Richard Leakey Essays - Transitional Fossils, Hominini,

Richard Leakey Richard Leakey was born December 19, 1944 in Nairobi, Kenya. His parents were the esteemed anthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey. Richard first became a tour guide in Kenya, but changed his mind when he found an extinct human jaw. He then schooled himself by completing a two-year secondary education program in six months. From 1967-77 he and his co-workers dug up around 400 fossils, that accounted for 230 individuals. The most important discovery was an almost complete skull found in 1977, which Richard believe to be a new species called Homo habilis. Richard Leakey's accomplishments are discovering the crania of Australopithecus boisei in 1969 with the archaeologist Glynn Isaac on the East shores of Lake Turkana, Homo habilis in 1972, and Homo erectus in1975. He was appointed administrative director in 1968 of the National Museum of Kenya, and in director 1974. Since 1989 he has been director of the Wildlife and Conservation Management Service, Kenya. His publications include Origins in 1977 and The Making of Mankind in 1981, both with Roger Lewin. Australopithecus africanus inhabited the earth roughly 3 - 1.6 million years ago. The characteristic difference between the Ausrtalopithicus afarenis and africanus is the height and brain capacity. The height of the africanus is 1.4 m and the brain capacity is approximately 400 - 600 cc. Smaller incisor teeth and a slightly flatter face are also noted. The afarensis has a height of 1.2 m and a cranial capacity of 380 - 450 cc. Sticks, and stones were most likely used to gather food by the Australopithecus africanus. Homo habilis (also known as "handy man") is theorized to have lived with Australopithecus africanus. Homo habilis was known as "handy man" because he used primative stone tools. The flat face and large molars of the Homo habilis resemble the Australopithecus lineage. The brain size of the Homo habilis is about 700 cc which is larger than the Australopithecus). The "apelike" body structure with long arms and a small body was a characteristic of the Homo habilis. Recent discoveries, such as from Lake Turkana, of better-preserved fossils have revealed new insights on early Homo in the Plio-Pleistocene. Of this new habilis material, the most amazing is a nearly complete cranium discovered in 1972 at East Lake Turakana. This individual, with a cranial capacity if 775 cm3, is clearly outside the known range for Australopithecines and it overlaps the lower boundary for Homo. Also, the shape of the skull vault and face are unlike that of Australopithec- ines. Bibliography Lewin, Roger. Human Evolution: An Illustrated Introduction: Second Edition. London: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1989. Lambert, David. The Cambridge Guide to Prehistoric Man. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987. Jurmain, Robert/ Nelson, Harry/ Kilgore, Lynn. Essentials of Physical Anthropology: Second Edition. San Francisco: West Publishing Company, 1995. Howell, Clark. LIFE Nature Library Early Man. Canada: Time Inc., 1971. http://citd.scar.utoronto.ca/ANTD15/Shan/gloss.html

buy custom Bank Project essay

buy custom Bank Project essay In order for a bank to achieve its online operations, it has to have the right employees. These employees will help to successfully create a database and to implement the banks strategies in organizing, maintaining and developing the existing websites. Some of the key personnel in building an online database for a financial institution are, for example, a project manager, business analyst, designer, developer, tester and infrastructure support. According to Russell, (2011) the role of a project manager in building an online database for a bank is implementing the functionality associated with building the online database. He/she prioritizes and aligns the concept of building the banks online database with the banks strategies. In the concept of building an online database for a bank, a business analyst will be responsible for bridging technical stakeholders and business stakeholders of the bank. In addition, he/ she structures and formalizes the requirements for th bank project. Moreover, he/she enhances the creation of SAS reporting programs for marketing campaigns and maintenance of mainframe performance reports (Paul 2006). The designer of the online database controls the appearance of the database. This is by website coding and markup languages or the various soft wares for designing the database (Robbins, 2006). This is also by enabling the multi browser help and accessibility help to meet specific needs. He or she prevents copyright and privacy problems. The developer converts information on paper into an electronic format. He/she supports existing infrastructure and develops new ones as instructed by the bank command to enable rapid and real time information sharing (Lazar, 2001). The tester thoroughly tests the database after it has been built to ensure that it is safe, obtainable and useful. This is achieved by putting in place measures that are willing to cope with a large traffic of users (Hope Walther, 2008). Jacobsen (2004)) asserts that infrastructure support monitors critical applications. This is by identifying a database problem, if any, and resolving it to ensure prevention of future, related problems. They watch memory utilization of the database and complex issues (Anderson, 1999). The people who are affected by the negative or positive outcomes of this bank project in either a positive or negative approach include the county manager, the clients of the bank and the shareholders. The county manager is a stakeholder because the database quickly and indirectly affects the operations of the county department he or she is managing. The database helps in expanding the customer base and in building loyalty by customizing customer needs (Ian, 2010). It enables remote accessibility of personal accounts by the clients. This makes it easier for clients to track payments, pay bills and to see history of payments into their accounts. To the shareholders they can closely follow the trading of the bank in the stock exchange market. Buy custom Bank Project essay

Biography of Christopher Columbus

Biography of Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a Genoese navigator and explorer. In the late 15th century, Columbus believed that it would be possible to reach the lucrative markets of eastern Asia by heading west, instead of the traditional route which went east around Africa. He convinced Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain to support him, and he set off in August of 1492. The rest is history: Columbus discovered the Americas, which had been unknown until then. All in all, Columbus made four different journeys to the New World. Early Life Columbus was born to a middle-class family of weavers in Genoa (now part of Italy) which was a city well-known for explorers. He rarely spoke of his parents. It is believed that he was ashamed to have come from such a mundane background. He left a sister and a brother behind in Italy. His other brothers, Bartholomew and Diego, would accompany him on most of his travels. As a young man he traveled extensively, visiting Africa and the Mediterranean and learning how to sail and navigate. Appearance and Personal Habits Columbus was tall and lean, and had red hair which turned prematurely white. He had a fair complexion and a somewhat reddish face, with blue eyes and a hawkish nose. He spoke Spanish fluently but with an accent which was difficult for people to place. In his personal habits he was extremely religious and somewhat prudish. He rarely swore, attended mass regularly, and often devoted his Sundays entirely to prayer. Later in life, his religiosity would increase. He took to wearing the simple robe of a barefoot friar around court. He was a fervent millenarist, believing that the end of the world was near. Personal Life Columbus married a Portuguese woman, Felipa Moniz Perestrelo, in 1477. She came from a semi-noble family with useful maritime connections. She died giving birth to a son, Diego, in 1479 or 1480. In 1485, while in Cà ³rdoba, he met young Beatriz Enrà ­quez de Trasierra, and they lived together for a time. She bore him an illegitimate son, Fernando. Columbus made many friends during his travels and he corresponded with them frequently. His friends included dukes and other noblemen as well as powerful Italian merchants. These friendships would prove useful during his frequent hardships and bouts of bad luck. A Journey West Columbus may have conceived of the idea of sailing west to reach Asia as early as 1481 due to his correspondence with an Italian scholar, Paolo del Pozzo Toscaneli, who convinced him it was possible. In 1484, Columbus made a pitch to King Joo of Portugal, who turned him down. Columbus proceeded to Spain, where he first proposed such a trip in January of 1486. Ferdinand and Isabella were intrigued, but they were occupied with the reconquest of Granada. They told Columbus to wait. In 1492, Columbus had just about given up (in fact, he was on his way to see the King of France) when they decided to sponsor his trip. First Voyage Columbus’ first voyage began on August 3, 1492. He had been given three ships: the Nià ±a, the Pinta and the flagship Santa Maria. They headed west and on October 12, sailor Rodrigo de Triana spotted land. They first landed on an island Columbus named San Salvador: there is some debate today as to which Caribbean island it was. Columbus and his ships visited several other islands including Cuba and Hispaniola. On December 25, the Santa Maria ran aground and they were forced to abandon her. Thirty-nine men were left behind at the settlement of La Navidad. Columbus returned to Spain in March of 1493. Second Voyage Although in many ways the first voyage was a failure–Columbus lost his biggest ship and did not find the promised route west–the Spanish monarchs were intrigued with his discoveries. They financed a second voyage, whose purpose was to establish a permanent colony. 17 ships and over 1,000 men set sail in October, 1493. When they returned to La Navidad, they discovered that everyone had been killed by irate natives. They founded the city of Santo Domingo with Columbus in charge, but he was forced to return to Spain in March of 1496 to obtain supplies to keep the starving colony alive. Third Voyage Columbus returned to the New World in May of 1498. He sent half of his fleet to resupply Santo Domingo and set off to explore, eventually reaching the north-eastern part of South America. He returned to Hispaniola and resumed his duties as governor, but the people despised him. He and his brothers were bad administrators and kept much of the little wealth generated by the colony for themselves. When the crisis reached a peak, Columbus sent to Spain for help. The crown sent Francisco de Bobadilla as governor: he soon identified Columbus as the problem and sent him and his brothers back to Spain in chains in 1500. Fourth Voyage Already in his fifties, Columbus felt he had one more trip in him. He convinced the Spanish crown to finance one more journey of discovery. Although Columbus had proven a poor governor, there was no doubting his sailing and discovery skills. He left in May of 1502 and arrived to Hispaniola just ahead of a major hurricane. He sent a warning to the 28-ship fleet about to depart for Spain to delay but they ignored him, and 24 of the ships were lost. Columbus explored more of the Caribbean and part of Central America before his ships rotted. He spent a year on Jamaica before being rescued. He returned to Spain in 1504. Legacy of Christopher Columbus Columbus’ legacy can be difficult to sort out. For many years, he was thought to have been the man who â€Å"discovered† America. Modern historians believe that the first Europeans to the New World were Nordic and arrived several hundred years before Columbus to the northern shores of North America. Also, many Native Americans from Alaska to Chile dispute the notion that the Americas needed to be â€Å"discovered† in the first place, as the two continents were home to millions of people and countless cultures in 1492. Columbus’ accomplishments should be considered in conjunction with his failures. The â€Å"discovery† of America would certainly have taken place within 50 years of 1492 had Columbus not ventured west when he did. Advances in navigation and ship construction made contact between the hemispheres inevitable. Columbus’ motives were mostly monetary, with religion a close second. When he failed to find gold or a lucrative trade route, he began collecting slaves: he believed that a trans-Atlantic slave trade would be quite lucrative. Fortunately, the Spanish monarchs outlawed this, but still, many Native American groups correctly remember Columbus as the New World’s first slaver. Columbus’ ventures were often failures. He lost the Santa Marà ­a on his first voyage, his first colony was massacred, he was a terrible governor, he was arrested by his own colonists, and on his fourth and last voyage he managed to strand some 200 men on Jamaica for a year. Perhaps his greatest failure was his inability to see what was right before him: the New World. Columbus never accepted that he had not found Asia, even when the rest of Europe was convinced that the Americas were something previously unknown. Columbus’ legacy was once very bright–he was considered for sainthood at one time–but now he is remembered as much for the bad as the good. Many places still bear his name and Columbus Day is still celebrated, but he is once again a man and not a legend. Sources: Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present.. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Thomas, Hugh. Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan. New York: Random House, 2005.

Different SPI Models of Cloud Computing Case Study - 1

Different SPI Models of Cloud Computing - Case Study Example Cloud computing is actually a colloquial expression that refers to an array of varying types of computing concepts that consist a large number of computers interconnected to each other by means of an actual, simultaneous communication like the Internet (Carroll et al., 2012). Also, cloud computing is a model that is used to allow pervasive, global, and convenient network access to a common collection of configurable computing resources such as networks and servers (Mell & Grance, 2011). Essentially, the objective of cloud computing is to maximize shared resources. This has been carried out by sharing services and resources that are made available on the World Wide Web. How? At the root of cloud computing is a deeper concept of combined infrastructure and shared services. So, why the thought of using clouds as part of the phrase? Cloud computing allows shared services including servers, not actual serves but virtual servers which are interconnected to each other using the internet. These servers do not really exist in actuality; hence, they can be moved around or expanded while the end-user is not being affected at all – similar to a cloud. Cloud computing has different SPI models and each of them has a specific use. But first, let us learn about what SPI means. SPI is an acronym that refers to conventional cloud computing models. SPI stands for the following: S is for Software as a Service (SaaS); P is for Platform as a Service (PaaS), and I is for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). SaaS is specifically intended for the end-users, which are transmitted over the internet. PaaS is a collection of means or instruments meant for coding and setting up applications quickly and efficiently. And lastly, IaaS simply pertains to the hardware and software that make everything work effectively. These include servers, networks, operating systems, etc. (Mell & Grance, 2011). SaaS is normally end-user applications that are being delivered by means of the internet.  There is no need for installation as long as a browser and a connection to the internet are set.  

How do Nike, Adidas and other sports enterprises work with the spread Thesis

How do Nike, Adidas and other sports enterprises work with the spread of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) to highlight their own brands in China - Thesis Example The Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study organized by The Cone Communications, 2013, carried out a clear fact about the test to enterprises in present world’s continuously challenging and ever changing market place, and that is: the challenge of creating a â€Å"real and meaningful impact†. In modern world the question is not about engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) but in how companies can use it to make an â€Å"impact†. An impact by which it can create a different image in the society, can create a better brand image among the people and also can establish a unique brand image among the people of the country. As such, CSR is not just an option anymore but is rather â€Å"emphatically and indisputably a must-do† (Cone Communications 3). Corporate social responsibility is about how a firms decisions and activities affect the society (Lamb et al 95). Corporate social responsibility requires action and accountability in five main dimensions, economic, legal, ethical, environmental and philanthropic (Lamb et al 95). These are areas a firm will need to work on and develop systems and activities that enables it to attain the best and holistic results in all they do. Over the years, marketing has evolved from its traditional position fueled by the economic ends and expectations of the Industrial Revolution. In the 1960s, marketing was based on the 4Ps, namely product, price, place and promotion (Lindgreen et al 123). In that era, marketing was a tool for the improvement of sales and the increment of profitability. The focus was on transactional marketing where the end was to increase transactions by calling on more customers to become interested in the products of a company. Contemporary marketing on the other hand requir es some degree of social marketing on the part of the corporate entity in order to

Thomas Wyatt My Galley Essay Example for Free

Thomas Wyatt My Galley Essay It is a ship struggling during a terrible storm at sea, a metaphor for depression — a mind struggling to right itself. The imagery is incredible, and it’s a beautifully written sonnet. Rhyme scheme is ABBA ACCA DEED FF. One analysis I read (linked below) said this poem was about a man who had rejected God, and this battery at sea was the consequence (because, of course, God controls the sea and the weather). It also said the author was contemplating suicide as the only way out of this misery. The word choices are violent and emotional: sharp seas mine enemy steereth with cruelness rain of tears cloud of dark disdain despairing of the port One line (â€Å"every oar a thought in readiness†) is beautiful to me because of the way the analysis below described it: That the author was trying to think his way out of this turmoil, like oars trying to right the ship, and yet he could not. Anyone who has ever been depressed or experienced hopelessness knows that trying to get oneself out of it using logical thought is useless. The end of the poem indicates that the author doesn’t even remember why he’s experiencing this trauma, and also that he has no guide (like the stars) for getting him to safety. My galley charged with forgetfulness Through sharp seas in winter nights doth pass Twene rock and rock; and eke mine enemy, alas That is my lord, steerth with cruelness And every oar a thought in readiness As though that death were light in such a case; An endless wind doth tear the sail apace Of forced sighs and trusty fearfulness A rain of tears, a cloud of dark disdain Hath done the wearied cords great hindrance Wreathed with error and eke with ignorance. The stars be hid that led me to this pain, Drowned is reason that should me comfort, And I remain despairing of the port. . Wyatt is talking about despair, and probably means religious despair (the sin of losing your faith in God). He uses the common metaphor of a ship in trouble at sea (remember that England is a seafaring island nation, so a lost ship is a powerful metaphor for the English). My galley charged with forgetfulness Thorough sharp seas in winter nights doth pass Twene rock and rock; Wyatts ship [his life] is weighed down [charged] with forgetfulness [he cannot remember what the point of life is, he cannot remember what it feels like to know God]; it is adrift on a stormy sea, at night, between rocks (and is therefore in great danger). and eke mine enemy, alas That is my lord, steerth with cruelness Wyatt feels that God is master of the ship, and that God has deliberately withdrawn Himself from Wyatt; God is steering the ship cruelly (God is deliberately hurting Wyatt) and has become Wyatts enemy, as well as being his Lord. And every oar a thought in readiness As though that death were light in such a case; A sailing ship which can no longer rely on the wind (when there is no wind, or the wind is blowing the wrong way) will sometimes use oars as an emergency solution. Wyatt is trying to think himself out of his despair (using the oars of his thought), but he is in such despair that when he thinks he only thinks of suicide as an escape from his misery (as though that death were light :: as if death was not a problem). An endless wind doth tear the sail apace Of forced sighs and trusty fearfulness A rain of tears, a cloud of dark disdain Hath done the wearied cords great hindrance Wreathed with error and eke with ignorance. Wyatt thinks of his own moaning and tears (because he is so unhappy) as the winds that are driving his ship toward the rocks (of suicide). His tears are the rain beating on the ship, and his despair and lethargy are loosening the rigging which holds the sails in place (heavy rain could loosen rigging on a sailing ship; then the sails would become loose, and a bad problem would become much worse) The stars be hid that led me to this pain, Drowned is reason that should me comfort, And I remain despairing of the port. Wyatt says he cannot see the stars (he cannot remember the reasons that once led him to believe in God), so his boat does not know where it is going to (at night a sailing boat travels by reference to the stars). Reason (Wyatts ability to understand the world he lives in) is drowned (dead; the world makes no sense to Wyatt now). And Wyatt just cant see the way out of this. The poem leaves us unsatisfied, confused, directionless; like Wyatt is.

Supervolcano :: essays research papers

Supervolcano 1. â€Å"Docudramas† like Supervolcano are valuable in the sense that they provide certain elements to the viewer that cannot be found in dramas or documentaries. For the drama enthusiast, it sparks an interest by presenting characters and a climactic plot to speed the informational aspect of the movie along. For the documentary enthusiast, it includes a plot â€Å"based† on factual information, and provides something to be learned. Supervolcano was a true â€Å"docudrama,† and appealed to a wider variety of people. Although it’s plot was fictitious, the information about Yellowstone’s volcanic potential, however far-fetched, was intriguing and urged the viewer to wonder about the future of Yellowstone. 2. The ratio of drama to documentary in Supervolcano was probably 80:20. Although there was factual evidence presented in the film, it seems as though it was manipulated to fit the plotline, and did not actually coincide with any scientific theory. It could easily be construed that the normal fluctuations at Yellowstone are indicators of looming volcanic activity, but those fluctuations have also happened throughout history without consequences. The film, however, noted this fact and stated through the characters that the prediction of a volcanic event is never concrete or dependable. I feel the producers of this film created a successful docudrama in that they were able to present scientific information in a dramatic sense; making the film more widely acceptable. 3. The information given to the viewer on the evidence of the coming volcanic activity seemed to be pretty accurately based on the knowledge of volcanoes presented in this course. The evidence included an increase in seismic activity/ earthquakes; caldera swelling and irregular growth; bulges above the caldera; vegetation death; and the release of toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide. These symptoms have been present on and around volcanoes that have erupted in the past, and are considered indicative of volcanic activity. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hazards: inhaling volcanic rock dust/ash (essentially makes cement in the lungs); volcanic rock dust/ash accumulating on architecture (becomes twice as dense when mixed with rain); pyroclastic flow; volcanic gases and dust getting into the atmosphere; 4. Consider the specific scenes where seismic activity occurs, and when the scientists discuss the size and location of those earthquakes. Are those scenes realistic? Why/why not? -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seems realistic enough. For example, the readings of the seismograph. However, the stuff with the hologram projection computer program seemed like something from Star Wars.

Buddhism in America

Buddhism is above all the religion of illumination. It seeks to aid those who study and practice at its feet to break throughout all that can fetter or delude in the monarchy of conditioned reality, and become free in Nirvana, Unconditioned Reality. Buddhism does this by leading one to identify the Four Noble Truths the Buddha himself discovered some twenty-five hundred years ago on the eve of his enlightenment. Beneath the numerous sectarian forms and rich accruals the faith of the Enlightened One has acquired in its journeys through numerous cultures and many centuries, Buddhism eventually depends on these principles.First, life as it is typically lived is unsatisfactory, shot through with anxiety, suffering, and insignificance. Second, this state is the result of attachments or desires, for in a universe of frequent flux and change, seeking to cling to anything from the grossest passion to the subtlest idol of the mind to the idea of being a permanent separate self can never bring anything but sorrow in the end. Third, the condition of suffering and desire can be struck at its point of origin ; there can be an end to desire. Fourth, that can be attained by following the Eightfold Path, which culminates in Right Concentration or Meditation.For meditation is the condition of mind that reverses the mind's ordinary outflow toward entangling objects of sensory or mental attachment. Zen has been the best-known form of Buddhism in America. This is first of all since it has been fortunate in producing a remarkable series of advocates on these shores: Soyen Shaku, Nyogen Senzaki, above all D. T. Suzuki. That in turn owes to Zen's relative tolerance and emphasis on humanistic culture and education in its homelands, and its relation to China and Japan's great custom of arts and letters.But it is also no doubt true that no other account of Buddhism would have communicated itself quite so well to the American mind. Zen's boast of breaking through words and philosophies i n favor of â€Å"direct pointing† and â€Å"immediate experience,† its artistic minimalism and rapport with nature, all appealed to major strands of American consciousness. â€Å"Senzaki, certainly, considered Zen none other than the American practicality of William James or John Dewey in another guise† Rick Fields, 1992, p14.Yet that other guise was not without significance, for while Zen could hark to the American images of ease and self-reliance, it also offered entree into another world of spiritual and cultural wonders, from the inscrutable Zen â€Å"riddles† or koans to the Zen-related martial arts. Zen's draw for Americans has lain first in its spiritual efficiency, second in its combination of otherness and homeliness. Its greatest spokesman in the West, D. T. Suzuki, like his disciple Alan Watts, subjugated the mix with a sure hand, offering the reader now a whiff of the exotic, now a supportive correlation with a motif of the West.Different aspe cts of Zen have appealed to diverse segments or generations of Americans. The age of Soyen Shaku and Senzaki Nyogen was, to judge from their own words, eager to hear of the sensibleness of Buddhism as well as its pointing to that beyond all reason. In the 1950s, the image of the â€Å"Zen lunatic† came to the fore in the work of such â€Å"Beat† writers as Jack Kerouac, who summed it all up in The Dharma Bums. The 1960s and 1970s, the era of the great Zen centers and the counterculture, was involved in Zen as a spiritual discipline and total, often communalistic, way of life.All through, still others, from poets like Gary Snyder to composers like John Cage, have been mostly interested in the relation of the Zen vision to artistic creativity. The tensions of these varying Zens are well spoken, and perhaps resolved, in the essay by Alan Watts here reproduced, Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen. Whether in tragic conflict or massively lucrative trade, seldom have two nations o f such diverse cultural heritage been as intensely involved in one another's lives as have Japan and the United States in the twentieth century.The diffusion of Zen to America, though but a tiny fragment of that exchange, helps divulge the spiritual dimensions, too seldom yet appreciated, of this significant meeting. From a historical perspective, American Buddhism is also an era making undertaking. One of the great spiritual traditions of Asia is moving west. For about four hundred years, western missionaries, explorers, scholars, and seekers explored Asia, wondered about Buddhism, and studied it. A few even practiced it.The foundation for the transmission of the dharma to the West was ready by many people over many years, but the appearance of the dharma as a significant element in American religion is a development that by comparison occurred only very lately. During the eighties and nineties, many Americans were debating amongst themselves what Buddhism was in this country and w hat they required it to be. They came up with many diverse ideas about how to form American forms of the dharma, so there is not a single answer to that question, nor is there likely ever to be.There is not one American Buddhism, any longer than there is one American Judaism, Islam, or Christianity. Zen meditation is valuable among Americans, Western associate with Zen has now reached a point where an understanding of the larger historical framework within which Zen articulated itself is also necessary. Such an understanding is significant not only for a more balanced academic view, but also for a more staid appraisal of the meaning of Zen practice for modern American life. The fundamental character of Zen emerged as part of a complex dialectic within Buddhism, and we cannot understand Zen until we realize what it is critiquing.If we take its statements out of their Buddhist context and construe them instead within our own cultural context, they are apt to mean something quite diver se, particularly in the realm of ethics. Zen's iconoclasm had a different meaning within a cultural context where Buddhist moral teachings were extensively affirmed than it does today to contemporary Americans who lack any such background and who are perhaps already suffering from an excess of moral relativism (Rick Fields, 1992, 194). Buddhist meditation developed and practiced in East Asia.It thus seeks to balance our acquaintance with Zen meditation which, as it is the only East Asian practice with which many Westerners are familiar, is often held up as the archetypal form of East Asian Buddhist meditation by placing it alongside other, evenly representative and vital forms of meditation: the invocation of the Buddha's name (nien-fo) in Pure Land; visualization (as exemplified by Hsuan-tsang's visualization of Maitreya); and Chih-i's monumental T'ien-t'ai synthesis of Buddhist ritual, cultic, and meditation practices.Meditation has been a notoriously vague and multivalent ideaâ⠂¬â€a circumstance that stems, no doubt, from its comparative lack of elaboration and systematization in the Western religious traditions, particularly in their post-Enlightenment forms. That the concept lacks any clearly defined and usually accepted referent in our own general cultural experience does not restrict its attractiveness indeed, it in fact enhances it. Meditation is a very useful category in particular as it can be understood in so many ways.In America it is believed that we should employ â€Å"meditation† in the broadest possible sense in the same sense that we find Buddhists using the term â€Å"dhyana† to include both samatha-bhavana and vipasyana-bhavana (Kapleau, Philip, 1980). There are two reasons for doing this both significant, and both inextricably consistent. First, we must recognize that such an inclusive conception of meditation is required if we are not to obscure what is most distinctive and characteristic about the Buddhist viewpoint on re ligious practice.Second, only by coming to terms with what is distinguishing and characteristic in Buddhist culture can we gain a better understanding of ourselves. The understanding we seek must not only inform our perception of the alien culture; it should also change our own experience, the understanding of our own culture. The true value of any cross-cultural exploration, after all, lies not in how successful we are in reducing the alien culture to the terms of our own experience.True understanding, rather, is born only when we should expand our own perspective to hold what initially appears to be alien. Yoga is also very significant type of meditation that is very popular among Americans. In yoga, lengthy meditations lead first to the telepathic powers such as those the Buddha attained and eventually to the realization of the illusoriness of all material appearances. In the Yogacara view, there is a sense in which any experience is just as real as any other, whether actually in ternal and hallucinatory or ostensibly external and objective.All that is eventually real and continuous of the individual is the pure subject, the mind store (alaya-vijnana), although it, too, changes. â€Å"It is this mind store, or alaya-vijnana, that experiences, judges, contemplates, and remembers, thus comprising a locus of identity and continuity through many obvious bodies, or lifetimes†. Ellwood, Robert, 1986. It might well be argued that the alaya-vijnana concept is just a rehabilitation of the old Hindu notion of atman, without the persistence on its ontological permanence and immutability.The early Buddhist perspective says that phenomenon are all that exist and that the apparent self is dogged by the phenomena that it encounters. The Yogacara philosophy, by contrast, says that mind is all that exists, and all obvious phenomena are merely its own projections. Coupled with the belief in medium teachings, the concept that all is only mind has tremendous implications for Vajrayana Buddhism. If all is only mind, the procedure of death and rebirth is no longer an inevitable feature of an external reality to which all must submit.It then becomes unnecessary to actually undergo a long succession of lifetimes, for by changing one's conscious thoughts, the whole succession can be broken or abridged. Even the law of karma is elevated to a completely different level. No longer are physical actions seen as having expected physical effects. Rather, mental acts are the only acts that have any effects at all, either in actually external happenings or in apparently internal feelings and visions.Karmic determination of an individual's future good or ill can thus also be evaded or aborted by mental purification and concentration. Mantras, mudras, and samadhi are requisite to affect this change of consciousness necessary to attain nirvana. Here, too, the Vajrayana departs from conventional Samkhya Yoga, in allowing the consumption of meat and wine, and even in tercourse with women, encouraging at each step the understanding that none of these phenomena are ultimately real.Under the tutelage of a Vajrayana Lama (guru), the student expects to develop psychic powers, to leave his body, and to experience the Absolute in reverie. Thus, he will prepare himself for the moment of death when he will direct his consciousness out of his body and into final union with Truth (dharmakaya), rather than permitting any further cycles of rebirth. Though, many Americans think that Zen is a Buddhist tradition without formal ritual, which is not actually the case.Zen was first introduced into this country in books that led lots of Americans to think of it as a philosophy rather than a spiritual tradition along with concepts of meditations especially yoga. People also be apt not to think of Zen sitting meditation, while a practitioner might face a wall or sit with downcast eyes for hours, as ritual activity. But every day or even twice-daily stints of yoga, du ring which a practitioner notes the movement of his or her mind, help to structure the lives of numerous American Buddhists, one of the primary functions of rite.In America, Zen calls up particular genus of art and verse, ink wash, tea ceremonies, haiku poetry, whose special genius is to portray nature just as it is, without theory or theology, yet so vividly as to leave one deeply moved without being quite sure why. Work Cited Ellwood, Robert, ed. Zen in American Life and Letters. Los Angeles : Undena Press, 1986. Kapleau, Philip. The Three Pillars of Zen. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965, rev. ed. 1980. Rick Fields, How the Swans Came to the Lake: A Narrative History of Buddhism in America, 3rd rev. ed. ( Boston: Shambhala, 1992), 194.

Do You Think Footballers Deserve

Even though soldiers provide a more valuable service. All footballers do is kick a ball around a field and moan that they don't get paid enough while soldiers are over in another country risking their lives to protect ours spending months on end away from their families. This happened to my older brother he was sent on a tour of Afghanistan for nine months and he missed the birth of his son (his first words, his first steps) he even missed our mothers death and funeral.Footballers don't have to do that they can just leave training if they have an emergency! Some people think that when soldiers sign up to join the army they know what they are getting not and its their own choice and they aren't being forced into the army. I think these people are heartless. Secondly, I believe that the money footballers get paid could be put to better use. In the Premier League alone around two hundred million pounds are spent on players' salaries per year! With that money you could change some of Afr ica into a first world country.You could give them proper housing, clean endless supply of water, electricity, schools, hospitals and especially jobs. Some might say that footballers do give to charity and already donate money to those things but hey don't give much; they could still give a lot more! There are some very charitable footballers such as Tidier Dragon who spent three million pounds of his wages to building a hospital in his hometown of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. However, there are others who give nothing.One man can't change the world! Another reason why many players shouldn't get paid so much is because most of them just waste it. Karri Benzene is a good example, he bought a chrome three million pounds Budgets Everyone super sport which he hardly uses. Many of them buy stupid pointless things that aren't even important or they just do it as a joke like one footballer bought an Oxbow one just so he could throw it off a balcony another bought a Lampooning Reverent for one mil lion pounds so he could blow it up.Other people may believe that it is their money and they can do with it what they want but they should be more responsible! They could donate some money to charity or keep it in savings for when they retire. Even do something worthwhile for their family! Furthermore, some footballers don't deserve it because some Of them are just bad people like the obvious Luis Square, who bit Atman Baked whilst playing for Ajax against SSP and he but Barbarian Avionic whilst playing for Liverpool against Chelsea! He also bit Giorgio Chilling at the world cup for Uruguay against Italy.In addition to this violent conduct he was racist to Patrice Ever by refusing to shake his hand, is this man is a good role model for children? Does he really deserve to earn thousands each week? Another example is a star Brazilian footballer who tortured and killed his mistress then fed her dismembered body to his pet Arteriole's. Goalkeeper Bruno Fernando De Souza who was tipped to play for Brazil in the 2014 World Cup, is accused of murdering model Elise Samurai to avoid paying child support after she gave birth to his love child.

Human Genome Project essays

Human Genome Project essays When I first heard of the Human Genome Project I thought it was just some minor study of the human DNA. As I dug into it more, I learned that it is a very enormous study led by the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy) and the National Institute of Health . The study started in 1990 and it is suppose to be finished in the year 2003. Doing this task made me realize how interesting and helpful this Science project is to our population. We as humans now can tell what our body is made up of and how it really functions. We can have a better idea about our differences in the natural world between us and other living organisms. The first thing I wanted to find out what is the study about and what are the goals that scientists want to achieve. I found out that there are many goals of this study. One of the major goals is to identify all of our approximately 30,000 genes that we carry in our human DNA, which is also known as the deoxyribonucleic acid. The DNA is located in the nucleus of a cell. The DNA is made up of 3 billion base pairs. Those 3 billion sequences of base pairs we call a genome, which makes up the complete set of our DNA All human cells contain a complete genome except for the mature red bloodcells. Another goal of the scientists was actually to determine the 3 billion sequences that make up our DNA. DNA in the human genome is arranged into 24 distinct chromosomes. Each chromosome contains many genes. What is a gene? Its the basic physical unit of heredity. The estimate says that there are between 30,000 to 40,000 genes in our body. Scientists arent able to give the exact number yet. The main thing that I learned about and that caught my eye was the statistics of the genome and how scientists have the technology to explore such a small part of the human body. It seems that if they figure this out theyll be able to do anything after that. Its unbelievable how they are ab ...

5 Benefits of Homeschool Co-Ops

5 Benefits of Homeschool Co-Ops There are many reasons to consider joining a homeschool co-op. A co-op can be an invaluable source of support for homeschool parents who work outside the home. They can also provide enrichment opportunities or be used to supplement what parents are teaching their kids at home. What Is a Homeschool Co-Op? A homeschool co-op is not the same as a homeschool support group. A support group usually serves as a resource for parents and hosts monthly meetings and field trips like park days or dances. A homeschool co-op, short for cooperative, is a group of homeschool families that join to share in the education of their children. Homeschool co-ops offer classes for students and usually require parent participation. Dont expect to drop your kids off at classes or activities. In most cases, parents are actively involved in teaching classes, caring for younger children, or helping with cleaning and other tasks. In other cases, parents may pool their financial resources to hire instructors for the courses offered by the co-op. This  option can be more costly but can be an accessible way to get expert help. Homeschool co-ops can vary in size from a small co-op of only two or three families to a large, organized setting with paid instructors. What Are the Benefits? A homeschool co-op can help both parents and students alike. They can help expand ​the knowledge base of an individual homeschool parent, allow parents to share their expertise with others, and provide student opportunities that would be difficult to achieve outside a group setting. 1. Promote Group Learning A homeschool co-op provides an opportunity for homeschooled children to experience learning in a group atmosphere. Young students learn skills such as raising their hands to speak, taking turns, and waiting in lines. Older students learn more advanced group skills, such as collaborating with others on projects, class participation, and public speaking. Children of all ages learn to take instruction from someone other than a parent and to respect teachers and fellow students. A homeschool co-op can also make what might be a boring class at home alone a much more enjoyable endeavor. It’s a relief for students not to be the one expected to give all the answers. Its also a learning experience for them to get other students input and perspective. 2. Opportunities to Socialize Homeschool co-ops provide socialization opportunities for both the parent and the student. Meeting on a weekly basis provides students with the opportunity to forge friendships. Unfortunately, students may also discover that a co-op presents the opportunity to learn to deal with peer pressure, bullies, and uncooperative students. However, even this downside can lead to valuable lessons that will help kids develop the skills they need to deal with future school and workplace situations. A regular co-op schedule also allows moms and dads to meet other homeschooling parents. They can encourage one another, ask questions, or share ideas. 3. Shared Expenses and Equipment Some subjects require equipment or supplies that can be expensive for a single family to purchase, such as a microscope or quality lab equipment. A homeschool co-op allows for shared expenses and pooling of available resources. If it is necessary to hire an instructor for classes that parents feel unqualified to teach, such as a foreign language or a high school level science course, the expense can be shared among participating families. This makes it possible for many parents to provide top-quality classes. 4. Some Classes Are Difficult to Teach at Home For younger students, homeschool co-ops may offer enrichment classes or those that require more preparation and clean up than everyday studies. These courses may include science, cooking, music, art, or unit studies. Homeschool co-op classes for older students often include lab sciences, such as biology or chemistry, advanced math, writing, or foreign language. There are often opportunities for students to take classes that function better with a group, such as drama, physical education, or orchestra. 5. Accountability Because someone outside your immediate family is setting the schedule, a homeschool co-op can provide a level of accountability. This accountability makes co-op an excellent option for classes that may fall by the wayside at home. Students learn to take deadlines seriously and stay on schedule. Even students who don’t mind telling a parent that they â€Å"forgot† their homework are usually much more reluctant to make such an admission when called on in a classroom setting. While homeschool co-ops aren’t for everyone, many families find that sharing the load, even with only two or three other families, has benefits for everyone involved. Edited by Kris Bales

Operational Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Operational Decision Making - Research Paper Example The corporation’s core mission encompasses focusing on availing quality products and services in its specialized field not only nationally level but also globally (â€Å"ADNOC†). Description of Operations In quest to attain its varied final products, the company utilizes the present’ sophisticated technological knowhow in drilling crude oil and gas from its 100 wells nationally (â€Å"ADNOC†). The company contrary to when its capacity was 2.7 million bbl per day in 2000 now has tremendously increased whereby currently it is twenty one million bbl per day, hence making the state being among the leading players in the market (Wildcat Publishing 56). After drilling, transportation of raw materials - mainly crude oil and natural gas from the wells is by pipelines to the refineries (â€Å"ADNOC†). This is where real cracking of raw materials usually takes place to lighter products essential in other industries. Main inputs, which the company relies on in clude, 1. Crude oil In refineries, this raw material usually undergoes fractional distillation to obtain lighter and good quality products that are essential in diverse retail corporations. These include kerosene, diesel, petrol and in lighter or top chambers of the fractionating equipment comprise only cooking gases. 2. Associated gas Process entailed in handling or refining this form of raw material is extremely complex. Mainly, it encompasses refining by eliminating impurities found in the gas, which are non-hydrocarbon quantities and fluid from the pure product (â€Å"Pipeline Magazine†). After refining has taken place, respective authorities via pipes package the gas into LPGs then store it in warehouses ready for collection and distribution. 3. Non-Associated Gas This is a low-graded raw material mainly obtained from gas wells whereby after transportation through pipes from its respective regions, usually undergoes hydrogenation in the plant then stored in warehouses af ter packaging in cylinders. 4. Crude oil byproducts These encompass materials that have not undergone complete cracking process whereby recycling is an option to separate them into lighter components essential in gas industries like pentane. Supply Chain Decisions In order to increase on the company’s profitability, it will entail integrating of both private and retail distributors. This is to ensure the company does not incur high expenses because of tasks, which could have been undertaken effectively by other potential players specialized in this field, which is transportation. This operational decision will be effective due to the company’s high quality products due to its adoption of TQM, which up to date comprises one of the key strategies. Consequently, this will pose a significant impact on strategic objectives whereby their scope will only be within the company in ensuring once the products are in the market can sell well due to uncompromised quality. This impl ies clientele’s preference to ADNOC’s products will be high due to the company’s quality consistency. Hence, application of product differentiation strategy will significantly contribute to altering in a way some of the company’s objectives towards being customer centered (McGuigan, James & Frederick 338). Contrary to conventional way of numerous companies, lowering prices in quest to attract clients but in real sense