunctive, though its a good idea to be able to recognize these as forms of  dà ©tester. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je dteste dtesterais dtestai dtestasse tu dtestes dtesterais dtestas dtestasses il dteste dtesterait dtesta dtestt nous dtestions dtesterions dtestmes dtestassions vous dtestiez dtesteriez dtesttes dtestassiez ils dtestent dtesteraient dtestrent dtestassent The imperative verb form may be quite useful with  dà ©tester  because its often used in exclamations. When using it, the subject pronoun is not required: use dà ©teste rather than tu dà ©teste. Imperative (tu) dteste (nous) dtestons (vous) dtestez

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

Exam - Essay Example However, bullying also takes other, more indirect forms, such as gossiping, spreading rumors and other psychological forms of harassment. It is this type of bullying which is common in colleges. It has to be accepted that â€Å"the sad reality is that bullying and harassment affect millions of students on college campuses† (Holt). Bullying now takes many forms on a college campus: intimidation, hazing, and even cyber-bullying. Anti-harassment laws are necessary in colleges because of the new wireless culture, to signal zero tolerance for bullying and to ensure a positive impact on all stakeholders. The spread of wireless technology has changed the culture on college campuses. It is no longer sufficient that â€Å"Virtually every college in the country is required by federal law to have strong rules banning discriminatory harassment† (Lukianoff). These federal laws largely belong to the last century. The very nature of college campuses has changed in the past decade due to wireless technology. It is clear that bullying and harassment no longer deal only â€Å"with stalking, vandalism, telephonic harassment and threats† (Lukianoff).  With the spread of wireless technology and students’ constant interaction on social networks, the problem of bullying and harassment has also taken on more serious dimensions. ... College campuses must reflect larger society in order to function as true environments of learning. Anti-harassment laws must keep pace with the changing times in order to remain effective. It is only when colleges are bound by clear anti-harassment laws that they can firmly signal their zero tolerance for bullying. Institutes of higher learning must be clearly seen to encourage a positive, supportive atmosphere where students know that bullying will not be tolerated, where students know they can go to adults for help, and where there are clear consequences for bullying. When it is made compulsory for colleges â€Å"to distribute their anti-harassment policy to all students, including instruction on what students and administrators should do if an incident of harassment occurs,† bullying will be controlled (Holt). Spelling out the college’s commitment to an anti-harassment position will stop bullying.   This can be done by making colleges â€Å"publicly recognize tha t bullying is a real problem and have a policy to deal with it† (Holt). Only a compulsory anti-bullying policy will move college authorities to being proactive on this issue. Otherwise, there will be a tendency for teachers to tolerate or ignore bullying and even to look down on victims as not being ‘man enough’ to take it in their stride. Authorities need to be active in preventing bullying on campus. An anti-harassment legislation will ensure that teachers and administrators make it a part of their duty to intervene in bullying. When colleges are required to prevent bullying and harassment, all the stakeholders will benefit. The victims of bullying often carry scars for life. This is

Information Security Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information Security Topic - Essay Example s serve to secure different aspects of Information .In the following article one such method to secure network called â€Å"Access Control List† would be studied and an attempt would be made to understand what level of security is achieved through its implementation. INTRODUCTION: Access Control list (ACL) at a very basic level set to define and control the various permissions that can be attached to an object .The object can be a software program like yahoo messenger, a network service like FTP, a file, sound card, other programs, the network, a modem, and so on and so forth. Access means what kind of operations can be done on these objects. Examples include reading a file, writing to a file, creating or deleting objects, communicating with another program, etc. Access Control List defines who is allowed to use that software/service and what operation can he perform on that software/service for example ACL would define who are the users who can use Yahoo messenger and whether they can use it to send files or albums through it or simply chat on it. At a very basic level they mean â€Å"An explicit set of permissions for users (or groups of users) detailing who can access specific items.† [2] CAPABILITY/ kind of security achieved : access control lists limit the access to information to the desired or permitted users . It also sets to establish privileges and permissions that a permitted user would have on the objects. An access control list can be visualized as a list containing permissions attached to an object . The list specifies who or what is allowed to access the object and what operations are allowed to be performed on the object. In a typical ACL, each entry in the list specifies a subject and an operation: for example, the entry (Bob, delete) on the ACL for file ABC gives Bob permission to delete file ABC. How ACL Work when a subject requests for an operation, the system first checks for the entry of the subject in the list in order to determine

IKEA Internationalization Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IKEA Internationalization Strategy - Essay Example Ikea was not always an internationally recognized retailer even though in 1973 they become one of the best and major furnishing house in Scandinavia however, the founding members aimed to make the business grow globally. Since the foundation of the company in 1943, the founders have incorporated foolproof strategies to help in the growth of the business. IKEA’s founders were well aware of the fact that the implementation of business strategies have to be relevant to the consumer demands and might vary depending on the country they are launching the store in. The idea was not only to expand the business but also make sure that the companies come across as the iconic furnishing house that is highly consumer friendly. The makers were already sure about the quality of the products which was definitely world class, the major manufacturer of the products was done in Poland which proved to be 50% cheaper than it would have cost otherwise and taken full advantage of this, this extrava gant furniture company develop a very strong and fruitful strategy to expand the business. ... e expansion of the business was extremely fast-paced, IKEA came up with other consumer-friendly offers such as a lounge for food and wine within the store itself, this definitely helps the company to generate revenue faster internationally. However, it was in 1990 that IKEA realized that there is an immense requirement for some fruitful and modern business strategies since over the years many other furnishing business owners had stepped up the market giving IKEA a very tough competition. In order to make sure the company expansion took place rapidly the makes had almost forgotten to pay attention towards the products itself. They were selling most European styles furniture which seemed to be less preferred by American and Canadian. The furniture was simply not functional for them which was one of the biggest drawbacks. It was high time for IKEA to take some decisive action to help maintain the expansion of the company. IKEA decided to shift the tactics by redesigning the products acc ording to the demands of American consumers, pretty soon the company was able to regain its position in the marketplace by becoming the second largest furnishing house in the United States in 2008. IKEA International Business Strategy IKEA being a well established Sweden furnishing house aimed to grow the business internationally and it appears to be that IKEA took the biggest business risk by implementing the Global standardization strategy. Most business owners might not think of this strategy worthy of prior consideration but IKEA took a chance on it, their vital goal was not only to expand the business globally but make sure they earn the loyalty of the customers.  

Personal Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Personal Responsibility Essay An individual has a duty to look after self. This is achievable through maintaining a certain level of concern and cultivating in the ways of caring for self. A human being has esteem needs which need to be maintained in order to feel whole and complete. The variables in personal responsibility occur in one self and their decision to accept themselves as they are. The focus on personal responsibility engages an individual to be confident in personal affairs as well as life. Personal responsibility is a commitment to the application of the issues one has an individual dedication to undertake. One ought to believe in individual ability to follow the aspects of personal responsibility. This is portrayed by individuals when they uphold the mission and goals in their lives . When one sets a target in life, following it is a choice and one choosing not to give up is a commitment in the responsibility of that person’s life. Persisting and not giving up in a person’s responsibility is a property of commitment and dedication in one’s life. The aspect of applying all the energy one may have is a reflection of the areas where one is being responsible to accommodate the pressure in. Therefore, dedication to excellence and doing the good things in life for development of self is a reflection of personal responsibility. When an individual is concentrating on making life comfortable and making it pleasing, the level of commitment is certainly high. Individual’s morals and decision making which may be hard to make are examples of commitment to one’s personal values, which is a responsibility to self. The image that one commits to portray to the society is cultivated inside, hence it is a detail to show dedication to personal growth and respect. Personal responsibility gives a positive growth to life when an individual has the obligation and feeling that they have a direction to make it. Personal responsibility instills values in an individual that are very helpful in their life. Through personal responsibility, an individual will learn how to be determined and never back down to obstacles. This is a positive experience when difficult situations come up. Courage and self determination are portrayed in an individual. One obtains trust with self and with other people by maintaining a level of self responsibility. The way one portrays these aspects with confidence is the same way the other people will acknowledge them. Personal responsibility gives one power and the confidence to accept responsibilities in the various disciplines in life that may arise. It is a great influence of the decisions we make. This shows other people that we are mature people and can be bestowed roles of responsibility and positions for us to take care of. Personal responsibility refers to the aspect in which individuals are in charge of themselves and their lives, taking care of the way they think and feel. This involves being concerned more about their affairs, self satisfaction and comfort ability. Maintaining a mental and physical healthy and keep clear emotions and treating oneself with respect is essential in achieving personal responsibility. This obligation to oneself causes individuals to be accountable to their lives and forces them to put across some conditions or rules in their lives. The achievement of goals is triggered by some of these rules. Responsibility of self is paramount in ensuring the achievement of a positive living attitude.

Ed Gein Essay -- essays research papers

This paper is based on the life of Ed Gein. He was an unusual character, born on a farm, and raised by a religious crazy, domineering mother. In the space of a few years his entire family passed away and he was left to take care of his farm all by himself. In the next few years he became a grave robber, a necrophiliac, a cannibal, and also took up arts and crafts in body parts. He is known as one of the weirdest serial killers of the twentieth century. He also inspired movies like Psycho, Silence of The Lambs, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ed Gein/Page 4 Profile Name - Edward 'Ed' Gein. AKA - The Butcher of Plainfield, The Plainfield Butcher, The Mad Butcher, The Plainfield Ghoul. DOB/DOD - 1906 - 26 July 1984. Mother 'Augusta 1878-1945', Father 'George 1873-1940', Brother 'Henry 1901-44'. Residence(at Time of Murders) - 160-Acre Farm Seven Miles Outside Plainfield, Wisconsin. USA. Murder Type/Practices - Serial Killer / Graverobbery, Necrophilia, Cannibalism, Sadism, Death Fetishism. Method/Weapons Used - Shooting / .22, .32. Organization - Mixed. Mobility - Stable. Victim Vicinity - Plainfield, Wisconsin. Murder Time Span - 1954 - 1957. Victim Type - Old Women. Victims - Mary Hogan (Died 8 Dec 1954), Bernice Worden (Died 16 Nov 1957) Ed Gein/Page 5 Before the Events Ed Gein and his brother Henry were raised by his religious crazed mother. She was a very domineering woman, and discouraged her sons from women. They lived on a 160-acre farm seven miles outside of Plainfield, Wisconsin. The boys were always busy with farm work. His alcoholic father died in 1940 and a few years later his brother Henry died in 1944, trapped while fighting a forest fire. Shortly after his mother suffered a stroke and in 1945 she suffered another one which she never recovered from and left Ed alone. It was then that he decided to close off the upstairs of his farm home, the parlour, and his mother’s bedroom by boarding it off and set up his own quarters in the remaining bedroom, kitchen and shed of the big house. He stopped working the farm because of a government soil-conservation program. They offered him a subsidy, which he augmented by his work as a handyman in the area. Ed Gein/Page 6 Robbing Graves In his spare time Ed read books on human anatomy and Nazi concentration camp... ...ection of shrunken heads), two skulls for Gein’s bedposts, a pair of human lips hanging from string, Ed’s full woman body suit constructed with human skin and complete with mask and breasts, Bernice Worden’s heart in a pan on the stove, and the refrigerator which was stacked with human organs. Ed Gein /Page 12 Conclusion Gein was in a series of examinations at the Central State Hospital for the Criminally insane. He was proven insane. The reasons for his actions were seen; he loved his mother but he hated her, so that is why he killed older women. It is said that Mary Hogan had more of a passing resemblance to his mother. At Christmas, 1957, Gein was judged insane and he was committed to Waupan State Hospital for a life sentence. Gein died of cancer on July 26, 1984, at the age of 78. He was buried back in Plainfield next to the graves of his family. Ed Gein/Page 13 References http://www.houseofhorrors.com/gein.htm http://www.crimelibrary.com/gein/geinmain.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Gein http://www.prairieghosts.com/ed_gein.html Ed Gein/Page 14 Pictures Ed Gein Essay -- essays research papers This paper is based on the life of Ed Gein. He was an unusual character, born on a farm, and raised by a religious crazy, domineering mother. In the space of a few years his entire family passed away and he was left to take care of his farm all by himself. In the next few years he became a grave robber, a necrophiliac, a cannibal, and also took up arts and crafts in body parts. He is known as one of the weirdest serial killers of the twentieth century. He also inspired movies like Psycho, Silence of The Lambs, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ed Gein/Page 4 Profile Name - Edward 'Ed' Gein. AKA - The Butcher of Plainfield, The Plainfield Butcher, The Mad Butcher, The Plainfield Ghoul. DOB/DOD - 1906 - 26 July 1984. Mother 'Augusta 1878-1945', Father 'George 1873-1940', Brother 'Henry 1901-44'. Residence(at Time of Murders) - 160-Acre Farm Seven Miles Outside Plainfield, Wisconsin. USA. Murder Type/Practices - Serial Killer / Graverobbery, Necrophilia, Cannibalism, Sadism, Death Fetishism. Method/Weapons Used - Shooting / .22, .32. Organization - Mixed. Mobility - Stable. Victim Vicinity - Plainfield, Wisconsin. Murder Time Span - 1954 - 1957. Victim Type - Old Women. Victims - Mary Hogan (Died 8 Dec 1954), Bernice Worden (Died 16 Nov 1957) Ed Gein/Page 5 Before the Events Ed Gein and his brother Henry were raised by his religious crazed mother. She was a very domineering woman, and discouraged her sons from women. They lived on a 160-acre farm seven miles outside of Plainfield, Wisconsin. The boys were always busy with farm work. His alcoholic father died in 1940 and a few years later his brother Henry died in 1944, trapped while fighting a forest fire. Shortly after his mother suffered a stroke and in 1945 she suffered another one which she never recovered from and left Ed alone. It was then that he decided to close off the upstairs of his farm home, the parlour, and his mother’s bedroom by boarding it off and set up his own quarters in the remaining bedroom, kitchen and shed of the big house. He stopped working the farm because of a government soil-conservation program. They offered him a subsidy, which he augmented by his work as a handyman in the area. Ed Gein/Page 6 Robbing Graves In his spare time Ed read books on human anatomy and Nazi concentration camp... ...ection of shrunken heads), two skulls for Gein’s bedposts, a pair of human lips hanging from string, Ed’s full woman body suit constructed with human skin and complete with mask and breasts, Bernice Worden’s heart in a pan on the stove, and the refrigerator which was stacked with human organs. Ed Gein /Page 12 Conclusion Gein was in a series of examinations at the Central State Hospital for the Criminally insane. He was proven insane. The reasons for his actions were seen; he loved his mother but he hated her, so that is why he killed older women. It is said that Mary Hogan had more of a passing resemblance to his mother. At Christmas, 1957, Gein was judged insane and he was committed to Waupan State Hospital for a life sentence. Gein died of cancer on July 26, 1984, at the age of 78. He was buried back in Plainfield next to the graves of his family. Ed Gein/Page 13 References http://www.houseofhorrors.com/gein.htm http://www.crimelibrary.com/gein/geinmain.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Gein http://www.prairieghosts.com/ed_gein.html Ed Gein/Page 14 Pictures

Comparison of Severan copy of Athena Parthenos and 13th century :: essays research papers fc

Comparison of Severan copy of Athena Parthenos and 13th century   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Virgin and Mary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Severan copy of Athena Parthenos and an early 13th century Virgin child are two pieces at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts that compare and contrast in several ways. Their historical importance as symbols, their sculptural mediums, styles and dimensions, and their functions make them historically relevant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Reduced Replica of Athena Parthenos - at the MFA in Boston is a marble statue which depicts a graceful, robed female icon. The statue has lost both arms, and is dressed in a chiton Athena , also referred to as Minerva, the Maiden, or Parthenos was the Favorite daughter of Zeus. Legend states that she was not generated by any woman with Zeus, but instead leapt out of his head fully grown and armored. Athena is known an the goddess of wisdom, the goddess of the city , the protectress of civilized life, artisan activities , and agricultural bounty. All of these characteristics explain her sculptural likenesses in so many ancient cities in need of dietous protection. 1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This particular piece is of Severan creation. The Severans came to power in the late second century. Marcus Aurelius ¹ son Commodus succeeded his father in 180, only to inherit an empire that was becoming increasingly harder to uphold , and imperial order was being threatened. Eventually, he was assassinated , and the Roman world was thrown into civil discord. Septimius Severus emerged as the new emperor in 193 after proclaiming himself to be Marcus Aurelius ¹ son. 2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Severan ¹s hometown was called Lepcis Magna, on the coast of what is now Libya. In the early third century the port city used imperial funds to ornament itself with a new forum, basilica , arch, and several monuments and statues. One of these statues may be the Athena Parthenos . 3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like other heroic statues of second and third century Rome, Athena  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  has a rigid , strong but graceful torso that can be seen in the later period of Soldier Emperors that would follow in coming decades. While examining Athena ¹s garb- her birthday suit of armor and cloth - a paralell can be drawn to the battle gear seen in the Ludovisi battle sarcophagus and the Athena ¹s chiton. In both of these , the garments ¹ cloth hangs with a powerful rigidity that doesn ¹t really cling to the body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This gives a feeling of protective layering and puts limited focus on the anatomy of the covered torso and limbs.

A Sad Love Story

A sad Love Story.. A boy proposed his girlfriend for marriage, Girl: Tell me.. Who do you love most in this world? Boy: You, of course ! Girl: What am I to you? Boy: The boy thought for a moment and looked intently in her eyes and said â€Å"u r missing part of my heart † She smiled, and she accepted his proposal. ::  ¦ ::  ¦ : :  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ After their wedding , the couple had a sweet and happy life for a while . However ,the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busy schedule of life and the never-ending worries of aily problems and soon after their life became difficult . ::  ¦ ::  ¦ : :  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦::  ¦ : : All the challenges posed by the harsh realities of life began to drift away their dreams and love for each other . .. The couple began to have more quarrels and each quarrel became make their relation more worst. One day , after the quarrel , the girl ran out of the house.. ..At the opposite side of the road , she shouted,† You don' t love me †¦ !† The boy hated her childishness and out of impulse, said ,†May be, it was a mistake for us to e together ..! You were never da missing part of my  ¦ †¦ !† Suddenly, she turned quiet and stood there for a long while .. .. He regretted what he said but wordsspoken cant be taken back. With tears in her eyes, she went home to pack her things and Before leaving the house,she left a note for him: â€Å"If I ‘m really not da missing part of ur  ¦, let me go.. n search for sum 1 whu is. .. It is less painful thisway†¦ let us go on our separate ways and search for our own partners .. .† ::  ¦ ::  ¦ : :  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦ ::  ¦::  ¦ : : Five years went by. .. He never remarried but he had tried to find out about her life indirectly .. †¦ . She had left the country and was living her dreams. He use to regret on what he did but never tried to bring her back. . In the dark and l onely night , he lit his cigarette and felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn' t bring himself to admit that he was missing her . †¦. One day , they finally met†¦ . At the airport , He was going away on a business trip . He saw her, She was standing there alone, with just the security door separating them.She smiled at him gently . Boy: How are you ? Girl: I' m fine. How about you.. . Have you found your heart ‘ s missing part.. .? Boy: No . Girl: I' ll be flying to New York in the next flight . Boy: I ‘ll be back in 2 weeks time . Give me a call when you are back †¦ You know my number †¦ . Nothing has changed . With a smile , she turned around and waved good- bye .. â€Å"Good-bye . . . † Same evening he heard of a plane crash which was headed to New York . He tried to know about her and found that,She died . Midnight. †¦ Once again , he lit his cigarette. †¦ . And like before, he felt the lingering ache in his heart. †¦ He finally knew , she was that missing part that he had carelessly broken . . . Sometimes, people say things out of moments of fury†¦ .. We take outour 99% frustrations at our loved ones. †¦ And even though we knowthat we ought to†think twice and act wisely†, we actually dont do it. Things happen each day , many of which are beyond our control . Try not to hurt ur loved once, bcz amoment of anger cud b a lifetym punishment †¦ u

Worksheet on Combinations and Permutations

Worksheet on Combinations and Permutations Permutations and combinations are two concepts that related to ideas in probability.   These two topics are very similar and are easy to get confused. In both cases we start with a set containing a a total of n elements.   Then we count r of these elements. The way in which we count these elements determines if we are working with a combination or with a permutation. Ordering and Arrangement The key things to remember when distinguishing between combinations and permutations has to do with order and arrangements.   Permutations deal with situations when the order that we choose the objects is important.   We can also think of this as being equivalent to the idea of arranging objects In combinations we are not concerned with what order we selected our objects. We only need this concept, and the formulas for combinations and permutations to solve problems dealing with this topic. Practice Problems To get good at something, it takes some practice.   Here are some practice problems with solutions to help you to straighten out the ideas of permutations and combinations. A version with answers is here.   After starting with just basic calculations, you can use what you know to determine if a combination or permutation is being referred to. Use the formula for permutations to calculate P( 5, 2 ).Use the formula for combinations to calculate  C( 5, 2 ).Use the formula for permutations to calculate  P( 6, 6 ).Use the formula for combinations to calculate  C( 6, 6 ).Use the formula for permutations to calculate  P( 100, 97 ).Use the formula for combinations to calculate  C( 100, 97 ).It’s election time at a high school that has a total of 50 students in the junior class. How many ways can a class president, class vice president, class treasurer,and class secretary be chosen if each student may only hold one office?The same class of 50 students wants to form a prom committee. How many ways can a four person prom committee be selected from the junior class?If we want to form a group of five students and we have 20 to choose from, how many ways is this possible?How many ways can we arrange four letters from the word â€Å"computer† if repetitions are not allowed, and different orders of the same letter s count as different arrangements?How many ways can we arrange four letters from the word â€Å"computer† if repetitions are not allowed, and different orders of the same letters count as the same arrangement? How many different four digit numbers are possible if we can choose any digits from 0 to 9 and all of the digits must be different?If we are given a box containing seven books, how many ways can we arrange three of them on a shelf?If we are given a box containing seven books, how many ways can we choose collections of three of them from the box?

The Chinese Lake Murders

The Chinese Lake Murders were written by author, Robert Van Gulik and can be used to learn about pre-modern Chinese civilization. The book was set during the Ming Dynasty in the town of Han-yuan, which is about 60 miles north west of the imperial capital. The novel tells the tale of how Judge Dee, the magistrate (an official responsible for catching criminals as well as sentencing them) of Han-yuan solves crime cases while indulging himself in beautiful women, greed and political matters. Van Gulik uses this book and many of his others to describe the culture that of Imperial China. Imperial/Confucian culture lasted in China for about 2,100 years (from 200 BCE to 1900 CE and it) and it still keeps the image oh Chinese society strong. To many we are unable to know what Imperial/Confucian culture was like. In reading Robert Van Gulik's book The Chinese Lake Murders, it placed me within Chinese culture, explaining the aspects of Chinese culture better than reading some test books. In reading the book, I learned that each village or section of a town had a warden who was responsible for knowing who lived in his area and what they did. I also learned that districts were ruled over by judges who in turn reported to provincial magistrates, who in turn reported to the Imperial court. To keep things honest, imperial censors traveled throughout the empire incognito, with the authority of the Emperor himself to arrest or condemn officials deemed abusing their authority. Districts judges and provincial magistrates were rotated to different places throughout their career, to avoid the abuses of long rule in any one place. Lastly, ranks of nobility decayed from one generation to the nest. So if you were of one noble rank, your children would be of the next lower rank, and their children would just be commoners, but this rule did not apply for the emperors children. Yet, there are many positive aspects to Imperial/Con

ACT Math Questions, and What to Do About It

How You'll Get Stuck in SAT/ACT Math Questions, and What to Do About It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you’ve been staring at one math problem for what feels like forever, or maybe you’ve gone through your solve and none of the answer choices match what you found. Or maybe you just feel like somewhere along the way you made a huge mistake†¦. Well, never fear! Right now you might be stuck on a math problem, but we’ve all been there and there is always a way to recover. We’ll walk you through both how to recognize when you’re stuck (it’s not always obvious until too late) and what to do about it when it happens. Overall Test Structure The SAT math section and the ACT math section are designed and structured differently. Though many principles of how to solve a math problem (and how to get out of a math bind) will hold true for both tests, there are some unique pitfalls and benefits hidden in each test. So let’s look at a little background and structure for both the SAT and the ACT to give a better foundation for the kinds of ways you can get stuck on a math problem and how to get out of it. About the SAT Math Section The SAT math section requires that you put your mathematical knowledge to work in ways that may seem strange or unfamiliar to you. Most SAT math questions won't look like the kinds of questions you see on your math tests in school and this may be a challenge to deal with at first. But while the questions may be unusual, each and every math topic used on the test is one that you are likely familiar with and have studied for a number of years. If you’re not used to the structure of the SAT, there are two main ways you can find yourself trapped into the no-man’s-land of selecting wrong answers: by overestimating the difficulty of each question or by underestimating the difficulty of each question. (Yikes!) Some students get so turned around by the twisting and unusual presentation of the questions that they forget the fact that they will be familiar with most, if not every topic on the SAT math section. This kind of student tends to panic and either make wild guesses or leave many questions blank that she likely could have solved. Other students, however, go in the complete opposite direction and underestimate how tricky the questions on the SAT can be. Many questions (though not all) are set up in ways that will steer anyone who isn’t paying close attention off the right track. And all the answer choices on the multiple choice section are most often generated by common student errors, so it can be easy to fall for the many â€Å"bait† answer choices available. In the next section, we’ll show you how to tell when you’re falling into one of these traps and how to get out of it. About the ACT Math Section The ACT math section will occasionally give you a question that is set up in a strange or unfamiliar way, but for the most part, ACT math questions will be fairly â€Å"straightforward.† Do you know how to set up and solve for an average? Do you know what a rational number is? A significant portion of your ACT math questions will look just like the ones you've seen in school. Though many ACT math questions are far from easy, the presentation of the questions is not specifically designed to trick or trap you. ACT math questions are challenging mostly for two reasons: you will be on a much stricter time crunch than you would be on the SAT (see our article on the differences between ACT math and SAT math for more detail on this) and the topics in question may be more obscure to you. For instance, most students will be far less familiar with trigonometry or sequences than they are with single variable equations, but these are all topics that will be on the ACT. Because the ACT math section must be completed quickly, it's crucial that you realize when you’re going down the wrong mathematical path. So let’s take a look at how to spot it when it happens. Time is a precious resource on both tests, so it's important to change course quickly if something's going wrong. How to Tell When You’re Stuck (or Going Down the Wrong Path) Almost every math question on both the ACT and the SAT can be solved in 30 seconds or less. If you’re familiar with the material, you can absolutely solve almost every single math question with plenty of time to spare. In addition, each and every question on the test is designed in such a way that a student can solve it without a calculator. Though you should use a calculator on the test to boost your speed and accuracy, always keep in mind that you don’t technically need one. How does this knowledge help you? Well, if you find you’re going down the rabbit hole and need 30 steps to solve a problem, or if you start getting bizarre strings of decimals or weird root systems, then stop! If the problem is taking two or three minutes to solve or you think it would literally be impossible (or just really, really difficult) to solve without a calculator, then something went wrong and you should stop and go back to the beginning. Let’s look at a few examples of ACT and SAT problems and some common student errors to see this in action. Let’s say you got to this problem and were going so quickly through the test that you misread the word â€Å"area† and thought you were supposed to solve for the perimeter instead. This may seem like an obvious mistake right now, but never underestimate the effects of adrenaline and fatigue on your ability to think logically. It’s all too easy (and all too common) to make a mistake like this on the test and pay the price in lost time if you do. But if you read â€Å"area† as â€Å"perimeter,† then you would see that the â€Å"perimeter† of triangle DFH was 10, which would mean that each side was $10/3 = 3.33$. Hmm. This is already mighty suspicious. Remember- you should be able to solve any question without a calculator, so if you have decimal points, they will almost always be 0.5 or, more rarely, 0.25. To get a decimal of 0.33 is suspect. But if you kept going, you would find that each side of triangle DFH is made up of two sides of the smaller triangles. This would mean that the side of each smaller triangle was: $3.33/2 = 1.67$ Now a red alert should be sounding in your head! You’ve gotten two â€Å"weird† decimal values in a row and you still haven’t found your answer yet. It’s a good idea to pause and see if you’ve made a mistake somewhere before you waste time going any further. [Note: the way to actually solve the problem is to either find the area of each small triangle- $10/4 = 2.5$- and multiply by the total number of small triangles, or to set up a proportion of the area of DFH to AFK. Either way, your final answer will be E, 62.5] Now let’s take a look at another example, Last time, we said that perhaps you simply misread the problem. This time, maybe you thought you knew enough about the topic to solve the problem, but ended up stuck halfway through. For instance, let’s say you were familiar enough with quadratic equations to recognize that this was one, but didn’t know a whole lot else about them. Well it says that the value of $x$ is -3, so that must mean we replace $x$ with -3 and solve from there, right? $x^2 + mx + n = 0$ $-3^2 + 3m + n = 0$ $9 + 3m + n = 0$ Hmm. Well this doesn’t look promising. We could try to isolate $m$ to find it’s value, in which case we would say: $3m + n = -9$ $3m + -9 - n$ $m = -3 - {n/3}$ But we still don’t know the value of $n$, so that doesn’t help us much. We could try to factor it, but without knowing the value of $n$, we still can’t find $m$. We’re well and truly stuck. [Note: the way to solve the problem is by understanding how factoring quadratic equations works at its core. If -3 is the only value for $x$, then it must mean that our quadratic factors out to be a square. Our factors must therefore look like: (x + 3)(x + 3) for $x$ to equal -3 since $x + 3 = 0$ = $x = -3$. If we properly distribute $(x + 3)^2$, we will get $x^2 + 6x + 9 = 0$, which means the answer is C, $m = 6$.] Sometimes, you’ll be able to see pretty quickly (as with our first example) when you’re going wrong, and sometimes it will take a few steps before you hit a wall (as with our second example). But, as you get more practice solving SAT and ACT math questions, you’ll start to get instincts to feel when you’ve taken a left turn somewhere, and this is the point at which you must take a step back. But what do you do once you realize you’ve run into a problem? Let’s take a look. We can save this, not to worry. Well...probably. Pretty sure. (Gross) What to Do When You’re Stuck As you go through your test, answer your questions by following these steps: Step 1: Always Answer the Easiest Questions First As a general rule of thumb when taking the either the SAT or the ACT, always root out and answer the questions you can complete the fastest and with the most confidence. Remember- each and every question is worth one point, so it doesn’t matter if it was the easiest problem or the hardest. No one is judging how you complete your test, so don’t feel you have to ignore the simpler problems for the sake of the more difficult ones. Get your points where you can and keep moving forward. The ACT math section is arranged in ascending order of difficulty, so the earliest questions will also be the "easiest." The SAT is a little more complicated, since the math portion of the test is divided into three sections- two entirely multiple choice and one combination multiple choice and grid-in. SAT multiple choice questions are also arranged in order of ascending difficulty (so the early questions will also be "easiest"), but the difficulty level resets for the grid-in section. This means that the first question on the grid-in portion will be much easier than the last multiple choice question in that math section. Be especially careful in the combination multiple choice and grid-in SAT math section for this reason. If any question starts to give you trouble or seems to be taking a long time, mark it and come back to it only after you’ve completed all of your easy questions. Once you’ve identified these potential â€Å"problem questions,† approach them based on why they were problematic in the first place. Step 2: If You Can See Your Error, Redo the Problem Once you’ve identified that you’re going down the wrong track, stop working and read the question again. Did you try to find the wrong variable? For instance, did you solve for $a$ instead of $2a$, the perimeter instead of the area? Did you write down the wrong values for your givens? Or did you realize you simply don’t know enough about, for instance, functions to solve the problem? If you can spot your error and correct it in a few seconds, go ahead and start over and solve the problem again the right way. If you really think you can solve the problem this time, then it’s definitely worth your time to work through it again. If you can’t spot why or how you went wrong (just that you did), move on to the next step. Step 3: If You Can't See the Error, Find an Alternative Solving Method Sometimes you might know enough about the topic (or are just familiar enough with the test) to see that you don't know how to solve a particular problem in the traditional way. Now is a good time to turn to one of your alternate solving methods, namely plugging in answers or plugging in your own numbers. Let’s say that you went up against this question: Maybe you didn’t know where to begin, or maybe you attempted the problem and felt that you started getting trapped in the algebra. Well luckily, there is almost always another way to solve any ACT or SAT question! In this case, we have variables in both the problem and in the answer choices, which is a key feature for a PIN question. With that in mind, we can pick our own value for $x$ and find the answer choice that corresponds to this value. Let’s say that we said $x = 2$. (Why 2? Why not!) Now we find the value of our given function. ${x + 1}/{x^3 - x}$ ${2 + 1}/{2^3 - 2}$ $3/6$ $1/2$ Now we need to find which answer choice is equivalent to $1/2$, when we use the same value of $x$ ($x = 2$). Answer choice F gives us: $1/{x^2} - 1/{x^3}$ $1/4 - 1/8$ $1/8$ This does not match our found value of $1/2$, so we can eliminate answer choice F. Answer choice G gives us: $1/{x^3} - 1/x$ $1/8 - 1/2$ $-{3/8}$ This does not match our found value of $1/2$, so we can eliminate answer choice G. Answer choice H gives us: $1/{x^2 - 1}$ $1/{4 - 1}$ $1/3$ This does not match our found value of $1/2$, so we can eliminate answer choice H. Answer choice J gives us: $1/{x^2 - x}$ $1/{4 - 2}$ $1/2$ This does match our found answer of $1/2$, so we can keep answer J in the running. We should still test answer choice K, however, just to make sure we do not have any duplicate correct answers. Answer choice K gives us: $1/{x^3}$ $1/8$ This does not match our found answer of $1/2$. We can eliminate answer choice K. This leaves us with only one answer that matches what we found as our given when $x = 2$. This means that answer choice J (and only answer choice J) must be correct. Our final answer is J, $1/{x^2 - x}$ Step 4: If Your Alternate Solve Doesn't Work, Move On Sometimes taking a standardized test means learning to let go of a question. Your time is precious and limited, so if you can solve two questions in the time it takes you to solve one, it’s always best to solve the two. If you find yourself trapped on a question and can’t find any way to solve it, let it go (for now). If you’re taking the ACT, bubble in your best guess answer, but do so lightly enough that you can come back and change it later, time permitting. If you’re taking the SAT, simply skip the question for now (don’t bubble in a guess!) and come back later. If you have time after you’re done with the rest of your questions, come back to any that you had to skip or bubble a guess on. Sometimes all you need is fresh eyes, and then the method to solve the problem will become apparent. If you still can’t find the correct answer in any of the â€Å"traditional† ways, you can try to strategically eliminate answer choices until you’ve at least narrowed down your odds. For more information on how to do this, check out our guides for how to best guess on the SAT math section and how to best guess on the ACT math section. Otherwise, simply let it stay blank (if taking the SAT) or stick with your first guess answer (if taking the ACT). Learning to let go of a problem can be just as important as learning when to stick with a problem and try an alternate solving method. The more you practice, the better you'll get at balancing these techniques. The Take-Aways The more practice you have with taking standardized tests, the more skilled you’ll become at spotting your mistakes and heading them off at the pass. So don’t despair if it seems like an impossible task right now- you’ll get better at it. Be sure to practice on quality ACT and SAT study materials and stop if you feel any misgivings while solving any particular question. Remember- if it takes more than 30 seconds, or you think you would absolutely need a calculator, you’re probably on the wrong track. Take a breath, back up, and see where and how you can resolve the problem. And don’t be afraid to let a question go if you need to. One question won’t matter too much in the long run, but getting stuck for five minutes will absolutely take away time from other questions and have a detrimental impact on your final score. What’s Next? Worried about your math formulas? Learn which formulas you'll need to memorize for the ACT, which formulas you'll need to know for the SAT, and how to put your formulas to their greatest effect on both the ACT and the SAT. Running out of time on your math sections? Learn how to beat the clock on both the ACT and the SAT so you can reach your greatest potential in the time allowed. Trying not to procrastinate? Our guide will help you beat those procrastination urges and get you back on track. Want to get a perfect math score? Check out how to get a perfect 36 on the ACT math section or a perfect 800 on the SAT math section. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. 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