Analysis Of The Poem Langston Hughes - 2630 Words

Daragon Wendwesen Stanford Searl English 102, fall 2014 December 12, 2014 Paper Five What â€Å"Identity† Means In The Poems of Langston Hughes Before I explain my take on what identity means in Langston Hughes works, I would like explain a little about a man who happened to be one of the most recognizable names in African- American literature, and the struggle he faced – as a writer and mostly as an African American. A brief glimpse into our darkest days and description of his life and about him will help elucidate the background, and his style of writing. Jordan stated African Americans journey and identity in the Americans started on the wrong no â€Å"Over a period of more than three centuries, in the slave ships of the Middle Passage and the plantations of the American South, peoples from many nations of what is now called West and Central Africa, brought together under conditions of extreme brutality, reinvented themselves as one people and they renamed themselves ‘African’, ‘Coloured People’ and ‘Negro’. Later, from end of the nineteenth century to the first few decades o f the twentieth century, mostly in northern urban centres of the USA, the descendants of the slaves reinvented themselves again, this time as the ‘New Negro’†(848-891). Langston Hughes was born in the early 1900s, in a deeply segregated area of Joplin, Missouri - once a southern confederate state. The foundation of social injustice, which ultimately shaped Hughes’s works and his won identity was based onShow MoreRelatedPoem Analysis : Langston Hughes Poem1258 Words   |  6 Pages Research Paper and Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes’ poem â€Å"Mother To Son† is a twenty line poem that seems to be from the perspective of a prudent mother that is giving her son, and possibly the readers, some helpful and supportive advice, telling them that, no matter how many adversities they may face, they can not give up. I believe that this is the main theme of the poem, perseverance. â€Å"So, boy, don’t you turn back./ Don’t you set down on the steps./ ‘Cause youRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dream By Langston Hughes1909 Words   |  8 Pagesof each poem are very similar, but yet are different in their own unique way as well. The two pomes are about dreams, the first poem, Dream is about what could possibly happen if we let go of our dreams and don t purse them. The second poem, Harlem is about the possibilities of what could happen when we postpone our dreams. Both poems do not exactly end with a happy ending, for they show the regret that we will be left with, possibly even death. The poem Dream by Langston Hughes is aboutRead MoreLangston Hughes Poems Analysis1077 Words   |  5 PagesThe Never-Ending Fight for Freedom in America Langston Hughes was born during a time of blatant racism and discrimination. He was a voice for black America in the 1920s, and his poems have endured with a never-ending passion for justice and racial equality. His poems have a strong positive message, albeit his frustration for his country, which did not allow him to sit at the table of his white counterparts, as in â€Å"I, Too.† Hughes wanted to live equally among others, to feel an undeniable part ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Langston Hughes 1451 Words   |  6 PagesAccelerated English 10 16 May 2017 Langston Hughes The â€Å"Poet Laureate of Harlem† as they called him was a very influential writer during the Harlem Renaissance (DISCovering Multicultural America, par. 2). He showed what life was like from his eyes and hoped that racial prejudice would stop once people understood what life was like for him. This is the story of Langston Hughes, who stood up for what he believed in and always fought for African American rights. Langston Hughes was an author during the HarlemRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Langston Hughes 947 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes Research Please read the following three sources and answer all of the questions. Once you’re finished email the completed document to my email, lwiget@asa.edu. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/books/01/04/22/specials/hughes-humor.html In 5-7 Sentences summarize what this article is about. Your answers will go here: In this article is about the Life of Langston Hughes; how he was growing and couched the people with his humor and irony, regarding the impossibility and hard of beingRead More Harlem, An Analysis of a Langston Hughes Poem Essay1405 Words   |  6 PagesHarlem, An Analysis of a Langston Hughes Poem The short but inspirational poem Harlem by Langston Hughes addresses what happens to aspirations that are postponed or lost. The brief, mind provoking questions posed throughout the poem allow the readers to reflect--on the effects of delaying our dreams. In addition, the questions give indications about Hughes views on deferred dreams. Harlem is an open form poem. The poem consists of three stanzas that do not have a regularRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Cross By Langston Hughes963 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem Cross by Langston Hughes sensationalizes the battle of being biracial; especially in the mid 1900 s.This poem dramatizes the problems of his ethnic roots, and growing up biracial in a time period and country that primarily sees blacks and whites. In this poem, Hughes is expressing his disappointment of being of both high contrasts however considering the fact that he could never have an honorable place in neither of the two races nor be acknowledged by neither of the two racial classesRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem I, Too978 Words   |  4 Pages Langston Hughes America, the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. This is what everyone was told, what the Declaration of Independence states. But, Langston Hughes a black American poet in the Harlem Renaissance period saw the truth. Being an African American in the United States during the early 1900’s was difficult. Many lived a life full of hardships; segregation, prejudice and economic hardships, viewed as second-class citizensRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem Essay707 Words   |  3 PagesMy choice is a Langston Hughes’s poem â€Å"Theme for English B† and â€Å"Mother to Son.† Both poems were written around the Harlem Renaissance Era. Both of the poem Hughes shares learning new things and using a creative language. His poems are empowering, it speaks from a creative mind. We should study my texts because of the cultural center for Africa-American: writers, artists, musicians, photographers, p oets, scholars. The poem reflects the Harlem Renaissance era. The Harlem Renaissance was a name givenRead MoreAn Analysis of Langston Hughes Poem Harlem1520 Words   |  6 PagesPoems Harlem by Langston Hughes Thesis statement: Hughes wrote this when Jim Crow laws were still imposing an bitter segregated society in the South. There were still lynchings of innocent African Americans, there was no Civil Rights Movement, there was no Civil Rights legislation yet, and Blacks couldnt eat at lunch counters in the South. Harlem, however, was not at all like the South in terms of blatant, legal segregation. However, racism was very much in place in many places in America. Blacks

The Nature Of Science, Agriculture Practices, Fracking And...

Human beings are very fortunate to be living on Earth. Even though humans get everything we need from these precious lands, we always feel that we have to modify it. Reshaping our world to make it more suitable for individuals is not the way to go. Humans have the desire for scientific process, and are driven to make the world a better place; though in reality, the outcomes of our environment and our selves say otherwise. Our ways of science, agriculture practices, fracking and irrigation practices, ways of mining, inventions of plastics, and even our advancement in technology is leading us to the consequences of not only hurting our species, but our environment as a whole. People believe that mankind will learn to utilize Earth’s†¦show more content†¦It is a living thing, a celebration of human fallibility† (Thomas 304). Our discovery of science has changed over the years. At first it was seen as a systematic study of nature, but it has now come to a poin t where our source of inspiration has become abused, and it s taking a toll on our home. Scientific advancement plays a major role to the reason why our world has become greedy and wealthy. For example: fossil fuels, pollution, greenhouse gasses, advance weaponry (nuclear), and even modern technology is destroying the environment we live in. None of the examples were apparent in nature, until man mistreated the original uses of science. This proves that science is politics, and it is shaped by ideological plan by the user (science is a technique). We must prevent the misuses of science, because it is too late to stop progressing and go back to living in nature. Our misuse of science lead to the technique of hydraulic mining, which was used for the quest of gold in Sacramento, where these companies used enormous water cannons, called â€Å"monitors†, to annihilate large hills and small mountains. Once gold is removed, left over detritus found their way to the streams, w hich then flows into the larger waterways to the Sacramento River, that supplied a portion of the water. This resulted in the Sacrament River carrying too much silt, which was hazardous for the people to consume. This later caused floods in Sacramento to occur, which the

Medea By Euripides Essay Example For Students

Medea By Euripides Essay Through the play Medea, Euripides shows us the importance of keeping a promisegiven. At the beginning of the story, we see the plays two opposing views ofpromise keeping represented by the Nurse and the Tutor. As she stands outside ofMedeas house and laments the way Jason has slighted Medea by taking anotherwife, the Nurse speaks of the eternal promise Jason and Medea made to eachother on their wedding day (17-21). The Nurse wishes Jason were dead for the wayhe has abandoned his wife and children, so strongly does she feel vows shouldnot be broken (83). When the Tutor enters the scene, he expresses a much morecynical view regarding Jasons decision to leave his wife. He asks the nurse,Have you only just discovered / That everyone loves himself more than hisneighbor? / Some have good reason, others get something out of it. / So Jasonneglects his children for the new bride (85-88). The Tutor feels thatJasons leaving Medea is only a part of life, as Old ties give place to newones. Jason No longer has a feeling for his family with Medea, so heleaves her to marry the princess who will bring him greater power (76-77). Medeais outraged that she sacrificed so much to help Jason, only to have him revokehis pledge to her for his own selfish gain. She asks him whether he thinks thegods whose names he swore by have ceased to rule, thereby allowing him to breakhis promise to her. Medea vows to avenge her suffering by destroying Jasonsnew family and his children. When Jason curses his wife for her murdering at theend of the play, she says to him, What heavenly power lends an ear / To abreaker of oaths, a deceiver? (1366-1367) In this way, Medea lays the blamefor all the evil she has done at the feet of Jason, for she never would havedone these things if he had not betrayed his promise to her. Euripidesportrayal of Jasons destruction as a direct result of the vow he broke is aclear warning against breaking the sanctity of a promise given.

Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Weber

Anthropologists make attempts to establish the relationships between cultural and economical sides of the life of the society, deciding between the materialistic and spiritualistic approaches or trying to integrate both of them. Weber’s theory of religious beliefs as the basis for the division of labor forces in capitalistic society can coexist with Malinowski’s and Lewi’s views but is opposed by Geertz who put emphasis on culture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Weber specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The key issue of Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Weber is the definition of the primary principles of capitalism and the prioritized values of people living in a capitalistic society. Defining the leading principle of capitalism, he notes that â€Å"man is dominated by the making of money, by acquisition as the ultimate purpose o f his life† (Weber 53). The researcher is aimed at establishing the relationships between the individual’s motivation for working, the principles of division of labor forces and materialistic values in the society and the level of its cultural development. Considering the religious beliefs as an integral element of culture having a significant impact on people’s decision making, Weber finds the rational explanation for prioritizing the materialistic values in the principles of the asceticism. Not limiting the concept of capitalistic culture to the economical structure of the society, Weber attempts to evaluate the influence of the religious beliefs on the citizens’ obedience to the existing economical laws. The anthropologist analyzes the protestant principle of calling as the main argument for faithful labor at low wages for the lowest strata that have no other opportunities. â€Å"The capitalism of to-day, which has come to dominate economic life, educa tes and selects the economic subjects which it needs through a process of economic survival of the fittest† (Weber 55). On the one hand, Weber points at the utilitarian nature of humans and their passion for acquisition of the material values, underestimating the importance of culture. On the other hand, he analyzes the evolution of the Christian beliefs and considers faithful calling to be the prototype for the division of labor forces in the contemporary capitalistic society. â€Å"One of the fundamental elements of the spirit of modern capitalism, and not only of that but of all modern culture: rational conduct on the basis of the idea of the calling, was born †¦ from the spirit of Christian asceticism† (Weber 180). Despite all his assertions as to the place of culture and religion in the system of beliefs, in the final conclusion part of his work Weber denies the effectiveness of one-sided interpretation of history from materialistic or spiritualistic perspecti ve, considering the complex character of the issue.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The anthropologists Malinowski, Levi and Geertz shed light upon the main principles of the development of the society, drawing the parallels between the present day beliefs and culture of primitive tribes, ancient myths and contemporary science. For instance, researching the social code of Kula population, Malinowski contrasts their preferences and beliefs of capitalistic society. At the same time, evaluating the place of materialistic values in the system of beliefs of the tribe, the researcher establishes the relationship between the property and the social status because for Kula people â€Å"to possess is to be great, and that wealth is indispensable appanage of social rank and attribute of personal virtue (Malinowski 103). Describing the competition of generosity among the richest members of the tri be, Malinowski still points at the significance of economical acquisition of the population as the marker of their position in the society and corresponding obligations. Analyzing the common features of the myths structure, Levi uses their content as the basis for interpreting the principle of the division of labor forces in present day society. â€Å"The problem often regarded as insoluble, vanishes when it is shown that the clowns-gluttons who may with impunity make excessive use of agricultural products – have the same function in relation to food production as the war-gods† (Levi 223). Similar to Weber’s analysis of the Christian beliefs, Levi finds the roots for the present day social injustice in ancient myths, explaining the inequality of various strata of population and other social phenomena with the gods’ will. As opposed to all the previous researchers, Geertz focuses his studies on the concept of culture, giving preference to the spiritualisti c interpretation of the life of the society. Altering the traditional definition of culture, he points at its significance and impact on other spheres. Geertz develops Weber’s theory of a man as an animal in the significance webs which he/she creates â€Å"I take culture to be those webs, and the analysis of it to be therefore not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretive one in search of meaning† (Geertz 6). Thus, the views of Malinowski and Levi do not contradict Weber’s theory and can coexist, while Geertz shifts emphasis to culture as the significant element of the life of society. Drawing the parallels between the system of beliefs and the organization of society, anthropologists try to make understanding of social phenomena and people’s consciousness more comprehensive. Weber, Malinowski, Levi and Geertz used the definition of the concept of culture as the basis for explaining the main principle of division of labor forces.Adverti sing We will write a custom essay sample on Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Weber specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Geertz, Clifford. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books Publishers, 1973. Print Levi-Strauss, Claude. Structural Anthropology. Trans. Claire Jacobson and Brooke Schoepf. New York: Basic Books Publishers, 1963. Print. Malinowski, Bronislav. Argonauts of the Western Pacific. New York: Routledge. 1932. Print. Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Trans. Talcott Parsons. New York: Routledge. 1992. Print. This essay on Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Weber was written and submitted by user Finn Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Lucky Luciano essays

Lucky Luciano essays Hes often called the greatest mobster ever to live. Although Lucky Luciano didnt go about it in a legal way he had his mind set on wealth and thats what he went for. Lucky was able to climb the ladder to become the boss of bosses in the mafia world and he took a whole new look at the way he wanted things to be ran. With the help of his childhood friend he would bring the mafia world together and halt the fighting between the main mafia families in America. Through his brilliant mind and his ways of violence he would begin to organize crime in new and radical ways, which would lead to the way organized crime was thought of and seen forever. Charles Lucky Luciano started with an honest job when he was seventeen, he was delivering ladies hats for man named Max Goodman. This all changed though when he met George Scanlon, a popular drug dealer that worked Luckys part of town. Lucky was interested in Scanlons life style and asked if he could work for him. Scanlon decided to give him a chance and Lucky started to deliver heroin in the bands of the hats he was delivering for Goodman. It was making him some easy money, but it wasnt long before it caught up with him. A friend of Luckys who was jealous of his money tipped off the cops and he was arrested outside of a poolroom, a popular hangout for addicts and pushers, and sentenced to a year in Hampton Farms Penitentiary. He was paroled six months later and that was his last arrest for twenty years and his start in the big time (Gosch Bootlegging was very popular during prohibition in 1920, and it made many gangsters a lot of money. Lucky was able to make his way near the top of the bootlegging industry through acquiring many infamous connections like: Guisseppe Doto Joe Adonis, Waxey Gordon, and Arnold Rothstein, the man who fixed the 1918 World Series. With conne ...

The History of Swimming Pools

The History of Swimming Pools Swimming pools, at least man-made watering holes for bathing and swimming, go back at least as far as 2600 B.C.E. The first elaborate construction are probably The Great Baths of Mohenjodaro, an ancient and elaborate bathing site in Pakistan made from bricks and covered in plaster, with terraced decks that wouldn’t look out of place in a modern pool landscape. Mohenjodaro probably wasn’t used for general lap swimming, however. Scholars believe it was used in religious ceremonies. Ancient Pools More man-made pools surfaced throughout the ancient world. In Rome and Greece, swimming was part of the education of elementary age boys and the Romans built the first swimming pools (separate from bathing pools). The first heated swimming pool was built by Gaius Maecenas of Rome in the first century BC. Gaius Maecenas was a rich Roman lord and considered one of the first patrons of arts- he supported the famous poets Horace, Virgil, and Propertius, making it possible for them to live and write without fear of poverty. Growth in Popularity However, swimming pools did not become popular until the middle of the 19th century. By 1837, six indoor pools with diving boards were built in London, England. After the modern Olympic Games began in 1896 and swimming races were among the original events, the popularity of swimming pools began to spread According to the book Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming in America, the Cabot Street Bath in Boston was the first swimming pool in the U.S.  It opened in 1868 and served a neighborhood where most of the homes did not have baths. In the 20th century, a number of leaps in science and technology took swimming pools to a new level. Among the developments, chlorination and filtration systems that delivered clean water into the pool. Prior to these developments, the only way to clean a pool was to remove and replace all the water. Technological Advancements In the U.S. the pool business expanded with the invention of gunite, a material that allowed faster installation, more flexible designs, and lower costs than previous methods. The post-war rise of the middle-case, coupled with the relative affordability of pools accelerated pool proliferation even further. There were even less expensive options than gunite. In 1947, above ground pool kits hit the market, creating an entirely new pool experience. It wasn’t long before single unit pools would be sold and installed in a single day.

Case Study Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Study Summary - Essay Example Most of the processes are automated, but there is a need for human intervention for checking the system. This translated into the scenario where unexpected demand or troubles with the equipments caused inventory management and customer service problems. The year of 1999 was very difficult due to weak international economies, a shortened demand, over-capacity, and a squeeze on prices and margins. So the people at Eastman Chemical Company set the goal of better customer service, lowering operating costs, improving plant performance, and reducing inventory costs. There was a clear need for improving the supply chain planning processes. The solution for Eastman Chemical Company was to implement agile demand planning, agile production scheduling, and efficient distribution of inventories. (Ng, 2002: pp. 1-3). Eastman was the first chemical enterprise to do business online. Eastman was an early adopter of the Internet as an excellent medium of information for leveraging its capabilities. Eastman, headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, United States, manufactured over 1,200 chemicals, fibers, and plastics. It was one of the top 10 global suppliers of custom-manufactured fine chemicals for pharmaceutical, agricultural, chemicals, and other markets for a wide array of consumer products. On December 5, 2001, the publication Chemical Week placed Eastman worldwide as 43rd by sales, 59th by profitability, and 29th by innovation in the global industry. As a pioneer in e-business, Eastman had the following online strategy: In July, 1999, Eastman launched its Customer Center over the Internet at eastman.com. At the core of Eastman’s e-business strategy there was the Integrated System Solution (ISS) as the technical architecture for implementing the necessary interconnectivity at the supply chain level. By the year of 2001, Eastman was making about 30% of its sales through eastman.com, eastamanmarketplace.com, online marketplaces, EDI and ISS as its

Common Stocks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Common Stocks - Essay Example An active investor has to constantly monitor the trends of the stock market. It is true that if some investments do poorly, others can compensate the loss but such a portfolio has to be prepared in consultation with the investment experts as mere hunches cannot be relied upon. Investing in a diversified portfolio should be indulged in only if it is a substantially large investment, as otherwise the transaction cost would be too much. A small investor is best advised to go for mutual funds in order to avoid high transaction charges, stock commissions and other costs of a diversified portfolio6. The person who does not diversify is averse to risks and invests in secure and reputed stocks expecting to reap a steady yield. Such investors usually belong to categories whose investment goals are sometimes based on the immediate tax saving requirements. The investor who is taxed at high rates should choose investments subject to full or partial tax exemption, such as government securities and bonds. There are others who tend to stay with their chosen best performing stocks and make a steady income from them.2 People who have less appetite for risk and want a steady safe flow of income are the ones who don’t diversify much. For such people bonds are the most appropriate investment instruments. Diversification is a way to limit risk but it is not necessary. Small investors cannot indulge in diversification as the cost would be too high. If at all, small investors can diversify by investing in mutual funds which are handled by experts. Generally investors who are experts in the stock market and have the time and resources to actively follow the stocks, charts and are abreast with the latest investment strategies are capable of making informed decisions and sticking to the best performing stocks and have less need to diversify. They usually stick to their shortlisted best performing stocks and reap the profits over a long period of time. The government of any

The Us Federal Reserve VS European Central Bank Essay Example for Free

The Us Federal Reserve VS European Central Bank Essay INTRODUCTION This paper will analyze the difference between U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.   Provide assumption on which central banking system is able to provide stability on its respective country based on their approved mandates and what are the degrees of independence does Central Bank benefit from both in theory and reality and determine which central bank is able show better results in keeping the overall economy of its respective countries stable. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE US FEDERAL RESERVE AND EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK The comparison of the Eurosytem and the Federal Reserve System is based on the following: institutional structure, the monetary policy strategy, the monetary policy instruments and the operating procedures of the two central banks as the focal point.    In the study conducted by Karlheinz Ruckriegel and Franz Seitz they concluded that the structure of both institutions has similarities but the main tasks and the legal status are by far different.   The main task of the Eurosytem is price stability while Federal Reserve objective is price stability and full employment achieving both all at the same time. Ruckriegel and Seitz believe in the importance of the independent status of the Eurosytem by international law (EU Treaty) gives an edge of the Federal Reserve System since the status of the Federal Reserve depends on Congress.   The Constitution gives Congress the power to set its value. Therefore, the Federal Reserve’s power is limited to views of the Congress.    They also noted the similarities in the operating procedures of monetary policy of both institutions, similarities in the design of the minimum reserves and the operating target. In both cases the overnight interest rate is the operating target of monetary policy. Apart from required reserves, the instruments of monetary policy are different. The differences can be traced back to historical factors, legal problems of the change of existing arrangements and a different understanding of monetary policy. In this context the Eurosytem has the advantage of introducing all arrangements according to the knowledge of monetary policy and theory. Therefore both writers classified the Eurosytem as the superior system under efficiency viewpoint. Especially, the obvious absence of strategy on the side of the Fed for several years. INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT The difference between the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank is that the first has a dual mandate which has an objective of prioritizing full employment and price stability at the same time whereas ECB is under the hierarchical mandates which the principal objective is stability other objectives is pursued once the inflation objective is met. The dual mandate of the Federal Reserve helps stabilize the inflation and unemployment situation of the country.   The dual mandate simply states to promote price stability and maximize employment meaning full-employment without pressure on inflation.   The key to dual mandate is to implement both objectives at the same time whereas European Central Bank has hierarchical mandates that prioritize price stability before pursuing other objectives.   ECB will only pursue other objective one’s price stability has been achieved.   Hierarchical mandates set inflation objectives in terms of forecast or as mid-term objectives this allows them to gradually return to their inflation objectives if there are changes in inflation. United States have the largest economy in the world their monetary policy has economic and financial effect on other countries.   The U.S. monetary policy involves influencing short-term interest rates and the supply of money and credit to promote basic goals established by the Congress.   According to Congress price stability normally implies that inflation should be low enough not to play a significant factor in economic decision making while â€Å"Maximum sustainable economic output and employment† goes well together with economic output and employment, it steadily grows consistent with the economy’s long-run ability to develop while strengthening price stability. In Euro the simultaneous decline in inflation and the labor share of income over the past two decades have motivated significant interest in how these phenomena might be connected.   In the summary of Katharine Neiss and Edward Neslon â€Å"Inflation dynamics, marginal cost and output gap:   Evidence from the three countries monetary policy analysis, suggests a different path from what is currently emphasized. They found little support that wage markup movements are an important source of inflation dynamics for a given output gap, and therefore concluded that more detailed modeling of labor market rigidities is not a high priority in analyzing inflation. On the other hand, they find that modeling the dynamic effects of real shocks not only productivity shocks but also preference shocks on potential GDP is crucial for understanding inflation behavior. They explicitly relate potential output dynamics to underlying shocks, hence the importance of optimizing models in monetary policy analysis. CENTRAL BANK’S DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE For many years many countries has made progress in towards adopting legislative proposals removing their central banks from government control thus making them independent. Based on the empirical and theoretical studies it showed that there is no clear answer was shown that there can be an economic benefit to be gained in having an independent central bank.   In summary, empirical studies provide evidence of a negative correlation between central bank independents and inflation and central bank independence and fiscal deficits. Theoretical studies indicate that independent central bank can increase policy conflicts with the government whenever preferences of the two differ and in so doing worsen the economic performance of the country.   Both studies however do not provide support for the idea that countries should place monetary policy in the hands of the executive or legislative branches of government. Therefore empirical studies put emphasis on price stability and freedom to pursue these goals are primary determinants of independence whereas, theoretical studies equates independence with non-cooperation between the fiscal and monetary authorities in policy implementation. Each central bank representative on the panel brings with them instrument of independence this is used to isolate central bank from political interference.   This interference can be politically motivated.   The purpose of this insulation is not to allow the central bank to pursue policy preference.   The governments are consistent in defining broad goals for central banks, commitment from the government through central bank is to achieve different goals but their main objective is price stability. The Congress structured the Federal Reserve to be independent within the government therefore it is accountable to the Congress and its goals for economic performance are set by law. According to Governor Laurence H. Meyer on his speech At the National Association for Business Economics Seminar on Monetary Policy and the Markets, Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2001 in his speech he said: â€Å"Central bank independence is in part the result of formal institutional arrangements typically incorporated in the legislation defining and creating the central bank. The most important requirement is that the central bank is the final authority on monetary policy decisions. That is, monetary policy decisions should not be subject to the veto of the executive or legislative branches of government. This is further protected if other institutions of the governmenttypically the Treasury Department or the Ministry of Financeare not represented on the monetary policy committee. A lesser protection would be to allow such representation, but only in a non-voting capacity, as is the practice at the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan†. Instrument independence is facilitated by long overlapping membership terms, by limited opportunities for reappointment, and by protecting committee members from removal. Therefore the degree of independence that central bank enjoys is based on imposed mandates.   Though independent it is clear that it has its limitations there is generally an attempt to balance independence and accountability. CONCLUSION In conclusion it is believed that both European Central Bank and Federal Reserve has advantages.   It is predominant that it is the people, culture and society dictates which form is more advantageous.   Therefore applicability is based on culture and racial orientation. REFERENCES Bruha, Jan and Podpiera, Jiri, Inquirers on Dynamics of Transitions Economy Convergence in two Country Model working paper series No. 791August 2007 De Grawe, Paul Is the ECB Handicapped in Stabilizing Output Because of Rigidities? University of Leuven, 3/27/2007 Eurointelligence Some Notes on theReturn of Inflation ECB watch, 3/6/2007 Lawless, Martina and Whelan, Karl Understanding the Dynamics of Labor Shares and Inflation Working paper series No. 784, July 2007 Neiss, Katharine and Nelson, Edward Inflation Dynamics, Marginal Cost and Output Gap: Evidence from Three Countries February 2002 Pollard, Patricia, Central Bank Independence and Economic Performance Ruckriegel, Karlheinz and Seitz, Franz The Eurosystem and the Federal Reserve System Compared Facts and Challenges February 2002 Wyplosz, Charles Wake Up Call For The ECB, Institute of International Studies, 2/7/2007

The Films of Michael Moore Essay -- Film Industry

Michael Moore, an Academy Award-winning filmmaker is known for his highly controversial documentaries. He appeals to the younger generation, trying to educate people along with addressing our unresolved social issues in the United States. He gives insight to corrupt things that our government is involved in that citizens do not know. Michael Moore continues to prove to be a monumental influence through his work in the movie industry. His main message is to get people to stop following their government blindly, but rather speak out, ask questions, get involved, and most of all shows people’s power to be able to change what needs to be changed. He proves being patriotic means taking responsibility and being knowledgeable about what’s happening in the media and all of Michael Moore’s films give the audience this. Time magazine named Michael Moore one of the World’s 100 most influential people. Through his Oscar and Emmy awards, he substantiates even a powerless author and producer with nothing more than a pen and a movie camera can make a tremendous difference. His documentary Bowling for Columbine reiterated that by a determination and persistence that not only him, but patriots can create change. He interviewed some of the surviving victims of the Columbine shootings along with Charlton Heston, the NRA president. He shows the gruesome effect of allowing guns and bullets to be so easily accessible. Kmart was his main target and he took it upon himself by going right to the top of a major corporate food chain. The documentary was about how he was able to get them to stop selling bullets completely. Getting Kmart to stop selling bullets doesn’t mean that you are going to prevent kids from going somewhere else to buy them ... ...s own opinion in public, which many people are not courageous enough to do, and for that many respect him. Michael Moore proves that one man can make a difference. He is a great example of exercising our right to free speech and questioning the government. If something doesn’t seem right he is a spokesperson for finding out the truth. Moore was a small town boy who grew up to become one of the most influential documentary film makers of our time. Works Cited Bowling For Columbine. Dir. Michael Moore. 2002. Fahrenheit 911. Dir. Michael Moore. 2004. Penn, Sean. Time.com. 18 April 2005. 8 March 2012 . Sicko. Dir. Michael Moore. 2007. The Oprah Winfrey Show. Michael Moore's Sicko. 1 January 2006. 8 March 2012 .

Reflection Paper on Gulf Oil Spill

Reflection Paper on Gulf Oil Spill This presentation had a deep impact on me because I had been living in Gulf Breeze, Florida at the time of the spill. Gulf Breeze is located 15 miles West of Pensacola and the reefs and beaches were severely impacted by it. Not only did the spill impact the environment but also the tourism which that city needed to thrive; in turn businesses closed and restaurants plundered. When I looked outside my bedroom window at the ocean, instead of seeing the bright blue colored ocean waves, I instead looked out at green murky foam covered waves and algae blooms.The sand got covered in black oil and impacted the sea birds that used the splashing waves to gather small fish and organisms. So, when I listened to this presentation, I could relate to what the presenter was saying because I had witnessed firsthand how badly this affected the environment, but at the time I did not realize how it affected the reefs. What I found interesting about the presentation was the before and after pictures.He had mentioned that the scientists used autonomous underwater vehicles that took high resolution map images of reefs that were 400-500 meters underwater (beforehand didn’t even realize some reefs were there). These images were used to help scientists take data on finding new coral sites and witness the affects the oil spill had on them. He mentioned at first they didn’t think the corals were being affected because pictures showed that the corals looked the same as they did last year.At this time scientists were more concerned with marine animals and shorelines than the reefs. At second look even the corals looked fine, and scientists took lots of samples to see if the oil had reached the sites. A sediment trap was used to research the corals and the research showed that plankton filled the cups and that oil had made its way to the coral sites but that it had not affected them. What I learned was that, oil coming out of a well was 100*C, this was entering water that was 4*C at high pressure.This oil formed a fine deep water plume of mist and most of this mist settled at 12 meter depths. When scientists took a third look at the coral reefs they realized that this black mist had affected them. When corals are stressed, they realize mucus, and this proved they were dying. Progression of damage was watched by the scientists by taking photos and videos over time. Months showed how parts of some of the corals got better while others lost tissue, had damage to their polyps, some fell off when touched and others were full of oil.The presenter also mentioned that in order to see how much damage they went to many different coral sites to witness the damage. In conclusion, they found that the farther away from the oil spill they got the better the coral reefs were. He also concluded that hydroids were forming on the corals which will sting and kill the coral by pollination, and also that the brittle star that was shown in a p icture had moved overtime, when they never move at all.I really liked this presentation because it influenced me to want to help in whatever way I can to restore and help these important marine environments. Corals are 400+ years old, the damage to them is irreversible, and there is no way that we can replace them. People have to realize that this is a major problem and the protection of these precious sites needs to be enacted. I am not sure just how to do this, but just by making suggestions and learning as much as we can is a stepping stone to a bigger impact.

Chapter 1 Summary of Three Cups of Tea

â€Å"Failure† â€Å"Failure,† chapter one, in â€Å"Three Cups of Tea,† by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, tells about a man’s compassion and determination through life, and the obstacles that would ultimately lead to his failure. Greg Mortenson was born into a compassionate family that greatly cared for the welfare of others. Being a kind man who loves his family, he maintains a close relationship with his sister, Christa, who suffers from frequent seizures.Mortenson, twelve years her senior, appointed himself her protector. After his sister’s untimely death, Mortenson sets out on an expedition to scale the second highest Summit in the world, and in order to honor his sister’s memory by leaving her necklace at the peak. During his journey to the top, Mortenson without hesitation assists in the exhausting rescue of a fellow mountaineer, Etienne Fine. After the rescue the severe and treacherous conditions had left him weak and unable t o go on.Due to this selfless act Mortenson is forced to give up his dream to reach the top, when he was merely 600 meters away. He goes on to describe his experience as agonizing, his deep wounds from the rescue unbearable, and his painful night of sleeping on jagged uneven rocks alone. He States, â€Å"It was his body that had failed, he decided, not his spirit, and every body had its limits† (16). Mortenson’s restrictions had altered his determination; and though he had failed he had learned a lot about his own mental and physical limits in life.

Horror and despair Essays

Horror and despair Essays Horror and despair Essay Horror and despair Essay By the time we reach chapter 11, the creature has killed Frankensteins brother and condemned his nanny to death by claiming that she committed the murder. At this point we are not inclined to feel sympathy for the creature. After fleeing from the laboratory on the night of his birth, the monster discovers himself cold, unfed, and lonely in the mountains outside Ingolstadt. He describes himself as a poor, helpless, miserable wretch. This quote shows that the creature has taken on Frankensteins name for himself and is recognising himself in the mould that Frankenstein has cast for him. He searches for food and shelter in the woods. Later he finds a cottage and watches and learns form the cottagers about many different aspects of life including how to speak. He hears his own voice for the first time which frightens himself into silence. He clearly feels insecure as well as scared. Mary Shelley is implying that the creature had finally found out why people were so scared of him, and by saying that his voice scared him it suggests that he now knows why people are so mean towards him. The reader is drawn towards sympathy for the creature by the fact that he tries to explain how he feels about being bought into a strange and unknown world where everyone provokes him because he is different. This is portraying prejudice and discrimination against anything or anyone who is different. The language in this chapter helps to create sympathy for the creature as when he states that the clothes he found were insufficient to secure me this creates a sense that even though he is made from adult body parts the create still has to get used to the surroundings just like a new born baby would have to. When the creature first wakes up his reactions are that of a very small child, just learning to walk or use their senses, a strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, felt, heard and smelt at the same time. He describes to Frankenstein that it was a long time before he got uses to his four senses. When he tells Frankenstein about wandering through the woods of Ingolstadt, he describes hunger and thirst as being living objects. This could imply that he still needs to get used to the idea that not all things are living but that some are inanimate. This personification suggests persecution. In my view the creature was not born a horrible monster. I believe that because Frankenstein was so surprised that his creation actually worked, and also cowardly towards him, it gave the creature a sense of not belonging and loneliness. On his first encounter with humans, the creature is given the perspective of the barbarity of man. With every meeting of humans, the creature is tormented and hurt in such a way that it starts to make him fight back and reinforces the initial perspective. I believe this to be the cause of turning the creature into a horrible monster; had his experiences been different he may have turned out to be an entirely different type of being. At the end of the book the monster is thrown into despair when he finally stands over the dead body of Frankenstein, and realises that he has destroyed himself by destroying Frankenstein and all he loved. He is described as howling with despair. In my opinion evil can mean very different things. It could mean a person being morally bad or wrong. I think that because Frankenstein created such a miserable wretch, this could in some instances be classed as malicious, since it was Frankensteins desire to create a thing that he could bring back to life. However I do not believe that Frankenstein intended it to cause harm but maybe knew deep down that it was a possible outcome of his actions. In some ways the creature is hardly different to Frankenstein. In some instances the creature deliberately causes great harm and pain to several members of Frankensteins family including Frankenstein himself. It was after all Frankensteins deliberate actions that created the creature in the first place. It is almost as if it was his alter-ego. Because each narrator tells his own story, I think that it has some impact on the effect that it tries to cast over the readers sympathy. As a reader you find that your sympathy switches from Frankenstein, the creature and even Henry Clerval. The story is told in the first person narrative and this has a powerful effect on the reader. For example, when Frankenstein is describing his work towards his creation, he is consumed with his own ambitions and gives no thoughts to the consequences of his actions. This leads the reader to have little sympathy with him. In some measures the creatures actions are justified because of what he suffered. He was given no opportunity to develop any kind of warmth or love because he did not experience it himself. Everywhere he went he was harmed in someway, whether it was mentally or physically. This is shown when he is describing his experiences to Frankenstein. The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons, I escaped. In conclusion, I felt as a reader, most sympathy with the creature because he was brought into the world with no real sense of right or wrong, just as a child would be. However, he does not have the support of a family and is not shown love and support to enable him to grow in a way that society perceives as right. I think Mary Shelley is warning that meddling with science and things beyond our understanding could have consequences so bad that we cannot even imagine. Mary Shelley had terrible experiences of birth. Her mother died the day after she was born and she gave birth to several stillborn children. I think that the horror of these circumstances led her to express her feelings of grief and despair in the writing of this novel. I also think that there is an element of her blaming herself for these awful events in her own life. Mary Shelley combines these terrible events in her own life with the scientific experiments of the day to produce this tale of horror and despair.

Quotes from Poets About Death

Quotes from Poets About Death Its difficult to know what to say when trying to comfort someone who has suffered the loss of a loved one. But death is part of the human condition, and there is no shortage of literature about death and dying. Sometimes it takes a poet to give us perspective on the meanings of life and death. Here are some famous, and hopefully comforting, quotes about death from poets and writers that would be appropriate when offering condolences. William Shakespeare Quotes About Death And, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of Heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun.- From Romeo and Juliet Loves not Times fool, though rosy lips and cheeksWithin his bending sickles compass come;Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,But bears it out even to the edge of doom.-    From Sonnet 116 Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.- From Julius Caesar To die, to sleepTo sleep: perchance to dream: ay, theres the rubFor in that sleep of death what dreams may comeWhen we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause: theres the respectThat makes calamity of so long life. - From Hamlet Quotes About Death from Other Poets Be near me when my light is low... And all the wheels of being slow. -   Ã‚   Alfred Lord Tennyson Because I could not stop for death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves and immortality.-    Emily Dickinson Death comes to all. But great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold. -    George Fabricius Death gives us sleep, eternal youth, and immortality.-   Jean Paul Richter Death is a commingling of eternity with time; in the death of a good man, eternity is seen looking through time.-   Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.-   Antoine de Saint Éxupà ©ry Do not stand at my grave and weep.I am not there; I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow.I am the diamond glints on snow.I am the sunlight on ripened grain.I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the mornings hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry;I am not there; I did not die.- Mary Elizabeth Frye Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night.-   Edna St. Vincent Millay Though lovers are lost, love shall not. And death shall have no dominion.  - Dylan Thomas

Management 4330 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management 4330 - Research Paper Example This strengthens my confidence to put the best in my work as well as offering encouragement to improve my skills. I rank among the top as compared to other students who undertook this exercise. Being in the first quartile did not surprise me as I am aware of my positive abilities affecting my work and those around me. My capability of organizing people according to their skills is on the higher side. I know how to assign roles to different people according to how well they can perform them. Identifying the areas they are competent in as well as their strengths and weaknesses. This is among my strong points that make a competent manager. Secondly, is that I am able to generate multiple solutions for solving a problem rather than depending on just one way of tackling a problem. I take time to go through the best solutions for a problem after studying it rather than just offering one temporary solutions that will only be short term. However, the above data shows areas that I need to improve on. I take this positively as this is a way of improving myself in how I work and relate with other people. I use too many positive comments even where negative comments are of essence. This is can be an encouragement for some people might to take advantage of the situation and present substandard work because they know they will not get negative comments (Lussier 60). I should tell it like it is and give negative comments where necessary. This will make people work hard and present quality work as nobody wants to look like a failure in his or her job. Another area I need to improve on according to this survey is encouraging people to develop their strengths rather than just overcoming weaknesses. This way people will be independent in the decisions they make, and also improve on the quality of their skills. Compared to other associates, my skills of good

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 20

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Learning and development strategies are developed to provide continuous improvements to the company and its people. The learning and development process of the company allows the company to build the core competencies and this in turn helps the company keep up the competitive advantage and the flexibility. Hence it is crucial to note that the learning and development strategies of companies are very important aspects and need to be well designed and executed (P.Dwarakanath & M.Mala, n.d). The main features of the effective learning and development strategies mainly include the following. Firstly, effective learning and development strategies are well planned and designed based on the strategic goals of the company. The main reason the employees are trained within an organization is mainly to meet the goals and objectives of the company and to contribute to the growth of the company. Hence the learning and development strategies of the company are also mainly focused on the strategies of the business and focuses on the ways that the business can yield results (Silverman & Casazza, 1999). Hence an effective and efficient training strategy is one which is all rounded and takes into account all the strategies of the company as well as the internal and external environment as well. The second main feature is the Return on investment (ROI). In the modern organizations, a very important element that is always focused on is the return on investment that the company gains from the investment. Hence here in this case, with the learning and development strategies, an effective strategy will be one whose impact can be measured based on the various elements like the productivity, reduction in the defect rates, and many other process related elements (Lawler & King, 2000). The next important element of a successful learning and development plan is the methodology adopted by the company for the training and development needs. This includes various different learning and

Statement of Purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Of Purpose - Personal Statement Example I am an international student from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a large country and areas of science in the country are in the phase of rapid development. It is for this reason that the government has sponsored thousands of students like me to come to the United States and complete their studies in specific fields of science. I would like to utilize this opportunity to its fullest and complete my PhD for bringing about development in the field of Information Systems in Saudi Arabia. I am currently enrolled in the program of Master of Science in Computer and Information Science at the Gannon University, Erie, PA, USA and the expected date of my graduation is December 2014. This master’s program has motivated me to further continue my studies in the same field and gain expertise through the completion of my PhD. The PhD Program would grant me with an opportunity to polish my skills and gain an advanced understanding of my desired field. I have always had an interest in the field of Information Systems. In the year 2010, I completed my graduation in the field of Information Science from my home country at the Al-Baha University and achieved a GPA of 2.8-4. My graduation motivated me to further achieve higher studies in the field and to gain greater exposure and a better learning environment, I moved to the United States. I enrolled at the ELS Language Center at Cincinnati, OH, USA for one year to get a good grip over English Language so that that I would not face any difficulties during my years of education in the United States. Following this, I started my Master’s Degree in Information Systems at the Gannon University in January 2013. Currently, I have successfully completed 24 credits out of 33 and my GPA is 3.75-4 which is reflective of my hard work and focus for outshining in my field. With time, my interest in the field of Information

Training for improving service quality at Honda Essay Example for Free

Training for improving service quality at Honda Essay This case is about Honda American Motor Company which tries to improve quality due to blended learning approach. They split it in three different phase. 1. Phase one: The first phase takes place online. For two to three weeks, learners access a series of online modules that introduce the logical processes for effective problem solving and decision making. Learner progress is essentially self-paced, but since the content is driven from a Web server, the instructor can follow the progress of each learner and provide on-going encouragement and support. During phase one, learners are also asked to identify situations to which they intend to apply the techniques so they can focus on these situations when they attend the workshop. This powerful combination of initial learning and preparation for applying the concepts to real-life issues ensures the following phase will not only be efficient but also build deep understanding and significant motivation to use the ideas on the job after training. 2. Phase two: The second phase takes place at the workshop. Guided by the instructor, learners spend two days deepening their understanding of the concepts, discussing best practices and additional techniques for problem solving and decision making, and practicing on detailed case scenarios. Since skill transfer and results occur most rapidly when starting with the learner’s on-the-job issues, a significant portion of the session is spent working on the problems, decisions and plans identified in phase one. Simultaneously, learners receive coaching and feedback from the instructor and one another. Learners leave the session ready to fully apply the concepts and with a plan in hand to move successfully from the workshop to consistent use of the concepts back on the job. 3. Phase three: The final phase takes place back online. In the three weeks following the session, learners resolve the on-the-job issues they began to work on during the workshop. They document for instructor review, feedback and approval the specific techniques they used to resolve the issues. During phase three, learners have access to a host of online support tools and information. They can contact the instructor with questions at any time. The goal of this phase is to ensure use of the learned concepts and build  confidence. Advantages of Honda’s blended learning approach Quality of individual output is improved. Employees have the same way of thinking and working - Makes it easier to work with manager and all the co-workers. Deep understanding and strong motivation from the employees Personalized support Reduce their time away from the job Take advantages of expanding technology capabilities and infrastructure Assure tangible transfer of skills Format which best support the overall emphasis on growth and quality Questions After the presentation of our case some questions have been asked by the students of the class. We have discussed about them and tried to bring some explanations. There were different kinds of questions. The first kind was about the learning model itself. The main questions were the followings: 1. How can you measure the quality improvements? Overall and in figures? 2. Is the learning time too short? 3. Can you find in the library some video clips? 4. Is it not to theoretical this learning system? For the first one we think that it is really difficult to measure in term of figure this kind of program. Indeed it is not a small part of Honda’s employees that are training but the whole company. In addition it is not a program for the short term but for the long term. The global quality of Hondo production will increase due to the learning program that means that the customers will be more satisfy. In the long run they will come back to the company to buy their next car. It will take years to quantify the real impact on the turnover. However it is possible to conduct some survey to the customer to know if they think that the quality has improved. The company  can also check if the time to make a car decrease or if there are less failure with the production. For the second one we do not think that the learning time is too short. 6 weeks is enough for this time of training. Moreover it is not because you have done it one time that you cannot do it anymore in the future. With a short training you can be focused on the main point and do not lose time on secondary information that the employee will never use. For the third one we do not know if it is already available on the intranet of Honda. But it can be a really good idea if it does not exist yet. People prefer to watch somebody explaining something (and see how it is working) than only read it in a book. The last one if one of the most important question for this kind of program where you mix theoretical and manual learning. Where is the border between too much of one or the other? At the first view it seems that two days of practice is not enough. However when the employee start is manual formation he has already learned lots of information. So the trainer will not lose lots of time to explain easy and obvious things but can be directly focus on the main important information that the trainee must learn. The second kind of question was more about the employees and their interaction with the learning program. The following questions have been asked to us: 1. How can you motivate the employees, with which kinds of incentives? 2. What about the learners who are not ready after phase 2? 3. What are the interactions among the employees? By participating into an important process in order to improve the quality of their company, the worker feels involved and useful. Indeed, its not sufficient for the most part. Regarding to the low wages that the workers can perceived, a money incentive can be a real motivation to make them want to learn. Moreover, they can motivate them by establishing in the company policy, a rule that explain that if the worker is efficient and provides good work quickly, he can whether be promoted or get bonus in the end of each month. The answer of the second question is quite simple. Indeed, the instructors  can easily evaluate the learners by watching him doing the job. If the learner applies the method perfectly, the instructor will give him the permission to go to the next phase. Otherwise, according to his level of difficulties, the instructor will send him either in the first phase or remake the second phase. Employees interact each other every time (within the company, lunch breaks), but also on the intranet through forums or instant messages. Thus, they can talk easily about working problems, or for instance, share tips and solutions about technical problems. Every single solution is directly saved into the database. Lot of communication channels allows workers to interact easily each other. How does Honda doing compare to its competitors? First of all it is a really complex process to compare sales and figures with quality management. As we learned during the lecture there is no guaranteed effect between sales of products, Stock price progress and quality. Therefore it is even challenging for Managers to analyze the effects of quality improvements. In ours point of view there is one obvious point how to compare it. The annual recalls of Cars. Toyota US 2013 (Toyota US, 2014 Reuters, 2014) Cars Sold: 182’152 Cars Recall â€Å"Nearly 19 million vehicles globally from late 2009 to early 2011 due to unintended acceleration claims.† Honda US 2013 (IBT, 2014 Reuters, 2014) Cars Sold: 135’255 Cars Recall â€Å"Between 2008 and 2011, Honda was forced to recall about 2.8 million vehicles after finding a defect with driver-side airbags supplied by Takata.†  « Honda (2.8 million), Hyundai-Kia (2.2 million) and Ford Motor Co. (1.2 million) rounded out the top five in terms of vehicles recalled in 2013.  » Conclusion To conclude, this system of training in three phases has many advantages. It permits to all employees to feel involved in it because it is not only a theoretical learning system, to have a personalized support and a control at each phase permit to really evaluate their progression. Furthermore this system of training allows them to reduce their time away from their job. We have analysed some questions about this system such as the measurement of the quality improvement because we can’t really quantify the real impact on the turnover now. The project is on the long term and it will take some few years to measure the satisfaction of the customer, if they will buy another car of this brand or not. The other questions were about employees and their interaction with the program. The money is not the only motivation for employees; they are also motivated by the self-satisfaction (increase their knowledge, promotion, or belong to a company of quality). This program permits the skills transfer also, to discuss of problems on the intranet (forums) Despite some â€Å"issues† such as measuring the efficiency right now of this system or the non-guarantee of effect between sales of product, stock price progress and quality; Honda is the company with the lowest annual recalls of cars. Bibliography IBT http://www.ibtimes.com/here-are-december-2013-big-eight-us-auto-sales-numbers-gm-ford-chrysler-toyota-honda-nissan-1525492, 16.04.2014 Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/11/us-toyota-recall-idUSBRE93A04D20130411, 16.04.2014 Toyota US http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/tms+march+2014+sales+chart.htm, 16.04.2014

Intellectuar Property Rights in China :: Laws Technology Piracy Essays

Intellectuar Property Rights in China In recent years, the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in China has received enormous international attention. Over the past several decades, China has work slowly but steadily toward better intellectual property rights (IPR) protection. China has strengthened its legal framework and amended its IPR laws numerous times to extend the scope of protection. Currently, China IPR laws are well in line with the global IPR standards. For the rest of this paper, I would give a brief history of IPR laws, Chinafs efforts toward enforcing its IPR laws, the ethical analysis of piracy, and the solution to help reduce piracy. Software Piracy According to Business Software Alliance, about 94% of all the software currently used in China is illegally copy. This represent a three percent increased from 1991.1 Software piracy is flourishing in countries such as China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. Software piracy rate is escalated; thus robbing the global marketplace of hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in wages and tax revenue. It is estimated that piracy had caused about $11.8 billion losses worldwide.2 In addition, software piracy may become a barrier to innovation and product development around the world because piracy decreases the incentives and motivations for companies to research and develop new products. History of Chinafs IPR laws Since 1978, China has gradually improved its efforts toward protecting the IPR laws. Part of the improvement in IPR protection is due to the tremendous amount of pressure that the United States and other developing companies put on the Chinese government forcing it to comply with the global IPR standards. China has joined many international IPR conventions/organizations such as World Intellectual Property Organization, Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property, and Universal Copyright Convention.3 By joining these conventions/organizations, China hopes to learn more about IPR laws, and thus able to incorporate them into its own IPR laws. Between 1980-1995, China has also passed patent, copyright, trademark laws, and computer software regulations, and unfair competition law. Some of these laws have been amended several times to extend the scope of protection. Recently, China successfully entered into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Its entry into the WTO s howed that China is seriously committed to the protection of IPR because now China needs to strengthen its legal framework and amended its IPR laws to comply with the WTO Agreement on Traded-Related Aspect of Intellectual

Of Gods and Men

Gods and Men Of Gods and Men tells the story of nine Therapist monks, seven of which, are tortured and executed by Islamic fundamentalists. They had received several threats from these fundamentalists. They were not sure of whether or not to leave their monastery, but ultimately decided on staying. Due to this decision, their monastery was invaded and they were held hostage by the Islamic fundamentalists. They were eventually executed. These monks were real Christians, Sectarians and I liked their community. These monks are the definition of model Christians.They devoted their whole lives to God and prayer. They spent every waking moment with the Lord. They live under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Every single thing they do Is for God, and that requires a great amount of dedication. Monks truly exemplify model Christians. The monks In Of Gods and Men are Sectarians. This meaner they are Therapist monks. I could never be a nun or Sectarian monk. It requires way too muc h dedication and I love my Reilly 2 freedom. I could not Imagine a life of solitude without my family or friends. I definitely would not be able to live that way. I really like the monk community.They do not bother anyone and It sounds like they are genuinely great people. They are perfectly harmless to the world. Monks choose to live their peaceful lives on their own, separate from everyone else. They have chosen to live their life the way they do and do not force upon anyone their beliefs or opinions. I very much approve and like the monk community. Of Gods and Men gave me great Insight on Therapist monks. It also made me aware of all the horrible situations going on around the world, much like what happened In the movie. I enjoyed watching the movie. It was very heart-felt and well done.It was en of the best movies we have watched all year. By milkmaid the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Every single thing they do is for God, The monks in Of Gods and Men are Sectarians. This meaner they are Therapist freedom. I could not imagine a life of solitude without my family or friends. I I really like the monk community. They do not bother anyone and it sounds like beliefs or opinions. I very much approve and like the monk community. Of Gods and Men gave me great insight on Therapist monks. It also made me aware of all the horrible situations going on around the world, much like what happened in

Deviance: Nature vs. Nurture Essay

Every society has developed their own rules and principles, and every society contains those who break away from these norms and expectations. These people are called deviants. All societies throughout history have had these deviants who refuse to follow the rules set up by the community in which they live. Deviance is necessary, to some degree, for societies to advance. Without deviance, human culture would stagnate. The causes of deviance, like many other topics, is up for debate. Some say people are genetically determined to either be deviant or not, some say deviance is caused by the environment in which they grow up: nature, or nurture. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many families were studied in order to possibly find a connection between heredity and criminality or â€Å"feeble-mindedness† (feeble-mindedness was a term used in this time period that could mean a number of things: various forms of mental retardation, learning disabilities, and mental i llness). The two most well- known studies were of the Jukes and the Kallikak families. The Jukes were first studied in 1874 when a sociologist named Richard L. Dugdale studied the records of 13 prisons in New York. After researching a number of convicts’ genealogies, he found that there was a man, whom he gave the name Max, born somewhere between 1720 and 1740 who was the ancestor of 76 convicted criminals, 18 brothel owners, 120 prostitutes, over 200 people on welfare, and 2 cases of feeble-mindedness. In 1912, another study was published on the Jukes, this time by a man named Arthur H. Estabrook, who claimed Dugdale’s study hadn’t been thorough enough. Estabrook added more than 2,000 additional people into the group of subjects included under the pseudonym â€Å"Jukes,† raising the total to 2,820. The Kallikak family was first studied in the same year as the last study on the Jukes was published. Henry H. Goddard was an American psychologist who ran the New Jersey Home for the Education and Care of Feebleminded Children (now known as Vinel and Training School). In 1912, he began to study the genealogy of a woman in his facility, who he gave the pseudonym â€Å"Deborah Kallikak.† Goddard found that the woman’s great-great-great grandfather, Martin Kallikak, a Revolutionary War hero, at one point had an illegitimate child with a feeble-minded barmaid. This child, a son, had children of his own, who had their own children, and continued on through the generations. These descendants all wound up poor, insane, criminal, or mentally retarded. However, after further research into Martin Kallikak’s family tree, Goddard found that his other descendants, those not related to the feeble-minded barmaid, were completely different. These children grew up to be intelligent, prosperous, upright citizens; they went into careers like doctors, lawyers, and ministers. According to Dugdale, Estabrook, and Goddard, there is a very clear link between genetics and the behavior in which a person participates within their lifetime. These studies , however, are 100 years old. Some people would argue that unless more modern research is devoted to genetic-based deviance, that we cannot consider these studies valid today. There has been a significant amount of study given to genetically caused deviance, in particular to the MAOA gene. In a few different studies the low-expression variant of this gene, known as MAOA-L, has been linked to an increased risk of violence and aggressive behavior. The MAOA gene controls the production of monoamine oxidase A, an enzyme that lowers the body’s use of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. When the MAOA-L gene is present in a person, their body will use more of these neurotransmitters than normal, this can lead to sleep disorders, excessively impulsive or violent behaviors, and extreme mood swings. A 2006 study, headed by Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, found that people with the MAOA-L gene were more likely to have a smaller limbic system. The limbic system includes the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior thalami c nuclei, and the limbic cortex. These parts of the brain help to control emotion, behavior, and long-term memory. The study also found that the amygdala became hyper responsive when the participants with the MAOA-L gene were given a task such as copying a facial expression. The amygdala is a part of what controls emotional processing in the brain; the researchers hypothesized that this group would be less likely to inhibit strong emotional impulses. Studies such as these can give great support to the nature side of the deviance debate. On the nurture side of the argument, numerous studies on the effects of a divorce or broken home on a child have led to some convincing statistics. Children of divorced parents are about two times more likely to drop out of high school than those whose parents continued to be together. Females who grew up in a family where the parents divorced are roughly twice as likely to become teenage mothers than those living with non-divorced, biological parents. Seventy percent of long- term convicted criminals were raised in a broken home. While 75% of juvenile criminals who are considered a threat to the public also came from a divorced family. A perfect example of deviance being a result of environment and not genetics is a man named Richard Ramirez. Ramirez was born in 1960 and was the youngest of six children; he and his siblings all grew up surrounded by the same home environment. The difference for Richard being that around ten years old, his cousin, Mike, became a role model after returning from the war in Vietnam and receiving numerous awards and medals. However, Mike was not a positive influence on Ramirez; he showed Richard pictures of women in Vietnam whom he raped, and then showed him pictures of the same women after they had been brutally murdered. Mike taught Richard how to hunt effectively, and eventually introduced him to drugs and theft. What many consider the final trigger for Ramirez, about 11 years old at the time, was when he witnessed Mike kill his wife. In 1983 Richard Ramirez moved to the Los Angeles, California area; soon after, in June of 1984, Ramirez claimed his first victim. â€Å"The Night Stalker,† as he was eventually labeled, continued on a string of murders, rapes, and mutilations until he was incarcerated in August of 1985. Ramirez was convicted of 13 murders, 5 attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries. He is currently on death row.

A Delocalized Electron Defined in Chemistry

A Delocalized Electron Defined in Chemistry A delocalized electron is an electron in an  atom, ion or molecule not associated with any single atom or a single covalent bond. In a ring structure, delocalized electrons are indicated by drawing a circle rather than single and double bonds. This means the electrons are equally likely to be anywhere along the chemical bond.Delocalized electrons contribute to the conductivity of the atom, ion, or molecule. Materials with many delocalized electrons tend to be highly conductive. Delocalized Electron Examples In a benzene molecule, for example, the electrical forces on the electrons are uniform across the molecule. The delocalization produces what is called a resonance structure. Delocalized electrons are also commonly seen in solid metals, where they form a sea of electrons that are free to move throughout the material. This is why metals are typically excellent electrical conductors. In the crystal structure of a diamond, the four outer electrons of each carbon atom participate in covalent bonding (are localized). Contrast this with bonding in graphite, another form of pure carbon. In graphite, only three of the four outer electrons are covalently bonded to other carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has a delocalized electron that participates in chemical bonding  but is free to move throughout the plane of the molecule. While the electrons are delocalized, graphite is a planar shape, so the molecule conducts electricity along the plane, but not perpendicular to it.

The environmental factors that effect turnip peroxidase Essays

The environmental factors that effect turnip peroxidase Essays The environmental factors that effect turnip peroxidase Paper The environmental factors that effect turnip peroxidase Paper The changing of pH, substrate concentrations, temperature, and an inhibitor (Niacin) and the effects it hade on the enzyme turnip peroxides. Enzymes are biological catalysts which increase reaction rates by lowering the activation energies of substrates. A substrate is a reactant that interacts with the enzyme. The enzyme and substrate can be viewed as the recently discovered induced fit model, which suggests enzymes are flexible and dynamic things that change their shape so all these substrates (reactants) can become catcalled when the activation energy is lowered and the reactions happen a lot faster. Sometimes in cells though it may not need a particular substrate (reactant) so an inhibitor comes into play. Inhibitors are basically regulators that inhibit (disallow) the process of catalysis to take place within a particular substrate. There are two types of inhibitors that occur in such reactions. Competitive inhibitors are remarkably similar to the substrate, so much that it can match interchangeably with the substrate, thus leading to a halt in the production of the intended product. Another variety of inhibitor is the electric inhibitors. Electric inhibitors change the shape of the enzyme by binding to a different site other the active site, which is the usual site for catalysis. Usually the electric inhibitors make contact with the side of the enzyme opposite the active site. In some occasions however an electric activator is introduced and functions by connecting to the enzyme in a way that it allows for easy access for a substrate to the active site. Electric activators are the opposite of electric inhibitors. These regulators (both inhibitive and active in function) help keep the cell in homeostasis by not allowing too much or too little of a added or not needed product to be produced.. Enzyme activity is also regulated by cofactors which are either metal ions (e. G. Zen+, MGM+) or small organic molecules (e. G. Commence A, AND, NADIA, and many vitamins in our diet like iron). Cofactors main is to work together with enzymes to enhance the catalytic activity and by stabilizing the transition state. The transition state is the second of three steps of catalytic action of an enzyme. The transition state and termination state are important in regards to cofactors because the cofactors allow interactions between the enzyme and substrate lowering the activation energy required. The goal of the following paper is to inform you the reader on how environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, salt (an electrolyte), and how substrate concentration itself effects the rate of reaction and properties of turnip peroxides. If optimal rates of reaction can be determined for each parameter, perhaps a farmer can grow his turnips more effective and efficiently rather than if he didnt know that surrounding temperature, pH, cofactors, and inhibitors can effect the outcome of how much crop yielded. Turnip peroxides may be insignificant to us because its just a part of a urn but we must realize that the following experiments can and do affect us just as much if not more than these lifeless turnips. Inside our bodies right now things are being catcalled and pH. Enrapture, the amount of a particular substrate, and the presence of electrolytes (or absence of) can effect how we function from day to day. For instance if you over eat if you over eat, your body can only release so many digestive enzymes to break down this food (which can be seen as the substrate) so rate of reaction doesnt increase because their isnt enough digestive enzymes to digest this ridiculous amount of food. Thus an increase a digestive enzym es can catalyst more food leading to higher rate of reaction and less of a tummy ache. So the wise choice would be to eat small portions of food (substrate) so the digestive enzymes can breakdown evenly the food and produce energy for the body rather than wasting energy to breakdown the large amount of food. Thus the common hypothesis is that an increase in substrate concentration will effect peroxides activity. The null hypothesis is that the concentration of substrate will no effect on activity. PH is derived from the French puissant d hydrogen, or power of hydrogen . (biological science). The pH scale is a scale that indicates whether a substance is acidic or basic. The scale ranges from pH zero (acidic) to pH 14(basic). An example of an acidic product is lemon juice and milk of magnesia would be a base. Products are considered acidic because they give up protons during chemical reactions while basic receive protons. (Biological science). Neutral 7 is the point of reference. An example of a neutral solution would be rain water. Knowing the natural pH of turnip peroxides would be interesting to see whether its acidic or basic and to see what affect the two actors (acidic or basic) have on rate of reaction. The following information led the group to believe that the effect of pH activity will increase or decrease the natural pH of turnip peroxides and effect activity. The null hypothesis is that pH will have no effect on peroxides activity. The effect of temperature on an enzyme depends on the plant. Some plants can exist and grow hot climate like the desert and others can grow in cold climates respectively. Plants are said to be incapable of adjusting to internal temperature so it must be flexible to allow growth to occur when the Enrapture outside is optimal. To figure out optimal temperature for turnip peroxides could lead to better methods of choosing climates for the harvest of these turnips. An important term to know when it comes to temperature and the protein property of the peroxides is the term denatured. Denomination OCCUrs when an enzyme (with protein properties) is misfiled and rendered inactive. High temperatures usually lead to denominations because the increase in temperature essentially cooks the protein in the peroxides. Thus the increase in temperature will either increase peroxides activity of hinder it. The null hypothesis would that temperature will not effect activity. Salt is an electrolyte. Meaning the salt molecules (Niacin) will dissolve completely in water and individual and opposite charges will be a byproduct. Thus the amino acid property of peroxides can be affected by the An+ and CLC- ions. Denomination can occur is exposed to a high concentration of salt. Knowing the natural salt content of the turnip peroxides and adding more or less quantities can tell us when the peroxides becomes highly active and eventually denatured. The concentration of salt effects peroxides activity. The null hypothesis is that it doesnt. The equipment needed to test the parameters of the enzyme activity include a spectrophotometer set at Mann, civets, pipettes with pipettes , pipette tips, paraffin squares, blender, Kim wipes. To get the spectrophotometer ready to read our reaction, we need to first set the wavelength to Mann. Then set front left knob to 0%(no light). Insert the reference blank (with water) then set to 100%(no light block). Hen finally you can insert the sample tube into the chamber and red absorbent from the lower scale and the front of the spectrophotometer. Note: be sure to use Kim wipes on civets to prevent fingerprints that could throw off data). Regents or chemicals needed include hydrogen peroxide (1 percent H2O from 3% stock solution), turnip peroxides, glacial, pH buffers, and NCAA. To obtain turnip peroxides the lab instructor blended g of turnip into mm of water then filtered through a pa filter. T o obtain the correct amount of substrate (h2o) and NCAA, the CIVIC ;c.v. equation was necessary. C equals concentration and v equals volume in the equation. To test the effect the effect of pH on reaction rate we prepared 4 sets of action mixtures that contained glacial, h2o, peroxides. And 4 civets containing P HAS 2, 5, 7, and 10. (Note: mix peroxides last because the reaction happens immediately). The cavetti with h2o and glacial are mixed and added to a blank. The pH 2 is then poured in the blank as well. Then finally the peroxides is added. With paraffin covered over the cavetti the mix is inverted a couple of time to mix. The solution will turn brown due to the loss of hydrogen of glacial. Immediately after mixture insert the civets into already set spectrophotometer. Once set begin recording absences (start at zero) every 15 seconds until three minutes have elapsed-after reading values for three minutes discard the mixture appropriately in the waste beaker and clean civets. Now you can test PHS 5,7, 10. To test the effect of substrate concentration on peroxides activity different concentrations of substrate, peroxides glacial and h2o (the substrate) are needed. The procedures of adding chemicals (different amounts for h2o) and peroxides apply. Begin recording absorbency (start at zero) every 15 seconds until three minutes have elapsed. After reading values for three minutes discard the mixture appropriately in the waste beaker and clean civets. Unknown can test PHS 5,7,10. To test the effect of temperature the same amounts of peroxides, glacial, h2o, are used instead of using different pHs we used just pH 7. To regulate temperatures we used water/ice baths a 71 degrees Celsius. All solutions but the indicator (glacial) need to be at the temperatures. When ready the tubes sitting in the baths can be mixed (1 cavetti with h2o and pH 7 buffer, glacial, and finally peroxides) and set in the spectrophotometer. Begin recording absorbency (start at zero) every 1 5 seconds until three minutes have elapsed. After reading values for three minutes discard the mixture appropriately in the waste beaker and clean civets To test the effects of NCAA activity simply get 1 ml solutions of and 2 percent concentrations of 5% stock solution using call=c.v.. Follow same instructions as done for the temperature experiment and remember to mix the enzyme last so you get accurate results. Begin recording absorbency (start at zero) every 15 seconds until three minutes have elapsed. After eating values for three minutes discard the mixture appropriately in the waste beaker and clean civets. Figure 1 . Graph of absorbency of tubes in which salt was added to the assays that already contained a pH buffer (2. 1 ml), h2o (. 2 ml), turnip peroxides(l ml) and ecological(. Ml). Discussion PH had the lowest absorbent and had pH 10 had the highest. Thus peroxides is more prone to being a base. In the varying concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide on peroxides activity showed 2% to be the least active while 1% had the highest rate of reaction. This shows that an increase of the OIC Hahn results in a decrease of inactivity due to denomination. In the affect of temperature on enzyme activity as temperature went up so did the reaction but at the expense of denaturing of the peroxides. For the NCAA effect on peroxides activity showed increase for absorbent for all percentages and at 3% of . 1 ml of salt had the greatest absorbent. This shows that an increase or decrease of 3 hundredths of a ml of NCAA solution is going to denature the turnip peroxides. The hypothesis of each parameter was approved and the null was mulled. NCAA concentration indeed have an effect on the peroxides activity based on the graphs. The temperature did effect whether protein became denatured or not. The higher the pH the more activity occurred in peroxides and showed pH to be optimal for turnip peroxides. The increase of substrate effected the peroxides activity by denaturing the toxic h2o. Some problems were encountered in all the parameters of experimentation. The time between the the transfer of the assays to the spectrophotometeraffects the absorbencys. This could be easily solved by having the assay right by the spectrophotometer to make sure the sample gets in before the enzyme reacts.

Laos Facts, History, and More

Laos Facts, History, and More Capital: Vientiane, 853,000 population Major cities: Savannakhet, 120,000; Pakse, 80,000; Luang Phrabang, 50,000; Thakhek, 35,000 Government Laos has a single-party communist government, in which the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) is the only legal political party. An eleven-member Politburo and a 61-member Central Committee make all laws and policies for the country. Since 1992, these policies have been rubber-stamped by an elected National Assembly, now boasting 132 members, all belonging to the LPRP. The head of state in Laos is the General Secretary and President, Choummaly Sayasone. Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong is the head of government. Population The Republic of Laos has approximately 6.5 million citizens, who are often divided according to altitude into lowland, Midland, and upland Laotians. The largest ethnic group is the Lao, who live mainly in the lowlands and makeup approximately 60% of the population. Other important groups include the Khmou, at 11%; the Hmong, at 8%; and more than 100 smaller ethnic groups that total about 20% of the population and comprise the so-called highland or mountain tribes. Ethnic Vietnamese also make up two percent. Languages Lao is the official language of Laos. It is a tonal language from the Tai language group that also includes Thai and the Shan language of Burma. Other local languages include Khmu, Hmong, Vietnamese and over 100 more. Major foreign languages in use are French, the colonial language, and English. Religion The predominant religion in Laos is Theravada Buddhism, which accounts for 67% of the population. About 30% also practice animism, in some cases alongside Buddhism. There are small populations of Christians (1.5%), Bahai and Muslims. Officially, of course, communist Laos is an atheistic state. Geography Laos has a total area of 236,800 square kilometers (91,429 square miles). It is the only land-locked country in Southeast Asia. Laos borders on Thailand to the southwest, Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Cambodia to the south, and Vietnam to the east. The modern western border is marked by the Mekong River, the regions major arterial river. There are two major plains in Laos, the Plain of Jars and the Plain of Vientiane. Otherwise, the country is mountainous, with only about four percent being arable land. The highest point in Laos is Phou Bia, at 2,819 meters (9,249 feet). The lowest point is the Mekong River at 70 meters (230 feet). Climate The climate of Laos is tropical and monsoonal. It has a rainy season from May to November, and a dry season from November to April. During the rains, an average of 1714 mm (67.5 inches) of precipitation falls. The average temperature is 26.5 °C (80 °F). Average temperatures over the year range from 34 °C (93 °F) in April to 17 °C (63 °F) in January. Economy Although the economy of Laos has grown at a healthy six to seven percent annually almost every year since 1986  when the communist government loosened central economic control and allowed private enterprise. Nonetheless, more than 75% of the workforce is employed in agriculture, despite the fact that only 4% of the land is arable. While the unemployment rate is only 2.5%, approximately 26% of the population live below the poverty line. Laoss primary export items are raw materials rather than manufactured goods: wood, coffee, tin, copper, and gold. The currency of Laos is the kip. As of July 2012, the exchange rate was $1 US 7,979 kip. History of Laos The early history of Laos is not well-recorded. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans inhabited what is now Laos at least 46,000 years ago, and that complex agricultural society existed there by about 4,000 BCE. Around 1,500 BCE, bronze-producing cultures developed, with complicated funeral customs including the use of burial jars such as those on the Plain of Jars. By 700 BCE, people in what is now Laos were manufacturing iron tools  and had cultural and trade contacts with the Chinese and Indians. In the fourth to eighth centuries CE, people on the banks of the Mekong River organized themselves into Muang, walled cities or petty kingdoms. The Muang were ruled by leaders who paid tribute to more powerful states around them. Populations included the Mon people of the Dvaravati kingdom and proto-Khmer peoples, as well as forebears of the mountain tribes. During this period, animism and Hinduism slowly mixed or gave way to Theravada Buddhism. The 1200s CE saw the arrival of ethnic Tai people, who developed small tribal states centered on semi-divine kings. In 1354, the kingdom of Lan Xang united the area that is now Laos, ruling until 1707, when the kingdom split into three. The successor states were Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak, all of which were tributaries of Siam. Vientiane also paid tribute to Vietnam.   In 1763, the Burmese invaded Laos, also conquering Ayutthaya (in Siam). A Siamese army under Taksin routed the Burmese in 1778, placing what is now Laos under more direct Siamese control. However, Annam (Vietnam) took power over Laos in 1795, holding it as a vassal until 1828. Laoss two powerful neighbors ended up fighting the Siamese-Vietnamese War of 1831-34 over control of the country. By 1850, the local rulers in Laos had to pay tribute to Siam, China, and Vietnam, although Siam exerted the most influence.   This complicated web of tributary relationships did not suit the French, who were accustomed to the European Westphalian system of nation-states with fixed borders. Having already seized control of Vietnam, the French next wanted to take Siam. As a preliminary step, they used Laoss tributary status with Vietnam as a pretext to seize Laos in 1890, with the intent of continuing on to Bangkok. However, the British wanted to preserve Siam as a buffer between French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) and the British colony of Burma (Myanmar).  Siam remained independent, while Laos fell under French imperialism. The French Protectorate of Laos lasted from its formal establishment in 1893 to 1950, when it was granted independence in name but not in fact by France. True independence came in 1954  when France withdrew after its humiliating defeat by the Vietnamese at Dien Bien Phu. Throughout the colonial era, France more or less neglected Laos, focusing on the more accessible colonies of Vietnam and Cambodia instead. At the Geneva Conference of 1954, the representatives of the Laotian government and of Laoss communist army, the Pathet Lao, acted more as observers than participants. As a sort of afterthought, Laos has designated a neutral country with a multi-party coalition government including Pathet Lao members. The Pathet Lao was supposed to disband as a military organization, but it refused to do so.  Just as troubling, the United States refused to ratify the Geneva Convention, afraid that communist governments in Southeast Asia would prove to correct the Domino Theory of spreading communism. Between independence and 1975, Laos was embroiled in a civil war that overlapped with the Vietnam War (American War). The famous Ho Chi Minh Trail, a vital supply line for the North Vietnamese, ran through Laos.  As the US war effort in Vietnam faltered and failed, the Pathet Lao gained an advantage over its non-communist foes in Laos. It gained control of the entire country in August  1975. Since then, Laos has been a communist nation with close ties to neighboring Vietnam and, to a lesser degree, China.