International Finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Finance - Research Paper Example In this case, we look at the injection of capital into the Indonesian economy by an American firm that seeks to invest in a clothing manufacturing firm in Indonesia. Indonesia is a state made up of a group of islands located between Southeast Asia and Oceania (Van Zanden and Marks 2). The country is the fourth most populous nation in the world with 252 million people (Van Zanden and Marks 2). The vast majority of the nationals speak Indonesian which is spoken by members of the largest ethnic group, the Javanese. There are 33 provinces in Indonesia and one Specially Administered region in the country. Indonesia was declared independent in 1945 after the Second World War but it was acknowledged by the Dutch colonizers in 1949. Indonesia is currently ruled by Joko Widodo who is the head of the unitary presidential constitutional republic. This section of the essay will evaluate the relevant elements of the political environment of Indonesia that can affect a clothing manufacturer from the United States, seeking to invest in the country. Indonesia is a republic that is ran as a unitary state; hence all the power is concentrated in the central government with a much lower level of autonomy to regional authorities (Central Intelligence Agency 307). The country’s 1945 constitution has gone through four amendments, and the most modern amendment occurred in 1998 when President Suharto was ousted (Central Intelligence Agency 307). There country has a bicameral parliamentary system which includes the People’s Representative Council which is the lower house and consists of 560 representatives and the Regional Representative Council made up of 132 members. They both monitor the affairs of the executive and pass laws. Indonesia has a GDP per capita of about $10,000 and the country has one of the fastest growing middleclass in the world (OECD 48). The country’s middle class is growing fundamentally because of the reforms made to

Gender stereotypes are still pervasive in our culture Essay Example for Free

Gender stereotypes are still pervasive in our culture Essay TOPIC AND RATIONALE Gender stereotyping is a topic we find all around us and without exception in early years settings. There is a set of notions about how girls/women and boys/men are expected to behave in society, therefore is very difficult not to transmit those ideas in Early Education. Often we find children which already have implemented a gender role and behave based on our assigned sex. I have chosen this subject because I am aware, as I have to deal with that every single day, of how gender stereotype affects people. I believe the best way to fight this issue is through education and promoting gender equality in early childhood settings. At my placement I have already seen several situations where girls dress in pink as they consider is their favorite color, draw and wish to be princesses and would like to be ballerinas when they grow up. Boys spend all the playground time playing football or using their imaginary gangs, dressing in dark colors or not allowing girls playing in the building construction area claiming that is not a game for them. Being personally affected and observing this conduct in young children at the childhood practice setting and in the nursery where I work, was my motivation to write about this interesting topic, which in some situations touch children subtlety, and in others can trigger a negative impact affecting in many ways their being. AIM AND OBJECTIVES My target is to find out if gender equality is promoted in early years settings. RELEVANT THEORIES AND APPROACHES to children’s learning and development and links with knowledge acquired through the HNC HOW TOPIC LINKS TO CHILDREN’S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, RIGHTS, AND INTERESTS Gender Equality is at the core of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which outlines in a few articles the relevance of the equality rights for all children independently of their gender. The Article 2 is directly related to the topic chosen and promotes non-discrimination. The Article 12 and 13 determinates the respect for the views of the child and their freedom of expression. Both of them encourage children to express their thoughts and feelings freely. Those right are important in the subject because their voices can be taken seriously if they feel affected by gender discrimination. The Articles 28 and 29 talk about rights and goals of education. Those articles promote education with the respect of the human rights including themselves, addressing gender discrimination and supporting equality among girls and boys. Finally, we have to have into consideration Article 4 which states that governments have to create systems and laws to promote and protect children rights, enabling all the above rights possible. Here a summary of the articles mentioned are shown: †¢ Article 2 – â€Å"The Convention applies to every child without discrimination, whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, language, abilities or any other status, whatever they think or say, whatever their family background.† †¢ Article 12 – â€Å"Every child has the right to express their views, feelings, and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. This right applies at all times, for example during immigration proceedings, housing decisions or the child’s day-to-day home life.† †¢ Article 13 – â€Å"Every child must be free to express their thoughts and opinions and to access all kinds of information, as long as it is within the law.† †¢ Article 28 –â€Å"Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free and different forms of secondary education must be available to every child. Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity and their rights. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this.† †¢ Article 29 – â€Å"Education must develop every child’s personality, talents, and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment.† †¢ Article 4 – â€Å"Governments must do all they can to make sure every child can enjoy their rights by creating systems and passing laws that promote and protect children’s rights.†

Classroom Observation Tool For Toddlers Children And Young People Essay

Classroom Observation Tool For Toddlers Children And Young People Essay Instructions: Spend some time simply observing the classroom before recording. Use the checkboxes to note when you observe specific indicators. Focus on the experiences of individual children, not just a general sense of the classroom overall. Note evidence as to whether the criterion is being met or not. All indicators must be checked for a criterion to be fully met. Provide comments if you circle Yes but. If you observe all indicators in the criterion, check Yes. Count the number of Yes boxes for each topic area and standard. Number NAEYC Accreditation Criterion 1.B.01 Teaching staff foster childrens emotional well-being by demonstrating respect for children and creating a positive emotional climate as reflected in behaviors such as frequent social conversations, joint laughter, and affection. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: It was clear that even the youngest teachers were already used to kids. There was mostly (95%+) THE INDICATED BEHAVIORS. 1.B.02 Teaching staff express warmth through behaviors such as physical affection, eye contact, tone of voice, and smiles. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Most of the teachers were very kind and responsive. One was a little harsh but that was over the fenced area at the Pre-Ks. 1.B.03 Teaching staff are consistent and predictable in their    physical and    emotional care of all children. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Again, there were obviously some children who were needy constant crying. I assumed nothing was really wrong with them. They just wanted attention, but it did seem two or three of these cryers were left alone for too long (5 6 minutes), with no adult close by. 1.B.04 Teaching staff encourage and recognize childrens work and accomplishments. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observed several classrooms (5) and the instructors praised the children often with smiles and kind words. 1.B.05 Teaching staff function as secure bases for children. They respond promptly in developmentally appropriate ways to childrens    positive initiations,    negative emotions, and    feelings of hurt and fear    by providing comfort, support, and assistance. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observed that the instructors responded more to positive than negative. One teacher was very constant in applying physical attention to one of the more difficult children, but the face / wrods were not as kind as the gestures. 1.B.06 Teaching staff encourage childrens appropriate expression of emotions, both positive (e.g., joy, pleasure, excitement) and negative (e.g., anger, frustration, sadness). Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observed no children acting really badly for their age. The instructors were not restricitive allowing the children to be children. 1.B.07 Teaching staff evaluate and change their responses based on individual needs. Teachers vary their interactions to be sensitive and responsive to   differing abilities,   temperaments,    activity levels, and    cognitive and    social development. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: The teachers and the students and admin staff, of course, all have their own personalities and it ranges throughout the day. No one I know is perfvectly consistent and that is not expected. 1.B.08 Teaching staff support childrens competent and self-reliant exploration and use of classroom materials. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw the instructors allow the toddlers to roam wherever they wanted with little to no intervention. 1.B.09 Teaching staff never use physical punishment such as shaking or hitting and do not engage in psychological abuse or coercion. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw no instances of abuse. 1.B.10 Teaching staff never use threats or derogatory remarks, and do not withhold nor threaten to withhold food as a form of discipline. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw no instances of abuse. 1.B.13 Teaching staff adjust their interactions to infants and toddlers/twos various states and levels of arousal. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: 1.B.14 Teaching staff quickly respond to infants and toddlers/twos cries or other signs of distress by    providing physical comfort and    needed care.    Teaching staff are sensitive to infants and toddlers/twos signals and learn to read their individual cries. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observed that the problem children were generally left alone longer than the compliant, well-behaved children. 1.B.15 Teaching staff talk frequently with children and listen to children with attention and respect. They respond to childrens questions and requests. use strategies to communicate effectively and build relationships with every child. engage regularly in meaningful and extended conversations with each child. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observe that in rare instances during my visits, the communications between the instructors and the children was respectful and consistent. 1.C.02 Teaching staff support childrens development of friendships and provide opportunities for children to play with and learn from each other. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: The toddlers had quite a bit of interaction with each other. Again, distinct personalities already. Some children very gregarious, others preferred play time alone. 1.C.03 Teaching staff support children as they practice social skills and build friendships by helping them   enter into,   sustain, and   enhance play. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I sam several instances where the teachers were encouraging the children to group together for common play such as on the slides in the playground, and helping set the food out at lunch. 1.C.04 Teaching staff assist children in resolving conflicts by helping them    identify feelings,   describe problems, and    try alternative solutions. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: The conflicts were all very minor, except one where one child I think accidently bopped another on the head in the gym. It was resolved in under a minute, though. 1.C.05 Teaching staff guide children who bully, isolate, or hurt other children to learn and follow the rules of the classroom. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw no evidence of the above issues. 1.C.06 Teaching staff facilitate positive peer interaction for children who are    socially reserved or withdrawn and for   those who are bullied or excluded. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw no evidence of the above issues. 1.D.01 Teaching staff counter potential bias and discrimination by treating all children with equal respect and consideration initiating activities and discussions that build positive self-identity and teach the valuing of differences. intervening when children tease or reject others. providing models and visual images of adult roles, differing abilities, and ethnic or cultural backgrounds that counter stereotypical limitations. avoiding stereotypes in language references. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw no evidence of the above issues. 1.D.02 Teachers provide children opportunities to develop the classroom community through participation in decision making about classroom   rules,   plans, and   activities. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observed that at this age, there was limited ability of the children to actively understand and participate, though there was more on the activity side and none on the rules side. There are extensive rules posted everywhere. 1.D.03 Teaching staff anticipate and take steps to prevent potential behavior problems. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: 1.D.04 Teaching staff help children talk about   their own and   others emotions. They provide opportunities for children to   explore a wide range of feelings and the different ways that those feelings can be expressed. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Again, limited because of the developmental age of toddlers. 1.D.05 Teaching staff promote pro-social behavior by interacting in a respectful manner with all staff and children. They model turn taking and sharing as well as caring behaviors. help children negotiate their interactions with one another and with shared materials. engage children in the care of their classroom. ensure that each child has an opportunity to contribute to the group. encourage children to listen to one another. encourage and help children to provide comfort when others are sad or distressed. use narration and description of ongoing interactions to identify pro-social behaviors. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Again, limited because of the developmental age of toddlers. There is a 1:5 ratio and generally when in a group which is all the time, all of the above is at least modeled or encouraged. 1.E Addressing Challenging Behaviors 1.E.03 Rather than focus solely on reducing the challenging behavior, teachers focus on teaching the child social, communication, and emotional regulation skills and using environmental modifications, activity modifications, adult or peer support, and other teaching strategies to support the childs appropriate behavior. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Most of this was being taught from a modeling (by the instructors). Not too much intellectualizingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦again, seems age dependent. 1.E.04 Teaching staff respond to a childs challenging behavior, including physical aggression, in a manner that provides for the safety of the child. provides for the safety of others in the classroom. is calm. is respectful to the child. provides the child with information on acceptable behavior. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I observed no toddler aggression, and only three children who had some challenging behavior (all three were cryers). However, in the classroom, teachers were highly positive reinforcers of positive behaviors and mostly ignored the bad behaviors. 1.F.01 Teaching staff actively teach children   social,   communication, and   emotional regulation skills. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Saw this constantly from staff instructors throughout facility. 1.F.02 Teaching staff help children manage their behavior by guiding and supporting children to persist when frustrated. play cooperatively with other children. use language to communicate needs. learn turn taking. gain control of physical impulses. express negative emotions in ways that do not harm others or themselves. use problem-solving techniques. learn about self and others. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Again, mostly saw positives toddlers visible absorption and understanding are limited. 2.A.04 The curriculum can be implemented in a manner that reflects responsiveness to   family home values, beliefs, experiences, and    language. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: At this age, childrens developmental skills in language are so limited, that curriculum does not directly address. 2.A.07 The curriculum guides the development of a daily schedule that is predictable yet flexible and responsive to individual needs of the children. The schedule provides time and support for transitions. includes both indoor and outdoor experiences. is responsive to a childs need to rest or be active. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same as above. Saw evidence in the older: pre-K, though. 2.A.08 Materials and equipment used to implement the curriculum reflect the lives of the children and families as well as the diversity found in society, including   gender,    age,    language, and    abilities. Materials and equipment provide for childrens safety while being appropriately challenging. encourage exploration, experimentation, and discovery. promote action and interaction. are organized to support independent use. are rotated to reflect changing curriculum and to accommodate new interests and skill levels. are rich in variety. accommodate childrens special needs. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same as above: limited formal curriculum. 2.A.10 The curriculum guides teachers to incorporate content, concepts, and activities that foster    social,    emotional,    physical,    language, and    cognitive development and    that integrate key areas of content including literacy, mathematics, science, technology, creative expression and the arts, health and safety, and social studies. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same as above: limited formal curriculum. 2.A.11 The schedule    provides children learning opportunities, experiences, and projects that extend over the course of several days and it incorporates time for:    play,    self-initiated learning,    creative expression,    large-group,    small-group, and    child-initiated activity. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Yes. Each instructor (which there is three assigned per class on average) has all of these posted and the teachers refer to the schedule regularly. 2.A.12 The curriculum guides teachers to plan for childrens engagement in play (including dramatic play and blocks) that is integrated into classroom topics of study. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Yes. Each instructor (which there is three assigned per class on average) has all of these posted and the teachers refer to the schedule regularly. 2.B.01 Children have varied opportunities to engage throughout the day with teaching staff who are attentive and responsive to them. facilitate their social competence. facilitate their ability to learn through interacting with others. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: All the instructors were constantly engaged. Even the 1:5 ratio meant the instructors were constantly interacting with their charges. 2.B.02 Children have varied opportunities to recognize and name    their own and    others feelings. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Limited vocabulary and I saw little negative acting out between the children. 2.B.03 Children have varied opportunities to learn the skills needed to regulate their emotions, behavior, and attention. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: 2.B.04 Children have varied opportunities to develop a sense of competence and positive attitudes toward learning, such as persistence, engagement, curiosity, and mastery. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: The instructors and staff were very attentive, but not smothering even in the infant rooms. 2.B.05 Children have varied opportunities to develop skills for entering into social groups, developing friendships, learning to help, and other pro-social behavior. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same as above. 2.B.06 Children have varied opportunities to interact positively, respectfully, and cooperatively with others. learn from and with one another. resolve conflicts in constructive ways. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same as above, but I saw almost no conflicts. 2.B.07 Children have varied opportunities to learn to understand, empathize with, and take into account other peoples perspectives. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Limited development of toddlers means this is not fully utilized yet. 2.C. Areas of Development: Physical Development 2.C.03 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials that support fine-motor development. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Drawing centers, etc. all available inside room and out in play area. Though I did not see any children take advantage of these activities except a few in the classrooms. The children seemed more into gross motor development. 2.D.01 Children are provided with opportunities for language acquisition that align with the program philosophy. consider family perspectives. consider community perspectives. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Again, toddler limitations, but within program posted guidelines. 2.D.02 Children are provided opportunities to experience oral and written communication in a language their family uses or understands. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: As above. 2.D.03 Children have varied opportunities to develop competence in verbal and nonverbal communication by responding to questions. communicating needs, thoughts, and experiences. describing things and events. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: As above, but instructors definitely not limiting childrens attempts and mostly encouraging their understanding. 2.D.04 Children have varied opportunities to develop vocabulary through   conversations,   experiences,    field trips, and    books. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Conversations and experiences, yes. Not yet in the book stage though there was a reading time assigned. 2.D.05 Children who are nonverbal are provided alternative communication strategies. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: All the children were variously verbal. 2.E.02 Toddlers/twos have varied opportunities to experience books, songs, rhymes, and routine games through individualized play that includes simple rhymes, songs, and sequences of gestures (e.g., finger plays, peekaboo, patty-cake, this little piggy). daily opportunities to hear and respond to various types of books including picture books, wordless books, and books with rhymes. access to durable books that enable independent exploration. experiences that help them understand that pictures represent real things in their environment. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Time is set aside everyday for these activities as age appropriate to toddlers. The concentration was in the first area mentioned: simple items. 2.E.03 Children have opportunities to become familiar with print. They are actively involved in making sense of print, and they have opportunities to become familiar with, recognize, and use print that is accessible throughout the classroom: Items belonging to a child are labeled with his or her name. Materials are labeled. Print is used to describe some rules and routines. Teaching staff help children recognize print and connect it to spoken words. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: No yet developing in this age group. 2.F.01 Infants and toddlers/twos are provided varied opportunities and materials to use language, gestures, and materials to convey mathematical concepts such as more and less and big and small. see and touch different shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. build number awareness, using objects in the environment. read books that include counting and shapes. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Children encouraged and a wide range of these items available through the facility. 2.F.02 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials to build understanding of numbers, number names, and their relationship to object quantities and to symbols. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Available but children not yet showing real interest. 2.F.03 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials to categorize by one or two attributes such as shape, size, and color. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same 2.F.04 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials that encourage them to integrate mathematical terms into everyday conversation. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Same 2.G.01 Infants and toddlers/twos are provided varied opportunities and materials to use their senses to learn about objects in the environment. discover that they can make things happen and solve simple problems. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Yes, throughout the facility 2.H.01 The use of passive media such as television, film, videotapes, and audiotapes is limited to developmentally appropriate programming. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw there was AV equipment, but saw none in use for this age group. 2.J.01 Children are provided varied opportunities to gain an appreciation of   art,   music,   drama, and   dance in ways that reflect cultural diversity. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: I saw more of this in the pre-K, not toddler, but the posters etc showed a wide variety of people of color, gender and dress. 2.J.02 Infants and toddlers/twos are provided varied opportunities to explore and manipulate age-appropriate art materials. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: This was well constructed with large chalk, crayons, craft paper, etc. 2.J.03 Infants and toddlers/twos have varied opportunities to express themselves creatively by    freely moving to music and    engaging in pretend or imaginative play. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: 2.J.04 Children are provided varied opportunities to learn new concepts and vocabulary related to    art,    music,    drama, and    dance. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: As contained in the schedules but still limited for the toddlers. 2.J.05 Children are provided varied opportunities to develop and widen their repertoire of skills that support artistic expression (e.g., cutting, gluing, and caring for tools). Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Really not allowed yet in this age group. 2.K.01 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials that encourage good health practices, such as serving and feeding themselves, rest, good nutrition, exercise, hand washing, and brushing teeth. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Very well documented program and I observed the instructors helping the children with these activities and encouraging some self-suffiency. 2.K.02 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials to help them learn about nutrition, including    identifying sources of food and   recognizing,   preparing,   eating, and   valuing healthy foods. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Again, plenty of signage for this, but age limited. 2.K.03 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials that increase their awareness of safety rules in their   classroom,    home, and    community. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Ditto 2.K.04 Children have opportunities to practice safety procedures. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Ditto. Was glad to see children either helping to open doors or avoiding closing doors. 2.L.01 Children are provided varied learning opportunities that foster positive identity and an emerging sense of    self and    others. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: The instructor were great about letting the children be free to do so. 2.L.02 Children are offered opportunities to become a part of the classroom community so each child feels accepted, and gains a sense of belonging. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: 2.L.03 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials to build their understanding of diversity in   culture,    family structure,    ability,    language,    age,   gender in non-stereotypical ways. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: Yes, but same as general comments: children not yet old enough for these concepts, directly. 2.L.04 Children are provided opportunities and materials to explore social roles in the family and workplace through play. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: NA 2.L.05 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials to learn about the community in which they live. Fully met? (circle): Yes Yes, but No Evidence/comments: NA some very limited church related community chats. 3.A.01 Teaching staff, program staff, or both work as a team to implement daily teaching and learning activities, including Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), an

Comparison of the Transformation of Characters in Gullivers Travels and

The Transformation of Characters in Gullivers Travels and Robinson Crusoe   The characters in Gullivers Travels and Robinson Crusoe are portrayed as resembling trained soldiers, being capable of clear thought during tense and troubled times. This quality possessed within Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver is a result of the author's background and knowledge. Daniel Defoe was knowledgeable and proficient in seamanship, he understood the workings of a ship and the skills required for its operation. Daniel Defoe, an intelligent man who is knowledgeable in self defense and military tactics, which is reflected in the actions of Robinson Crusoe who insists on always one step ahead of his opponent, wether it be an enemy, nature or himself. Robinson Crusoe is the know all, does all type of person. He becomes stranded on a desolate island and does whatever is necessary to survive. After being on the island for several years Crusoe learns to adapt to his surroundings (an important feature in becoming a good soldier) and lives with what he has. In the 17th century, the Catholic reform was sweeping through many parts of Europe. The period from 1600 to about 1750 is known as the Baroque Era. Throughout this period the Catholic Church was fighting back against the effects of the Renaissance. The people of the Renaissance society started to question their beliefs in the church and tried to rationally explain the world around them. Several crusades were fought throughout this period and in the end England and France became "Christianized." Robinson Crusoe was published during the Baroque Era and it contained a great amount of Catholicism. Crusoe becomes a good Christian during his lonely stay on the deserted island and converts his companion F... ... an attorney, a traitor, or the like: this is all according to the due course of things: but when I behold a lump of deformity and diseases, both in body and mind, smitten with pride, it im-mediatly breaks all the measures of my patience; neither shall I be ever able to comprehend how such an animal and such a vice could tally together. (Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels) Both Gulliver and Robinson are changing characters. At first they could not see the hidden details of life. But through solitude, trauma, conquest and failure have allowed both characters to realize the achievements, failures, and stupidity of man kind. Being able to rationalize from experience and calculation is a quality of a soldier. Works Cited: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Bantam Books, 1991 ("Defoe") Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1959 Comparison of the Transformation of Characters in Gullivers Travels and The Transformation of Characters in Gullivers Travels and Robinson Crusoe   The characters in Gullivers Travels and Robinson Crusoe are portrayed as resembling trained soldiers, being capable of clear thought during tense and troubled times. This quality possessed within Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver is a result of the author's background and knowledge. Daniel Defoe was knowledgeable and proficient in seamanship, he understood the workings of a ship and the skills required for its operation. Daniel Defoe, an intelligent man who is knowledgeable in self defense and military tactics, which is reflected in the actions of Robinson Crusoe who insists on always one step ahead of his opponent, wether it be an enemy, nature or himself. Robinson Crusoe is the know all, does all type of person. He becomes stranded on a desolate island and does whatever is necessary to survive. After being on the island for several years Crusoe learns to adapt to his surroundings (an important feature in becoming a good soldier) and lives with what he has. In the 17th century, the Catholic reform was sweeping through many parts of Europe. The period from 1600 to about 1750 is known as the Baroque Era. Throughout this period the Catholic Church was fighting back against the effects of the Renaissance. The people of the Renaissance society started to question their beliefs in the church and tried to rationally explain the world around them. Several crusades were fought throughout this period and in the end England and France became "Christianized." Robinson Crusoe was published during the Baroque Era and it contained a great amount of Catholicism. Crusoe becomes a good Christian during his lonely stay on the deserted island and converts his companion F... ... an attorney, a traitor, or the like: this is all according to the due course of things: but when I behold a lump of deformity and diseases, both in body and mind, smitten with pride, it im-mediatly breaks all the measures of my patience; neither shall I be ever able to comprehend how such an animal and such a vice could tally together. (Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels) Both Gulliver and Robinson are changing characters. At first they could not see the hidden details of life. But through solitude, trauma, conquest and failure have allowed both characters to realize the achievements, failures, and stupidity of man kind. Being able to rationalize from experience and calculation is a quality of a soldier. Works Cited: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Bantam Books, 1991 ("Defoe") Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1959

Digital Fortress Chapter 13

Tokugen Numataka stood in his plush, penthouse office and gazed out at the Tokyo skyline. His employees and competitors knew him a sakuta same-the deadly shark. For three decade she'd outguessed, outbid, and out advertised all the Japanese competition; now he was on the brink of becoming a giant in the world market as well. He was about to close the biggest deal of his life-a deal that would make his Numatech Corp. the Microsoft of the future. His blood was alive with the cool rush of adrenaline. Business was war-and war was exciting. Although Tokugen Numataka had been suspicious when the call had come three days ago, he now knew the truth. He was blessed with myouri-good fortune. The gods had chosen him. â€Å"I have a copy of the Digital Fortress pass-key,† the American accent had said. â€Å"Would you like to buy it?† Numataka had almost laughed aloud. He knew it was a ploy. Numatech Corp. had bid generously for Ensei Tankado's new algorithm, and now one of Numatech's competitors was playing games, trying to find out the amount of the bid. â€Å"You have the pass-key?† Numataka feigned interest. â€Å"I do. My name is North Dakota.† Numataka stifled a laugh. Everyone knew about North Dakota. Tankado had told the press about his secret partner. It had been a wise move on Tankado's part to have a partner; even in Japan, business practices had become dishonorable. Ensei Tankado was not safe. But one false move by an overeager firm, and the pass-key would be published; every software firm on the market would suffer. Numataka took a long pull on his Umami cigar and played along with the caller's pathetic charade. â€Å"So you're selling your pass-key? Interesting. How does Ensei Tankado feel about this?† â€Å"I have no allegiance to Mr. Tankado. Mr. Tankado was foolish to trust me. The pass-key is worth hundreds of times what he is paying me to handle it for him.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Numataka said. â€Å"Your pass-key alone is worth nothing to me. When Tankado finds out what you've done, he will simply publish his copy, and the market will be flooded.† â€Å"You will receive both pass-keys,† the voice said. â€Å"Mr. Tankado's and mine.† Numataka covered the receiver and laughed aloud. He couldn't help asking. â€Å"How much are you asking for both keys?† â€Å"Twenty million U.S. dollars.† Twenty million was almost exactly what Numataka had bid. â€Å"Twenty million?† He gasped in mock horror. â€Å"That's outrageous!† â€Å"I've seen the algorithm. I assure you it's well worth it.† No shit, thought Numataka. It's worth ten times that. â€Å"Unfortunately,† he said, tiring of the game, â€Å"we both know Mr. Tankado would never stand for this. Think of the legal repercussions.† The caller paused ominously. â€Å"What if Mr. Tankado were no longer a factor?† Numataka wanted to laugh, but he noted an odd determination in the voice. â€Å"If Tankado were no longer a factor?† Numataka considered it. â€Å"Then you and I would have a deal.† â€Å"I'll be in touch,† the voice said. The line went dead.

How Fluorescent Lights Affect You and Your Health

How Fluorescent Lights Affect You and Your Health Fluorescent lights are a common light source in office buildings and shopping markets. With the advent of compact fluorescent lights, they are becoming commonplace in most homes as well. Fluorescent lights are less expensive to buy compared to how long they last (about 13 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs) and they are much less expensive to operate. They require a fraction of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. But they can have negative impacts on your health. The Problems There were hundreds of studies done over the last quarter of the last century that showed causal links between elongated exposure to fluorescent lights and various negative effects. The foundation of most of these problems is the quality of light thats emitted. Some of the theories about negative effects or dangers stem from the fact that we evolved with the sun as our main source of light. It is only relatively recently, with the proliferation of electricity, that humankind has taken complete control of the night and interior spaces. Before that, most light came from the sun or a flame. Since flames dont give much light, humans usually woke along with sunrise and worked outdoors or, later in our history, by windows. With the light bulb, we had the ability to do more at night and to work in enclosed rooms without windows. When the fluorescent lights were invented, businesses had access to a cheap and durable light source and they adopted it. But fluorescent bulbs do not produce the same type of light as the sun gives us. The sun produces a full spectrum light: that is, a light that spans the entirety of the visual spectrum. In fact, the sun gives a lot more than the visual spectrum. Incandescent lights give off a full spectrum, but not as much as sunlight. Fluorescent lights give off a rather limited spectrum. A lot of human body chemistry is based on the day-night cycle, which is also known as the circadian rhythm. Theoretically, if you do not get sufficient exposure to sunlight, your circadian rhythm gets thrown off and that, in turn, throws off your hormones with some negative health impacts. Health Effects   There are a number of negative health effects that have been linked to working under fluorescent lights that are theorized to be caused by this disturbance to our circadian rhythms and the accompanying body chemistry mechanisms. These negative health effects may include: MigrainesEye strainProblems sleeping, due to melatonin suppressionSymptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder or depressionEndocrine disruption and poor immune systemsFemale hormonal/menstrual cycle disruptionIncreases in breast cancer rates and tumor formationStress/Anxiety, due to cortisol suppressionSexual development/maturation disruptionObesityAgoraphobia (anxiety disorder) Flickering The other main cause of problems with fluorescent lights is that they flicker. Fluorescent light bulbs contain a gas that gets excited and glows when electricity is passed through this. The electricity is not constant. It is controlled by an electric ballast that pulses on and off really quickly. To most people, the flicker is so fast that it looks like the light is on constantly. However, some people can perceive the flicker even if they cant consciously see it. This may cause: MigrainesHeadachesEye strainStress/Anxiety Additionally, fluorescent bulbs, especially cheaper bulbs, may have a green cast to them, making all the colors in your environment more drab and sickly looking. There is some theory that this, at the least, affects mood. The Solutions If you are forced to work/live beneath fluorescent lights for extended periods of time each day there are a number of things you can do to combat the negative effects. The first is to get out in the sun more. Getting sun exposure, especially for stints in the morning, midday, and late afternoon, can help maintain your circadian rhythm. Putting in some windows, skylights, or solar tubes to bring sunlight into your interior environment can help as well. Short of bringing in sunlight itself, you can bring in a light source with a fuller spectrum. There are some full spectrum and daylight spectrum fluorescent lights on the market that have a better color temperature spread than regular fluorescent lights, so they do help, but they dont replace sunlight. Alternately you can put a full spectrum light filter over your fluorescent bulb or light fixture lens that alters the light coming out of the fluorescent bulb and gives it a fuller spectrum. These tend to give off more Ultraviolet (UV) rays that may cause skin problems, prematurely age materials like plastic or leather, and cause photos to fade. Incandescent lights do a decent job of providing a good spectrum of light that most people respond to well. Another benefit of incandescent lights is that they are a constant light source that doesnt flicker. If you perceive the fluorescent flicker, having a single incandescent light bulb on in the room can be enough to cover the flicker and keep it from affecting you. These bulbs can also balance out any green tint given off by the fluorescent bulb. In some cases, phototherapy, or light box therapy, can counteract lack of sunlight exposure. This is a common treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder and it uses an incredibly bright light for a limited amount of time to help keep your body chemistry regulated. Optometrists have long prescribed glasses with a very light rose-colored tint on them to counteract the effects of working under fluorescent lights, especially in women who are experiencing hormonal problems. Finally, flicker problems can be improved by using fluorescent light fixtures that use electronic ballasts as opposed to magnetic ones.

Animal Farm - Added Chapter essays

Animal Farm - Added Chapter essays The next morning the animals rose early to the sound of a rooster crowing and hastily began their endeavor of rebuilding the windmill since the horrible storm had destroyed it. The animals were frail and exhausted from the overbearing heat and lack of nutrition. For the past two months all of the animals rations had been reduced so that the farm could benefit from extra supplies. Clover began to get suspicious as she noticed the pigs on the farm were gaining a considerable amount of weight, while all the others were getting thinner and thinner by the minute. She also was concerned about her memory, she was sure that the commandments used to be different, but squealer continued to defend the fact that they had always been the same. Months went by and Clovers suspicion only got stronger. Many animals were in failing health, and Clover felt that she could no longer stand by and watch the farm reach its inevitable downfall. Secretly, Clover began to organize a plan to overthrow the corrupt leaders of the farm. She was very careful not to let any of the other animals discover anything about her plan, because many animals had already died for opposing Animalism. After Clover had orchestrated her plan she told only the elitist and most intelligent animals. The first animal she confided in was Benjamin the donkey; he was a huge benefactor to her plan because, besides the pigs, he was the only animal that could read. Clover also knew that if she was going to be successful, she would need the help of the strongest animal on the farm, Boxer. This, however, was going to b a tedious task because Boxer was very loyal to Animalism and to Napoleon. Clover proceeded to tell Boxer about her plan slowly, trying not to frighten him. Benjamin was very helpful in explaining the current condition of the farm to Boxer and he was able to recruit him to help in the revolution t ...

Colored Fire Spray Bottles

Colored Fire Spray Bottles In the pilot episode of Breaking Bad, chemistry teacher Walt White performs a demonstration in which he changes the color of a bunsen burner flame by spraying the flame with chemicals. You can perform the colored fire demonstration yourself. All you need are some common chemicals, alcohol, and spray bottles. Here is a list of metal salts you can use to (safely) color fire. The chemicals have low toxicity and any smoke produced wont be any better/worse for you than normal wood smoke: Colored Fire Chemicals Heres a list of common chemicals and the colors of flames they produce: Dark red lithium chlorideRed strontium chloride (found in emergency flares)Orange calcium chloride (a bleaching powder)Yellow sodium chloride (table salt) or sodium carbonateYellowish green borax (sodium borate, a common insecticide and cleaning agent)Green copper sulfate (found in some pool and aquarium chemicals)Blue copper chloride (lab chemical, but other copper compounds found in algicides and fungicides may work)Violet 3 parts potassium sulfate, 1 part potassium nitrate (saltpeter)Purple potassium chloride (sometimes sold as a salt substitute)White magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) Prepare the Flame Colorants If you were just coloring a campfire or other wood fire, you could simply sprinkle the dry metal salts onto the fire. Copper chloride is especially nice for this since the sodium that is naturally present in wood causes this chemical to produce a mix of blue, green, and yellow flames. However, for the gas flame in a burner, you need the salts dissolved in a flammable liquid. The obvious choice here is alcohol. Common alcohols found around the home could include rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or ethanol (e.g., in vodka). In some cases, the metal salts will first need to be dissolved in a small volume of water and then mixed with alcohol so that they can be spray onto a flame. Some salts may not dissolve, so what you can do is grind them into a fine powder and suspend them in liquid. Do not spray alcohol or any flammable chemical across a flame toward people! Safety Information While the colorants used in this demonstration are generally safe, this project involves flammable materials and flames. There is an innate risk of burns and uncontrolled fire. Be sure to have a working fire extinguisher handy, wear appropriate safety gear, and maintain a safe distance between the demonstration and the demonstrator/audience. Flames involving alcohol may be extinguished with water, by suffocation, or with any fire extinguisher. The demonstrator is advised to wear low-flammability clothing (typically natural fibers) rather than flammable synthetic clothing. A little preparation makes for a safe and memorable demonstration that will raise interest in chemistry! Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

The Commercialization of Football Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Commercialization of Football - Assignment Example The English Premier League is one of the most luxurious sporting leagues in the world. This league attracts football teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, etc (Soderman & Dolles, 2013). Players in this league are earning millions of dollars, and this is through their weekly salaries, and endorsements that they are getting from large companies such as AIG, Nike, Samsung, etc (White 2013). Because of the huge amount of money that is used by English teams to pay off their players, most of these clubs are always in debts. An example is a club such as Manchester United, Liverpool and even Chelsea who are operating their balance sheets out of deficits. The main stakeholders to a football club are the owners, football managers, fans, the management, players, the government and the Football Association. These stakeholders partner to play a role that has a level of control on a club. The influence of each can be direct or indirect to the club. If a club changes ownership like i n the case of Liverpool football clubs acquisition, the debts of the club are transferred to the new owners (Chadwick 2010), and it is their responsibility to service the debt. In the ownership of the club, the government can decide to regulate the process and limit the impact of the team acquisitions on the performance of the ownership. The Football Association is also a major stakeholder in the league, and this is because it is responsible for setting up rules, and fixtures for the games. In fact, without the FA, then the English Premier League would not be there (Kennedy and Kennedy 2014). These stakeholders normally have different interests, and because of these differences they normally clash on most occasions. It is important to explain that the major source of conflict between football managers, players, and the management of the organization lies on the money.

Pharmacology and medicines management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pharmacology and medicines management - Essay Example There are various factors that play a role in the onset of disease. However, therapeutic and non-pharmacological management plans can help the patients in the long run. Scientists theorize that the worldwide increase in pollution due to the industrialization has caused a significant rise in the disease. The major implications and occurrence to treatment ratio along with the various strategies for controlling it are discussed further on. The incidence rates provides the information about the onset of the disease along with the probability of developing a disease. The incidence rate of asthma ranges between 2.65 to 4 per 1000 people annually. The condition is more commonly found in children less than five years of age and among boys as compared to girls. In childhood, the rate is estimated to be about 8.1 to 14 every 1000 persons for boys and 4.3 to 9 every 1000 persons for girls. Annually it is estimated that this rate of incidence is 2.1 every 1000 persons over 25 years of age. CDC r eports that asthma continues to be the major public health concern with a large financial impact on families and health care system. Internationally UK is the highest ranking countries in terms of asthma prevalence. The peak prevalence occurs between the ages of 5 and 15 and falls thereafter the age range of 55-64 years, after which it starts to rise again. Asthma diagnoses have recently became more common since 1950’s. Most of the children wheeze in their early life in response to the respiratory tract infection but most appear to grow out of it by the time they go to school. It is also to be noted that a few children will continue to wheeze and develop interval symptoms similar to atopic asthma (Worldallergy.org. 2013). The most common symptoms that are accompanied in asthma are coughing (especially at night or during exercise), trouble breathing, a tight feeling in the chest and wheezing sound. Some people may have prolonged symptom free periods while others experience som e symptoms every day. Loss of breath, exhaustion, wheezing, coughing, upper tract respiratory infections, sore throat and runny rose are some other less frequent signs. The underlying cause of asthma is bronchoconstriction due to the allergic inflammation of the passage ways. The inflammation process can be histologically seen. There is a hyper secretion of sub epithelial fibrosis, mucus hyper secretion and infiltration of the various inflammatory cells. The immuno-histopathologic features of asthma include the infiltration of the neutrophils, lymphocytes, epithelia cells and mast cell activation. An allergen triggers the type 1 hypersensitivity by activating the IgE antibodies. In normal individuals, the pathogen is phagocytised by the antigens stimulating a low TH1 response. In allergic people, the pathogen or pollutant induces the TH2 mediated response through the release of IL-4. This interleukin 4 induces the production of IgE antibodies which then attach to the mast cells rece ptors upon the secondary exposure of the allergen. Their attachment with mast cells triggers the release of the histamine which causes bronchoconstriction. The TH2 cells can directly induce the type 4 hypersensitivity through the production of interleukin 13. These interleukins cause the goblet cell hyperplasia, increased production of mucus and smooth muscle contraction. TH2 lymphocytes

The Role of Internal Auditors in the Corporate Governance Framework Essay

The Role of Internal Auditors in the Corporate Governance Framework - Essay Example Internal auditing, as a framework, has been established for serving the particular organizational need. This study focuses on the role of internal auditors in the corporate governance framework. This issue is explored by referring primarily to corporate governance, as part of modern businesses. Then the role of internal auditors in corporate governance is analyzed taking into consideration the following fact: in each business, the tasks developed by internal auditors may be differentiated. Still, the power of internal auditors to check business processes is standardized; internal auditors have access to all business operations, meaning that the full authorization of the auditors by the top management is considered as guaranteed (Rittenberg et al. 2011). However, despite the fact that the role of internal auditors is closely related to Corporate Governance, the involvement of the auditors in the activities and data of firms is often not welcomed, a phenomenon resulted from certain events, as analyzed below (Cascarino 2007). On the other hand, the accountability of internal auditors for the tasks assigned to them is full; this means that failures and mistakes while performing the internal auditing can lead to severe consequences for the auditors even if the latter has taken all appropriate measures for avoiding such outcome (Ridley 2008). These issues are discussed below with reference to the literature that has been published in this field. It is proved that internal auditing is a complex process and for this reason, the evaluation of its performance can be a difficult task, especially in countries where the regulatory framework for businesses is unclear. The term ‘corporate governance’ is quite broad. Indeed, in a relevant definition, the term ‘is defined as the total of operations and controls of an organization’ (Fama and Jensen 1983, in Karagiorgos et al. 2010, p.17).  Ã‚  

Science versus Pseudo- science Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Science versus Pseudo- science - Coursework Example Secondly, there are different astrological traditions in different countries. Finally, it may be useful only to create a horoscope. Karl Popper would suggest that astrology will not be able to pass the test of critical rationalism as many of its fundamental principles may be easily proven wrong. In other words, its main postulates can not be found objectively true. Thomas Kuhn would argue that there has been no paradigm shift in astrology for a considerable period of its existence. This suggests that it hardly develops as a science and, therefore, can not be recognized as one. In addition to that, Imre Lakatos would also note that astrology should be classified as a pseudoscience as it makes novel predictions with regard to unknown phenomena, but fails to prove it with fact. As a result, any theory that is being advocated by it can not be verified by the evidence and is easily

Would you let this man be a role model for teenage boys Research Paper

Would you let this man be a role model for teenage boys - Research Paper Example If you have teenage boys, who like music or have a talent in music then they would probably have someone like Dr. Dre as their role model. The question is would you allow him to be a role model to teenage boys? To help us answer this question, let us first look at Dr. Dre’s life and judge his values from his success and flaws. Currently, Dr. Dre is associated with a lot of success following his popularity in the music industry as a rapper, producer, and a businessperson. He has been labelled as hip-hop’s first billionaire having successfully signed a billion-dollar deal with Apple Inc. for the acquisition of â€Å"headphone maker and music-streaming service provider Beats Electronics† (Gittleson, par. 4). On the negative side, Dr. Dre has had his share of flaws but most of them are associated with his past. Most of his problems with the law happened in the 1990s, including being arrested for battery of a police officer, involved in a high-speed chase while intoxicated, and assault on fellow producer Damon Thomas (A&E Television Networks). Looking at the brief analysis of Dr. Dre’s values as a role model it is clear that he can be a good role model to teenage boys. His personal character has significantly changed over the years and so has his success. The two seem to have progressed synchronously, which can be used as a good learning point to teenage boys. The fact that his hard work has been a great contributor to his success can also be used as a motivator for teenage boys who would rather be inspired by his success than his

Needs of people with disabilities in Health and Social Care Assignment

Needs of people with disabilities in Health and Social Care - Assignment Example The principal test folks of youngsters with ASD face are the conclusion itself, which can bring disaster, nervousness, annoyance and an inclination that life has been uncalled for, as stated by Webmd. "You don't need to child yourself about how hard it is," said Robert A. Naseef, Ph.d., a clinical clinician in Philadelphia, the writer of the book "Uncommon Children, Challenged Parents," and the father of a become child with extreme Autism. As he educated Webmd, "The great thing concerning getting a conclusion is that then you get a heading in what will help your youngster. More often than not, when children get the right help and begin making advancement, their guardian's state of mind lights up and you have some trust once more." Â  An alternate obstacle for folks is the strain having a youngster with such far reaching needs puts on the family unit. Naseef noted to Webmd that pressure can enter relational unions on the grounds that managing a mental imbalance is so expending and he urges couples to attempt to set aside a few minutes for their marriage. One proposal he has is having an "in-home" night out, so that folks don't need to stress over getting a sitter, and appreciating a calm supper and film after the children have gone to bunk. An alternate trouble for families might be the way kin feel dominated by the needs of the youngster with extreme Autism, keeping in mind some have the capacity to structure a nearby relationship, others may lament the passing of a commonplace mate.

Science versus Pseudo- science Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Science versus Pseudo- science - Coursework Example Secondly, there are different astrological traditions in different countries. Finally, it may be useful only to create a horoscope. Karl Popper would suggest that astrology will not be able to pass the test of critical rationalism as many of its fundamental principles may be easily proven wrong. In other words, its main postulates can not be found objectively true. Thomas Kuhn would argue that there has been no paradigm shift in astrology for a considerable period of its existence. This suggests that it hardly develops as a science and, therefore, can not be recognized as one. In addition to that, Imre Lakatos would also note that astrology should be classified as a pseudoscience as it makes novel predictions with regard to unknown phenomena, but fails to prove it with fact. As a result, any theory that is being advocated by it can not be verified by the evidence and is easily

Needs of people with disabilities in Health and Social Care Assignment

Needs of people with disabilities in Health and Social Care - Assignment Example The principal test folks of youngsters with ASD face are the conclusion itself, which can bring disaster, nervousness, annoyance and an inclination that life has been uncalled for, as stated by Webmd. "You don't need to child yourself about how hard it is," said Robert A. Naseef, Ph.d., a clinical clinician in Philadelphia, the writer of the book "Uncommon Children, Challenged Parents," and the father of a become child with extreme Autism. As he educated Webmd, "The great thing concerning getting a conclusion is that then you get a heading in what will help your youngster. More often than not, when children get the right help and begin making advancement, their guardian's state of mind lights up and you have some trust once more." Â  An alternate obstacle for folks is the strain having a youngster with such far reaching needs puts on the family unit. Naseef noted to Webmd that pressure can enter relational unions on the grounds that managing a mental imbalance is so expending and he urges couples to attempt to set aside a few minutes for their marriage. One proposal he has is having an "in-home" night out, so that folks don't need to stress over getting a sitter, and appreciating a calm supper and film after the children have gone to bunk. An alternate trouble for families might be the way kin feel dominated by the needs of the youngster with extreme Autism, keeping in mind some have the capacity to structure a nearby relationship, others may lament the passing of a commonplace mate.

Alexander Popes the Rape of the Lock Essay Example for Free

Alexander Popes the Rape of the Lock Essay The Rape of the Lock begins with a passage outlining the subject of the poem and invoking the aid of the muse. Then the sun (â€Å"Sol†) appears to initiate the leisurely morning routines of a wealthy household. Lapdogs shake themselves awake, bells begin to ring, and although it is already noon, Belinda still sleeps. She has been dreaming, and we learn that â€Å"her guardian Sylph,† Ariel, has sent the dream. The dream is of a handsome youth who tells her that she is protected by â€Å"unnumbered Spirits†Ã¢â‚¬â€an army of supernatural beings who once lived on earth as human women. The youth explains that they are the invisible guardians of women’s chastity, although the credit is usually mistakenly given to â€Å"Honor† rather than to their divine stewardship. Of these Spirits, one particular group—the Sylphs, who dwell in the air—serve as Belinda’s personal guardians; they are devoted, lover-like, to any woman that â€Å"rejects mankind,† and they understand and reward the vanities of an elegant and frivolous lady like Belinda. Ariel, the chief of all Belinda’s puckish protectors, warns her in the dream that â€Å"some dread event† is going to befall her that day, though he can tell her nothing more specific than that she should â€Å"beware of Man!† Then Belinda awakes, to the licking tongue of her lapdog, Shock. Upon the delivery of a billet-doux, or love-letter, she forgets all about the dream. She then proceeds to her dressing table and goes through an elaborate ritual of dressing, in which her own image in the mirror is described as a â€Å"heavenly image,† a â€Å"goddess.† The Sylphs, unseen, assist their charge as she prepares herself for the day’s activities. Commentary The opening of the poem establishes its mock-heroic style. Pope introduces the conventional epic subjects of love and war and includes an invocation to the muse and a dedication to the man (the historical John Caryll) who commissioned the poem. Yet the tone already indicates that the high seriousness of these traditional topics has suffered a diminishment. The second line confirms in explicit terms what the first line already suggests: the â€Å"am’rous causes† the poem describes are not comparable to the grand love  of Greek heroes but rather represent a trivialized version of that emotion. The â€Å"contests† Pope alludes to will prove to be â€Å"mighty† only in an ironic sense. They are card-games and flirtatious tussles, not the great battles of epic tradition. Belinda is not, like Helen of Troy, â€Å"the face that launched a thousand ships† (see the SparkNote on The Iliad), but rather a face that—although also beautiful—prompt s a lot of foppish nonsense. The first two verse-paragraphs emphasize the comic inappropriateness of the epic style (and corresponding mind-set) to the subject at hand. Pope achieves this discrepancy at the level of the line and half-line; the reader is meant to dwell on the incompatibility between the two sides of his parallel formulations. Thus, in this world, it is â€Å"little men† who in â€Å"tasks so bold engage†; and â€Å"soft bosoms† are the dwelling-place for â€Å"mighty rage.† In this startling juxtaposition of the petty and the grand, the former is real while the latter is ironic. In mock epic, the high heroic style works not to dignify the subject but rather to expose and ridicule it. Therefore, the basic irony of the style supports the substance of the poem’s satire, which attacks the misguided values of a society that takes small matters for serious ones while failing to attend to issues of genuine importance. With Belinda’s dream, Pope introduces the â €Å"machinery† of the poem—the supernatural powers that influence the action from behind the scenes. Here, the sprites that watch over Belinda are meant to mimic the gods of the Greek and Roman traditions, who are sometimes benevolent and sometimes malicious, but always intimately involved in earthly events. The scheme also makes use of other ancient hierarchies and systems of order. Ariel explains that women’s spirits, when they die, return â€Å"to their first Elements.† Each female personality type (these types correspond to the four humours) is converted into a particular kind of sprite. These gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and nymphs, in turn, are associated with the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. The airy sylphs are those who in their lifetimes were â€Å"light Coquettes†; they have a particular concern for Belinda because she is of this type, and this will be the aspect of feminine nature with which the poem is most concerned. Indeed, Pope already begins to sketch this character of the â€Å"coquette† in this initial canto. He draws th e portrait indirectly, through characteristics of the Sylphs rather than of Belinda herself. Their priorities reveal that the central concerns of  womanhood, at least for women of Belinda’s class, are social ones. Woman’s â€Å"joy in gilded Chariots† indicates an obsession with pomp and superficial splendor, while â€Å"love of Ombre,† a fashionable card game, suggests frivolity. The erotic charge of this social world in turn prompts another central concern: the protection of chastity. These are women who value above all the prospect marrying to advantage, and they have learned at an early age how to promote themselves and manipulate their suitors without compromising themselves. The Sylphs become an allegory for the mannered conventions that govern female social behavior. Principles like honor and chastity have become no more than another part of conventional interaction. Pope makes it clear that these women are not conducting themselves on the basis of abstract moral principles, but are governed by an elaborate social mechanism—of which the Sylphs cut a fitting caricature. And while Pope’s technique of employing supernatural machinery allows him to critique this situation, it also helps to keep the satire light and to exonerate individual women from too severe a judgment. If Belinda has all the typical female foibles, Pope wants us to recognize that it is partly because she has been educated and trained to act in this way. The society as a whole is as much to blame as she is. Nor are men exempt from this judgment. The competition among the young lords for the attention of beautiful ladies is depicted as a battle of vanity, as â€Å"wigs with wigs, with sword-knots sword-knots strive.† Pope’s phrases here expose an absurd attention to exhibitions of pride and ostentation. He emphasizes the inanity of discriminating so closely between things and people that are essentially the same in all important (and even most unimportant) respects. Pope’s portrayal of Belinda at her dressing table introduces mock-heroic motifs that will run through the poem. The scene of her toilette is rendered first as a religious sacrament, in which Belinda herself is the priestess and her image in the looking glass is the Goddess she serves. This parody of the religious rites before a battle gives way, then, to another kind of mock-epic scene, that of the ritualized arming of the hero. Combs, pins, and cosmetics take the place of weapons as â€Å"awful Beauty puts on all its arms.† Canto 2 Summary Belinda, rivaling the sun in her radiance, sets out by boat on the river Thames for Hampton Court Palace. She is accompanied by a party of glitzy ladies (â€Å"Nymphs†) and gentlemen, but is far and away the most striking member of the group. Pope’s description of her charms includes â€Å"the sparkling Cross she wore† on her â€Å"white breast,† her â€Å"quick† eyes and â€Å"lively looks,† and the easy grace with which she bestows her smiles and attentions evenly among all the adoring guests. Her crowning glories, though, are the two ringlets that dangle on her â€Å"iv’ry neck.† These curls are described as love’s labyrinths, specifically designed to ensnare any poor heart who might get entangled in them. One of the young gentlemen on the boat, the Baron, particularly admires Belinda’s locks, and has determined to steal them for himself. We read that he rose early that morning to build an altar to love and pray for success in this project. He sacrificed several tokens of his former affections, including garters, gloves, and billet-doux (love-letters). He then prostrated himself before a pyre built with â€Å"all the trophies of his former loves,† fanning its flames with his â€Å"am’rous sighs.† The gods listened to his prayer but decided to grant only half of it. As the pleasure-boat continues on its way, everyone is carefree except Ariel, who remembers that some bad event has been foretold for the day. He summons an army of sylphs, who assemble around him in their iridescent beauty. He reminds them with great ceremony that one of their duties, after regulating celestial bodies and the weather and guarding the British monarch, is â€Å"to tend the Fair†: to keep watch over ladies’ powders, perfumes, curls, and clothing, and to â€Å"assist their blushes, and inspire their airs.† Therefore, since â€Å"some dire disaster† threatens Belinda, Ariel assigns her an extensive troop of bodyguards. Brillante is to guard her earrings, Momentilla her watch, and Crispissa her locks. Ariel himself will protect Shock, the lapdog. A band of fifty Sylphs will guard the all-important petticoat. Ariel pronounces that any sylph who neglects his assigned duty will be severely punished. They disperse to their posts and wait for fate to unfold. Commentary From the first, Pope describes Belinda’s beauty as something divine, an assessment which she herself corroborates in the first canto when she  creates, at least metaphorically, an altar to her own image. This praise is certainly in some sense ironical, reflecting negatively on a system of public values in which external characteristics rank higher than moral or intellectual ones. But Pope also shows a real reverence for his heroine’s physical and social charms, claiming in lines 17–18 that these are compelling enough to cause one to forget her â€Å"female errors.† Certainly he has some interest in flattering Arabella Fermor, the real-life woman on whom Belinda is based; in order for his poem to achieve the desired reconciliation, it must not offend (see â€Å"Context†. Pope also exhibits his appreciation for the ways in which physical beauty is an art form: he recognizes, with a mixture of censure and awe, the fact that Belinda’s legendary locks of hair, which appear so natural and spontaneous, are actually a carefully contrived effect. In this, the mysteries of the lady’s dressing table are akin, perhaps, to Pope’s own literary art, which he describes elsewhere as â€Å"nature to advantage dress’d.† If the secret mechanisms and techniques of female beauty get at least a passing nod of appreciation from the author, he nevertheless suggests that the general human readiness to worship beauty amounts to a kind of sacrilege. The cross that Belinda wears around her neck serves a more ornamental than symbolic or religious function. Because of this, he says, it can be adored by â€Å"Jews† and â€Å"Infidels† as readily as by Christians. And there is some ambiguity about whether any of the admirers are really valuing the cross itself, or the â€Å"white breast† on which it lies—or the felicitous effect of the whole. The Baron, of course, is the most significant of those who worship at the altar of Belinda’s beauty. The ritual sacrifices he performs in the pre-d awn hours are another mock-heroic element of the poem, mimicking the epic tradition of sacrificing to the gods before an important battle or journey, and drapes his project with an absurdly grand import that actually only exposes its triviality. The fact that he discards all his other love tokens in these preparations reveals his capriciousness as a lover. Earnest prayer, in this parodic scene, is replaced by the self-indulgent sighs of the lover. By having the gods grant only half of what the Baron asks, Pope alludes to the epic convention by which the favor of the gods is only a mixed blessing: in epic poems, to win the sponsorship of one god is to incur the wrath of another; divine gifts, such as immortality, can seem a blessing but become a  curse. Yet in this poem, the ramifications of a prayer â€Å"half† granted are negligible rather than tragic; it merely means that he will manage to steal just one lock rather than both of them. In the first canto, the religious imagery surrounding Belinda’s grooming rituals gave way to a militaristic conceit. Here, the same pattern holds. Her curls are compared to a trap perfectly calibrated to ensnare the enemy. Yet the character of female coyness is such that it se eks simultaneously to attract and repel, so that the counterpart to the enticing ringlets is the formidable petticoat. This undergarment is described as a defensive armament comparable to the Shield of Achilles (see Scroll XVIII of The Iliad), and supported in its function of protecting the maiden’s chastity by the invisible might of fifty Sylphs. The Sylphs, who are Belinda’s protectors, are essentially charged to protect her not from failure but from too great a success in attracting men. This paradoxical situation dramatizes the contradictory values and motives implied in the era’s sexual conventions. In this canto, the sexual allegory of the poem begins to come into fuller view. The title of the poem already associates the cutting of Belinda’s hair with a more explicit sexual conquest, and here Pope cultivates that suggestion. He multiplies his sexually metaphorical language for the incident, adding words like â€Å"ravish† and â€Å"betray† to the â€Å"rape† of the title. He also slips in some commentary on the implications of his society’s sexual mores, as when he remarks that â€Å"when success a Lover’s toil attends, / few ask, if fraud or force attain’d his ends.† When Ariel speculates about the possible forms the â€Å"dire disaster† might take, he includes a breach of chastity (â€Å"Diana’s law†), the breaking of china (another allusion to the loss of virginity), and the staining of honor or a gown (the two incommensurate events could happen equally easily and accidentally). He also mentions some pettier social â€Å"disasters† against which the Sylphs are equally prepared to fight, like missing a ball (here, as grave as missing prayers) or losing the lapdog. In the Sylphs’ defensive efforts, Belinda’s petticoat is the battlefield that requires the most extensive fortifications. This fact furthers the idea that the rape of the lock stands in for a literal rape, or at least re presents a threat to her chastity more serious than just the mere theft of a curl. Summary The boat arrives at Hampton Court Palace, and the ladies and gentlemen disembark to their courtly amusements. After a pleasant round of chatting and gossip, Belinda sits down with two of the men to a game of cards. They play ombre, a three-handed game of tricks and trumps, somewhat like bridge, and it is described in terms of a heroic battle: the cards are troops combating on the â€Å"velvet plain† of the card-table. Belinda, under the watchful care of the Sylphs, begins favorably. She declares spades as trumps and leads with her highest cards, sure of success. Soon, however, the hand takes a turn for the worse when â€Å"to the Baron fate inclines the field†: he catches her king of clubs with his queen and then leads back with his high diamonds. Belinda is in danger of being beaten, but recovers in the last trick so as to just barely win back the amount she bid. The next ritual amusement is the serving of coffee. The curling vapors of the steaming coffee remind the Baron of his intention to attempt Belinda’s lock. Clarissa draws out her scissors for his use, as a lady would arm a knight in a romance. Taking up the scissors, he tries three times to clip the lock from behind without Belinda seeing. The Sylphs endeavor furiously to intervene, blowing the hair out of harm’s way and tweaking her diamond earring to make her turn around. Ariel, in a last-minute effort, gains access to her brain, where he is surprised to find â€Å"an earthly lover lurking at her heart.† He gives up protecting her then; the implication is that she secretly wants to be violated. Finally, the shears close on the curl. A daring sylph jumps in between the blades and is cut in two; but being a supernatural creature, he is quickly restored. The deed is done, and the Baron exults while Belinda’s screams fill the air. Commentary This canto is full of classic examples of Pope’s masterful use of the heroic couplet. In introducing Hampton Court Palace, he describes it as the place where Queen Anne â€Å"dost sometimes counsel take—and sometimes tea.† This line employs a zeugma, a rhetorical device in which a word or phrase modifies two other words or phrases in a parallel construction, but modifies each in a different way or according to a different sense. Here, the modifying word is â€Å"take†; it applies to the paralleled terms â€Å"counsel† and â€Å"tea.† But one does  not â€Å"take† tea in the same way one takes counsel, and the effect of the zeugma is to show the royal residence as a place that houses both serious matters of state and frivolous social occasions. The reader is asked to contemplate that paradox and to reflect on the relative value and importance of these two different registers of activity. (For another example of this rhetorical techniq ue, see lines 157–8: â€Å"Not louder shrieks to pitying heaven are cast, / when husbands, or when lapdogs breathe their last.†) A similar point is made, in a less compact phrasing, in the second and third verse-paragraphs of this canto. Here, against the gossip and chatter of the young lords and ladies, Pope opens a window onto more serious matters that are occurring â€Å"meanwhile† and elsewhere, including criminal trials and executions, and economic exchange. The rendering of the card game as a battle constitutes an amusing and deft narrative feat. By parodying the battle scenes of the great epic poems, Pope is suggesting that the energy and passion once applied to brave and serious purposes is now expended on such insignificant trials as games and gambling, which often become a mere front for flirtation. The structure of â€Å"the three attempts† by which the lock is cut is a convention of heroic challenges, particularly in the romance genre. The romance is further invoked in the image of Clarissa arming the Baron—not with a real weapon, however, but with a pair of sewing scissors. Belinda is not a real adversary, or course, and Pope makes it plain that her resistance—and, by implication, her subsequent distress—is to some degree an affectation. The melodrama of her screams is complemented by the ironic comparison of the Baron’s feat to the conquest of nations. Belinda’s â€Å"anxious cares† and â€Å"secret passions† after the loss of her lock are equal to the emotions of all who have ever known â€Å"rage, resentment and despair.† After the disappointed Sylphs withdraw, an earthy gnome called Umbriel flies down to the â€Å"Cave of Spleen.† (The spleen, an organ that removes disease-causing agents from the bloodstream, was traditionally associated with the passions, particularly malaise; â€Å"spleen† is a synonym for â€Å"ill-temper.†) In his descent he passes through Belinda’s bedroom, where she lies prostrate with discomfiture and the headache. She is attended by  Ã¢â‚¬Å"two handmaidens,† Ill-Nature and Affectation. Umbriel passes safely through this melancholy chamber, holding a sprig of â€Å"spleenwort† before him as a charm. He addresses the â€Å"Goddess of Spleen,† and returns with a bag of â€Å"sighs, sobs, and passions† and a vial of sorrow, grief, and tears. He unleashes the first bag on Belinda, fueling her ire and despair. There to commiserate with Belinda is her friend Thalestris. (In Greek mythology, Thalestris is the name of one of the Amazons, a race of warrior women who excluded men from their society.) Thalestris delivers a speech calculated to further foment Belinda’s indignation and urge her to avenge herself. She then goes to Sir Plume, â€Å"her beau,† to ask him to demand that the Baron return the hair. Sir Plume makes a weak and slang-filled speech, to which the Baron disdainfully refuses to acquiesce. At this, Umbriel releases the contents of the remaining vial, throwing Belinda into a fit of sorrow and self-pity. With â€Å"beauteous grief† she bemoans her fate, regrets not having heeded the dream-warning, and laments the lonely, pitiful state of her sole remaining curl. Commentary The canto opens with a list of examples of â€Å"rage, resentment, and despair,† comparing on an equal footing the pathos of kings imprisoned in battle, of women who become old maids, of evil-doers who die without being saved, and of a woman whose dress is disheveled. By placing such disparate sorts of aggravation in parallel, Pope accentuates the absolute necessity of assigning them to some rank of moral import. The effect is to chastise a social world that fails to make these distinctions. Umbriel’s journey to the Cave of Spleen mimics the journeys to the underworld made by both Odysseus and Aeneas. Pope uses psychological allegory (for the spleen was the seat of malaise or melancholy), as a way of exploring the sources and nature of Belinda’s feelings. The presence of Ill-nature and Affectation as handmaidens serves to indicate that her grief is less than pure (â€Å"affected† or put-on), and that her display of temper has hidden motives. We learn that her sorrow is decorative in much the same way the curl was; it gives her the occasion, for example, to wear a new nightdress. The speech of Thalestris invokes a courtly ethic. She encourages Belinda to think about the Baron’s misdeed as an affront to her honor, and draws on ideals of chivalry in  demanding that Sir Plume challenge the Baron in defense of Belinda’s honor. He makes a muddle of the task, showing how far from courtly behavior this generation of gentlemen has fallen. Sir Plume’s speech is riddled with foppish slang and has none of the logical, moral, or oratorical power that a knight should properly wield. This attention to questions of honor returns us to the sexual allegory of the poem. The real danger, Thalestris suggests, is that â€Å"the ravisher† might display the lock and make it a source of public humiliation to Belinda and, by association, to her friends. Thus the real question is a superficial one—public reputation—rather than the moral imperative to chastity. Belinda’s own words at the close of the canto corroborate this suggestion; she exclaims, â€Å"Oh, hadst thou, cruel! been content to seize / Hairs less in sight, or any hairs but these!† (The â€Å"hairs less in sight† suggest her pubic hair). Pope is pointing out the degree to which she values outward appearance (whether beauty or reputation) above all else; she would rather suffer a breach to her integrity than a breach to her appearance. The Baron remains impassive against all the ladies’ tears and reproaches. Clarissa delivers a speech in which she questions why a society that so adores beauty in women does not also place a value on â€Å"good sense† and â€Å"good humour.† Women are frequently called angels, she argues, but without reference to the moral qualities of these creatures. Especially since beauty is necessarily so short-lived, we must have something more substantial and permanent to fall back on. This sensible, moralizing speech falls on deaf ears, however, and Belinda, Thalestris and the rest ignore her and proceed to launch an all-out attack on the offending Baron. A chaotic tussle ensues, with the gnome Umbriel presiding in a posture of self- congratulation. The gentlemen are slain or revived according to the smiles and frowns of the fair ladies. Belinda and the Baron meet in combat and she emerges victorious by peppering him with snuff and drawing her bodkin. Having achieved a position of advantage, she again demands that he return the lock. But the ringlet has been lost in the chaos, and cannot be found. The poet avers that the lock has risen to the heavenly spheres to become a star; stargazers may admire it now for all eternity. In this way, the poet reasons, it will attract more envy than it ever could on earth. Commentary Readers have often interpreted Clarissa’s speech as the voice of the poet  expressing the moral of the story. Certainly, her oration’s thesis aligns with Pope’s professed task of putting the dispute between the two families into a more reasonable perspective. But Pope’s position achieves more complexity than Clarissa’s speech, since he has used the occasion of the poem as a vehicle to critically address a number of broader societal issues as well. And Clarissa’s righteous stance loses authority in light of the fact that it was she who originally gave the Baron the scissors. Clarissa’s failure to inspire a reconciliation proves that the quarrel is itself a kind of flirtatious game that all parties are enjoying. The description of the â€Å"battle† has a markedly erotic quality, as ladies and lords wallow in their mock-agonies. Sir Plume â€Å"draw[s] Clarissa down† in a sexual way, and Belinda â€Å"flies† on her foe with flashing eyes and an erotic ardor. When Pope informs us that the Baron fights on unafraid because he â€Å"sought no more than on his foe to die,† the expression means that his goal all along was sexual consummation. This final battle is the culmination of the long sequence of mock-heroic military actions. Pope invokes by name the Roman gods who were most active in warfare, and he alludes as well to the Aeneid , comparing the stoic Baron to Aeneas (â€Å"the Trojan†), who had to leave his love to become the founder of Rome. Belinda’s tossing of the snuff makes a perfect turning point, ideally suited to the scale of this trivial battle. The snuff causes the Baron to sneeze, a comic and decidedly unheroic thing for a hero to do. The bodkin, too, serves nicely: here a bodkin is a decorative hairpin, not the weapon of ancient days (or even of Hamlet’s time). Still, Pope gives the pin an elaborate history in accordance with the conventions of true epic. The mock-heroic conclusion of the poem is designed to compliment the lady it alludes to (Arabella Fermor), while also giving the poet himself due credit for being the instrument of her immortality. This ending effectively indulges the heroine’s vanity, even though the poem has functioned throughout as a critique of that vanity. And no real moral development has taken place: Belinda is asked to come to terms with her loss through a kind of bribe or distraction that reinforces her basically frivolous outlook. But even in its most mocking moments, this poem is a gentle one, in which Pope shows a basic sympathy with the social world in spite of its folly and foibles. The searing critiques of his later satires would be much more stringent and less forgiving.

Charles the Great: Should Charlemagne be called great?

Charles the Great: Should Charlemagne be called great? Charlemagne has from his time of rule between the years 768 to 814 left a marked and undeniable impression upon the historical world, encouraging global and timeless debate as to whether he warrants his image as the Father of a Continent.  [1]  Throughout the duration of my project I intend to explore the concept of Charlemagne as a great man by looking at the historiography surrounding him, considering his actions and seeing whether they justify his magnificent reputation. This question has attracted much scholarly debate both during and since the time of Charlemagne and I hope to display how the historians have interpreted Charlemagnes title, and whether their opinions have changed as time has progressed and their research has developed. I will consider three main areas of his reign which have in my opinion instigated the most discussion. The first will be his constant involvement in warfare and the achievements and failures he attained and endured as a result. The second will look at the disintegration  [2]  theory, calling into question the capability and effectiveness of Charlemagnes government and administration, and consequently his ability as a ruler. The final area of deliberation will question the significance of the imperial title, and how he came to acquire such a prestigious title, encompassing his policies of education and reformation. I will attempt to find historians that both agree and disagree with all themes. In addition to these main points that I hope to also observe Charlemagnes involvement with finance and legislation, including his relationship with the church, all of which I hope will provide me with enough evidence from historians by which I can determine whether Charlemagnes reputation ca n be defended or not. The German historian, Franà §ois-Louis Ganshof who was writing in the late twentieth- century, is very explicit in his opinion that Charlemagnes kingdom and rule decomposed shortly after 800, mostly as a result of the inadequacies of his army. According to him it was Charlemagnes death which actually helped to save his reputation from disgrace, as he suggests that had he lived any longer the defeats he would have endured would have been especially damaging.  [3]  There are many scholars who directly oppose this line of thought however, particularly Donald Bullough who was writing around the same time as Ganshof and professed that by the time of his death in 814 Charlemagne was the most powerful Christian ruler in the world  [4]  These differences of opinion felt around the same time demonstrate how varied the debate is upon Charlemagne and whether he truly deserved his magnificent title, which has survived and been upheld throughout the ages. The Frankish kingdom under Charlemagne was, indeed, very powerful, and by 814 Charlemagne had many over-sea territories under his firm control. This however was not always the case, and throughout his 40 year reign, Charlemagne was confronted with much unrest. Roger Collins, writing in 1998 tells us that Charless Saxon wars were the most protracted and most bitterly fought of the numerous campaigns of his reign, having begun in 772 and continuing until 804, with repercussions still being felt thereafter.  [5]  There is no general consensus to be found which agrees that he Charlemagne was wholly successful or not in the different areas of his rule, but I hope to see whether time, situation or perhaps agenda of the historians are valuable enough evidence for the continued debate as to whether Charlemagne was a great man. The reputation of kings and leaders is often measured in terms of the amount of land gained throughout a reign or time in power. In terms of Charlemagne, this again opens up new avenues of great historical debate. Was the expansion of territory during his reign extensive enough to justify his repute as the most powerful Christian ruler in the world? Many historians disagree that it was, and R. Schieffer confirms that after years of apparently unstoppable rise, the limits of Carolingian power suddenly became apparent  [6]  around the time of the year 800. Alongside Schieffer, reasons for this opinion centred upon Charlemagnes inability to expand his territories significantly into Spain or into the eastern empire. For example, The Royal Frankish Annals, described as the most unassuming work of history written during this age  [7]  , tells us in 782 that Charlemagnes army were killed almost to a man when the Saxons, persuaded by Widukindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ rebelled as usual.  [8]à ‚  This does not suggest a successful army led by a great warrior king. In addition debate on this topic has been largely focussed around the substantial lacking of a competent and willing army, as H. Fichtenau suggests, The poorer people complained that they were compelled to render almost continuous military service until they were completely impoverished.  [9]  This also informs us that Charlemagnes subjects were coerced into fighting for their king, possibly questioning his reputation at the time and skill as a military leader. In this sense, it is easy to argue that Charlemagne does not deserve the brilliant reputation that he has been remembered for. Fichtenau continues in suggesting that Charlemagne cared very little about his people to make them do continuous military service which may be a reason why he could not easily raise an army. Is this the attitude of a great leader, in response to the terms of the treatment of Charlemagnes service men? T. Reuter completely disagrees with Fichtenau suggesting that warriors were well looked after, bene fiting from gifts of food, clothing, gold, and silver, horses and arms  [10]  . This reveals a competent leader aware of the people serving under his name and rewarding them justly. Charlemagne managed to conqueror a substantial amount of Italy and hold on to what he had when faced with attempted invasion, in particular against the Saracens and troublesome Saxons. Einhard recorded that Ganshof, whose view upon Charlemagne is often critical, even records that; outstanding achievements, which can scarcely be matched by modern men.  [11]  Certainly the achievements that Charlemagne enjoyed in wartime are abetting as a part of his great remembrance. There is certainly much to suggest that Charlemagne did deserve his reputation in relation to his triumphs on the battlefield. His acquirement of the Avar treasure in 791 and the invasion and subjugation of the land of Bavaria to his rule where remarkable high points in his reign of warfare; Becher goes on to tell us that with Bavaria, Charlemagne acquired a new and apparently powerful neighbour,  [12]  which would assist him in advancing his reputation across the continent. Bullough is in cohorts with Becher on this opinion as he claims that Charles reputation and prestige among his neighbours had clearly not diminished as advancing years forced him to leave the command of armies in battle to others.  [13]  Agreeing with this view is Collins who adds in his work, which offers an essentially political account of the major developments of Charles reign  [14]  , that Charless naval activities in his final period are particularly notable, and saw the Carolingian Empire turned into a major maritime power.  [15]  In my opinion, Charlemagne did well to defend his kingdom successfully and expand to cushion his existing borders. Ganshof shows that he was a well renowned man and admired by other kings from neighbouring territories. I believe that Charlemagne not only managed to maintain his inherited lands, which is a great achievement in itself considering the vastness of the kingdom, but managed to build and gain land and respect, with which comes great reputation. His role in warfare suggests that he was a great and distinguished military leader and it would appear that his victories and skill in battle is one of the few topics where the historians generally agree that it enhanced his reputation amongst his peers and beyond. The argument of the decomposition  [16]  theory, chiefly driven by Ganshofs, has also encouraged much contest between historians, both historically and modern. Charlemagnes final years, chiefly following the Imperial Coronation of 800, are characterised by Ganshof as being dominated by a process of disintegration. It is my view that this idea holds a certain truth to it, demonstrated particularly in the aftermath of Charlemagne receiving the imperial title, but only to a certain extent. There were arguably some areas of his rule that experienced some level of limitations post-800, particularly his administrative apparatus, his military successes and also his Imperial Programme. Ganshof sets the parameter for this issue, although he does also indicate that there was a Balance Sheet,  [17]  implying that he did not believe that there was either uniform failure or success. He does often mention, however, that any successes Charles managed to achieve, mainly concerning his foreig n and internal policies, were in his mind, notably disappointing,  [18]  holding an overall picture of failure. Opposing this idea, King states that the Emperor had coped perfectly satisfactorily in his last years,  [19]  supported by Collins who adds that he believes that Ganshofs judgement seems mistaken.  [20]   Charlemagnes government is one of the most disputed aspects within his reign. Many historians agree that the way in which he orchestrated his government was poor, including Matthew Innes who declares that the lack of attention to the nuts and bolts of administration and to the mechanisms by which Charlemagne was able to govern à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is striking  [21]  . His point is furthered in saying that some historians have gone so far to claim that the Carolingians lacked any clearly defined concept of the state  [22]  . In the last years of Charlemagnes reign for example, the Carolingian state had symptoms of bad government  [23]  . The idea argued by Ganshof that the last reigning years suffered decomposition would surely suggest that Charlemagne does not deserve his great reputation. Ganshof states that Charlemagnes achievements in the last years fell short of those envisaged in 802  [24]  We know that during 801-814 for example there are instances of malfunctioning of public services  [25]  of which the capitularies year after year denounce the same abuses  [26]  . The capitularies created under Charlemagne often had to be re-issued, and we may infer from this that perhaps he did not have the authority which would ensure his requests were carried out. Fichtenau maintains that it cannot be denied that Charles the great failed to solve this problem  [27]  . Donald Bullough is in agreement with this point as he does not feel confident that either Charles or his close advisers had developed a clear and consistent attitude to the empire in the east.  [28]  Davis who was writing in the late 1920s confirms that the capitularies and his commissions produced the merest ripples on the surface of the deep waters of customary law.  [29]  His work predominantly focuses on the belief that the very name by which [Charlemagne] is best known is the product of French invention  [30]  with a view to link themselves with greatness, rather than a result of Charlemagnes prominence. The majority of the criticism directed at Charlemagnes government foc uses around the years after 800, however Charlemagne managed to achieve great things such as managing to make his subjects take an oath of fidelity taken in the name of the emperor  [31]  which Ganshof describes as new and imperial  [32]  . Perhaps even more importantly he created a new codification of law which insisted upon creating a written record of laws for the first time. Therefore it is evident that the government serving under Charlemagne did manage to do great and commendable things. It was from the government that Charlemagne managed to patronize the arts, and scholarship and learning. Although there were negatives within the government, I believe the achievements far outweigh them. The Imperial Coronation is a major event in Charlemagnes rule and yet another area which has induced forcible disagreement amongst historians since its occasion in 800. The main argument is centred on the significance of the title in relation to the rest of his rule, and calls into question his role as protector of the Church among other factors. With the imperialization of Charlemagne  [33]  in 800, many historians have questioned whether Charlemagne changed the way he ruled after his coronation. The areas on this question chiefly explored throughout history are multi faceted, but I have identified three main parts to examine. These include changes that were implemented in the government, if any, Charlemagnes personal outlook on the title, and his role as protector of the Church. It is interesting to see how much, or indeed, how little, these three constituents changed after the Imperial coronation of 25th December, 800. We can identify certain techniques that Charlemagne employed in order to carry out his will. In 802 he called a council at Aachen and dispatched his missi in order to examine the religious and moral state of affairs throughout the kingdom. Wilson described his government as a strong, centralised government [with] internal stability  [34]  , which leads us to believe that he was powerful enough to impose any changes effectively upon his dominions. Historians have claimed in their work that there were also changes to the content and style of capitularies after 800. The most famous and extensive of capitularies were the Admonitio Generalis, 789, the Herstal of 799, and capitulary produced at Aachen in 802, dubbed as the Programmatic Capitulary by Ganshof. Historian King tells us how each of these capitularies are released following much unrest in Charlemagnes kingdom, and that most of the rulings are concerned with canon law, monastic life and the like.  [35]  It is to be noted however, that these things are indeed recurrent theme[s with] the problems dealt with in 802 or 789 or 779  [36]  and the ideas are simply repeated over time. Collins informs us that the Admonitio Generalis we can see Charlemagne explicitly claiming responsibility for the moral and spiritual welfare of his realm  [37]  . The content was greatly influenced by a range of councils dating back from the fourth to sixth centuries, and therefore much of it was repetition of ideas and wishes from over the years. Although this is true, Collins admits that the concluding regulationsrepresent new injunctions  [38]  and have not been taken from any earlier documents. Nevertheless no dramatic change in content can be seen. King adds that the previously sought goals in the capitularies had not been altered: order, justice, piety, peace, concord, each conceived in Christian terms, each expressive of Gods will.  [39]  Despite this, we are told that these issues were sought the more determinedly  [40]  by Charlemagne after 800. In opposition to King and Collins, Ganshof argues that in face there was a significant change to the content and style of the capitularies after 800, and also the way in which Charlemagne thought perceived them. He interprets the 802 capitulary issued from Aachen as a bid to create a Christian republic on earth under Charlemagnes authority. He puts particular emphasis on the way it is written, and how some passages are in first person which he claimed was unusual. The parts in first person may be interpreted as issues which Charlemagne held most dear to him, and Ganshof argues that this is due to the Emperor being driven by Imperial responsibility.  [41]  The introduction of the capitulary refers to Charlemagnes intentions of sending out missi, to spread the word of god and encourage people to obey him, and Ganshof uses this as evidence of an Imperial programme of rule. The oath of fidelity is a particularly significant feature of the Programmatic Capitulary, the counterpart to t he Emperors recognition of his own enhanced obligations before God.  [42]  Two years after his coronation, it appears that Charlemagne imposed a greater insistence on the strict enforcement of the established laws  [43]  , and possibly the most significant detail is that the oath was to be taken in the name of the Emperor, not the King. Ganshof implied that a distinction is being made between the Imperial and former royal title. He adds that the language used to draw out the oath in the capitulary is explicitly more spiritual, and this distinguishes it from other oaths sworn in the 890s with Charlemagne as king. I believe that the debate to Ganshofs argument rests in the suggestion that perhaps the sixty-year-old Emperor  [44]  was simply becoming increasingly more aware of his old age. Charlemagne greatly desired salvation and in order to ensure this he knew his responsibility to his people and their beliefs was an important constituent which would seal his fate. Perhaps Charlemagnes focus in his capitularies came more from the anxieties of an old man for awareness of passing years  [45]  , and not as a direct result of his Imperial Coronation, as Ganshof has suggested. Perhaps Charlemagne perceived the Imperial title as a way to enforce other wishes more firmly as Wallace-Hadrill claims that the imperial title meant little or nothing to him outside Rome.  [46]  For example, with his newly acquired status he was able to claim that there were religious dimensions to his military campaigns, which would encourage more people to serve him. Davis tells how Charlemagne; did not go out of his way to seek the Imperial dignity, but accepted it as a responsibility which could not be refused; he employed it, not as a stepping-stone to further aggrandisement, but to legalise power already acquired, to allay the purposeless strife of race against race within his existing dominions, to evoke the consciousness of spiritual brotherhood which afterwards proved so mighty a factor in European development.  [47]   Wallace Hadrill confirms that Charlemagne was fight[ing] for the faith  [48]  , and not solely because of his newly adorned title. In addition, this supremacy enabled him to crown his son Louis, which he hoped would secure his legacy after his death. I believe that the greatest significance of the Imperial coronation lies in the debate as to whether Charlemagnes attitude towards the Church changed after 800. In my personal opinion, there is much evidence from many of the historians which suggests that it did, but still there lies a counter argument. I believe that following the coronation in Rome Charlemagne recognised his responsibilities to God and pursued them with a driving passion  [49]  , and his ambition to create a truly Christian society  [50]  was substantially magnified. There is much evidence to suggest that this is exactly what Charlemagne thought God required of him, and the fact that he was crowned on Christs birthday is appropriate to this. It adds to the belief that Charlemagne saw himself as Christs representative upon earth, and because of this, saw himself as Gods worker among men. The Paderborn Epic  [51]  also may hold evidence to this claim, as the poem refers to Charlemagne as an instrument of St. Peter. The oath of fidelity, released with the capitulary of 802, has been said to have been re-phrased to give it a more religious character and was the counterpart to the Emperors recognition of his own enhanced obligations before God.  [52]   After 800, Charlemagne became worthy of the highest secular dignity that existed under God, and we know that he also continuously claimed responsibility forthe spiritual welfare of his realm.  [53]  Was this however completely owing to the coronation or due to his awareness of an approaching death as an old man? There are continuous implications suggesting that Charles had a terrible awareness that Gods judgment will be conditioned by the conduct of his subjects  [54]  and in his remaining months he spent his time in prayer and alms-giving and spent some of his last hours in correcting books.  [55]  Perhaps therefore this priority of religion had more to do with his hopes for personal redemption and salvation from God, and to attain this, he knew he had to do Gods bidding, and spread the word of Christianity for a Christian republic on Earth. Also toward the end of his reign we know he arranged for the distribution of the treasures and silveramong the twenty-one metropoli tan churches that now existed in his empirefor the good of his soul.  [56]  Nevertheless, it remains certain that Charlemagne was concerned with the problems of the Church and thought it was his duty to protect with his whole mind.  [57]  It is evident that his struggles with Saxony were primarily due to their resistance of Christianity, in preference of paganism. It remains uncertain as to whether his increased Christian mission in his last years were more due to the coronation, and his recognition of being the protector of the church, or simply due to his hopes for salvation after death. Becher however tell us that in gaining the Imperial title, Charlemagne achieved his goal of standing at the head of the Christian world.  [58]   Charlemagne is presented as a king of well-rounded ability and his patronage of the arts compliments his government and religious advances particularly well. The capturing of the Avar treasure meant there was a greater disposable income and as a result of the influx of income patronage of the arts, encouraging scholarship and learning amongst his people, soars in his period. Fichtenau and Wallace-Hadrill suggest there was no significant push in the development of the arts for the first few years in Charlemagnes sovereignty. Rosamond McKitterick continues to say that the patronage of learning could be regarded as one of the obligations of royalty,  [59]  perhaps suggesting that it was not something newly enforced by Charlemagne. On the other hand, she then suggests that his patronage was designed to promote his royal power as a Christian king and to consolidate the faith  [60]  which is shown by the creation of the two schools; the peripatetic school, which Charlemagne travell ed with, and the Hofschule, his court school. Most of the courts activities revolved around religion and the Hofschule even created a new addition to the gospels.  [61]  In addition, Charlemagne began to commission paintings such as the Al Fresco which still survives today in the chapel in Frankia. It overlooks the vault and illustrates Christ sitting in majesty. This represents to us a recurring theme that the arts tended to reflect; Charlemagnes comparison to Christ. Charlemagne however seemed to show a genuine interest in the developments of the arts as he was very interested in music and what was sung in his chapel.  [62]  Charlemagne used his patronage of the arts to improve the image in which other people saw him and successively improve his reputation. Einhard, a dedicated scholar who served both under Charlemagne and Louis the Pious claimed that the Kingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ was a very intelligent man.  [63]  Rosamond McKitterick suggests that it was a period of remark able efflorescence of culture initiated by Charlemagne  [64]  which is shown by the influx of poetry, art, and books produced during his reign. This can allow us to understand more clearly why the scholars in Charlemagnes era were eager to help the king; scholars from all around the globe sought to help him, including Alcuin of York and Paul the Deacon from Italy. The ability to summon such great men from other kingdoms suggests the reputation that preceded Charlemagne. His devotion to scholarly texts, prayer and almsgiving shows the depths of Charlemagnes faith and his desire and motivation to improve his subjects lives. Personally I think that this is an invaluable insight into the character of the king, as we are able to see how driven and determined Charlemagne was to both better the lives of his people, but also his personal reflection of what his duties meant to him. Charlemagnes attention to the arts tended to be quite extravagant and we may infer that he looked upon the subject as a form of propaganda. It suggests that he was very astute in his decision-making of what to commission in order to improve his reputation. It is clear to see that Charlemagne reputes himself with great integrity and achievement and his accomplishments were of great merit. The viewpoints regarding Charlemagnes claim to greatness are of great variation. Finding the distinction between a myth and a truly remarkable man has been difficult to determine throughout the scope of work available to me. Many historians, including Richard Winston who was writ