Knights and Samurais essays

Knights and Samurais essays Many people often see little similarity between the country of Japan and Europe. However, there are actually several similarities between these two countries. In fact, Reischauer and Jansen note that Feudal Japan had departed so far from East Asian norms that it was more similar to medieval Europe than it was to China. Thus, the knight of Europe and the samurai of Japan despite a lack of contact with one another shared several common elements. This was a result of many similarities social and cultural influences experienced by the two distant countries. Japan has a history that dates back thousands of years. Researchers believe the Japanese people descended from many groups that migrated to the islands from other parts of Asia, including China and Korea. As early as 4500 B.C., the Japanese islands were inhabited by fishermen, hunters and farmers. The early culture was known as "Jomon," named after the "cord pattern" pottery crafted by the people at the time. Major Japanese cultural changes occurred about 200 B.C. The people were known as "Yayoi." The Yayoi were mostly farmers. It is believed that the present-day Japanese closely resemble the Yayoi in appearance and language. Ancient Yayoi warriors developed weapons, armor and a code during the ensuing centuries that became the centerpiece for the Japanese samurai. War played a central part in the history of Japan. Warring clans controlled much of the country. A chief headed each clan; made up of related families. The chiefs were the ancestors of Japan's imperial family. The wars were usually about land useful for the production of rice. In fact, only 20% of the land was fit for farming. The struggle for control of that land eventually gave rise to the Samurai. One of the important dates in the history of the Japanese warring class is 660 B.C. That's when, according to legend, Emperor Jimmu became head of a confederation of warlike clans. Emperor Jimmu was known as "The Divin...

A Study Guide for Act 3 of Hamlet

A Study Guide for Act 3 of 'Hamlet' If youve never read Shakespeare, reading Hamlet, the bards longest play, may be a daunting task, but this breakdown of all the scenes in Act 3 can help. Use this study guide to familiarize yourself with the themes and plot points of this pivotal part of the tragedy. Doing so can help you know what to look for as you read Hamlet in class or on your own at home.  If youve already read  the drama, use the guide to review any developments that you need to better understand or overlooked the first time around. If youre preparing to take a test or write a paper about Hamlet, be mindful of what your teacher has said about the play in class. Highlight any theme or plot development you think you can use to support a thesis statement or expound upon in a persuasive essay. Act 3, Scene 1 Polonius and Claudius arrange to secretly watch a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia. When they meet, Hamlet denies any affection for her which further confuses Polonius and Claudius. They decide that either Gertrude can get to the root of Hamlet’s â€Å"madness† or he will be sent to England. Act 3, Scene 2 Hamlet directs the actors in a play to depict his father’s murder, as he hopes to study Claudius’ reaction to this. Claudius and Gertrude leave during the performance. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern inform Hamlet that Gertrude wants to speak to him. Act 3, Scene 3 Polonius arranges to secretly listen to the conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude. When alone, Claudius speaks of his conscience and guilt. Hamlet enters from behind and draws his sword to kill Claudius but decides that it would be wrong to kill a man while praying. Act 3, Scene 4 Hamlet is about to  reveal Claudius’ villainy to Gertrude when he hears someone behind the curtain. Hamlet thinks it is Claudius and thrusts his sword through the arras – he has killed Polonius. Hamlet reveals all and speaks to the ghost. Gertrude, who cannot see the apparition, is now convinced of Hamlet’s madness. Wrapping Up Now that youve read the guide, review the plot points. What did you learn about the characters? What are Hamlets intentions? Did his plan for Claudius work? What does Gertrude now think of Hamlet? Is she right or wrong to have these views? Why does Hamlets relationship with Ophelia appear to be so complicated? As you answer these questions and inevitably think of your own, jot them down. This will help you remember how the scenes of Act 3 unfolded and help you categorize the information in a way that may make it easier for you to come up with an outline for an essay or similar assignment on Hamlet. Take the same approach with the other acts in the play, and you will have organized the plot developments into a very handy study guide.

Hobbes and Locke - Philosophy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hobbes and Locke - Philosophy Paper - Essay Example The "nature of state" is that this desire can only be kept under control by the supreme power of the sovereign. In Chapter X Hobbes describes that "the nature of state" cannot be applied to all situation of human behavior. Although Hobbes thought "the nature of state" could be limited in time or scope, when people authorize a sovereign to order, they make him their unlimited representative. Whatever the sovereign does is authorized and binds them; consequently every effective government represents. Thomas Hobbes described life in a state of nature as "solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short." (Hobbes), but certainty could be created artificially, if men agreed not to exercise their rights in the cases where it was uncontentiously obvious that they were already under attack, and to hand over the power of defending themselves to a sovereign, who would make the appropriate judgment about difficult cases. Hobbes sees people naturally impelled into the war of all against all. Each will be an enemy to all the rest, not because people are 'sinful' by nature - Hobbes insists that people are not - but because people are both timid and competitive. Fear impels people to strike down their competitors before they can strike humans. (2) Hobbes sees the emergence of "civil society" as a dramatic improvement, because it brings law and authority to people. "Civil society" is contrasted with paternal authority and the state of nature. These changes afforded comfort and decency to civilized and intelligent persons, and a law-abiding political order comprised a satisfactory and progressive state of human affairs. Government was necessary because people were often too short-sighted to realize that their interests were best served by adhering to the rules of justice. It arose less by deliberate decision than through people coming to see that it was to their advantage to support any authority that enforced the rules effectively. The limitation of "civil society" is inability to keep humans genuinely moral. Under morals Hobbes, meant: "mankind that concern their living together in peace and unity" (Hobbes, Chapter XI). It shows the people necessity for strong power, and the lengths at which a person will go to save his life. (3) In the "Letter Concerning Toleration", Lock's principle argument is the claim that religious belief, because it requires consistencies assent, cannot be subjected to effective external coercion; also, the contention that the proper function of the state was to maintain public order and security and that therefore religious toleration was justified only when necessary to achieve that end. Lock created a concept of a "church-society" explaining that all people are born free, but, on the other hand, they starts to share religious believes and values. The move from the state of nature to political society is seen as a response to problems of covetousness, conflict, and ethical uncertainty caused by the development of money and the growth of inequality. Though Locke presents a gradualist account of the actual development of political institutions, the process is described abstractly in terms of state-church relations.

Write the difintion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write the difintion - Essay Example It involves a close participation of diverse stakeholders who works as a team, hence simplification of the complex task. The team may encompass teachers, students, specialists from different subjects and syllabus coordinators. The team contributes to improvement of technical expertise and know how to achieve the curriculum goals and objectives. Primarily, it is a coherent and sustainable method of curriculum development. Formative evaluation takes place during the delivery of a certain course content. Teachers carry out a formative evaluation in order to determine how much students know and be able to modify the instructional methods. Formative evaluation highlights the aspects that need emphasis, as well as the weaknesses and the strengths of students. Furthermore, the curriculum formative evaluation does monitor and evaluate the deficiencies present in any current curriculum for the sake of future improvement. Summative evaluation occurs at the end of a course. Teachers use summative assessment in determining whether the course objectives have been achieved. They focus on the learning outcomes exhibited by students. Summative evaluation may be in the form of the final project or end of semester exams. The approach is also useful in curriculum development, via use of questionnaires, testing or observations to test the usefulness of the

Plato on reality and the soul Essay Example for Free

Plato on reality and the soul Essay Socrates believed that the soul is pure and the body is corrupted, where wisdom is accounted for the soul and needs, thus the materialistic and carnal desires are to the body. Plato’s Phaedo discussed in the world of forms. Any entity or object has a quality or feature or multiple properties. And these properties are prior conditioned to the soul. Plato’s metaphysics can be drawn primarily from the influence of his teachers Paramenides, Heraclitus, and of course Socrates. First, the concept from Parmenides’ belief that there could be only one being, and this is a never changing entity. It has a static quality. This is where Plato derived his concept of the world of forms. It is a different concept in the material world wherein it is an always changing world. Change can be accounted as the only thing common and the only thing consistent as Heraclitus described the notion of â€Å"flux†. Academicians account that most of Plato’s thinking was influenced by Socrates. Socrates however was not at all articulate in conveying a Metaphysical or Epistemological discussion; rather, he conveyed more ethical notions. For Socrates, The idea is for one to take care of the soul so one can be happy, or attain the truth. This is especially true and evident in the Phaedo where Plato accounts the last hours before Socrates separated his soul from the body. Plato’s Metaphysics can be analyzed as a completion of that of Socrates’. The notion of the world of forms or the world of ideas is an eternal and immovable form. In contrast to this world is Chaos or the world of objects which receives the form. For example, an artist created a vase; the material form of this object is only a receiver or only partakes into the idea of the vase. The object is thus not a perfect representation of the real idea of the vase. The two worlds are joined together which infuses the soul and makes possible to Heraclitus’ idea of the visible world. The world of forms can be stated as perfect and the world of objects as an approximation of it. This meant that men strive to achieve it but fall short of achieving such perfection because the body is corrupted. Forms are independent and the world of objects is dependent to forms because they seek to compare to the perfect image. But because the senses are blurred they can never be perfect. It is also evident this pattern of ideas based on Socrates. Plato points out that a man seeks for the truth and in this speculative journey makes a man better and in turn achieve good. Another evident notion of this is in discussing perfect equality. When you look at perfect equality, you notice that it is not perfectly equal. There and then we can suppose that the idea of this equality had been existent to the soul prior to the unison of it with the body. This intensifies the ideas that the soul existed before the body. However, once the soul was united with the body, the soul’s knowledge of ideas falls into the subconscious. During sleep, man reminisces and recognizes the world of Ideas and thus there is realization. The soul from the moment it unites with the body recognizes an irrational soul that is derived from the corruption of the material world, dissatisfaction and the seeking of pleasure. This soul is situated in the heart. The soul that comes from the world of Forms is situated in the head, on top of the irrational soul, controlling its impulses and conditions the body to live within the confines of reason. Plato in his writings in the Republic described that the end result of an individual in the Good. In his society (or the republic), he stated that this is the final goal of everyone and it is not just a reward. A just man, one of Plato’s virtues, is rewarded not only in this lifetime but until one is reincarnated. This eminent idea that the soul preexisted before the body in the world of forms and its separation of the soul to reach the world of forms represents how the soul is immortal. For Plato, there is a division between the world of forms and the world of objects. In his analogy of the sun, he contrasted the two as those that are merely visible and those of intellectual value. He further explains this through the analogy of the line. Plato described four forms of knowledge. One is of the idea of pure images, dreams and imaginations. In account to the concept of the soul, as discussed earlier, the soul in the preexistence of the body originally comes from the world of Forms. Once the soul infuses with the body, all its knowledge of the world of forms becomes part of the subconscious. Through dreams and the imagination, which is a process of the head, the seat of the rational soul, it recounts and reminisces the truths in the world of forms. The next is the perception of sensible objects that gives attribute and judgment to visible materials. We imply that a certain item has such an attribute but it can change in another similar form. Another one is of mathematical knowledge which is not a perfect knowledge and one of philosophical knowledge that explains more the ideas as eternal and absolute realities. The four types of knowledge can be condensed into two more specific forms. The first two can be accounted as opinions for the things in which we perceive through sensing may look like such in one way and different in another. Another one is called understanding, in which the realities of these objects can or cannot be. It is a more logical, scientific knowledge. The idea of the soul reaching the world of forms is from an inferior to a superior level and its main goal is to reach that state where happiness exists. In the world of objects, there is always dissatisfaction. He further illustrates his ideas through the cave. He stated that the world the secludes us is an illusion to what is the truth, once we step out of the cave we get blinded by the light but as we refocus and look not into the reflections and shadows, but the real perfect forms,we see the truth and the real objects. This process of release from the cave to the outside world represents enlightenment, which in the case of Socrates’ beliefs is the separation of the soul to the body, to attain the truth. In Phaedo, Socrates sums up these arguments and philosophical intertwines by pursuing death himself. According to Socrates, the only way for one to attain the truth from all the imitations and corruptions of the material world is through death. One should never be afraid of something that would give enlightenment. Man should even welcome it when the time arrives. The world of objects prohibits a man to philosophize, thus he has a hard time attaining this virtue of justice and good. There are various distractions that hinder man to the truth. Death for Socrates is the liberation of the soul. Death is also not merely a separation of the soul and body. It is a process and an end state that progresses to achieve the truth. Dissatisfactions, pleasures, emotions inhibit the call of reason and wisdom thus inhibiting philosophy. This separation is an ultimate embrace to the truth until the time comes when the soul unites with a body as an incarnate. Plato ultimately bridges the connection between the soul and the world of forms. As is reiterated, the ultimate goal of man is good, happiness and wisdom. These ideas or forms are not of existence in the world of objects. The world of objects, are perceived representations of man through various forms of knowledge, (of opinions and of logical knowledge). The objects man builds are imitations, thus they are not perfect. Man has a perception of what is perfect because the rational soul is of prior existence in the world of forms. The world of objects cannot be perfect and man cannot be happy because the human body is predisposed to various entanglements with pleasures, emotions, diseases, and imperfections. Philosophers are to accept death for it liberates man from the soul. The soul has its ultimate goal in essence is to go back to the world of forms. In that way he would be able to attain good.

Norman Schwarzkopf :: essays research papers

Norman Schwarzkopf Norman Schwarzkopf and I are alike in many ways. He and I both have family in Germany. His father lives in Germany and my great grandparents live in Germany. He served in Vietnam and so did my grandfather. Norman and I also have many differences. His family has a popular military background and my family does not. He lived his whole life through the military and I am not going to do that. Norman also followed in his father’s footsteps that I am also not going to do. Now you see how many ways Norman and I are alike and different. Norman has accomplished many tasks in his lifetime, which I have not gotten a chance to yet. Norman Schwarzkopf got an education at West Point Military School and at Valley Forge Military Academy in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Valley Forge is a historic place known for its forces in the American Revolution. Almost all of Norman's family joined the military. His dad was in the military all of his life just as Norman was. The Schwarzkopfs are very well known in the military. Norman Schwarzkopf made many life choices in his military career. First, he chose to join the military following his father’s footsteps. Second, he chose to go to Valley Forge because the school he was attending, West Point, only taught students up to the tenth grade. One of his most important choices was in Vietnam. One of his fellow soldiers was shot and he carried him to safety when Norman already had four gun shot wounds in him. He was awarded three silver stars and controlled the air, ground, and water forces. I think anyone interested in joining the military, is currently in the military, or is just interested in these kinds of books, should read this biography by Libby Hughes. Others should think that Norman is a hero and that he should be widely known.

Positive relationships with children Essay

Develop positive relationships with children, young people and others involved in their care. 1.1 Explain why positive relationships with children and young people are important and how these are built and maintained. It is essential to build positive relationships with children and young people, as the quality of our relationships with children and young people will make a substantial difference to their behaviour, achievement and overall wellbeing. There are various different ways to encourage children to have positive relationships with practitioners and other professionals as well as other children. Positive relationships are built on trust, for young people trust means knowing someone believes in you and they feel they can confide in you in many different situations. 1.3 Evaluate own effectiveness in building relationships with children and young people. I would consider myself to be effective at building relationships with children and young people. I do this by: * Being a positive role model * Being consistent * Showing genuine interest * Valuing each individual efforts * By acknowledging and talking about feelings * Striving to build positive self esteem * Provide a safe place when things get too much * Having a positive attitude * Providing a positive atmosphere * Being approachable at all times * communicating effectively * sharing information but maintaining confidentiality with other staff * having positive eye contact * acknowledging negative and positive emotions * sharing positive strategies that have helped with other practitoners * acknowledging positive behaviour * maintaining confidentiality * matching resources /lesson to meet each childs needs * providing a friendly, secure environment * respecting all individual needs To maintain a positive relationship with children and young people, you have to show young people you are approachable. Communication skills are therefore influential. Showing children and young people positive behaviour is also vital as positive behaviour encourages young people to have positive attitudes, which include manners and respect. This means that practitioners must be consistent in their moods and behaviour so reactions are predicable. Showing children you are a good listener and you understand in all situations helps with their confidence, giving them praise and encouragement encourages children to be positive. Valuing each Childs achievement helps them to feel they can experiment, fail and not be criticised. This helps with children and young people’s self esteem. Children and young people who feel valued are more likely to have higher self esteem and it is clear ‘from research Weinberg (1978), that children who have high self esteem are more likely to fulfil their potential.’ Children and young people who have good relationships may find they can talk more openly. Further more children who feel someone believes in them are more likely to try harder. 2.1 Explain why positive relationships with people involved in the care of children and young people are important. It is crucial as the practitioner to build and maintain a strong positive relationship with children’s parents/carers. ‘As good relationships also benefit the quality of interaction between the setting and parents/carers.’ Where relationships are strong parents/carers are more likely to share information, make comments and take interest in what their Childs progressing at and support what areas of improvement maybe needed. This benefits children and young people enormously and helps practitioners to meet their Childs needs. Young people look at their parent’s reactions in order to decide whether or not to be apprehensive. Positive interaction (smiles, laughter) helps children settle in and feel relaxed. For staff and helpers positive relationships in settings mean that they can enjoy their work. Good relationships between staff are extremely important as during times of stress or difficulties other practitioners can share and support one another. Children and young people become aware of the atmosphere and relationships between working staff and model their own behaviour on the way in which you treat each other. Always respect others options. Everybody benefits from having positive relationships with others. Good positive relationships with parents/carers , colleagues and children are enormously important in early years settings as they benefit everybody especially children and young people .This is because positive relationships create a welcoming, confidential and secure atmosphere. Which helps with all round child development.

Manual Inventory System Essay

Manual Inventory System involves all concerns within its transactions, on how the staff would be able to maintain the current status of their inventory, whether adding, deleting, and ordering a stock, the manual process consumes too much time for the staff and rigid time to process a transaction every year, the demand for the computer based systems for the businesses just keeps on growing. Companies have improved their old system for ease of work in accessing files and organizing records. Converting their old system into a much efficient computerized system, this will have a great effect on the grocery; this also helps ease the work to the staff maintaining the inventory. This contains the proposed inventory system for the store. It contains diagrams, data flows and flowcharts that describe on how the system flows. The proposed system utilizes the best way to organize the database type of system and to improve the services of the people involve. 1 Manually carry the products in each store , but if you use the computer and the other can be used to facilitate the bringing of products will improve the workers who are making it but still no use, so the difficulty manual workers because they do it, but persistent level for its workers and also requirements of shops and companies. A point of sale inventory management system allows a business owner to have more than one business location and adequately keep track of inventory at each without being present. No more worries about employee theft or pricing inconsistency between one location and another. 2In order not to sink the sale of products and requirements are also always looking at each along with your wither to be rising in the sale without having to fooling. Well not to worry, the boss of the company of the product taken. The way in which an organization manages its inventory levels has a significant impact on that organization’s profitability. If an organization is unable to anticipate product demand they could find themselves with inadequate product to meet customers’ needs or in a different regard too much product that remains unsold in the warehouse. 3 Should not keep the  product in a warehouse to be wasted and should also always much makes it to facilitate the sale. This barcode is also added to the documentation used during manufacturing and when a component has been identified as necessary, assembly line workers or assembler can scan the part number or numbers that they need and the parts will be ordering for delivery the next day from the supply warehouse. 4 To know also if not level for the product and should be will disposed. Selecting business software for inventory control must be intensely analyzed. Any manufacturer, distributor, warehouse or retail operation knows that controlling inventory and inventory levels can make or break your operation. Selecting the right business software for your inventory control system will enable you to successfully manage and control your inventory levels and costs. The foundation of this is your inventory database. 5 Because I need to correct sells products to sink and not yet settled to the manufacture of products and a successful business. Customers are ordering from the store every other day , the store personnel distribute drinks nearly 60-80 stores within the said area. The store sold approximately 90-100 cases of beverages in normal days and as far as possible the day they sold nearly two hundred cases of beverages while on off peak days they only sell eighty cases. At the end of the day, the shop keeper checks their stocks of how many drinks will be available for delivery on the next day anyway. The shop keeper also checks the cash on hand with receipts released today that they provided made their courier delivery to their customers in their area. They will verify if the cash in hand is equal from all receipts issued for the entire day. 6 I need no unclaimed money from the products in the unified confidentiality. Automated inventory is a system of keeping track of inventory on a perpetual basis. This type of inventory control ensures items are accounted for and that inflow and outflow status is updated on a continual basis. Automated inventory may be implemented through things like vending machines or with inventory management companies. Based on controlling costs, automated inventory systems track each item or product used in production or retail sales through an inventory software system. When the minimum quantity of an item is reached, an order can be placed immediately and automatically to  restock that item. This process takes into account the time needed for an order to be placed and for the company to receive and restock the item. An inventory system of this type can ensure enough products are available for sale so that customers do not go elsewhere to buy it.

Reasons to Learn French

Reasons to Learn French There are all kinds of reasons to learn a foreign language in general and French in particular. Lets start with the general. Why Learn a Foreign Language? Communication An obvious reason to learn a new language is to be able to communicate with the people who speak it. This includes both the people you meet when traveling as well as people in your community. Your trip to another country will be greatly enhanced in both ease of communication and friendliness if you speak the language. Speaking anothers language shows respect for that culture, and people in every country prefer it when tourists make an effort to speak the local language, even if all you can say in it is hello and please. Also, learning another language can also help you to communicate with local immigrant populations at home. Cultural Understanding Speaking a new language helps you to get to know other people and their culture, as language and culture go hand in hand. Because language simultaneously defines and is defined by the world around us, learning another language opens ones mind to new ideas and new ways of looking at the world. For example, the fact that many languages have more than one translation of you indicates that these languages (and the cultures that speak them) place a greater emphasis on distinguishing between audiences than does English. French distinguishes between tu (familiar) and vous (formal/plural), while Spanish has five words that indicate one of four categories: familiar/singular (tà º or vos, depending on the country), familiar/plural (vosotros), formal/singular (Ud) and formal/plural (Uds). Meanwhile, Arabic distinguishes between nta (masculine singular), nti (feminine singular), and ntuma (plural). In contrast, English uses you for masculine, feminine, familiar, formal, singular, and plural. The fact that these languages have such different ways of looking at you indicates cultural differences between the people who speak them: French and Spanish focus on familiarity vs. formality, while Arabic emphasizes gender. This is just one example of many of the linguistic and cultural differences between languages. Also, when you speak another language, you can enjoy literature, film, and music in the original language. It is extremely difficult for a translation to be a perfect replica of the original; the best way to understand what the author meant is to read what the author wrote. Business and Careers Speaking more than one language is a skill which will increase your marketability. Schools and employers tend to prefer candidates who speak one or more foreign languages. Even though English is widely spoken in much of the world, the fact is that the global economy depends on communication. When dealing with France, for example, someone who speaks French will have an obvious advantage over someone who doesnt. Language Enhancement Learning another language can help you to understand your own. Many languages have contributed to the development of English, so learning those will teach you where words and even grammatical structures are from, and augment your vocabulary to boot. Also, in learning how another language differs from your own, you will increase your understanding of your language. For many people, language is innate- we know how to say something, but we dont necessarily know why we say it that way. Learning another language can change that.Each subsequent language you study will be, in some respects, a little easier, because youve already learned how to learn another language. Plus, if the languages are related, such as French and Spanish, German and Dutch, or Arabic and Hebrew, some of what youve already learned will apply to the new language as well, making the new language that much easier. Test Scores As years of foreign language study increase, math and verbal SAT scores increase. Children who study a foreign language often have higher standardized test scores in math, reading, and language arts. Foreign language study can help to increase problem-solving skills, memory, and self-discipline. Why Learn French? If you are a native English speaker, one of the best reasons to learn French is to help you understand your language. Although English is a Germanic language, French has had an enormous impact on it. French is the largest donor of foreign words in English. Unless your English vocabulary is much higher than average,  learning French  will greatly increase the number of English words you know. French is spoken as a native language in more than two dozen countries on five continents. Depending on your sources, French is either the 11th or the 13th most common native language in the world, with 72 to 79 million native speakers and another 190 million secondary speakers. French is the second most commonly taught second language in the world (after English), making it a real possibility that speaking French will come in handy practically anywhere you travel. French in Business In 2003, the United States was Frances leading investor, accounting for 25% of the new jobs created in France from foreign investment. There are 2,400 US companies in France generating 240,000 jobs. American companies with offices in France include IBM, Microsoft, Mattel, Dow Chemical, SaraLee, Ford, Coca-Cola, ATT, Motorola, Johnson  Ã‚  Johnson, Ford, and  Hewlett Packard. France is the second leading investor in the United States: more than 3,000 French companies have subsidiaries in the US and generate some 700,000 jobs, including Mack Trucks, Zenith, RCA-Thomson, Bic, and Dannon. French in the United States French is the 3rd most frequently spoken  non-English  language in US homes and the second most commonly taught foreign language in the United States (after Spanish). French in the World French is an official working language in dozens of  international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, and the International Red Cross. French is the lingua franca of culture, including art, cuisine, dance, and fashion. France has won more Nobel Prizes for literature than any other country in the world and is one of the top producers of international films. French is the second most frequently used language on the internet. French is ranked as the 2nd most influential language in the world. Oh, and one other thing- Spanish is  not  easier than French! Sources Admissions Testing Program of the College Board. France in the U.S.  Franco-American Business Ties Rock Solid,  News from France  vol 04.06, May 19, 2004. Rhodes, N. C., Branaman, L. E. Foreign language instruction in the United States: A national survey of elementary and secondary schools. Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems, 1999. Summer Institute for Linguistics Ethnologue Survey, 1999. United States Census, Ten Languages Most Frequently Spoken at Home Other than English and Spanish: 2000, figure 3. Weber, George. The Worlds 10 Most Influential Languages, Language Today, Vol. 2, Dec 1997.

History of the Sewing Machine

History of the Sewing Machine Hand sewing is an art form that is over 20,000 years old. The first sewing needles were made of bones or animal horns, and the first thread was made of animal sinew. Iron needles were invented in the 14th century. The first eyed needles appeared in the 15th century. Birth of Mechanical Sewing The first possible patent connected to mechanical sewing was a 1755 British patent issued to German, Charles Weisenthal. Weisenthal was issued a patent for a needle that was designed for a machine. However, the patent did not describe the rest of the machine. It is unknown whether a machine existed. Several Inventors Attempt to Improve Sewing The English inventor and cabinet maker, Thomas Saint was issued the first patent for a complete machine for sewing in 1790. It is not known if Saint built a working prototype of his invention. The patent describes an awl that punched a hole in leather and passed a needle through the hole. A later reproduction of Saints invention based on his patent drawings did not work. In 1810, German, Balthasar Krems invented the automatic machine for sewing caps. Krems did not patent his invention, and it never functioned well. Austrian tailor, Josef Madersperger made several attempts at inventing the machine for sewing and was issued a patent in 1814. All of his efforts were considered unsuccessful. In 1804, a French patent was granted to Thomas Stone and James Henderson for a machine that emulated hand sewing. That same year a patent was granted to Scott John Duncan for an embroidery machine with multiple needles. Both inventions failed and were soon forgotten by the public. In 1818, the first American sewing machine was invented by John Adams Doge and John Knowles. Their machine failed to sew any useful amount of fabric before malfunctioning. The First Functional Machine That Caused a Riot The first functional sewing machine was invented by the French tailor, Barthelemy Thimonnier, in 1830. Thimonniers machine used only one thread and a hooked needle that made the same chain stitch used with embroidery. The inventor was almost killed by an enraged group of French tailors who burnt down his garment factory because they feared unemployment as a result of his sewing machine invention. Walter Hunt andElias Howe In 1834, Walter Hunt built Americas first (somewhat) successful sewing machine. He later lost interest in patenting because he believed his invention would cause unemployment. (Hunts machine could only sew straight steams.) Hunt never patented and in 1846, the first American patent was issued to Elias Howe for a process that used thread from two different sources. Elias Howes machine had a needle with an eye at the point. The needle was pushed through the cloth and created a loop on the other side; a shuttle on a track then slipped the second thread through the loop, creating what is called the lockstitch. However, Elias Howe later encountered problems defending his patent and marketing his invention. For the next nine years, Elias Howe struggled, first to enlist interest in his machine, then to protect his patent from imitators. His lockstitch mechanism was adopted by others who were developing innovations of their own. Isaac Singer invented the up-and-down motion mechanism, and Allen Wilson developed a rotary hook shuttle. Isaac Singer vs. Elias Howe Sewing machines did not go into mass production until the 1850s when Isaac Singer built the first commercially successful machine. Singer built the first sewing machine where the needle moved up and down rather than the side-to-side, and a foot treadle powered the needle. Previous machines were all hand-cranked. However, Isaac Singers machine used the same lockstitch that Howe had patented. Elias Howe sued Isaac Singer for patent infringement and won in 1854. Walter Hunts sewing machine also used a lockstitch with two spools of thread and an eye-pointed needle; however, the courts upheld Howes patent since Hunt had abandoned his patent. If Hunt had patented his invention, Elias Howe would have lost his case, and Isaac Singer would have won. Since he lost, Isaac Singer had to pay Elias Howe patent royalties. Note: In 1844, Englishmen John Fisher received a patent for a lace-making machine that was identical enough to the machines made by Howe and Singer that if Fishers patent had not been lost in the patent office, John Fisher would also have been part of the patent battle. After successfully defending his right to a share in the profits of his invention, Elias Howe saw his annual income jump from three hundred to more than two hundred thousand dollars a year. Between 1854 and 1867, Howe earned close to two million dollars from his invention. During the Civil War, he donated a portion of his wealth to equip an infantry regiment for the Union Army and served in the regiment as a private. Isaac Singer vs. Elias Hunt The 1834 eye-pointed needle sewing machine of  Walter Hunt  was later re-invented by  Elias Howe  of Spencer, Massachusetts and patented by him in 1846. Each sewing machine (Walter Hunts and Elias Howes) had a curved eye-pointed needle that passed the thread through the fabric in an arc motion; and on the other side of the fabric a loop was created; and a second thread was carried by shuttle running back and forth on a track passed through the loop creating a lockstitch. Elias Howes design was copied by Isaac Singer and others, leading to extensive patent litigation. However, a court battle in the 1850s conclusively gave Elias Howe the patent rights to the eye-pointed needle. Elias Howe brought the court case against Isaac Merritt Singer, the largest manufacturer of sewing machines for patent infringement. In his defense, Isaac Singer attempted to invalidate Howes patent, to show that the invention was already some 20 years old and that Howe should not have been able to claim the royalties from anyone using his designs that Singer had been forced to pay. Since Walter Hunt had abandoned his sewing machine and had not filed for a patent, Elias Howes patent was upheld by a court decision in 1854. Isaac Singers machine was also somewhat different from Howes. Its needle moved up and down, rather than sideways, and it was powered by a treadle rather than a hand crank. However, it used the same lockstitch process and a similar needle. Elias Howe died in 1867, the year his patent expired. Other Historic Moments in the History of the Sewing Machine On June 2, 1857, James Gibbs patented the first chain-stitch single-thread sewing machine. Helen Augusta Blanchard of Portland, Maine (1840-1922) patented the first zig-zag stitch machine in 1873. The zig-zag stitch better seals the edges of a seam, making a garment sturdier. Helen Blanchard also patented 28 other inventions including the hat-sewing machine, surgical needles, and other improvements to sewing machines. The first mechanical sewing machines were used in garment factory production lines. It was not until 1889 that a sewing machine for use in the home was designed and marketed. By 1905, the electrically-powered sewing machine was in wide use.

T P Leadership Questionnaire Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

T P Leadership Questionnaire - Assignment Example Bearing this in mind, it can be seen that the job tasks are structured in such a way that is geared towards the attainment of higher productivity for the organization. The main advantage of the autocratic leadership style that is characteristic to this scenario is that productivity in the organization is set to increase and this in turn leads to increased revenue. This ensures the viability and sustainability of the organization in the long run. This would be good for the organization but it must also be remembered that the workers form the backbone of the organization. All the production that takes place in the company is dependent on the efforts of the employees. Given that the employees play a pivotal role in the organization, it can be observed that they also have needs and interests which need to be fulfilled. The leaders have a role to ensure that these needs and interests are fulfilled for the betterment of the organization as well as the welfare of the employees. As indicated by the T-P leadership Questionnaire results, it can be seen that morale for the employees is medium and this may not be a healthy situation in the long run. Leaders who use the autocratic style of leadership often encounter challenges with regards to implementing change in their organizations since they may feel alienated by virtue of the fact that their interests are not prioritized. It is widely believed that for change to occur in organizations, the leaders must get others to change and they themselves must also change (Jackson & Schuler, 2000). However, it is quite difficult for autocratic leaders to easily adopt change since they want to maintain the status-q uo. The other problem of autocratic leadership style is that low morale among the employees can lead to staff turnover. This generally refers to the rate at which people leave the