Saturday, November 30, 2019

Miracles are about faith, not fact Essay Example

Miracles are about faith, not fact Essay Before discussion on the issue of miracles can begin, we must look at the nature of the statement and what it means. Miracles have baffled philosophers and ordinary people alike for years. The words are about faith brings about the question as to whether faith is necessary to experience a miracle or if is possible to experience a miracle and then have faith. This issue will be explored in more depth later. If miracles are not about fact, then this suggests that they are the opposite-fiction. There is much speculation on whether miracles can occur, mostly explored by Hume, but does evidence matter to a believer? The term faith indicates that it is a commitment which acknowledges that it involves risk. Christians are taught Do not put the Lord your God to the test1, therefore they should not need evidence of Gods work. This can be described as blind faith.A problem with discussing miracles is that it is difficult to find a single explanation to adequately fit the word. Many definitions have been offered. The Christian definition is A marvel, an extraordinary event which seems to go against what is known of the laws of nature 2. Of course, this event, from a Christian perspective, is brought about by God. Christians believe all miracles, whether it be the ones in the Bible or the more scarce modern day miracles are the work of their single God. Coincidence does not play an extensive part in it. This view is opposed by Richard Dawkins.He believes a miracle is a tremendous stroke of luck. He described them in more depth in his book3. It is easier to see some modern day miracles as coincidence than those in the Bible because they are less dramatic and in most cases experienced by fewer people. A helpful definition is offered by Hume: A transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the deity or by interposition of some visible agent4. As people cannot agree on a definition, it is difficult to discuss miracles. What one person sees as miraculous may not be so to another.Most definitions agree that a miracle goes against the laws of nature, so it is necessary to explore this point. Hume believes that our experience of the world has shown the laws of nature to be very reliable. For example, if you drop a ball from a height, it will always without fail fall to the ground. Hume describes similar examples in his book5. Therefore is critical of miracles. He thought it was more probable that the miracle is false that the laws of nature unreliable. R.G.Collingwood said that nature depends on something else6. As it is not self sufficient, the thing that it depends on (e.g. God) has the power to change it, hence the occurrence of miracles. C.S.Lewis in his book Miracles puts forward a very interesting point. He says that the laws of nature are only those we can perceive with our five senses. There may be laws beyond our senses leaving us unable to understand their occurrence. Our experience of nature simply shows us what regularly happens in nature, not how it can be suspended7. Scientific laws are descriptive so the laws of nature cannot dictate what will happen, just what has happened in the past.It does not matter to the believer that the reliable laws of nature have been broken. They are more concerned with why God needs to interfere. If Gods creation was perfect then He should not need to change it in any way. Only an incompetent workman will produce work that needs to be interfered with. If miracles are about faith, then why does God need to prove himself? Maurice Wiles claims that an interventionist God whom intervenes by bringing about a few bizarre miracles is not worthy of worship8. He thought that God has an arbitrary will as he helps some and not others. If God can intervene to make Jesus do something as un-useful as walk on water, why does he not stop evil?Augustines theodicy helps solve this in that God created humans with free will so it is their fault evil occurs. However, we cannot know all the factors and circumstances of Gods will, so what seems arbitrary to us may seem right to God. If God were timeless and transcendent, then he would be unable to work in the physical world. This suggests that miracles are not factual, as it is unlikely that such a divine being can perform miracles. It is necessary for someone to have faith to believe in such a phenomenon. Jesus did not do miracles to order, he demanded faith, and then miracles follow9. This suggests that you need to have faith before you can experience a miracle.In contradiction to the above point, there have been stories of atheists who experience miracles and become devoted to the religion as a result of the miracle. This does not support the quote from Jesus. Ian McCormack was a man of no faith until he had a near death experience after being stung by five box jellyfish. He claimed to have seen and have spoken to God, he then woke up in a mortuary after being claimed dead. The experience changed his life, as he became a de voted followed of Christ taking his story around Europe. Looking at this evidence, miracles cannot rely totally on faith, however they can lead to it. Here, miracles are not about faith because Ian McCormack had no faith before his experience. However, if they are about fact, then why does God not perform miracles for everyone? In a different section of the Bible, Jesus does say, Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonder, you will never believe10. This could mean that it is possible to believe after the experience of a miracle, which would explain conversions. It could also be a criticism of the people Jesus is talking to. He thinks that people should not rely on evidence for their faith. Those who base their faith on miracles have misunderstood the nature of Christ and the signs. The miracles come as a result of faith. The extract can be read either way. Miracles do not just happen in Christianity. They occur in all religions, each one claiming that they are due to the divi ne intervention of their God. Surely not all the possible Gods exist and have the power to intervene in the world. So, if the truth of miracle stories is the basis of all religions then they all have equal claims to the truth. It is well known that all religions are not in agreement, therefore their claims of miracles are in a way cancelled out. Hume said that this point discredits miracles.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Math Natural Exponents Essays - Exponentials, Logarithms, E

Math Natural Exponents Essays - Exponentials, Logarithms, E The existence of e is implicit in John Napier's 1614 work on logarithms, and natural logarithms. The symbol e for the base of natural logarithms was first used by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler in a 1727 or 1728 manuscript called (Meditation on experiments made recently on the firing of cannon) Euler also used the symbol in a letter written in 1731, and e made it into print in 1736, in Euler's Mechanica. There were few assumptions about what the letter e stand for some says that e was meant to stand for "exponential"; others have pointed out that Euler could have been working his way through the alphabet, and the letters a, b, c, and d already had common mathematical uses. What seems highly unlikely is that Euler was thinking of his own name, even though e is sometimes called Euler's number. Euler's interest in e stemmed from the attempt to calculate the amount that would result from continually compounded interest on a sum of money. The limit for compounding interest is, in fact, expressed by the constant e. "e" is a numerical constant that is equal to 2.71828 The value of "e" is found in many mathematical formulas such as those describing a nonlinear increase or decrease such as growth or decay (including compound interest) "e" also shows up in some problems of probability, some counting problems and so many other uses in mathematical problems Because it occurs naturally with some frequency in the world, "e" is used as the base of natural logarithms. e is usually defined by the following equation: An effective way to calculate the value of e to use the following infinite sum of factorials. Factorials are just products of numbers indicated by an exclamation mark. For instance, "four factorial" is written as "4!" and means 1234 = 24. e = 1/0! + 1/1! + 1/2! + 1/3! + 1/4! + ... The sum of the values is 2.7182818284590452353602875 which is "e." ex as a function: The derivative of ex d dx ex = ex "The derivative of ex with respect to x is equal to ex." Therefore on taking the derivative of both sides with respect to x, and applying the chain rule to ln y: = 1. y' = y. That is, = ex. (Spector, Lawrence.( 2015 ) the math page) It implies the meaning of exponential growth. For we say that a quantity grows "exponentially" when it grows at a rate that is proportional to its size. The bigger it is at any given time, the faster it's growing at that time Graph y = ex Applications on the function of ex : The number e does have physical meaning. It occurs naturally in any situation where a quantity increases at a rate proportional to its value, such as a bank account producing interest, or a population increasing as its members reproduces. Exponential Decay as it similar with population growth. The best thing about exponential functions is that they are so useful in real world situations. Exponential functions are used to model populations, carbon date artifacts, help coroners determine time of death, compute investments, as well as many other applications. Example 1: in the case when the ratio is 1 (simple interest = 100% of original amount): Question: If you would earn 100% interest (i.e., your money would double) under simple interest, how much money would you end up with under compound interest? Answer: You would have e times your original amount. Example 2: The population of a city is P = 250,342e0.012t where t = 0 represents the population in the year 2000. Find the population of the city in the year 2010. To find the population in the year 2010, we need to let t = 10 in our given equation. P = 250,342e0.012 (10) = 250,342e0.12 = 282,259.82 Since we are dealing with the population of a city, we normally round to a whole number, in this case 282,260 people. This gives us the following physical meaning for the number e: The number e is the factor by which a bank account earning continually compounding interest or a reproducing population whose offspring are themselves capable of reproduction, or any similar quantity that grows at a rate proportional to its current value or the decay at a rate of proportional to

Friday, November 22, 2019

A List of Interjections and Exclamations in English

A List of Interjections and Exclamations in English Hey! Lets take a look at a long list of interjections- or, as theyre sometimes called (somewhat misleadingly), exclamations. Theyre words or short phrases that stand apart from the rest of a sentence grammatically (or on their own, without a subject and verb), and are often used to exclaim, like Ow! or Ack! Key Takeaways: Interjections Interjections are short phrases often used to exclaim.They can stand on their own as sentences. Because theyre often used to exclaim, interjections carry some emotion with them and can make fictional dialogue more realistic. Theyre of course all over comic books, especially superheroes fighting evil. Interjections are the outlaws of English grammar as illustrated in this writers other interjections piece: Interjections usually stand apart from normal sentences, defiantly maintaining their syntactic independence. (Yeah!) They arent marked inflectionally for grammatical categories such as tense or number. (No sirree!) And because they show up more frequently in spoken English than in writing, most scholars have chosen to ignore them. (Aw.) List of 100+ Interjections As you read through this list, see if you can pick out the interjections that have more than one meaning or can be used in more than one way. Additional spellings or usages are listed in parentheses. Ah: Ah, I dont know if thats true.A-ha: A-ha! I figured it out!Ahem: Ahem, could you boys stop talking so we could get on with class, please?Alas: Alas, it was not to be.Amen: Amen, hallejulah, amen!Aw: Aw, do we have to?Awesome: You two are dating? Awesome!Aww: Aww, thats so cute!Bada bing (bada-bing, bada-bing, bada-boom): Youve gotta get up close like this and- bada-BING!- you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit. (The Godfather, 1972)Bah: Bah, humbug!Baloney: Oh baloney. I dont believe that.Big deal: Big deal. Who cares?Bingo: Bingo! Right on target!Boo: Boo! Scared you!Boo-hoo: That makes me sad. Boo-hoo.Booyah (boo-yah): Yeah, I aced this test. Booyah!Boy (boy oh boy): Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy. Thats heavy, man.Bravo: Bravo! That was fantastic!Brilliant: Brilliant, luv, absolutely brilliant! (U.K.)Brrr: Brr! Minus 30 degrees? Yuk.Bull: Bull. Its not 30 below zero, not really.Bye (bye-bye): Bye! See you later!Cheers: Cheers, mate. Youre welcome. (U.K.); Raise a toas t! Cheers! (U.S.) Come on (cmon): Come on. Hurry up.Cool: Oh wow, that is so cool!Cowabunga: Cowabunga, dude. (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)Dang: Dang it! Whered I put that?Darn (darn it): Darn it! I cant find the other one either!Dear me: Oh dear me. What are we going to do?Duck: Duck! No, really! Get down!Duh: Well, duh. I cant believe you didnt know that.Eh: Eh? What?Enjoy: Enjoy! I hope you like it!Excellent: Party time, excellent! (Waynes World)Fabulous: Fabulous! Thats just wonderful!Fantastic: Fantastic! I just love it!Fddledeedee  (fiddle-dee-dee): Fiddle-dee-dee! War, war, war; this war talks spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream. (Gone With the Wind)Finally: Finally! I never thought thatd be done.For heavens sake(s): Oh for heavens sake, dont you know your Bible? (Little House on the Prairie)Fore: Fore! (Look out! in golf)Foul: Foul! The baseball went out of bounds.Freeze: Freeze! Stop right there!Gee (gee whiz, gee willikers): Well gee whiz, pa, wh y do I have to do that? Giddyap (giddyup): Giddyup Silver! Go, horse, go!Golly (good golly, golly gee  willikers): Golly, that sure was tasty.Goodbye (good-bye): Goodbye, see you again soon!Good grief: Good grief, Charlie Brown. (Peanuts)Good heavens: Good heavens! How did that happen?Gosh: â€Å"Whatever I feel like I wanna do, gosh!† (Napoleon Dynamite)Great: Great! Im so excited youll come along!Great balls of fire: Goodness gracious, great balls of fire! (Great Balls of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis)Ha: Ha-ha! Thats funny!Hallelujah: Glory be to God, hallelujah!Heavens (heavens above, heavens to Betsy): Oh heavens! How could you think that?Heigh-ho: Heigh-ho neighbor! How are you?Hello: Hello! How are things with you?Help: Help! I need somebody (Help! The Beatles)Hey (hey there): Hey! Look over there!Hi (hiya): Hi! Whats up?Hip, hip, hooray: We won! On the count of three, everyone: Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!Hmm (hrm): Hmm. Let me think about that for a bit.Ho-ho-ho: Ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas!Ho ly mackerel (holy cow, holy moly, holy Moses, holy smokes): Holy mackerel! I cant believe it! Ho-hum: Ho-hum, how boring.Hooray (hurrah, hurray): Hooray! Thats awesome!Howdy (howdy do): Howdy, pardner.Huh: Huh. I have no idea.Ick: Ick! How gross!Indeed: Indeed! Ill bet you didnt know that!Jeez: Jeez, do we really have to go through this now?Kaboom: Kaboom! It blew up!Kapow: And Batman hit the evildoer, kapow!Lordy (lordy, lordy): Oh lordy, lordy, look whos 40!Mama mia: Mama mia, let me go. (Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen)Man: Man, thats unbelievable.Marvelous: Marvelous! Oh, honey, thats just wonderful.My: My! I never once thought of it, Huck! (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)My goodness (my heavens, my stars, my word): My goodness, isnt that just grand?Nah: Nah, itll never work.No problem: Thank you. No problem.No way (no way Josà ©): No way! I cant believe it.Nope: Nope. I cant do that.Nuts: Nuts! I wish I didnt have to.Oh (oh boy, oh dear, oh my, oh my gosh, oh my goodness, oh no, oh well): Oh! Thats shocking!OK (okay): OK, sounds great. Thank you.Ouch: Ouch! That hurt! Ow: Ow! That stung!Please: Would you help me, please?Poof: Poof! She just disappeared.Shh: Shh! Quiet in the library!Super: Super! Thats fantastic!Swell: Swell! How great!Welcome: Welcome! Come in!; (Youre) Welcome!Well: Well, I just dont know about that.Whoop-de-doo: Well whoop-de-doo. (sarcasm) I so dont care.Woo-hoo: Woo-hoo! Thats fantastic!Wow: Wow! I love it!Yabba dabba doo: Yabba dabba doo! (The Flinstones)Yadda, yadda, yadda: Well, we were engaged to be married, uh, we bought the wedding invitations, and, uh, yada yada yada, Im still single. (Seinfeld)Yippee: Yippie! Thats exciting!Yummy: Yummy! I love chocolate cake! Single or Double-Duty Parts of Speech Interjections have traditionally been treated as one of the eight parts of speech  (or word classes). But its worth keeping in mind that many interjections  can do double or triple duty as other parts of speech. For instance, when a  word such as boy or awesome appears by itself (often followed by an exclamation point in writing), it functions as an interjection: Boy! You have an answer for everything.The crew chief handed me my first paycheck. Awesome! I said. But when that same word shows up syntactically integrated into a sentence, it usually operates as a different part of speech. In the following examples, boy is a noun, and awesome is an adjective: The boy ate a Snickers bar.Seeing the northern lights for the first time was an awesome experience. Words that are used only  as interjections are called primary interjections, while words that also belong to other word classes are called secondary interjections.   Oh! Heres something else to look out for. The meanings of interjections sometimes change depending on the context  in which theyre used. The word oh, for example, may indicate surprise, disappointment, or delight: Oh! I didnt see you sitting there.Oh. I was hoping you could stay for a while.Oh! Im so glad you came!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Reading assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reading - Assignment Example While some support the banning of sex offenders from SN sites, this paper takes the stance that these are private entities and the government has no businesses meddling in their affairs. In addition, court decisions banning sex offenders’ membership in these sites infringe on their First Amendment rights and freedoms (Wynton, p. 1878). Such trends in the judiciary are likely to lead to former offenders’ freedoms of speech being regulated in similar manner. Hence, U.S. citizens’ freedoms of speech and association will be infringed. There are quite a number of policies and practices that vulnerable SN site members may enforce to ensure the presence of sex offenders in these sites does not endanger their lives. The Government should not Regulate SN Membership At the forefront in banning sex offenders from SN sites are the federal courts with, reportedly, many law courts banning sex offenders from the internet via SN sites as a requirement for supervised release or p robation (Wynton, p. 1861). In today’s SN sites, members post and share quite a lot of personal information. Due to the private nature of this data, the government spares no effort in its drive to protect vulnerable members from harm emanating from criminals and former offenders who may want to use such data to harm others (Wynton, p. 1877). Thus, restricting membership is a by which the government seeks to protect individuals from threats to lives and personal privacy found in the online world. Nonetheless, given that social network sites are private entities and people join at their will, it is imperative that members take the responsibility to protect their privacy and safety without the government restricting the membership of others. To this effect, there are several personal strategies that members can implement to ensure they do not fall victim to sex offenders and other criminals. Mostly targeted by sex offenders are children or the youth who must then implement some, if not all of the following practices. First, real-world judgment is the most effective policy to help one avoid being a victim of sex offenders on SN sites, virtual worlds, and blogs and chart rooms. In this regard, the users should not share a lot of private information or post many photos, videos, and comments as these may be used by an offender to target them, hurt their feelings, and reputation. Besides, reminding users that their actions online have consequences, the government and parents should tell users that what they share should be limited. In essence, online manners should be emphasized. Authorities should also talk to users about their activities online. In fact, for young children, it is necessary that parents limit access to the sites and their kid’s profiles. Users should also not impersonate others in their online activities as this may make them to be targeted by sex offenders. Although a child’s site may have restricted access and highly-set privac y, a broader audience than the parents accesses the profile. Hence, children and other users should be encouraged to consider the language they use online and the videos and pictures posted. Stakeholders such coaches, teachers, employers, college admissions officers, and the police should also be involved in children’s and the youth’s SN profiles and communication. All these stakeholders should talk to

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom by Wilbur H. Siebert Essay

The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom by Wilbur H. Siebert - Essay Example Seibert’ book presents a number of interesting people and unsung heroes before it readers. Among all of them, one person that particular catches the interest is Calvin Fairbank. Fairbank lived in an affluent family that was 'assigned' with two slaves. As these slaves did all the housework, once he got the opportunity to listen to the slave-woman's tale of sorrow, which kindled anger in Fairbank. Once when he was in charge of a raft of lumber, he saw a woodsman who was going to be a slave very soon. Fairbank took him on the raft and helped him. Along with o an old slave woman with 7 children, he helped this man escape by taking them to a secure location on his raft. However, this met with a lot of issues because Fairbank was charged with helping the slaves help and was sent to the penitentiary. Before he was released, the Fugitive Slave law was passed, but this did not prove to be a deterrent to his ideas. According to him, 'I resisted its execution whenever and wherever possib le' (Siebert, 1898, p. 159). He continued to help the slaves escape. This landed him in the prison again and he spent more than 17 years of his life in the prison, where some phases were filled with physical and mental torture. Through his strategy of using disguises and helping people hide, he played pivotal part in making the life better for many slaves.   One of the very interesting events in the book is about how the disguise was used as a very effective technique to help the slaves escape quietly without the threat of being caught.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Origin of Theatre Essay Example for Free

The Origin of Theatre Essay â€Å"It is unlikely that anyone will ever know just how theatre emerged† (Grose Kenworthy, 1985: 3). Though there is little certain evidence, strong indications, scattered throughout our history, point to theatre finding its origins in the ancient rituals of shamanism. One might argue that theatre finds its origins quite clearly in ancient Greek theatre seeing as they have many written and still surviving plays and strong standing theatres, but George Freedley (1941) would argue otherwise. The oldest records of plays, stage directions and possibly even scripts are found not in ancient Greece but in Egypt, and they date back till as early as 4000 B. C. in examples of drama such as the Pyramid Texts (Freedley, 1941: 2). We can even directly link Egyptian and Greek performance by noting that a historian of the theatre, Herodotus, recorded â€Å"the religious festivals and the origin of the worship of Dionysos(sic) which was later to be transferred to the dramatic festivals in Greece† (Freedley, 1941: 1). This suggests that theatre as we know it actually finds its roots in ancient Egyptian festivals and dramas preformed in celebration of the gods. A common element seen in both Egyptian and Greek culture, be it on stage or not, is the ritualistic nature of their performances. This fact suggests that the origin of their version of performance and theatre is found in ritual and its significant role in society. â€Å" the earliest information about the presence of such drama comes from the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, most notably Egypt† (Grose Kenworthy, 1985: 6). As the quote suggests, ritual as a means of drama is found all over the world, but clearly not in the same form as ancient Greek and Egyptian theatre. Therefore, one must look for other examples of ritualistic practises and performance in the world that predate even these ancient cultures. Left is but one known possible source from which theatre may have evolved; shamanism. To add, there are many similarities between recorded and modern theatre, and shamanistic ritual and the belief itself. Firstly, the definition of  Shamanism is: Shamanism can be defined as a family of traditions whose practitioners focus on voluntarily entering altered states of consciousness in which they experience themselves or their spirit(s), travelling to other realms at will, and interacting with other entities in order to serve their community (Walsh, 1990: 15). Further more, it is also important to note that shamanism is not a religion which adheres to specific rules of practise, it is rather a method used to interact with the spirit world (Harner, cited in Walsh, 1982: 12). For this reason we can at least theorise that shamanism and its traits, however few in common, may be the inspiration for later religious and/or non-religious beliefs and customs involving forms of theatre and performance. Greek theatre for example shares many similar traits with shamanism as seen in the following quote: In all three types of drama, tragedy, satyr plays and comedy, the actors were heavily disguised, much more than in the modern theatre. This was due not only to the fact that the female roles were played by men, but ultimately had its roots in religion. A complete disguise was the external sign that the actor had given up his own identity in honour of the god, in order to let another being speak and act through him. Dionysus, for whom the dramas were preformed, was the god of ecstasy. The word á ¼â€ÃŽ ºÃÆ'Ï„Î ±ÃÆ'ÃŽ ¹Ãâ€š means ‘standing outside oneself’; in other words the renunciation of individuality. An important medium for this in all three drama types was the mask. Simon, 1972: 10) When compared to shamanism we see that, as in ancient Greek theatre, the use of attire other than the common dress of the shaman was thought to be essential in the rituals they preformed. Whether the ritualistic costume is extreme clothing or even ritualistic nudity (as in the case of the Eskimo shamans), the important point is that whilst a shaman is wearing his everyday clothing, the experience will not take p lace (Eliade, 1964: 146). We also see that the trance-like state achieved allows for the shaman/performer to channel spirits so that they may communicate and act through him, however this does not necessarily mean that the subject is ‘possessed’. Although shamans are thought to be capable of allowing and inducing the possession of their bodies by spirits, their dealings with spirits primarily involve them ‘wielding’ the spirits with which they are dealing (Eliade, 1964: 15). Lastly, the ancient Greek dramas were performed in honour of the god Dionysus, the god of ecstasy. This is important to note as shamanistic practises are defined by the ecstatic experience a shaman induces as he engages in a trance through which his soul ‘journeys’ and leaves his body so that he may communicate with the spirits (Eliade, 1964: 15). In relation to modern theatre, shamans are known to have undergone not dissimilar training from modern day actors and performers in order to acquire many of the same abilities which are commonly used in theatrical performance. In order to induce the altered state desired shamans have been known to use techniques such as singing, dancing, and drumming (Walsh, 1990: 142). Shamans have even been described as â€Å"singers, magicians, actors and ventriloquists† (Thurn, cited in Narby Huxley, 2001: 43). Though the training a shaman endures is much more demanding and can even be physically damaging, such as when using techniques like self-induced vomiting, feigning nervous fits, and fainting (Levi-Strauss, cited in Walsh, 1972: 102-103), there is still a clear similarity in the level of discipline required of shamans and modern day performers to master their craft. The act of transformation, the ritualistic dress, the rigorous training, and the natural skill required to become a shaman are all traits which we today link to theatre and what is required of its performers, providing a strong indication that shamanism is indeed where it all started. Trying to search further back than this leaves one with little more to work with than what one might all ‘educated guesses’ as to what may have sparked its creation. A popular theory is that theatrical actions were the means by which we communicated before language had sufficiently developed as to convey detailed messages to one-another. As language became a human tool, early nomadic societies were still concerned with the needs of survival. Theatrical elements entered into the conveying of these needs among members of the group itself (Grose Kenworthy, 1985: 4). This theory can of course not be tested or proven, but nor can it be isproven, and therefore it holds weight relative to the view point of the researcher. The origins of theatre are hard to trace, as the pieces evidence to suggest where it truly came from are few and far between. However, based on accounts which have survived through history such as those mentioned above, and the clear similarities between Shamanism, shamanistic ritual and the theatre throughout history, it becomes clear that Shamanism is the most likely origin of theatre as we know it today.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children Essay -- Eating Disorders Health

Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children "Eating Disorders in children and adolescents represent potentially life-threatening, debilitating conditions that impede physical, emotional, and behavioral growth and development. If treated soon after onset, childhood and adolescent eating disorders have a relatively good prognosis; however, if not treated, they may become chronic conditions by adulthood with devastating and sometimes irreversible medical, behavioral, and emotional consequences (Robin, Gilroy, and Dennis, 1998, pp421)." Feeding problems and eating disturbances in toddlers and early school age children are not particularly rare. They occur in 25%-40% of the population (Kerwin, 1999). However, severe eating disturbances requiring treatment occur in only 3%-10% of young children (Kerwin, 1999). The most common eating disturbance in young children involves some form of food refusal, which some believe may be related to anorexia (Robin et. al., 1998). Very little is known about eating disorders in pre-pubertal children, especially those who are otherwise healthy and have no apparent developmental disabilities (Singer et. al., 1992). According to Singer et. al., "Some authors have conceptualized eating disorders in pre-pubertal children as early manifestations of anorexia nervosa, but these children rarely met DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria" (Singer et. al, 1992, pp 847). Although children often do not meet the technical requirements to be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, they often fall into the category of eating disorders not otherwise specified (Robin et. al., 1998). And, the health risks for these children can be are just as serious as those risks for patients with a clear diagnosis. Children who refuse food ha... ...xperimental Psychiatry 18(2). 149-155. Maloney, M.J., Pettigrew, H., Farrell, M. (1983). Treatment sequence for severe weight loss in anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2(2). 53-58. Robin, A.L., Gilroy, M., Dennis, A.B. (1998). Treatment of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Clinical Psychology Review 18(4). 421-446. Siegel, L.J. (1982). Classical and operant procedures in the treatment of a case of food aversion in a young child. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology 11(2). 167-172. Singer, L.T., Ambuel, B., Wade, S., Jaffe, A.C. (1992). Cognitive Behavioral treatment of health impairing food phobias in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 31(5). 847-852. Winer, J.M. (1984). Psychopharmocology in childhood disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 7(4). 831-843.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Analyzing Poetry Essay

Ezra Pound’s poetry is striking in its break from the blank verse which occupied the page during the transcendental period. Taking points from Whitman’s free verse style, Pound gives the reader a subjective look at poetry. The poem A Virginal gives the reader both phantoms and tangible feelings of which the narrator is powerless to control (much as the war made countrymen feel a powerlessness in the death of their comrades). This is supported with lines such as â€Å"And left me cloaked as with a gauze of aether† (Pound line 5). It is this symbolic castration that war represents which plays a significant role in Pound’s poem. Pound’s poem War Verse Pound gives a rather ambivalent opinion of World War I. The point of the poem is that he wants poets to give soldiers their time; he was speaking about poets winning awards for their poems about the war, of which they had seen no action. The beginning lines of War Verse are, â€Å"O two-penny poets, be still! – For you have nine years out of every ten To go gunning for glory – with pop guns; Be still, give the soldiers their turns† (Pound lines 1-2). In either poem this idea of not being able to do anything about the war and the deaths that were the outcome of that war, are the impetus to Pound’s feelings. The form of either poem are similar, and the subject matter of course is strikingly the same. In T. S. Eliot’s view of the past as expounded upon in his essay Tradition and the Individual Talent have to do with following tradition. Eliot criticizes poets and critics for only following a tradition that is merely one generation removed from the present and says that we ought to follow the maturity of the poet, not the expanse of his work, not the work done with less vigor as we are apt to do. In his essay Eliot says we must understand what it is when we speak of tradition; which means that we cannot ignore any of the work, that a poet must strive uphold tradition in knowing the full expanse of literature (not just the previous generation’s triumphs) as Eliot states, the historical sense compels a man to write not merely with his own generation in his bones, but with a feeling that the whole of the literature of Europe from Homer and within it the whole of the literature of his own country has a simultaneous existence and composes a simultaneous order. (Eliot paragraph 3) For T. S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock can be said to be the addressing of age, life, and one’s personal fight with the passing of days. The many allusions throughout the poem may be attributed to various issues concerning one’s growing old. In line two, for example, Eliot makes the comparison of the evening to an unconscious patient on an operating table. The consequence of this comparison is that the reader begins to see the evening as not the end of a day, but rather the end of someone’s life – old age. With this allusion used in Eliot’s poem the reader is allowed to explore their own understanding of how their life has been in comparison to the illustrations used by Eliot. Thus, the reader becomes a part of the poem; an active listener in the story/poem told by Eliot. The personification of the time of day at the beginning of the poem, then leads the reader to view the rest of the poem in a manner conducive to that comparison – with all of the metaphors dealing with life. This comparison is further pressed in line 23, with â€Å"And indeed there will be time†. This solidifies the metaphor of time, and a person’s dealings with it. Eliot seemed to enjoy writing in the metaphysical aspects and indeed this is strongly reflected in Prufrock, while Eliot balances this writing with concrete imagery. Though Eliot insists â€Å"there will be time†, he follows this line with a list of many things that one does throughout his or her life. This expansive list would fill a lifetime, and therefore refute the idea of endless time that line 23 infers. Eliot liked to write in contradictions since humanity was full of contention points and paradoxes. The hesitations and frivolous actions of life listed in this poem are not an affirmation of the ability to achieve these goals, or waste this time, but instead it is a warning that time passes, without respect to the desire or intent of a person. Eliot makes mention of this by indicating that his hair is thinning, something that he does not desire to occur, yet does – outside his control. This again is the metaphysical aspect of Eliot’s writing which could perhaps have been inspired by Donne’s work, yet Eliot’s writing style seems to be more realistic than Donne’s and Eliot writes with a sort of paying attention to the fringes of humanity and exploring darker concepts of the human mind; such as death and time in this poem. Works Cited The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Vol. II, ed. Lauter, et al (Vols. C, D, a

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Business Research Methods -Starbucks Essay

Starbucks Coffee Company originated in 1971 as a small coffee house in SeattleWashington. Over the years, Starbucks has grown into a global company offering its exclusive brand coffees in domestic and international markets. Unfortunately in recent years, increased competition and market saturation has caused the company to re-evaluate its business strategies often leading to the closure of many of its stores in many recently expanded areas. This business problem and optional proposal is designed to address the issues Starbucks is facing as a result of the increased competition and market saturation in the coffee industry. Using statistics to remedy the issue, Team C will develop a hypothesis to study using an appropriate sample pool as well as primary and secondary data sources. The outcome of the research will result in a final recommendation related to the problem and the hypothesis that was tested. Subject ProblemIncreased competition and market saturation has caused Starbucks Coffee Company to reevaluate its business strategies in order to eliminate the closure of many of its stores in recentlyexpanded areas. Consumers are feeling the prices in their pocket and are mindful of the next dollar they spend. Dependent and Independent VariablesA recent slump in sales and revenue has forced the coffee powerhouse company Starbucks to close several hundred stored over the last year and upcoming moths. The new sales plummet will be the dependent variable in our research of the independent variables and their effect of the overall sales. When looking at Starbucks many recent events can be attributed to its sales drought such as the huge unemployment which can be defined as our independent variables. The first independent variable to consider is the over saturation of Starbucks’s locations across the country. Each Starbucks location needs a certain amount of profit to stay open, thus several locations will have to resort to closing their doors. With Starbucks popularity early on it opened the door for other competitors such as  McDonald’s to serve a premium roasted ice coffee for a cheaper price. Also with the gas prices being steady and the economy trying to rebuild itself from this financial state it doesn’t seem economically to purchase a $4-$8 cup of coffee when you can get a similar product from McDonald’s or your local convenience store. Populations of InterestsThe two populations of interest that Learning Team C will be focusing on will be the consumers for cold coffee. The cold coffee market has grown with Starbucks being on the higher end and McDonald’s cold coffee being on the lower end of the market. We will show the comparison of these two companies’ consumers and how the overall market has been effective by the economy. Proposed Sources/Resources for Data CollectionFor a primary research source for Starbucks, data can be collected from market surveys,teleconferencing interviews, consumer questionnaires and focus group sessions by directlycontacting customers. Other information can be derived from sampling techniques and statisticalmethodologies which are documented to be 1 percent of the market profitable value. Secondaryresearch sources are in the form of data which has already been collected in preceding researchstudies. Examples include reports, press released articles, and initial market research projectsthat eventually arrive at a conclusion, governmental agency studies, and trade associations. Sampling methods to be used in researching the two hypotheses will be in simple random sampling and cluster sampling. Samples of customers will be asked to take a survey in different regions and areas of the market. The samples will include an assortment of populations including various age, race, career and education levels. Primary and Secondary DataPrimary resource data includes Starbucks’ mission statement that indicates â€Å"Our Commitment to Being a Deeply Responsible Company Contributing positively to our communities and environment is so important to Starbucks that it’s one of the six guiding principles of our mission statement.† (Starbucks, 2008) The effort that Starbucks exudes is a  positive one and working together with each employee helps them to create the above-average approach that they are known for. Analyzing surveys that were generated at the local Starbucks indicated that even though the price of Starbucks has rose in price, consumers are still willing to buy that product, especially when a competitor like McDonald’s sells it, as long as it bears the name Starbucks. The observations that have been analyzed are that Starbucks is known for providing a relaxing experience which can rival those of fast food restaurants. Starbucks has been known to modify their stores to embrace the coffee experience to entice consumers from every walk of life in local communities and throughout the world. â€Å"One of the benefits of combining primary research with secondary research is in the area of data triangulation. Data triangulation is when a piece of data, a finding, or a generalization is able to be verified with several different research methods.† (Driscoll, 2006) For example, when conducting a study on how many college students drink Starbucks coffee, results indicate that â€Å"Coffee drinking appears to be on the rise, and this might not be a fad. The Dallas Morning News recently wrote an article about a specific new trend in cold coffee. In a Sept. 4 article, staff writer Teresa Gubbins says we have a â€Å"love affair with hot coffee.†(Cooper, 2003)In this experiment, of the students interviewed, 57 percent of them reported to be coffee drinkers. Fifty-five percent had not been regular coffee consumers before college, and admitted they picked up the habit once they arrived at SMU. Because college is such a drastic change in atmosphere, schedules, class loads and stress, many students rely upon coffee as a solution to get them through the day. â€Å"I started drinking coffee because I cannot stay awake in class without it,† sophomore Shunta Richardson said. Fifty-nine percent of students said they prefer Starbucks coffee. â€Å"I drink Starbucks coffee because there are so many stores all around the country. No matter where I go I can trust that my favorite drink will be there,† junior Tyler Torres said. â€Å"(Cooper, 2003)Using secondary data sources, it is necessary to look at what kind of future Starbucks is facing. They also need to ask themselves some questions,  such as should they launch new products considering the trend of the health conscious? How will Starbucks market new products and continue to keep the price down? Starbucks must also look at the demographics of the target market to ensure the validity of concern. Starbucks must also research and use forecasting in an effort to predict future revenue. â€Å"Forecasting long-range predictions are essential to allow sufficient time for the procurement, manufacturing, sales, finance, and other departments of a company to develop plans for possible new plants, financing, development of new products, and new methods of assembling.† (Lind, Marchal & Wathen, 2004)Sample SizeStarbucks has become a well-known company for selling the highest quality coffee beans and best tasting coffee products around the world. Starbucks was one of the first companies to realize that the real money to be made was in beverage retailing, not just coffee beans. What makes Starbucks coffee stands out from the other corporations is the roasters of Starbucks coffees are extensively trained for one year before they start the production of the coffee. Starbucks is the only competitor in the coffee market that has a recognized brand image. Starbucks have introduced gourmet flavored decaffeinated coffees as well as specialty flavors and whole bean coffees for their faithful coffee drinkers. Starbucks stores operated in most metropolitan areas of the United States and have a direct mail business to serve customers in every state. One of Starbucks competitors for the premium roast coffee is McDonalds which they offer a similar product for less than the cost of Starbucks. This has posed a problem for a great deal of Starbucks retailers because customers these days are very conscious of their spending habits and figure why pay the cost of Starbucks when they can get the same product from McDonalds for a lesser cost. The sample sizing consisted of a group of 100 which the first group of 50 is Starbucks customers and the other 50 were McDonald customers. Customer surveys are one of the tools that can quantify the process and use of such tools are important to determine the need for a product and changes. The surveys can measure whether or not the marketing plan is effective, or if it needs to be repackaged and delivered in a different fashion. The initial choice of a quick, yet descriptive questionnaire is paramount to  gather needed information. Starbucks and McDonalds need to identify their customers, what are they willing to pay for this product and how do they rate the premium roast coffee. For each customer at Starbucks and McDonalds every 10th customer can complete the survey and receive 10% off their next purchase. Below would be questions that would be included in the survey for Starbucks and McDonalds customers:†¢How often is premium roast coffee purchased? (daily/weekly/monthly)†¢What is your specific age bracket? (under 18/ 18-24/ 25-44/ over 45)  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Where do you make your purchases? (restaurant/grocery store/mail order)†¢What is the cost that you are willing to pay for premium roast coffee? (less than $2/ $2 – $4/ Over $4)†¢What brand of premium roast coffee do you purchase? (Starbucks/McDonalds/other competitor)As you can see statistics can play an important role when making decisions. A manager at one of these companies can reduce the unexpected, and potentially costly, variances when making business decisions. Starbucks coffee is much expensive than McDonalds but Starbucks puts time and money into their product which ultimately increases the cost. Most consumers are excited about the competition of premium roast coffee such as McDonalds because of the lo w cost yet faithful customers to Starbucks because of the quality. When uncertainty is reduced better conclusions can be drawn that will minimize risk and maximize profit gain. Sample SelectionThe team examined secondary data within this business problem analysis, which can save a firm time and money by using publicly available information as well as information already in the firm’s database. If the company had already conducted research of the best markets within its regions and area of influence, the company would be smart to use this when deciding how to downsize its stores. While using secondary information is cost effective, the use of secondary data must be carefully considered and used only when applicable to the research question. Starbucks will need to gather accurate and reliable secondary information, which can either be sub-contracted out to a firm that specializes in market research or it can form an internal research team to explore opportunities which will start to present themselves as the company begins to downsize. A key concern for the validity of data is the age of the data. All the data is sensitive to the effect of time so any action being taken by the company must account for the  changing nature of the environmental landscape. One questions that Starbucks should ask its internal or external research team is, â€Å"How does the coffee market change once the Starbucks brand is not as strong as it used to be?† Another question would be, â€Å"What types of aftermath will come with coffee saturation in the fast food markets, will customers want quality over quantity?† Starbucks should use accurate, reliable and timely data in its decision-making processes going further. The company would be surprised to see that opportunities will arise even within the decrease of its stores. An example of this type of opportunity occurs when customers get tired of fast food production of coffee, Starbucks can offer extended hours at its current stores to maximize on profits. The team used demographic data within this analysis in which data was collected from Starbucks clientele through various surveys. Although demographic data will change and cultural habits may differ from town to town, the selection of cities with a vibrant coffee drinking base improves the odds of matching consumers that prefer Starbucks premium product line versus that of McDonalds or any other new rival. In an effort to hear from the people who matter the most, Starbucks should look to survey frequent, occasional and without a doubt new customers. When selecting age and gender criteria to survey, the team used careful consideration and attention was paid to all age groups. However, in an effort not to taint the results of this analysis, the team found that typically, pre-teens are neither decision makers, nor do they possess the spending power required for Starbucks products on a continued basis. Therefore, pre-teens were omitted from the sample. Although the teenagers have about the same spending power as pre-teens Starbucks does offer an atmosphere and products in which the company could use in the future as an opportunity. This age group was left in the surveyed population as the team conducted its analysis. Gender was annotated as a means to direct creative marketing and capitalize on the different sexes. Although the research team was efficient in its attempts to give Starbucks the best information available, statistical testing cannot prove the viability of Starbucks’ alternate hypothesis so company executives must weigh the test results using  the wealth of professional experience possessed by the Starbucks’ organization. References Corporate Social Responsibilityhttp://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csr.aspCraving a caffeine high, SMU opens Java City on campus as coffee houses battle to attract students off the Hilltop, by Melissa Cooper, retrieved on the internet at http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/media/storage/paper949/news/2003/01/16/News/Craving.A.Caffeine.High-2273665.shtmlStarbucks Case Study (2007).

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Bipolar Opposition Essays

Bipolar Opposition Essays Bipolar Opposition Paper Bipolar Opposition Paper Bipolar Oppositions as stated by Betty Brown with regards to the deconstructions that are done by Cixous and Derrida are products of culture that are primarily based on conceptual contrasts. They are pair of terms that have been historically connected with Western culture. The members of the pair are regarded and believed as absolutes: the one is being valued and the other is devalued. Some of the bipolar oppositions that are mentioned by Brown are: male/female, good/evil, self/other, heaven/hell, culture/nature, and mind/body. Cixous bipolar oppositions that are revealed in the text are: activity/passivity, sun/moon, culture/nature, day/night, father/mother, head/heart, intelligible/sensitive, logos/pathos. The bipolar opposition that she has discussed that is not in the text is the query with regards to sexual difference which is traditionally anchored with activity/passivity. She juxtaposes the ideological interpretation of Freud’s theses as to what makes a woman an imperfect man and Jones’ â€Å"femininity is an autonomous ‘essence’. † Cixous bipolar opposition is apparent in Peter Paul Rubens’ The Judgment of Paris in a sense that Ruben’s artwork illustrates Phallocentrism, the root of all sexual-difference opposition. Cixous notions coincide with John Berger’s perspective that â€Å"the ideal spectator is always assumed to be male and the image of the woman is designed to flatter him†. The painting portrays the judgment done by Paris as to who is the most beautiful among the three women. It showcases the historical and cultural boundary where men are enclosed as the ones who possess power. With regards to that, women, as shaped by ideological apparatuses, are inferior to men; it definitely conveys its origin to Phallocentrism.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

At the Turn of a Dime

The only thing I could think of as I stood at the end of the vault runway were my sweaty feet. As a nervous habit, I fidgeted, making it obvious that I felt a little uneasy. It seemed silly that I had trained so many demanding hours to perform this one vault skill, and that I was still anxious. Once I saluted the judge indicating I was ready, I thrust all negative thoughts to the back of my mind and launched into an aggressive sprint hurtling towards the vault. The next two seconds consisted of me holding my breath as I pushed off the vault table and completed a full 360 degree flip until I landed on my feet almost with ease. Immediately, I felt joy swell inside of me as I knew I had just performed the best vault I had ever done in my entire gymnastics career. As I walked back to the end of the running strip, my teammates clapped me on the back giving encouragement and support. The exhilaration I had felt after my first vault supplied me with adrenaline. When I began my second vault, I pounded down the runway with new energy and power. However, once I was in the process of flipping, I knew something was wrong. I ended up landing short, causing my ligaments to jam and tear within my left ankle. The audience that was once before bubbling with exuberance, instantly became deflated and silent as I lay there motionless on the mat. But I didn’t cry, I just gritted my teeth. I didn’t scream, I just shook my head. And I didn’t get up, I just sat there clutching my ankle with one hand while resting my head on the other, face down. Sharp pains exploded through my ankle and I could feel everyone’s stares burning a hole right through me. Needless to say, I probably scared the pants off my parents. From success to disappointment, I had learned that life could change on a dime. After this incident, I dedicated my time to my recovery and I began to understand that in the real world, people experience ups and downs too. Whether it may be about losing a job or going through a heartbreak, it’s the recuperation process that helps strengthen our character. While I was frustrated at first with my injury, I learned to cope with it and began to feel optimistic about how it could help me in the long run. I was determined to not let this slow me down, but rather build it up as a motivation and an extra push. Gymnastics has been my building blocks for life that I will continue to carry with me into the future. All the countless hours toiling away in the gym have given me the basic fundamentals for achieving accomplishments in life. I have been able to utilize these skills that I have learned, such as determination, perseverance, and time management, and use them to my advantage in school and work experiences. Getting home at a late hour every night has forced me to efficiently get my homework done since I know I don’t have a minute to spare, and when I help my parents in their flower shop, I make good use of my time. The principle of time management has been drilled into my head after so many years of steadily keeping my busy schedule on track. I have attained the qualities of patience, dedication, and focus patience in the way that I can accept the drawbacks along the way to achieve something greater, dedication in the way my willingness can persevere challenges without giving up, and focus in the way I can accomplish anything by being mentally tough. I intend to employ these attributes that I have gained from gymnastics as I begin my quest into the real world.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 61

Leadership - Essay Example His replacement of Ryan Graves as CEO was effective, as he has been considered to have a Steve Jobs mentality. Travis has been brash and resolute in overcoming challenges from local and federal regulators as well as established firms in the cab business that has propelled UBER to current success depicting the impact of leadership and management in the success of an organization. Having analysed importance of management in the success of UBER, fall of AERO depicts that lack of a management and leadership that is congruent with the needs of an organization results in its fall. The lack of leadership insight at AERO for changes in consumer needs, lack of innovation to meet consumer preferences and needs, and the inability of management and the leadership to anticipate changes in market conditions led to its fall. The fall of AERO is mainly due to the inability of the management to provide focus and depth in managerial decision-making and direction of the company in a dynamic business environment. Leadership in a company play a critical role in ensuring a company overcomes market challenges and provide a clear goal for the employees and lack of these leadership qualities at AERO resulted in its