Faith and Works - James and Romans Free Essay Example, 1500 words

Faith and Works: Comparison of James 2:14 and Romans 4. Course: Date: In the New Testament, James 2:14-25 and Romans 4 both deal with the concepts of ‘faith’ and ‘works’ and their respective contributions to salvation. However, the approach adopted in the two writings is markedly different. This difference may be attributed in large part to the fact that the audience in both cases is different: James is obviously addressing fellow Christians, as he says, â€Å"my brothers and sisters† (2:14); on the other hand, Paul’s letter to the Romans is directed towards both Jews and Gentiles, to the circumcised and the non-circumcised. While the apostles James and Paul agree that Faith connotes belief in God and Works connotes good actions, James contends that faith and works are both essential for salvation, while Paul asserts that faith is the only requisite. James is unequivocal in his declaration that â€Å"faith by itself, if it has no works, is de ad† (2:17). We will write a custom essay sample on Faith and Works - James and Romans or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now However, he does not discount the importance of faith. His contention is that both are essential and one, without the other, is futile. He is addressing Christians, who, we may assume, are already among the congregation of the faithful, by virtue of their professed belief â€Å"that God is one† (2:19). Therefore, James accepts that faith is a precondition for salvation but asserts that faith alone does not suffice. Christians who profess to â€Å"have faith but do not have works† (2: 14) cannot be saved. This is illustrated by the futility of showing apparent concern for a fellow – man who is cold and hungry by the expression of empty platitudes: â€Å"keep warm and eat your fill† (2:16). This statement may be considered a profession of faith, but it is only when this faith is demonstrated through the action of actually providing clothes and food to the needy that faith can be conceded to be genuine. Good deeds constitute visible evidence of invisible faith, which cannot otherwise be validated. It is action, or works, which gives life to faith and without works, faith will remain an inanimate concept. One does not exist without the other. The only way to demonstrate faith is through actions, as faith is an internal quality which cannot on its’ own be judged as true or false. It is an undisputed fact that â€Å"Faith, apart from works, is barren† (2:20). Faith may be considered the root of Christian belief but this root will not sprout and grow to bear fruit unless it is expressed through works. James gives evidence of the truth of his claim by using the example of Abraham: â€Å"Abraham believed God, † and it was this faith that â€Å"was reckoned to him as righteousness† (2:23).

Comparison between Classical Athens and Han China

Despite the social hierarchy and acceptance of position of the population in both societies, Han China and Classical Athens had disparities proportionate to their physical sizes. The geographical isolation from each other resulted in the differences in demographics, characteristics of government structures, individual duties and roles in government, and the general view of life. The east to west length of the Han Empire dwarfs the city-state of Athens. The maps of Classical Greece and Han China display the basic geography of each area. The surrounding area of Attica around Athens covers less than a 50 mile by 150 mile area, and Athens was only a fraction of that. On the other hand, Han China expands approximately 3,000 miles east to west†¦show more content†¦Pericles on â€Å"What is a Good Citizen?† explains the concept that if Athenian man does not have an interest in participating in government, then he does not belong in Athens. The other Athens-related text is the Dialogue of Socrates and Crito in Prison. Socrates was charged with crimes by the Athenian government and accepts the punishments for his actions. Socrates feels that everyone who lives in a city-state should know the laws, and, confirmed by living in that area, is willing to accept any punishments at the hand of the state. Both of the Athenians stress the importance of devoti on to the state through obeying laws and participation in government. Socrates had a high moral standard of living and a group of followers with which he led by his actions. For example, Socrates not only preached respect for law and state, but also accepted death in order to show his devotion. Confucius on the Individual and the State stresses the importance of a father-son relationship over the government. The top box of the document says that by honoring your father, you are doing your part in government. The lower box describes a short story in which a boy rats out his father to the state, but Confucius takes the view of the importance of the father-son relationship. Athens overall had a high regard for government authority, while Confucius disregard it completely. A document that would have provided a more evenly sided look would be a ChineseShow MoreRelatedWorld History AP8768 Words   |  36 Pagesparticularly from conquered peoples, offer a strong argument that they were de structive and oppressive. 4. Do you think that the classical empires hold â€Å"lessons† for the present, or are contemporary circumstances sufficiently unique as to render the distant past irrelevant? †¢ This question can be answered successfully from several perspectives, although in order to argue that the classical empires are irrelevant a student would have to address the arguments made in the Reflections section of the text. †¢ ARead MoreA Comparison Between Chinese Etiquette and the Western Etiquette5197 Words   |  21 Pagesä ¸ ­Ã¨ ¥ ¿Ã¦â€" ¹Ã§ ¤ ¼Ã¤ » ªÃ¦â€"‡åÅ'â€"Ã¥ · ®Ã¥ ¼â€š-生æ ´ »Ã§â„¢ ¾Ã§ §â€˜ With China entry the WTO and will hold the Olympic games in 2008, the relationship between China and Western in politics, economy, culture will become more and more close. It is undoubtedly that the etiquette will play an important role in this process. To the definition of etiquette, China and Western have a different understanding. As Chinese thinks that the etiquette is the common behavior standards that all the members must obey, and its purpose is to keep the normal living orderRead MoreHemp Cultivation in China42289 Words   |  170 PagesRepublic of China Robert C. Clarke Naturetex International B.V. Van Diemenstraat 192 1013 CP Amsterdam The Netherlands Clarke, R.C. 1995. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Cultivation in the Tai an District of Shandong Province, Peoples Republic of China. Journal of the International Hemp Association 2(2): 57, 60-65. This paper summarizes the history of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation and traditional use in the Tai an District of Shandong Province in the People s Republic of China, and investigatesRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesapplication and consideration of how managment practice is formed and shaped by ideas and concepts. The authors have brought their wealth of experience and understanding and provided the field with an imaginative resource to address the dynamics between theory and practice. Dr Susanne Tietze, Bradford University, UK The key to success for managers is not only to be result oriented but also to be wise in their decision making. This requires that they have a deeper than superficial understanding of

Characteristics of Voluntary Disclosure †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Characteristics of Voluntary Disclosure. Answer: Introduction Nowadays public and citizens have enhanced demand and awareness for more information and have depicted an increasing interest in the social framework of business activities. Therefore, with the enhancement of awareness among the citizens, all companies have reacted to the demand of their stakeholders by involving in CSR activities and by going beyond their traditional affairs of concentrating on income and generating value for their shareholders. Further, in India, CSR is perceived as a philanthropic affair that tends to concentrate on what is done with the income after they are made. Overall, much CSR practice in India is a relevant component of responsible business or sustainability as a whole. The CSR practices even support the theory of legitimacy meaning that the actions of the entity are desirable and as per the norms with well established values and beliefs. The study mainly focuses on the concept of corporate social reporting. The paper attempts to highlight the difference between public sector and private sector companies. The main determinants of the corporate reporting are adequately highlighted. A close understanding on the CSR elements is vividly discussed and the CSR initiatives are discussed in the report. The report gave a correct explanation of the CSR activities and helps in benefiting the society at large. Reasons why HR and CD is important in CSR disclosure in India A close understanding on the components of CSR disclosure reflects that community development (CD) and human resource (HR) are the major stakeholders that must be addressed through the CSR initiatives. The reason behind this can be attributed to the fact that CSR activities that are disclosed in the annual reports of organizations reflects more information on the engagement of companies in community programs, donation, and sponsoring event, art, sport event, etc. Besides, focus on human resource can be attributed to the fact that such component can assist organizations in enhancing and improving their competitiveness. Furthermore, various analysts are also of the view that external consideration of issues allows a company to be more responsible and accountable to the entire society or community (Benabou Tirole, 2010). Legitimacy is the major consideration for any organization because that constructs the destiny of the organization. It is one of the major area that pertains to social and environmental accounting area. This further assists the organization to sustain as a proper entity in the future because community is the most important stakeholder that allows facilitation of relevant investment decisions. In contrast to this, if internal issues associated with the management of human resources are not being given due consideration, then the engagement of companies in CSR activities cannot assist them in attracting and retaining workforce (Hossain Reaz, 2007). In relation to the components of CSR disclosures in India, it can be seen that there are majorly four kinds. These components are firstly, human-related information (HR), secondly is community development information (CD), thirdly is product safety and innovation details (PSI), and fourthly is environmental related information that further consists of disclosures associated with greenhouse gases and other energy disclosures. Community development disclosure entails the actions undertaken by Indian organizations in partnership with the community so that the general society can be offered with skills, resources, and actions that they require to bring positive changes in the community (Brammer Pavelin, 2006). Further, any social affair undertaken by an Indian entity to groom and retain HR including social performance focused towards the well-being of corporate employees is the CSR for human resource. Further, any activity that can pertain to the efficacy of a customer at large can be c onsidered as a CSR activity under the bucket of product and safety disclosure. Lastly, any kind of activity undertaken by an organization to avoid environmental degradation including prevention of soil, water, and air pollution can be considered under the ambit of corporate social responsibility under the bucket of environmental disclosure. Hence, these are the relevant components of CSR disclosures in India (Murthy Abeysekera, 2008). Mandating CSR disclosure in India With due passage of the Companies Act 2013 in India, the mandate for CSR has now been formally implemented to the dashboard of the Indian organizations. Such inclusion of the CSR compulsion was an attempt to enhance the efforts of government to deliver the advantages of growth equitably and effectively so that the corporate world could be involved with the development agenda of the country. Previously, CSR disclosures were not mandatory in India and therefore, many public sector enterprises sought undue advantage from the same by restricting their corporate disclosures for the benefit of the users. However, fortunately such CSR has become mandatory for every company in India. The mandatory guidelines framed for the companies assist in mandating a specific percentage of the companys post-tax profits for the projects of CSR so that a direction can be offered regarding the monitoring, implementation, and reporting of social disclosures. This is the reason why studies have shown that man dating CSR practices in India have made such measures more strategic nature instead of more philanthropic. The major reason behind this can be attributed to the fact that CSR is considered strategically relevant to both the private and public sectors of Indian economy, and this has been possible by the government of Indias attempt in mandating the CSR disclosure measures (Scott, 2009). While the quantum of reporting under CSR has become mandatory with the development of section 135 (Companies Act), there is also some kind of inflexibility in the inbuilt law associated with the reporting choices of a companys CSR activities. This is because the act instead of rigidly explaining the boundaries of CSR specifies in annexure VII that the company has free choice to potentially undertake such CSR activities, thereby making such disclosure attempts discretionary on the part of them (Kruger, 2015). In simple words, as far as section 135 is under consideration, the law undertakes explain or comply approach that does not specify any penalties for non-compliance. Overall, it can be seen through the evaluation of various surveys in India that even though several companies have taken on board the concept of CSR reporting within their framework, yet such CSR reporting seems to be in a confused state (Bauer Hann, 2010). This is because individual companies have defined their own reporting choices for CSR that ultimately transforms all activities undertaken in the name of CSR to be philanthropic in nature. Nonetheless, it seems that the CSR reporting choices in India has been evolving in the framework of profit distribution as a whole (Wicks Colle, 2010). This implies that contributions to the legitimacy theory have been done and this theory is a powerful mechanism that stress upon the social and environmental disclosures. Benefits of CSR disclosure in India As the business environment is getting complicated, good CSR practices can assist in providing the following benefits. Firstly, various CSR initiatives allow companies in India to invest in developing community livelihood by accommodating them into their respective supply chain. This can assist in benefiting the communities by enhancing their level of income. Besides, this also assists in offering these companies a secure and additional supply chain. Secondly, CSR disclosure practices in India can also assist in generating a favorable image and other branding advantages to the companies that will continue to prevail until such companies carry on with the CSR programs (Albuquerque et.al, 2013). Furthermore, this also allow the companies to position themselves as effective and responsible citizens of the corporate world. Lastly, various studies have also provided that human resource programs in the framework of CSR disclosure can play a key role in retaining, attracting, and motivating employees. This is done by interlinking the companys ability of undertaking such steps with their respective CSR commitments. Based on various studies, it has been seen that professionally managed organizations are very aggressive in corporate social and disclosure measures. This is because they involve professionals in all three phases of such measure (introduction, implementation, and assessment). Besides, some professional entities also engage in CSR by themselves, as they possess limited focus within their affairs (Thomas, 2016). In addition to such limitation, it has also been witnessed that most of the social and disclosure practices of corporations tend to confine reporting their respective schemes and other details but do not even appropriately reflect the actual issues in the implementation of CSR at several phases of economic growth (Adams, 2002). In simple words, no organizations reflect how they carry on their CSR practice, or how they recognize and select NGOs and strategic partners. Furthermore, no details of CSR monitoring can also be found in the reporting measures. In addition, it is also u nknown whether organizations pursuing special CSR departments have in reality undertaken any capacity building on CSR and its disclosure (Paradise Rogoff, 2009). Another limitation to the existing study of CSR disclosure is that since stakeholders are illiterate that prevents them from comprehending the CSR details, it may be better if the content of such reporting measures had been restricted to the scheme details. Conclusion Business entities all over the world are now realizing their stake in the community together with involvement in several environmental and social affairs. The only requirement of the hour is to frame effective strategic policies and instruments based on the history of the company, its content, peculiarity in interconnection with its respective stakeholders so that the implementation of CSR can be undertaken towards its defined goals, that is sustained social, economic, and environmental growth. References Adams, C. A., 2002, Internal Organisational Factors Influencing Corporate Social and Ethical Reporting beyond Current Theorising, Accounting, Auditing Accountability Journal, vol. 15, no.2, pp. 223-250. Albuquerque, R, Durnev, A, Koskinen, Y 2013, Corporate social responsibility and firm risk: theory and empirical evidence, Boston University. Bauer, R Hann, D 2010, Corporate environmental management and credit risk, Maastricht University. Benabou, R Tirole, R 2010, Individual and Corporate Social responsibility, Ecnomica vol.11, pp. 1-19 Brammer, S. Pavelin, S., 2006, Voluntary Environmental Disclosures by Large UK Companies, Journal of Business Finance Accounting, vol. 33, no. 7, pp. 1168-1188. Hossain, M, Reaz, M., 2007, The Determinants and Characteristics of Voluntary Disclosure by Indian Banking Companies, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 14, pp. 274288. Kruger, P 2015, Corporate goodness and shareholder wealth, Journal of Financial economics, pp. 304-329 Murthy, V Abeysekera, I 2008, Corporate social reporting practices of top Indian software firms,Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 2(1), 22-34. Paradise, R Rogoff, B 2009, Side by Side: Learning by Observing and Pitching In, Ethos, vol. 37, pp. 102138 Scott, C.M 2009, Green Economics. London: Earthscan. Thomas, S.A 2016, The Nature of Sustainability, Chapbook Press. Grand Rapids, Michigan Wicks, H Colle, D 2010, Stakeholder Theory, State of the Art, Cambridge University Press

Analysis for Jeep Grand Cherokee Essay Example

Analysis for Jeep Grand Cherokee Paper The advert denotes a jeep on rough terrain driving past a wooden shack. The scene is set in the countryside where nothing can be seen for miles. The writing takes up a small amount of the whole page, which shows the advertisers, want you to concentrate on the jeep rather then the text.  The anchor on the advert could be interpreted in different ways to the intended one. 8 on the Richter scale shows the jeep is powerful and can blow anything away. Richter scale is probably the keyword as it connotes ideas of power and strength. The wooden hut looks like it has been in an earthquake but in fact the advertisers wants to show you can drive it and feel commanding. At the bottom of the advert it tells you about the engine specification and the luxurious interior. The company wants to show off the best bits of the car. In the top left hand corner it has the company logo and the words THERES ONLY ONE. The advert works as a whole by placing the signifier for power (V8 Engine) next to the logo Jeep. This represents to consumers only this jeep will give you the ideas and hopefully persuade people to buy one. The caption will influence a consumer in their perception of the product: Jeep is a unique 44 manufacturer that upper class people may drive around town to do their errands or people who want to be powerful/commanding and use the car to its maximum limit. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis for Jeep Grand Cherokee specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis for Jeep Grand Cherokee specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis for Jeep Grand Cherokee specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This suggests it is indexical. Earthquakes are associated with power/noise and the seismic rumble from under the bonnet makes people want to buy it. This signifies to most people, a meaning that it is a good, stylish car that will impress and everybody will want. The blurred background is also important because it connotes an impression of speed and immense power, which will help to sell the car. Furthermore the man in the car is not very young for a reason. The advert is designed, obviously, to target people who can afford the 30,000 jeep, and so the image of the middle aged man, who maybe has enough money to buy one, is important. The photography of the car is responsible for making the advert work as well. Although the blurred background is probably computer generated, the car is a photograph. The camera never lies, but here it has been chosen to capture the image when the wheel hubs are blurred with speed and the slight glinting off the bonnet and headlights adds to luxury ride ordinary people could be experiencing. In looking at the image of the iconic jeep, the advert denotes a car travelling on a long distance terrain in a natural setting, which signifies that the jeep is capable of handling rough terrain as well, a smooth ride. Also it is a realistic representation of the kinds of roads the car maybe travelling on and whatever it (or lack of it) throws at you. The juxtaposing of a dark sky and natural environment signifies a smoothness and air of mystery, further implying to the consumer that it is desirable. This is the same with the car, as it is a dark colour too. This dark/natural colour setting is predictably continued to the jeep itself, so that the consumer associates the values signified by the natural setting to the product. The picture of the jeep is on the left hand side where the sky is darker which suggests the car has just driven through the earthquake and survived. The advert is more likely aimed at men, who tend to be the main money earners and more interested in cars and also the representation of colour for males is usually dark, and for females, dark, which further implies it is aimed at men. The ideology at work here is significant: the car represents power and authority and consequently, men learn to aspire to such images. The advertisement makes the reader feel in control and make people buy the product at price.

U.S. vs. U.N Security Council essays

U.S. vs. U.N Security Council essays The relationship between the United States and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has been very unstable. With most of the international conflicts that occurred during and after the Cold War, the United States has constantly found itself on the defensive with the U.N. and other nations. Where American idealism was the motivating force behind the creation of the United Nations during the waning days of World War II, it was American values that shaped the world organization. However, with the mist of the Cold War arising, the United Nations mirrored the increasing antagonistic competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. United States foreign policy revolved around the prevention of communism and Soviet expansion while the foreign policy goals of the United Nations began to stray away from U.S. policies. With the beginning of the decolonization process emerging, hostile Third World coalitions began to form (which the Soviets allied with) with strong anger towards both European powers and the United States. As a result, U.S. attitude toward the United Nations was filled with wariness and hostility, thus, the U.S. started to become less multilateral and more unilateral in making foreign policy decisions. Although the United States retreated back towards U.N. policies at the end of the Cold War (Reagan Administration), the U.S. has once again has determined its decision making on global security without the support of the United Nations. Despite the fact that the mere creation of the U.N. was to encourage and ensure international security and peace, key questions must be considered- whether or not UNSC approval is necessary for a major power to enter into a conflict or participate in humanitarian intervention. In addition, is the Security Council able to determine what conflicts are just or ethical? In order to answer these important questions, the relationship bet ...

Why Freelance Writers Need an Evergreen Stable of Writing

Why Freelance Writers Need an Evergreen Stable of Writing Why Freelance Writers Need an Evergreen Stable of Writing Why Freelance Writers Need an Evergreen Stable of Writing By Guest Author This is a guest post by Jennifer Moline. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Often in the writing world it pays to be on top of current events – to be the first to publish breaking news. But in order to land a contract or regular gig, freelancers should consider keeping a stash of evergreen articles – those timeless writing pieces that stand on their own. â€Å"Evergreen† takes its meaning from the evergreen tree – a self-renewing article, in this case. It means that the writing piece doesn’t have a time limit – a publisher could run it in July or December. These are good articles to have on hand for a variety of reasons: You have too many deadlines. If your assignment topic is vague, you can pull out an evergreen article and rework it for the target audience. You need more portfolio pieces. If you’re just starting out as a writer, you may not have a lot of published articles. Evergreen articles show your range and beef up your portfolio. Your article fell through. It’s happened to every writer – you’re on deadline, and a source isn’t coming through with an interview. Rather than miss the deadline, which would reflect poorly on your reputation, offer an evergreen article as a replacement. Developing a cache of evergreen articles does require extra work, but a way to look at it is this: You get to break free of assignments and write about what you want to. You can come up with your own topics and write in your style. Building your evergreen stash could actually be the creative outlet your professional career needs – you get to break free of writers’ guidelines and let your own style flow. So what should you write about? It depends on what you’re interested in and what fields you want to break into. But the best way to start is with a writer’s most valuable tools: paper and pen. Keep a notebook with you at all times and jot down anything that inspires you. I keep a document with blog ideas, whether I can think of a proper website for them or not. I refer to it on practically a daily basis to see if I can flesh out an idea more or appropriate the topic for a specific site. You can find writing inspiration in all sorts of places. When you’re reading, what pops into your head – do you disagree with the point the writer makes? Write your own opinion piece. Does an article leave you with questions? Research and write your own extension. Taking a step away from reading also opens you up to being struck by inspiration. Sometimes it’s how a movie makes you feel or an encounter in a cafà ©. The trick is to becoming aware of what piques your interest – if you feel a topic is worth exploring, your potential audience might as well. Freelance writing can be a cutthroat business – it’s every person for his- or herself clamoring for writing gigs. You sell yourself based on your work samples and what you can offer, so an evergreen stable of articles is your chance to promote your writing on topics you think needed to be written. About the Author: Jennifer Moline writes about small business, graphic design, printing and freelancing for the PsPrint blog, as well as for other graphic design websites. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 115 Words for Household Rooms, and Their SynonymsEmpathic or Empathetic?

Should adults be charged in situations where teenagers are drinking or Essay

Should adults be charged in situations where teenagers are drinking or have been drinking in their presence - Essay Example Many countries around the globe have kept a legal standard where minors are not allowed to gain access to alcohol (as sellers are bound not to sell to the under-aged). These restrictions are dodged by these minors as the under aged tend to acquire alcohol easily through numerous methods. There are many instances within the United States of America that parents of these minors are the providers of alcohol to their own children. This act is done by them to ensure that their children consume alcohol within their house rather than going out and fetching is from some unauthorized bootleggers. Parents in such cases tend to keep their children safe by providing them alcohol within the house so that their children should stay out of trouble by stepping out of their houses and getting involved in some kind of misdemeanor. Such an act is questionable by authorities and usually if such cases are found or caught where parents or any other adults are involved in contributing towards the delinquen cy of a minor, those adults or parents are held responsible both on civil as well as criminal basis. Lack of evidence is always the case where adults or parents escape the charges of supporting minors in acquiring alcohol.

Molecular Fluorescence Analysis of Proteins Lab Report

Molecular Fluorescence Analysis of Proteins - Lab Report Example As the electron returns from the lowest triplet state to the singlet ground state, a photon is released. The high sensitivity and specificity of fluorescence techniques facilitates the study of individual protein molecules. Therefore, this experiment sought to determine the source of fluorescence in serum albumin by first establishing the fluorescence of two key amino acids that make up serum albumin. Such a study would enable a detailed study of serum albumin as a protein. The experiment also aimed at establishing the concentration of riboflavin using the absorption of known concentrations of riboflavin. Solutions of 10 Â µM tyrosine and tryptophan were made to volumes of 100Â µL each by first preparing 100 mL of 1mM solutions and diluting them to 10 Â µM. The applications software of the fluorescent instrument was loaded after which the condition parameters were set. An emission scan range of between 290 and 380 nm was set alongside slits of 5nm. The emission wavelength was set to 280 nm, and the emission tab was clicked to obtain the emission spectrum of the buffer solution. The spectrum was saved after which the same procedure was repeated for tryptophan. Thereafter, an excitation spectrum for tryptophan was prepared by choosing the optimal emission wavelength according to the results of the emission spectrum. A tyrosine spectrum was obtained using similar conditions as those of the buffer. The tyrosine band was then obtained by subtracting the buffer spectrum from the tyrosine spectrum. All these steps were repeated for serum albumin making sure to save all the spectra. 1.0 mL of 10 ppm riboflavin solution was measured into a 100 mL volumetric flask and diluted using the buffer to make a 100 ppb stock solution. Standard solutions were then prepared using clean volumetric pipettes rinsed with HPLC water. The final concentrations of the standard solutions were

Teachers Day Essay Example for Free

Teachers Day Essay Ratna: A timeless Indian edict goes â€Å"Mata Pita Guru Deva† which translated stands for â€Å"Mother Father Teacher God† – a sacred list of the most revered relationships in a strict order. The meaning of this adage is the greatest truth, and is the order in which one should offer reverence. The phrase is a basic tenet in existence from the time of the Vedas and beyond. Snehal: First comes the mother (Mata) who gives birth to the child, thereby bringing us as a child into this world. Next comes the father (Pita), because it is the mother who knows the truth about the father and she points us to the father. The mother and father then take us to the teacher (Guru), and it is the guru, through his or her teachings, points us to God (Devam). Here God represents the consciousness or self-awareness or our real self. A Teacher thus stands at a higher pedestal than the almighty omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient and omnifarious. Ratna: Most of our earliest memories of school days will definitely feature an ever-smiling, ever-helpful teacher who assumed the role of a parent at school. While in many relations, we tend to pay back, with gratitude, the service or help rendered to us, a Teacher-Student relationship mostly ends up as a one-way lane where the teacher is always the giver and seldom the receiver. Snehal: So, here we r today to celebrate the magic, the â€Å"teacher† by expressing r deepest sense of gratitude and respect In our little way to wish to thank u all and salute ur immeasurable efforts and hard work†¦ I, Snehal and my friend Ratna, on the behalf of r entire class and r seniors welcome u all here†¦ Ur presence and valueable time really means a lot to us†¦ Welcome and hope u have a memorable Teachers Day†¦ 1) Ratna: (Ankit and Shankaran) In the words of William Butler Yeats, Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire. Without any further delay, taking blessings from the almighty and r teachers here, I will like to welcome Shankaran and Ankit to begin with the program and fill d air with music and melodies†¦ 2) Snehal (Vikram speech) Thank u Ankit and Shankaran for a great start†¦ Before we move any further, I would like to invite the President of the Management Association and r dear senior- Vikram Sir to come up and lead the way forward by saying a few words†¦ 3) Ratna (Ppt) Nikos Kazantzakis has rightly said- â€Å"Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own†. N its owing to those great teachers u n I stand here today†¦ Here we present a small presentation as a token of r appreciation towards u all teachers†¦ 4) Ratna (Harshit) Someone once said, â€Å"Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives. † It is so very true†¦ I now invite Harshit to come forward and convey all r special feelings to r dear teachers†¦ 5) Snehal (Video) Rightly said Harshit.. This reminds me of a little story I read back at school†¦ What Do Teachers Make? The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, Whats a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher? He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers Those who can, do. Those who cant, teach. To stress his point he said to another guest; Youre a teacher, Susan. Be honest. What do you make? Susan, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder. I make them question I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them write and read I make them show all their work in math and perfect their final drafts in English. I make them understand that if you have the brains, and follow your heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, must pay no attention because they just didnt learn. Susan paused and then continued. You want to know what I make? I MAKE U I MAKE A DIFFERENCE Here we now present a small video to reach out r hearts to one n all†¦ 6) Ratna: (Leela Rani Mam speech) I often wonder about teachers who educated famous people such as Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, and the like. Were these teachers specially qualified to inspire their students to achieve fame and success? Or were these teachers just plain lucky to have exceptionally talented students? Do some teachers have the rare quality of turning dust into gold? The answer may not be easy to find†¦ I would now request r respected Leela Rani Mam to please come forward and share few words of advice with us 7) Snehal (Shruti) As we move towards the end of today’s function, and before we proceed to d cake-cutting and snacks session, I would request Shruti to come forward are convey d vote of thanks on behalf of the MBA batch of 2012-14. 8) cake-cutting Snehal: I would take the pleasure of inviting all the faculty members to come forward for the cake cutting†¦ 9) Snacks (Ratna). Someone once said, Teachers dont impact for a year, but for a lifetime. A teacher can make a lasting impression on your mind. This influence persists beyond school, college and university, and becomes the beacon of light, guiding us through the journey of life. Good teachers play the role of a parent, providing encouragement, inspiration, and invaluable guidance†¦. We now bid a good-bye to this memorable evening and hope to create many such during r stay at BITS. We once again thank you all for being a part of this event and thereby appreciating r efforts†¦ Thank You†¦

Abortion - Its Only Natural :: essays papers

Abortion - It's Only Natural The topic of abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. The fight between pro-life and pro-choice supporters has has caused countless confrontations and several deaths. Despite what many people may believe, abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is a matter of personal opinion. In this way, each side can say with certainty that the other is wrong. Therefore the question remains; should abortion be legal? Though some may disagree on this point, the fact is that legalized abortion is the only option that will protect the lives of American citizens. One only needs to look into American history to see the results of prohibiting abortions to women. The violence which occurs today because the of pro-choice/pro-life conflicts is minimal in comparison to the thousands of hopeless women who turned to the illegal abortions --either self-inflicted or preformed by the backroom "professionals"-- which resulted in infection, massive blood loss, and death. It is better now that they have a place to go where abortions can be performed cleanly and with minimal risk. Legalization of abortion is the only choice no matter what side one takes in the debate. Women will try to do what they think is necessary to live as they wish, no matter what the risk. In order to live as she chooses a woman may give up her freedom, her morals, her beliefs, her family, or even her life. Abortion has been around for thousands of years in every inhabited corner of the globe. It has always been accepted as a means to prevent the suffering of both woman and potential child. It has been practiced widely in every society for many reasons including famine, war, poverty, overpopulation, or simply because a woman felt she was not ready for a child (Whitney 40). No one ever questioned a woman's right to this procedure. After all, who but God had the right to judge what a woman did with her own body? This thought process lasted till the 1800's. During this era of change people began to turn their attention in a new direction, the fetus. They began to protest abortion as cruel, inhumane, and murderous. Filled with a new sense of purpose and the glory of a fresh, righteous cause to uphold this new morality swept the countryside Abortion - It's Only Natural :: essays papers Abortion - It's Only Natural The topic of abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. The fight between pro-life and pro-choice supporters has has caused countless confrontations and several deaths. Despite what many people may believe, abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is a matter of personal opinion. In this way, each side can say with certainty that the other is wrong. Therefore the question remains; should abortion be legal? Though some may disagree on this point, the fact is that legalized abortion is the only option that will protect the lives of American citizens. One only needs to look into American history to see the results of prohibiting abortions to women. The violence which occurs today because the of pro-choice/pro-life conflicts is minimal in comparison to the thousands of hopeless women who turned to the illegal abortions --either self-inflicted or preformed by the backroom "professionals"-- which resulted in infection, massive blood loss, and death. It is better now that they have a place to go where abortions can be performed cleanly and with minimal risk. Legalization of abortion is the only choice no matter what side one takes in the debate. Women will try to do what they think is necessary to live as they wish, no matter what the risk. In order to live as she chooses a woman may give up her freedom, her morals, her beliefs, her family, or even her life. Abortion has been around for thousands of years in every inhabited corner of the globe. It has always been accepted as a means to prevent the suffering of both woman and potential child. It has been practiced widely in every society for many reasons including famine, war, poverty, overpopulation, or simply because a woman felt she was not ready for a child (Whitney 40). No one ever questioned a woman's right to this procedure. After all, who but God had the right to judge what a woman did with her own body? This thought process lasted till the 1800's. During this era of change people began to turn their attention in a new direction, the fetus. They began to protest abortion as cruel, inhumane, and murderous. Filled with a new sense of purpose and the glory of a fresh, righteous cause to uphold this new morality swept the countryside

What is terrorism

There is really no specified and on point definition because It could mean deferent things to different people and different countries. Because of that being, terrorism could be absolutely anything. Every good thing for one person has a bad side for another person and what is considered doing the right thing to one country, how It affects another country could be taken as terrorism. All In all terrorism Is all about perspective.The famous quote, â€Å"One mans terrorist Is another mans freedom fighter. † (http://BBC. Co. UK) 9/1 1 and the ASK are two examples of terrorism In the history of the united States. 9/1 1 was one of the most tragic events In the history of the united States and possibly the largest form of terrorism we have ever experienced. For most people when they hear the word terrorism they Instantly think of 911 1 when the twin towers of the world trade center were destroyed by planes flew by Iranians who organized and high jacked the planes.The ASK, or the Crue l Klutz Klan, was a group of white men who were organized against black people across the country. Terrorism has been about since 1789 and it has always been about the same thing. The purpose is to get attention to gain power, economic wealth, or political wealth. This could be an act of pretty much anything at all but most people usually use the highest form of danger or chaos. In my opinion, terrorism is when someone threatens or endangers someone or their life in order to gain power, ranking, or wealth.

External Enviroment

Question 1 The external environment of a firm plays a very important role in the operations of the organization. Why is it important for organization in the Pacific to learn and know about what is happening in their external environment? Use examples to explain a least 5 elements in the external environment. The business dictionary defines external environment as conditions, entities, events, and factors surrounding an organization that influence its activities and choices, and determine its opportunities and risks.From this definition we can identify that external environment plays a vital role in the operations of organization. For an organization in the Pacific to maintain its longevity and productivity in the competitive world of business it is very important to be alert and attentive to the world surrounding it in terms of entities, events, and factors surrounding it that will influence its activities and choices, and determine its opportunities and risks thus maintain its compe titive edge. Technological Element The organization must be technologically efficient.Computers are now the main mode of communication. It knows no barrier. It travels through time and space, continents, companies and what not. A press of a button from Fiji can enable you to communicate with someone thousand and thousand of kilometers away living in United Kingdom. It is very important that they invest in technology through equipment, training and recruitment to be able to impact in the economy. â€Å"Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time. †Ã‚   –Bill Gates (http://voices. ahoo. com/great-technology-quotes-sayings-5759728. html? cat=15) â€Å"The medium, or process, of our time – electric technology is reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and every aspect of our personal life. It is forcing us to reconsider and re-evaluate practically every thought, every action,†Ã‚   â₠¬â€œMarshall McLuhan (http://voices. yahoo. com/great-technology-quotes-sayings-5759728. html? cat=15) Eg. The use of ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) by commercial banks in the region has made banking effective and efficient.No longer have people be involved in long lines wait to be served. The work of two to three people have been made easier by a single machine. In a Fiji Times interview the ANZ Bank CEO Vishnu Mohan explained that, [1]ANZ customers can now carry out quick and timely automatic teller machine (ATM) transactions. . Economic Element The organization must also be aware of economic development, events and activities regionally and globally. ———————– [1] (Fiji Times, 3rd October, 2012, ATM Upgrade)

Free Essays on 7 Wonders

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD In the ancient world there were seven great man-made structures for travelers to see on a world tour. Lists of the so-called seven wonders of the world sometimes varied. The following list, dating from about the 6th century AD, was a commonly used and standard one: (1) the pyramids of Egypt; (2) the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; (3) the statue of Zeus at Olympia; (4) the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; (5) the temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus; (6) the Colossus of Rhodes; and (7) the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria. Greek colonists at Ephesus, in Asia Minor, built the famous temple of Artemis. The early settlers found the Asian inhabitants worshiping a many-breasted nature goddess whom they identified with their Artemis (called Diana by the Romans). They raised a shrine to her, which was rebuilt and enlarged from time to time. The fourth temple was the one regarded as the wonder of the world. Dedicated about 430 BC, it is said to have been built by contributions from all the great cities of Asia and to have taken 120 years to complete. This great temple was set on fire in 356 BC on the night Alexander the Great was born, according to tradition. The crime was committed by one Herostratus merely that his name might be remembered in after ages. The statue of Olympian Zeus was erected at Olympia, in the Peloponnesus of Greece, by the great sculptor Phidias in the 5th century BC. It was a towering structure of ivory and gold, 40 feet high, majestic and beautiful. After about 10 centuries of existence the statue was destroyed. Our only idea of it is gained from coins of Elis, which are thought to bear copies of the original. The Colossus of Rhodes was a great bronze statue, erected in about 280 BC by the citizens of Rhodes, capital of the Greek island of the same name. It represented their sun-god Helios and was said to be 105 feet high. According to legend, it straddled the harbor entrance, b... Free Essays on 7 Wonders Free Essays on 7 Wonders SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD In the ancient world there were seven great man-made structures for travelers to see on a world tour. Lists of the so-called seven wonders of the world sometimes varied. The following list, dating from about the 6th century AD, was a commonly used and standard one: (1) the pyramids of Egypt; (2) the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; (3) the statue of Zeus at Olympia; (4) the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; (5) the temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus; (6) the Colossus of Rhodes; and (7) the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria. Greek colonists at Ephesus, in Asia Minor, built the famous temple of Artemis. The early settlers found the Asian inhabitants worshiping a many-breasted nature goddess whom they identified with their Artemis (called Diana by the Romans). They raised a shrine to her, which was rebuilt and enlarged from time to time. The fourth temple was the one regarded as the wonder of the world. Dedicated about 430 BC, it is said to have been built by contributions from all the great cities of Asia and to have taken 120 years to complete. This great temple was set on fire in 356 BC on the night Alexander the Great was born, according to tradition. The crime was committed by one Herostratus merely that his name might be remembered in after ages. The statue of Olympian Zeus was erected at Olympia, in the Peloponnesus of Greece, by the great sculptor Phidias in the 5th century BC. It was a towering structure of ivory and gold, 40 feet high, majestic and beautiful. After about 10 centuries of existence the statue was destroyed. Our only idea of it is gained from coins of Elis, which are thought to bear copies of the original. The Colossus of Rhodes was a great bronze statue, erected in about 280 BC by the citizens of Rhodes, capital of the Greek island of the same name. It represented their sun-god Helios and was said to be 105 feet high. According to legend, it straddled the harbor entrance, b... Free Essays on 7 Wonders 1. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon – Located approximately 50km south of Baghdad, Iraq on the east bank of the Euphrates River. King Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC), grandson of the famous King Hammurabi, is credited to have commissioned the construction of the gardens. Although no tablets were found in Babylon referring to the Gardens, accountings from the ancient Greek historian, Strabo, state that the â€Å"The Garden is quadrangular, and each side is four plethra long. It consists of arched vaults which are located on checkered cube-like foundations.. The ascent of the uppermost terrace-roofs is made by a stairway..† 2. The Great Pyramid of Giza – The only one of the Seven Wonders still left standing to this day, it is also the oldest of the 7 Ancient Wonders. Located in the city Giza, a necropolis of ancient Memphis, which is now part of Cairo, Egypt. This impressive monument was commissioned by Pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around 2560 BC, to serve as his final resting place. The great pyramid was 145.75 meters tall when constructed, but over the course of time has lost nearly 10 meters. The entrance is located on the North side of the pyramid, and once inside there is a series of passageways and galleries that lead to the Kings burial chamber. The structure is comprised of some 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing more than 2 tons, with the King’s burial chamber and sarcophagus made out of red granite. 3. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia – The god of gods to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. It was located in the ancient town of Olympia, about 150 km west of Athens, in Greece. The original temple housing the massive statue was constructed around 450 BC, designed by architect Libon. The statue itself was created by the Athenian sculptor Pheidias. Constructed out of ivory sections, the massive statue was 45 feet tall, holding victory in his right hand, and his sceptor in his left. Closed by the Roman...

About Lois Lowrys Controversial Book, The Giver

About Lois Lowry's Controversial Book, The Giver Imagine living in a society of sameness where you find no color, no family connections, and no memory- a society where life is governed by rigid rules that resist change and resent questioning. Welcome to the world of Lois Lowrys 1994 Newbery award-winning book The Giver, a powerful and controversial book about a utopian community and young boy’s dawning realizations about oppression, choices and human connections. The Storyline of The Giver Twelve-year-old Jonas is looking forward to the Ceremony of Twelves and getting his new assignment. He will miss his friends and their games, but at 12 he is required to set aside his child-like activities. With excitement and fear, Jonas and the rest of the new Twelves are bid a formal â€Å"thank you for your childhood† by the head elder as they move into the next phase of community work. In The Giver’s utopian community, rules govern every aspect of life from speaking in precise language to sharing dreams and feelings at daily family councils. In this perfect world, climate is controlled, births are regulated and everyone is given an assignment based on ability. Couples are matched and applications for children are reviewed and assessed. The elderly are honored and  apologize, and the acceptance of apologies, are mandatory. In addition, anyone who refuses to follow rules or who exhibits weaknesses is â€Å"released† (a gentle euphemism for killed). If twins are born, the one weighing the least is scheduled for release while the other is taken to a nurturing facility. Daily pills to suppress desires and â€Å"stirrings† are taken by citizens beginning at age twelve. There is no choice, no disruption, and no human connections. This is the world Jonas knows until he is assigned to train under the Receiver and become his successor. The Receiver holds all the memories of the community and it’s his job to pass on this heavy burden to Jonas. As the old Receiver begins to give Jonas the memories of ages past, Jonas starts to see colors and experience new feelings. He learns there are words to label the emotions that are erupting inside him: pain, joy, sorrow, and love. The passing of memories from aged man to boy deepens their relationship and Jonas experiences a powerful need to share his newfound awareness. Jonas wants others to experience the world as he sees it, but the Receiver explains that letting loose these memories all at once into the community would be unbearable and painful. Jonas is weighed down by this new knowledge and awareness and finds solace in discussing his feelings of frustration and amazement with his mentor. Behind a closed door with the speaker device turned to OFF, Jonas and the Receiver discuss the forbidden topics of choice, fairness, and individuality. Early in their relationship, Jonas begins to see the old Receiver as a Giver because of the memories and knowledge he is giving to him. Jonas quickly finds his world shifting. He sees his community with new eyes and when he understands the real meaning of â€Å"release† and learns a sad truth about the Giver, he begins to make plans for change. However, when Jonas finds out that a young child he’s grown fond of is being prepared for release, both he and the Giver quickly alter their plans and prepare for a daring escape full of risk, danger, and death for all involved. Author Lois Lowry Lois Lowry wrote her first book, A Summer to Die, in 1977 at the age of 40. Since then she’s written more than 30 books for children and teens, often tackling serious topics such as debilitating illnesses, the Holocaust, and repressive governments. The winner of two Newbery Medals and other accolades, Lowry continues to write the types of stories she feels represents her views about humanity. Lowry explains, â€Å"My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. Born in Hawaii, Lowry, the second of three children, moved all over the world with her Army dentist father. Awards Over the years, Lois Lowry has accumulated multiple awards for her books, but the most prestigious are her two Newbery Medals for Number the Stars (1990) and The Giver (1994). In 2007, the American Library Association honored Lowry with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Contribution to Young Adult Literature. Controversy, Challenges, and Censorship Despite the many accolades The Giver has garnered, it has met with enough opposition to put it on the American Library Association’s most frequently challenged and banned books list for the years 1990-1999 and 2000-2009. Controversy over the book focuses on two topics: suicide and euthanasia. When a minor character determines she can no longer endure her life, she asks to be â€Å"released† or killed. According to an article in USA Today, opponents of the book argue that Lowry fails to â€Å"explain that suicide is not a solution to life’s problems.† In addition to the concern about suicide, opponents of the book criticize Lowry’s handling of euthanasia. Supporters of the book counter these criticisms by arguing that children are being exposed to social issues that will make them think more analytically about governments, personal choice, and relationships. When asked for her opinion on book banning Lowry responded: I think banning books is a very, very dangerous thing. It takes away an important freedom. Any time there is an attempt to ban a book, you should fight it as hard as you can. Its okay for a parent to say, I dont want my child to read this book. But it is not okay for anyone to try to make that decision for other people. The world portrayed in The Giver is a world where choice has been taken away. It is a frightening world. Lets work hard to keep it from truly happening. The Giver Quartet and the Movie While The Giver can be read as a standalone book, Lowry has written companion books to further explore the meaning of community. Gathering Blue (published in 2000) introduces readers to Kira, a crippled orphan girl with a gift for needlework. Messenger, published in 2004, is the story of Mattie who is first introduced in Gathering Blue as Kira’s friend. In fall 2012 Lowrys Son was published. Son represents the grand finale in Lois Lowrys Giver books.

Remove Uncertainty for Iraqi Translators Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Remove Uncertainty for Iraqi Translators - Essay Example Tariq informed that after withdrawal of the US forces, he prefers to stay at home and spends most of his time in cultivating hobbies such as gardening, until the time he receives his visa to migrate to the US. Tariq is much dismayed at the delay in getting the visa and he feels that senior officers in the command that he worked for are also helpless in speeding up the visa process because of the several formalities and processes that have to be completed. Despite the validity of an American law that provides for expedited visas under provisions of the Special Immigrant Visa Program to almost 20,000 Iraqi citizens that worked for the US in Iraq, not much headway has yet been made in making it possible for these Iraqis to relocate to the US (US Immigration, 2011). Tariq is disappointed because despite having excellent recommendations from the US army officers with whom he worked, the State Department simply takes the plea that it is helpless because a number of security checks have to be carried out by several departments. During the talk on the radio, Marie from Rhode Island was the first to join in. Marie informed she too was in Baghdad for about one year and was required to work with interpreters. She was in agreement that interpreters often received threats and informed that two of them were shot dead while she was in Baghdad. She was aware that there is a great deal of paper work and red tape involved in getting these interpreters to migrate to the US, which is obviously very depressing.

The philosophy on educational Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The philosophy on educational - Essay Example The concept of philosophy was influential in helping Myles Horton to start up learning centers for example; in schools people share dreams and interests while living together. This is based on his definition of a democratic society as one with provisions for positive participation by all in equal terms with secure flexibility (Kohl, Myles and Kohl 1905-90). Since he appreciated the value of education he formed different education centers that led to the spread of citizenship schools to most remote parts in the south and thus helping residents mostly Africans to become literate and qualified to vote. This helped in advancing civil rights movements in 1960s by bringing together coal miners and textile workers. Sharing of ideas and use of the knowledge taught enabled people to challenge and face the negative social problems affecting their lives, boosted and advanced of civil rights, helped workers to form trade unions and cooperatives, helped to make homeless people realize, know and achieve their constitutional rights. The value of education helped to fulfill his determination to see the school he envisioned involve, serve and help poor people in employment and ethnic dissension and in finding ways to gain self-esteem, independence and integrity. Horton organized and appreciated immense transformations in political and social philosophy that enabled restoration of economic prosperity and encouraged patriotism and civic responsibility among the people. One does not need to know the answers to people’s problems but that there are a great deal of views and opinions that people can collectively contribute to build the society. This implies that it is quite crucial to discuss problems in a bid to find viable solutions. Highlander concentrated in inviting the poor who needed sponsorship in order to attend the education centers and learn among other things, their rights in order to overcome the oppression and to learn to handle their problems and

Coursework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coursework - Assignment Example Starting April 2016, the 3% supplement for diesel cars will be scrapped (Deloitte, 2012). The other important adjustments that have been made include exclusion of certain security enhancement, which will not be considered henceforth, as accessories when estimating the benefit’s corresponding to the cash value in respect to company cars used for private purpose. These adjustments will be put into force from 6 April 2011 and will be applied retrospectively. Private fuel benefit The benefit’s cash equivalent in respect to free fuel offered to employees will increase because the multiplier used to estimate them will be increased from ?18,800 to ?20,200, a change that took effect from April 2012. Furthermore, this multiplier will further increase by 2 percent above the inflation rate, taking effect from 2013 up to 2014. Capital allowances and lease rental restriction There shall be an extension (up to April 2015) of the time through which 100 percent of capital allowances fo r the initial year are allowed on car expenses. Nonetheless, starting April 2013, the emissions measurement will drop off from 110g/km to 95g/km; in addition, this measurement will be incorporated into the main pool and charged 18 percent per annum instead of 8 percent special rate pool, which will drop off from 160g/km to 130g/km. In this regards, tax relief extended to employers will be pegged on the lease rentals for cars whose emission exceeds 130 g/km (limited at 15%) (Deloitte, 2012). Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) The VED increase was aligned with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) as of April 2012. However, the Government expressed interest in repealing the calculation of VED over the medium term based on the views gathered from motoring groups (Deloitte, 2012). QUESTION TWO Petrol driven 5 door hatchback, with CO2 emissions of 139g/km Employee benefit from car = ?18,000* 85/100*40/100*18/100 = ?1,101.60 Since the employee is provided with fuel for private use of the company car, this benefit will be taxed. The value to be taxed is pegged on the engine’s fuel efficiency. The percentage charge for this benefit is the same as for the car benefit and, therefore, it will be calculated as follows: . ?20,200*40/100*18/100 = ?1,454.4 The total cost to the manager is ?1,101.60 +?1,454.4 = ?2,556 Although the fuel benefits have attracted some tax, I would urge the manager accept petrol for private motoring, which is provided by his employer because this will lead to some other benefits. These benefits, which are not additionally taxed include insurance, repairs, maintenance and servicing, Membership of a motoring organization, and road tax. Ideally, the cash value of these benefits is more than the car tax paid due to the fuel used for private purpose. As such, the employee will get at least ?600 per annum depending on the reliability of the vehicle. However, if the manager is sure that refusing to take the fueling benefit will not lead to insurance increases, the n they can as well opt to do away with the benefit. Cost to the employer Capital allowances Twenty per cent is claimed on the written-down cost every year; therefore, the following capital allowances will be claimed for the year ending 31st March 2013: The car does not fall under low-emission category since it exceeds 110g/km of CO2 and, therefore, the 110 per cent deduction for the first

Developing Creative Thinking in Teachers

Developing Creative Thinking in Teachers Introduction Communication is a dynamic process in which a transmitter transmits information receiver via a channel , in order to produce some effect on the receptor. Effects of transmitter on the receiver are often persuasive in nature because when we communicate the information will be understood as send us. Any information directed intentionally gets the message. This implies the existence of a recipient or acceptor and not just a receiver or collector . Also involved there is a issue, encoder or decoder court. Communication involves reversal of messages within the relationship which unites two entities, even if the messages are of the same order. Man can communicate with animals, with nature, but the most developed, evolved and of course analyzed is communication within groups of people. This implies the existence of natural or cultural structures and techniques that require organization and regulatory guidelines . Communication implies the existence of individual goals linked to other targets individuals or groups and subgroups. In a subgroup can be shaped by objectives, skills, availability and situations that cause structure. Communication within a group involves specific techniques and exercises by: group organization, group members complete interaction , reporting real and creativity of its members. Creativity is regarded as a property of the human psychic system. It is a particular dimension of personality dimension interacting many factors such as mental ( intellectual, affective, motivational, volitional, skills, attitudes), the nature of social (socio cultural, educational) and biological. This interaction gives deep complex phenomenon that is fully justified that domain experts could not reach a universally accepted definition. Most definitions of creativity subsumed visions characterized by addressing the concept of aptitude or ability to produce something new, the process to produce new or problem solving. Therefore, the literature is taken as a reference framework or personality variables or creative process or product of the act of creation itself. Modern research on creativity was born in America on her motivation is pragmatic one, namely the lack of personalities creative . The explosion was triggered studies in the field of Guilford s speech at the meeting of the American Psychological Association in 1950. This speech occur in the same year in an article that warned neglect this problem in scientific research. Guilford posted a three-dimensional model of the structure of intellect which opens early emancipation creativity from under oppressive intelligence. In his model, Guilford distinguish between convergent thinking and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking, confronted with a problem, always seek to deduct the fair way to solve them and also to obtain the unique solution : this is the kind of thought checked using conventional tests of intelligence. Divergent thinking rather seek more opportunities for settlement and this method brand new usage given state of knowledge. Guilford revealed three groups of factors involve d in creation : mobility, flexibility and elaboration. In the 1980s , creativity becomes a favorite theme applied psychology studies. A proof of the importance given to this area in the social context of those years is organizing exhibitions dedicated to creativity. This exhibition marks the time of revival of experimental studies in the psychology of creativity and the emergence of a new model and a new methodology, namely the type cognitivist. Lately studies on creativity have expanded the reference. Research revealed relationship between creative thinking and critical thinking and the role of variables such as personal style. Moreover the question of creative potential (which has varying degrees each person) and the importance of stimulation and its development. Content Creativity is a specifically human phenomenon. Most experts agree that creative potential is present in each individual, it is possible to transform it from virtuality to reality (active under the influence of an environment favorable) that stimulate and develop their creative potential. On this idea, saying that P.P. Neveanu human potential and therefore the creative is not a given size permanently. It can be stimulated by a complex socio-educational approach and organized, including simultaneous activation phenomena, training, cultivation and development through creative virtues update by passing them through effective assertion of possible real. We must not forget the distinction between creative potential (the potential latent ) and creativity (the actual act), and the distinction made by Aristotle. Otherwise we could draw hasty conclusion that as long as the premise of the original product creativity is only the privilege of adults, children and even adolescents do not possess creative potential. In fact, he still performs acts of originality, but it does mean that it has the potential. In addition, it was found that there is a specific creative potential by age, it should not be considered the childs potential by adult achievements. Complexity creativity requires the participation of a large number of factors, different in nature. May be noted, however, two types of factors: Objective factors (represented by economic and social conditions necessary for cultural climate) ; Subjective factors (represented by intellectuals factors, skills, attitudes, motivation and willpower ). Factors considered indispensable in the creative process are: flexibility, fluidity and originality. Fluidity is the richness, ease and rapidity of associations between images and ideas flow verbal fluency, rich ideation. J. Guilford fluidity distinguishes three types : verbal, ideational and expression. It considers that it is important so as quality of ideas speed. Flexibility is the effective restructuring of walking thinking in relation to new situations, the ability to easily operate transfer (perceptive plan in the figural and the conceptual) orientation and thinking ability in many different directions ( Carter ) . Guilford distinguish three types of flexibility :figural, semantic and symbolic. P.P. Neveanu consider originality with central factor in creation, since as the number of responses is greater, increase the chance of an original response. Originality defined by rarity and novelty involves interpretation and personal expression of things, common situations . A. Koestler distinguishes ordinary originality by three criteria :a) the level of consciousness that is driven activity, b ) the type of guidance that trusts subject, c ) the nature of the obstacle to be overcome. F. Barron determined following originality : the independence of the reasoning, complex views, nonconformity, rich perceptual systems, high capacity of generalization, self-confidence, authority. Originality makes the product to be characterized by novelty, singularity, freshness, uniqueness. Another factor influencing creativity is perceptive style, apprehension. This factor cognitive reaction designate how to solve problems. Creativity, both at individual and group level may be limited by a number of obstacles (blockage). Among them, in his opinion A.Cosmovici (1998 , pg 154 ) the most common are: Social jams and conformity , mistrust of fantasy, imagination, or exaggerating the value of logical reasoning and so on; Methodological bottlenecks resulting from the processes of thinking, in this category include :stiffness previous algorithms, functional fixity (using only objects according to their function and rarely recognized for another purpose) and premature criticism. Emotional blockages such as :fear of failing, of not embarrass us, rushing to accept the first idea promoted ; discourage rapid and premature , etc. . All these barriers in the way of creative and innovative attitudes event can be avoided when discussing and analyzing problems to be solved is achieved through genuine effective interpersonal and group work through a positive attitude to each group member to common task and through open communication, uncensored opinions. Such an atmosphere is provided especially when, for creativity group is calling and a number of methods and techniques that create relaxation group, less critical condition favoring free association as ideas promoted in the debate. The most effective means for overcoming inertia and psychological barriers in the process of creation is the joint creation of intuitive techniques. The most common methods are intuitive creation: Brainstorming, synectic, Panel Discussion, Philips 66, 6-3-5 method, Delphi method and method Frisco. Brainstorming, or, brain storming, it is an effective method for generating ideas group being drafted in 1948 by the A. Osborn. It is a creative deliberation with the purpose of generating and aligning a set of ideas that can serve as guidance for solving a problem in question. Basic principles of brainstorming are: Postponement of criticism (evaluation) . Osborn believes that imagination should be allowed first to soar up into the sky, then back on the ground with critical thinking ( Osborn, 1971); The need to develop as many ideas on the principle of transformation of quantity into quality. In addition to these basic principles must be respected and other rules such as encouraging the enunciation and ideas seemingly bizarre , unusual, but the analysis can be very effective, it stimulates combining and improving ideas, formulation of ideas generated so personal thinking and that of other group members. Synectics or free association is the method developed by Gordon WI and consists in combining different elements, apparently uncorrelated with the aim of releasing the constraints in the problem formulated, eliminating negative responses, annealing thinking and thinking out the template for the development of original ideas and viable. 6-3-5 method involves six people who initially formulated by 3 ideas each. Figure 5 shows the number of people who worked the first 3 ideas neighbor. The exchange of ideas is done until 3 ideas first pass by each group member. Finally, centralized management ideas and transmitted. Philips 66 method was developed by Philips and JD is actually a brain storming paticipanÃ…Â £i number is 6, and during the discussion is limited to 6 minutes. There are several groups each consisting of six members, each having a leader who realizes report ideas. Delphi method was developed by O. Helmer and consists in mutual consultation between the participants. We develop a questionnaire on the topic in question to be sent for completion of specialists. When the responses are collected. Subsequently return the questionnaires for completion this time accompanied by unarticulated responses of the other participants. Phasing ideas that deviate from the average, the circuit ending once the stabilizing responses. Frisco method aims to discover, to solve difficult problems, complex ways of solving both simple and effective. Involves the formation of two teams. Investigation team, consisting of 12 to 15 persons examined problem solving and re-imagines the classic methods, analyzes them critically and emphasizes basic difficulties. Actual creative team consisting of 5-6 experts, receiving checklist first team, trying to find solutions to enrich new or even existing ones. Lately, experts have focused on developing a program to promote the work of new ways of learning and thinking styles designed to contribute to the foundation for effective learning, sustainable and constructive. Its about promoting methods of developing students critical thinking designed to help them, through the confrontation of ideas through collaboration and cooperation to find appropriate solutions to resolve data issues. This educational program was initiated by Jeannie Steele and Kurtis Meredith in 1995 and today, through the Foundation Open Society based in New York, he is promoted in many countries of the world. In our country, one of the teachers trainers on effective learning strategies and promoting creative thinking in working with pupils and students, Ion. Dumitru, he published The development of critical thinking and effective learning ( West Publishing House, Timisoara, 2000) we present, in summary, the main features of these methods. Firstly it should be noted that, in terms of this concept, critical thinking is not to have a negative position, unrealistic, inefficient but rather critical thinking is a way to address and solve problems constructively, with the purpose of grounding and foundation opinions , rational argumentation their acceptance of their knowledge. It involves : formulation of each pupil / student of his own mind, personal, original possibly related to an issue responsible debate ideas and advanced solutions for each individual individually or as a result of group work, manifesting a high degree of flexibility, tolerance and respect for the ideas of others and thus acceptance of diversity of opinions and ideas and asking questions like what if?, what would happen when? etc. to encourage exploration of phenomena from multiple perspectives, even when some of them are only possible or probable etc . These features of critical thinking and methods used for its development a very close group creativity peculiarities and methods used for its stimulation. Thus, the main methods of developing critical thinking include: a) Think / Pair / Communicate . Based on a question from the teacher, students develop their answers individually, then in pairs to communicate to each other the answers, to listen and try to finally reach a consensus or a new response, improved following discussions; b) the cube method. Helps students to study a theme, a concept from different perspectives , it involves using a cube (real or imagined ) that has different instructions written on each side of it, as follows: Describe, Compare, Associate, Analyze, Apply, Argues. The teacher asks students to write about a particular concept or a theme through all six sides of the cube. It is preferable to follow the order presented because it leads students gradually to complex thinking. c) Technique cluster. It is a technique of teaching and learning that encourages students to think freely and openly, to highlight the various connections between ideas or to build new associations between them. Technology cluster may be used individually, but used group enables each student to become acquainted with the ideas of others, links and associations between them made by his colleagues. d) joint investigation and discussion network. It is a learning technique based on group work, activity guided by one or more questions asked by the teacher, admitting different answers, the result of choices based on arguments. This method involves: reading by students individually, text that contains ideas likely different interpretations, grouping students into pairs and their collaboration to answer one or more questions asked by the teacher to the whole class setting a discussion networks between the advocates of a position to produce the necessary arguments and counter counter-arguments supporting it. In work -based training group investigation and discussion network, several requirements must be met: encouraging participation of all group members in discussions to achieve joint investigation and summarizing the arguments of the group with the agreement of all participants, focusing on the â€Å"dismantling adverse position and arguments not personal attack. Such a method of training helps the students acquire some skills and abilities related to: receptivity to arguments offered in support of their beliefs, the ability to make assumptions about the beliefs and the beliefs of others, the ability of everyone to express open and disagreement in a problem free, creative ability as evidenced by the construction of original cognitive approaches, but also strongly motivated etc. Conclusions This brief overview of some of the methods and techniques for developing creative thinking by teachers in the activities with groups of pupils/students is able to provide just one example of their concern for creating adequate conditions to achieve effective learning, and to enhance their creative and innovative capacity. Communication is the tool by which the teacher stimulates the creativity of pupils/students and also the way they externalize their creative potential. Creation itself is the result of symbiosis of communication between teacher and student. Therefore the act of learning focus should be not on the reproduction of information transmitted, but the creation of new ideas that reflect each students personal touch. Therefore, obedience school groups and generally any grouping of scientific research conducted from the perspective of the psychology of new acquisitions can provide teachers and other professionals effective ways of optimizing the activity. These methods and techniques of research in psycho-sociology of human groups are meant to decipher various ways of investigating social groups, structures and processes that arise within it.

Social, Political and Economic Effects of WWI :: World War I History

Social, Political and Economic Effects of WWI "Everywhere in the world was heard the sound of things breaking." Advanced European societies could not support long wars or so many thought prior to World War I. They were right in a way. The societies could not support a long war unchanged. The First World War left no aspect of European civilization untouched as pre-war governments were transformed to fight total war. The war metamorphed Europe socially, politicaly, economically, and intellectualy. European countries channeled all of their resources into total war which resulted in enormous social change. The result of working together for a common goal seemed to be unifying European societies. Death knocked down all barriers between people. All belligerents had enacted some form of a selective service which levelled classes in many ways. Wartime scarcities made luxury an impossibility and unfavorable. Reflecting this, clothing became uniform and utilitarian. Europeans would never again dress in fancy, elaborate costumes. Uniforms led the way in clothing change. The bright blue-and-red prewar French infantry uniforms had been changed after the first few months of the war, since they made whoever wore them into excellent targets for machine guns. Women's skirts rose above the ankle permanently and women became more of a part of society than ever. They undertook a variety of jobs previously held by men. They were now a part of clerical, secretarial work, and te! aching. They were also more widely employed in industrial jobs. By 1918, 37.6 percent of the work force in the Krupp armaments firm in Germany was female. In England the proportion of women works rose strikingly in public transport (for example, from 18,000 to 117,000 bus conductors), banking (9,500 to 63,700), and commerce (505,000 to 934,000). Many restrictions on women disappeared during the war. It became acceptable for young, employed, single middle-class women to have their own apartments, to go out without chaperones, and to smoke in public. It was only a matter of time before women received the right to vote in many belligerent countries. Strong forces were shaping the power and legal status of labor unions, too. The right of workers to organize was relatively new, about half a century. Employers fought to keep union organizers out of their plants and armed force was often used against striking workers. The universal rallying of workers towards their flag at the beginning of the war led to w ider acceptance of unions.

Celta – Focus on the Learner

This case study is based on Patricia, a Spanish national in her twenties who is in her last year studying an Economics degree course. She is also a student on the Elementary course at the British Language Centre. Patricia’s started learning English at the bi-lingual school she attended. She learnt English for 3 years but did not take any official examinations, but sees this as a possibility for the future. At school she learnt English because it was obligatory. The only other language she speaks is Spanish. She started attending the British Language Centre (which she still attends) to help her find a job in an international company and to prepare her for her visit to Eastbourne, East Sussex (UK) in July. She will be staying with a house family for one month and hopes to improve her English and use all of the language she has been learning to date. Her reasons for learning English are a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic ones. The main reason she is motivated to learn English is because she believes it will help her find a good job and earn loads of money, she also reads a lot about English culture and customs and watches films in English with subtitles for her own enjoyment. This can also be related to her learning styles. The results of her â€Å"multiple intelligences† questionnaire indicates that her learning style preferences are linguistic, spatial and interpersonal. Her conversations in English refer to things that she has read or heard, she enjoys solving mazes and other visual puzzles and considers herself to be a leader. Problems and Possible solutions with Grammar The student enjoys English grammar, and generally finds it much easier than Spanish grammar. An example of this is the verb formations. She normally uses the correct tense when speaking in English but sometimes uses the infinitive form instead of the progressive. â€Å"I read† instead of â€Å"I’m reading†. Spanish often use an infinitive where English would use a progressive; this can be attributed to language interference. To resolve this problem more tasks relating to real situations could be set along with reading and listening exercises that incorporate and contrast the infinitive nd progressive forms. When asked about the aspect of English she finds most difficult, she said ‘phrasal verbs’. Her problems include understanding the meaning of phrasal verbs, especially when the meaning can vary according to context, and choosing the correct particle to accompany the verb. For example â€Å"to break up† I broke up with my girlfriend last night, the main cause is likely to be comprehension issues as a result of conflict with meanings she already knows. Solutions to such problems would be dictionary analysis and sentencing restructuring exercises. Another problem she has is with the structuring of sentences. A classic example of this would be using the adjective after the noun â€Å"shoes big† instead of â€Å"big shoes†. This can also be attributed to language interference. Solutions to this problem would include drills (oral and written); practice would include guided dialogues, language games, parallel writing, dictations etc. 3 Problems and Possible Solutions with Vocabulary A common problem can be irregular plurals. (Refer to Appendix – example 1). In Spanish irregular plurals are not formed the same as in English. The common rule is that a â€Å"s† is added to the singular i. e. hombre = hombres. A solution to this problem is getting the student to record a list of all irregular verbs as they come up (recycling the vocabulary in future classes) and correct their mistakes in reading and writing exercises. Another problem is that many words are used in different contexts but with a connection to their original meaning. (Refer to Appendix – example 2). This forms a problem for Spanish speakers as the word flood â€Å"inundar† is only used in 1 context. Solutions and practice can be given through activities where the student has to use the word in different contexts and apply the alternatives. There are several different expressions where â€Å"bother† can be used. (Refer to Appendix – example 3). The meaning changes slightly from expression to expression. In Spanish this word is not used in the same way. A solution and practice to this would be to present all of the words to the student within a real context, through a reading or writing exercise. 2 Problems and Possible Solutions with Pronunciation. Morphemes that have more than one pronunciation present a problem relating to the sound of words. (Refer to Appendix – example 4). Both problems relate to rhythm when speaking, Spanish rhythm is syllable timed, whereas, English rhythm is stressed timed. (Spanish also has a narrower pitch range than English). Both problems can be directly related to language interference. Solutions include instant and planned remedial. The best procedure in addressing these problems is to draw attention to the problematic sound or pattern. Get them to pronounce it in isolation and explain how the pattern or sound is formed, and drill the student ensuring they have a record. The learner skills strengths and weaknesses: Speaking: The student is very comfortable speaking on a one to one basis and has no qualms about making mistakes. She articulates and forms her sentences well. Her main problem in fluency speaking is hesitation, something that she is fully aware of. She takes time to work things out in her mind before speaking, and this pause is evident in class, for example, when a teacher asks her a question. The more complicated the question or response, the longer the pause. She has very few opportunities to speak English outside the classroom, and this lack of practice contributes to her hesitation. Reading: The student seems to get the general gist of reading as long as she has some guidance and visuals. She is not afraid to ask questions if necessary and hardly ever uses her dictionary in class. Areas she could improve on are her vocabulary range to help her understand texts better and additional reading outside of the class. Listening: The student understands most of the instructions given out in lass and regularly helps her peers when they do not understand something. Her main weaknesses include not being able to follow a native person’s conversation; she has already established learning habits in the classroom that will not be effective when speaking to a native person. She also has poor vocabulary, which will limit her understanding relating to words she does not know. Wri ting: Reader – When I left university I wanted to do exactly the same things as you: find a job working for an international company which would allow me to travel around the world and buy a house. Writing teacher – Overall you did a very good job, things you need to consider next time are using shorter sentences to give more impact and tenses. Language expert: A good attempt at the set task, you need to think more about the structure of sentences and using the right vocabulary. Also review definite/indefinite articles and propositions. In order to improve your language skills and learn a new language many different sub skills are required. It is a good idea to learn techniques such as skimming and scanning to abstract relevant information more quickly. Distinguishing sounds of the different vowels in English is also very important along with determining the stress and intonations in sentences. Listening and reading stimuli or input is very important in producing more effective language, and it is a good idea to put yourself in situations where you are only able to converse in English, as this will force you to use the language more and help increase your confidence levels.

Analyzing the Central Theme of Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain Essay

Cold Mountain is a tragic yet a very profound story of love, searching, and intuition which happens in an environment terrorized by war in 1864 (Buchanan). The story is set on the troubled plains and mountains of nineteenth century America where Inman, the main character, decided to leave the battlefield as he yearned and searched for his lover. In a nutshell, the story basically revolves around a tale of love which bound two people together amidst distance, chaos, and isolation. This debut novel of Charles Frazier has definitely redefined love in ways, portrayed as a powerful force which enables people to overcome dangers and even life threatening situations just to reunite with a loved one. In several ways, the novel reflects the importance of faith as well as love despite isolation, distress, and confusion that an individual faces. Central Theme of the Novel The main feature of the novel which an average reader may notice would be the war of the 19th century America. It tells the story of how distressing and miserable life during war is and how hopeless it gets most of the time. Inman, identified as the main protagonist of the story, was a part of the confederate army before he went on to his venture of coming back to his long lost lover, Ada. His life in the confederate army made him realize that it is indeed a lot worse to lose something a person already has than fail to get what that person currently wants. The war made the character feel all the isolation and alienation any person would never want to experience. Through this isolation, Inman felt the need to come back home. However, amidst the distress and pains brought by the war, Inman’s spirit was kept alive by his love and yearning for Ada. The epic describes how more painful Inman’s longing is for Ada compared to the pains he felt because of his wounds. The author illustrated Inman’s longing as miserable as if, â€Å"his wounds gave hi, just reason to doubt that he would ever heal up and feel whole of a piece again† (Frazier 25). Although the epic was largely about battles, what Inman felt because of his separation from Ada gave the story a soft, emotional, and sentimental effect. This aspect of the story depicts a reality that no matter how harsh a person’s environment may seem, there will always be some spark of compassion and love inside his or her heart to encourage him or her to live. The story also illustrates that compassion and love will always be strong forces that will bind two people regardless of how far they are from each other and irrespective of how tough and immovable the barricade between them may be. Ada’s love, on the other hand, is illustrated in her patience and faith in Inman. Despite their distance, she never stopped waiting for Inman and believing in him. Her faith and belief that everything between them will be alright is reflected in her notes as a response to Inman’s letter which said: â€Å"This you must know: that despite your long absence, such is the light in which I view the happy relation existing between us, that I will never conceal a single thought from you† (Frazier27). The story was basically split between Inman and Ada’s life events which proved that beyond borders, their love will always unite and hold them together. Incorporating such a sentimental theme in a distressing genre such as war was an amazing feat that Frazier was able o successfully portray in his novel. However, upon further analysis of the novel, one may realize that it is from these painful and trying times that the need for love and compassion emerges, since this is the time when people are more likely to feel alienated and lost. It is also from these hard times when the need for someone to love and to be loved back is stronger. Thus, it may appear understandable and explicable why Inman had such a strong desire to come back home and turn his back from the grueling and miserable face of war. Nevertheless, Frazier was also able to present the realities of war in a very compelling manner. The alienation which Inman felt was also very believable which made it possible for the readers to empathize with the main character. Conclusion Cold Mountain is a realistic and compelling epic of a warrior who did not only fight for his state but also for him to come home to the one he loved. In this novel, Frazier was able to blend well the very different concepts of hostility, isolation, alienation, faith, and love. Yet, the author was able to present these ideas in a very realistic manner through the characters of the story. The epic can be considered as a good representation of how powerful love can be inside a person’s heart in times of desolation and loneliness. As reflected in the story, it can indeed be the driving force which can help a person to survive the harsh elements in his environments just to come home to the arms of his or her lover. Similarly, the story also portrays well the impacts of alienation and isolation to an individual and what alterations these impacts can cause to a person’s life and points of view. Thus, if there is anything that this epic would send the readers as a message, it would be that, amidst isolation, distress, and chaos, faith and love can help a person survive the odds and the tough challenges. Works Cited Buchanan, Catherine. â€Å"Cold Mountain: Context. † Spark Notes. 2009. 15 Apr. 2009. . Frazier, Charles. Cold Mountain. New York: Grove Pres