Sport’s marketing as a career

In order to apply for any job opening one needs to have a resume of its own which is a summary of the education, skills and experience of an individual. It is one of the ways of screening job applicants therefore it is very important for a person to have a resume that is presentable and up to the mark. There are mainly three different formats of writing a resume, However there is no fixed pattern and it depends on an individual that which one does he chooses depending on the industry and ones own comfort.The different forms are as follows:Chronological Resume: This is the one of the most commonly used style which outlines the work experience in a reverse order, starting off from the most recent job towards the first one. This is best for those applicants who have a strong work history. Functional Resume: This type of resume focuses on individuals skills based on the job function. Combination Resume: This is somewhat a balance between the chronological and functional format resumes. I t states the skills and the experience of an individual first and then the employment history.This format is relatively used less than the other two. I have used the Chronological format in my resume. I chose this since I have been associated with reputable organizations and this would give a quick and easy overview to my employer of my career path and achievements in a chronological manner as it sorts out the experience by date and highlights my most recent developments. Question 2 Sport’s marketing as a career Sports’ marketing is a career for those individuals who have the passion for Sports and who want to integrate this love with the business.There are ideal jobs in this field since the entire media and television network these days is devoted towards the coverage of sports and the sporting events. The industry is dependent on the corporate sponsorships and the marketing in order to cover the huge costs of athletes, coaches and other related employees. Some of the jobs in this field are like working to acquire events sponsorships, becoming a sport marketing agent, event planner, event broker, event marketer, and work for sponsor created events and then there are opportunities on a global scale as well such as the Olympics and the world cup soccer.In future the employment opportunities in this field are expected to rise as competition would be intense. This is a kind of a field where you can enter without any formal training, however in order to excel it is always better to acquire a degree in sports marketing. To start of with it is better to do some internship in this field after the education. Not all the colleges but still there are numerous universities that have added this degree in their undergraduate program due to the rising scope of this field and the interest of students. Some of the students offering this program areThis is just the general salary range of a typical sport marketing employee; however this range can vary depending o n the industry, and the competition and individual skills of a person. Below is the salary range of a typical marketing person. Career as a Graphic designer Graphic designers are artists who use their creativity to find solutions to problems through illustrations, colors, photography, animations and numerous other layout and print techniques. They use computer software packages to aid them in their work. In order to become a graphic designer and to enter this field the best way is to acquire a degree in this area of study.One can also acquire it after completing a course in some other program. The bachelors level programs and associate degrees are offered in many universities and colleges nowadays, it is a 2-3 years of program. Apart from the qualifications these individuals need to be very creative so they can communicate their ideas effectively on paper, verbally or visually. Some of the jobs that a graphic designer can undertake are such as a creative/art director, layout artist, logo designer, flash designer, multimedia designer, web designer, brand identity designer and so on. I would like to pursue my career in Sports marketing in the coming future.This job suits my temperament and is an area of interest for me. Moreover this multibillion sports industry is full of opportunities and is growing huge with the passage of time and offering attractive salary packages. I have been associated with the admission department of my university recently and I have done management related job too in the past, I also have a degree in management and an experience of organizing, planning and control. I have leadership qualities and can lead a team therefore I believe this job in sports marketing would suit me. I want to see myself as the director of some sport marketing company in the future.There is a long way to go and I am looking for the right kind of job and opportunity to enter this field and as soon as I get one I would switch my jobs. Tip Sheet †¢ Internet i s a place where one can find thousands of job opportunities at one time from all over the world. It connects the employer with the potential employees. †¢ It can be very frustrating and time consuming looking for the appropriate career guide and job hunting sites. †¢ It is important to be ware of the well known career networking websites. Use a good search engine in order to locate all the top sites for jobs and companies.†¢ Linkedln is one site that connects professionals in 200 countries and has executives from the fortune 500 companies as its members, and then there is Xing which is mainly popular in China and Europe. †¢ Create a professional and impressive networking profile because first impression is the last impression on the employer who is looking for an applicant online. †¢ Always have a resume that is ready to send †¢ Try to be strategic by timing yourself and use the valuable time effectively rather than getting distracted on sites. †¢ Use professional name, email and business phone in order to interact in professional networking†¢ Do not make cold contacts. First build a relationship with the potential employer that too with someone with common interest. †¢ The photograph on the online profile should be of the person whose profile it is and it should be in formal business attire. †¢ You should see all the jobs available †¢ The use of suitable search words makes the work much quicker and lead to efficient job searching †¢ It is advisable to save your searches as it will save your time in future †¢ Smaller websites have relatively fewer job offerings but at the same time they have less competition for jobs. ReferencesGraphic Designers. (2007, Dec 17). Retrieved August 3, 2009, from Bureau of Labot Statistics Web site: http://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos090. htm Graphic Design jobs, descriptions, design careers advice. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from Design: Talkboard Web site: http://www. des igntalkboard. com/design-articles/job-descriptions. php GRAPHIC DESIGN: A CAREER GUIDE. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from AIGA Web site: http://www. aiga. org/content. cfm/guide-whatisgraphicdesign Hoover, Amy; White, Mary Gormandy Careers in Sports Marketing. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from Love to know Web site: http://jobs.lovetoknow. com/Careers_in_Sports_Marketing Jones, Emily Career Networking and the Internet: Networking Tips for the Digital Age. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from Suite101. com Web site: http://job-search. suite101. com/article. cfm/career_networking_and_the_internet PayScale – Marketing Managers. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from Simply Hired Web site: http://www. payscale. com/af/calc. aspx? af=2385&src=SH1&job=Sports%20Marketing&city=&state= Sports Marketing Salaries. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from Simply Hired Web site: http://www. simplyhired. com/a/salary/search/q-Sports+Marketing

Problems facing Costa Rica Essay

Is Costa Rica really the best nation on earth? This paper through qualitative analysis of legitimate website sources, published work and peer reviewed articles aims at determining whether the level of satisfaction of Costa Ricans with their country exceeds that of other countries. This paper, besides giving a brief history of Costa Rica, will explore the structure of the government of Costa Rica, the current problems facing the nation, in addition to a short bibliography of its current leader so as to determine the reasons as to why the country is important. Introduction Costa Rica is a middle-income developing nation which has a strong democratic tradition (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). The country possesses numerous and extensive tourist facilities. The country has come a long way, characterized by periods of peace and political turmoil, to its current status. Christopher Columbus first entered Costa Rica on September 1502 (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). Columbus stayed in the country for seventeen days and was pleased by the architectural designs and gold decorations worn by natives. As a result, he named the country Costa Rica, meaning the rich coast. The capital city of Costa Rica is San Jose. Spanish is the major language in Costa Rica, with English coming second. Costa Rica was colonized by Spain, even though it had resisted colonization for many years. It took over sixty years for the Spanish settlers to establish a strong hold of the country (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). Costa Rica has a distinct form of government. One unique characteristic of Costa Rican’s administration is that it does not have a military force. Approximately 92% of the Costa Rican population practice Christian faith (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). Catholicism is the state religion, and as a result, only Roman Catholic marriages are recognized as legal by the government. The quality and standards of education in Costa Rica are very high as compared to the neighboring countries. Costa Rica has the highest rate of literacy in Latin America (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). Nation Survey: Costa Rica Brief history of Costa Rica Costa Rica is a country lying in between mountains and volcanoes in the western region of the Americas. It has four characteristic mountain ranges namely, Tilaran and Guancaste in the north Talamanca and central in the south. The history of Costa Rica can be traced back to over a hundred thousand years. By then, the country was sparsely populated. There exists no tangible sign of the existence of a major community in the country during that period. It is estimated that there were over twenty thousand indigenous inhabitants in the country by 1502 (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). These people came from different backgrounds and had separate cultures and beliefs. McNeil (2001) makes it clear that the main inhabitants of ancient Costa Rica are believed to have been the Indians. Hostility of these people acted as a major factor that deterred colonialists from entering Costa Rica. However, a colonial base was established by the Spanish in Costa Rica (Baker, n. d). Civil war broke out in1823, in Costa Rica, after Central America was granted independence. Costa Rican leaders were divided on whether to join the newly sovereign Mexico or to join the confederation of Central American states. In 1824, Juan Mora Fernandez was elected as the first president of Costa Rica (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). Fernandez implemented policies that promoted expansion of public education and agriculture. This resulted in the establishment and growth of new Costa Rican elite. The early years of political development in Costa Rica were characterized by anarchy. For twelve years, starting 1870, Costa Rica was under the rule of a military dictator General Tom S Guardia (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). In 1940, Dr. Rafael Angel Calder? n Guardia was elected as the president of Costa Rica (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). Guardia implemented a number of policies including land reforms, progressive taxation, and minimum wage. However, a civil war erupted in 1948, after Guardia under the support of his United Social Christian Party refused to quit power after being defeated in elections (Baker, n. d). The war lasted for forty days and resulted in the death of over two thousand people. The Founding Junta of the Second Republic of Costa Rica was headed by Figueres. Figueres developed various policies and merged them with the reforms of Guardia (McNeil, 2001). The communist party was banned, women were given the right to vote and blacks were given full citizenship. Armed forces were also abolished and a term limit for the heads of state was established. In 1986, Oscar Arias Sanchez was elected as the Costa Rican head of state (Baker, n. d). Oscar implemented policies and strategies aimed at promoting peace in the western region. Structure of the government of Costa Rica Costa Rica is a democratic nation which has a very strong system of constitutional checks and balances. The president, who is bestowed with executive powers, acts as the center of power for Costa Rican government. The government is made up of two vice presidents and twenty cabinet members. The president and other members of parliament and their deputies are elected for four-year terms. The Costa Rican Constitutional Court, in April 2003, declared a 1969 constitutional reform that barred presidents from running for re-election as invalid. This made the law to revert back to the 1949 constitution (Travel Document Systems, 2009). This law allows former presidents to run for re-elections after they have been out of office for two or more terms. McNeil (2001) states that the work of supervising the electoral process is carried out by an Independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which is made up of three principle magistrates and six alternates appointed by the Supreme Court of Justice. The Supreme Court of Justice is made up of twenty two magistrates, who are selected for eight-year renewable terms by the legislative assembly (Travel Document Systems, 2009). The last national elections were held in February 2010. Supervision of government activities is carried out by the office of the Comptroller General, the Ombudsman and the Solicitor General. The statutory obligation of the office of the Comptroller General is to scrutinize all contracts of the public sector and firmly enforce procedural requirements (Travel Document Systems, 2009). Even though there are provincial boundaries for purposes of administration, there are no elected provincial officials. The first mayoral elections in Costa Rica were held in December 2002 (Travel Document Systems, 2009). Mayors are supposed to hold office for four years. The office of the mayor was not in existence before December 2002. Administration of municipalities was the mandate of the president of each municipal council. Most of the state agencies in Costa Rica enjoy high levels of operational independence. These agencies include: the state insurance, the telecommunications, electoral body, state petroleum refinery, social security agencies, and nationalized commercial banks (McNeil 2001). Maintenance of law and order in Costa Rica is conducted by domestic police along with other domestic forces. There is no military in Costa Rica. Respect for the rights of individuals and development of democracy are some of the major issues the government of Costa Rica emphasizes on (Vorhees and Firestone, 2006). The political system of the country has undergone steady development, and democratic institutions have been maintained in an orderly manner. There are various factors that have resulted in the steady development of Costa Rican politics. These factors include: enlightened leadership, educational opportunities that have resulted in development of a stable middle class, flexible class lines in addition to relative prosperity (Travel Document Systems, 2009). Based on the fact that Costa Rica has no military forces, chances of military involvement in politics and government operations have been eliminated. Biographical sketch of Laura Chinchilla Laura Chinchilla is the current president of Costa Rica. She is the first woman to be elected president of Costa Rica. Laura Chinchilla Miranda was born in San Jose Costa Rica on March 28, 1959 (Chinchilla, 2010). Chinchilla grew up in left-wing College halls when the countries neighboring Costa Rica were entangled in civil war. She studied at the University of Costa Rica. During her school years, Chinchilla was very much concerned about the welfare of the people as a result of the numerous challenges facing the world by then. Chinchilla obtained her master’s in public policy at Georgetown University. Laura has published great articles, books and monographs concerning justice, public security and police reforms. Between 1994 and 1996, Laura worked as the deputy minister of public security and later as minister of public security (1996-98) (Chinchilla, 2010). Before being elected president, Laura acted as the vice president to Oscar Arias Sanchez. Laura took office in May 2010 (Chinchilla, 2010). Problems facing Costa Rica Universidad de Pennsylvania (2010), states that Laura Chinchilla, the first woman Costa Rican president, is faced by numerous challenges. Poverty is one of the major problems facing the country. Poverty has been a long standing and legal concern in Costa Rica. Only those who are wealthy are likely to live on a healthy diet. Crime is the other major challenge that Costa Rican leaders are faced with. Local law enforcement agencies do not have the capacity to effectively deal with crime as compared to other countries like the United States. Robberies are conducted during the day (Universidad de Pennsylvania, 2010). Colombian cartels are also invading the country leading to an increase in the level of drug trafficking. Costa Rica is also faced by numerous health challenges. Diseases such as malaria, dengue, travelers’ diarrhea, altitude sickness and hepatitis are a major cause of worry for Costa Rican leaders. Traffic accidents act as a major cause of death in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is also faced with a variety of environmental challenges (Universidad de Pennsylvania, 2010). These include: deforestation, soil erosion, environmental pollution, and poor solid waste management. Presence of dangerous insects is the other challenge facing Costa Rica. Ticks, which are the common insects found in the tropics, transmit numerous diseases. The other major challenge is the current global economic recession, which has adversely affected the economic growth of Costa Rica. During this period, Costa Rica has experienced a fiscal deficit of approximately 5%. This is the highest level of deficit Costa Rica have had for the last ten years (Universidad de Pennsylvania, 2010). Estimation of why this country is important The likelihood of contracting serious diseases in Costa Rica is very low. The health system in Costa Rica is excellent and the quality of sanitary systems is high. Even though there may be outbreaks of mosquito borne diseases such as dengue during wet seasons, serious cases of hemorrhaging dengue are rare. Greenspan (2009), states that Costa Ricans do not require vaccinations for a variety of diseases because they have been eradicated in the whole country. Diseases such as infectious hepatitis are a serious threat to human beings but have rarely been reported in Costa Rica. The level of public safety in Costa Rica is relatively high. There have been no recent cases of terrorism reported in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a major tourist destination; there is numerous attraction sites scattered all over the country. The country is popular as a result of adventure tourism (Greenspan, 2009). Safety of tourists is monitored by the government, which have implemented policies to make sure that tourist companies meet the stipulated safety standards and have insurance coverage. Various commodities which are expensive in other countries can be bought at a cheaper price in Costa Rica. The cost of living and traveling in Costa Rica is relatively cheap as compared to other Latin American countries (Greenspan, 2009). Conclusion It can therefore be concluded that Costa Rica is one of the best nations in the world. It is one of the few countries where citizens are contented with their government and the mode of leadership. Costa Rica enjoys a sovereign in addition to strong criminal justice system as well as a highly educated population which comprehends and reverences the rule of law. The history of Costa Rica can be traced back to over a hundred thousand years. By then, the country was sparsely populated. The main inhabitants of ancient Costa Rica are believed to have been the Indians. The early years of political development in Costa Rica were characterized by anarchy. For twelve years, starting 1870, Costa Rica was under the rule of a military dictator General Guardia. Costa Rica is a democratic nation which has a very strong system of constitutional checks and balances. The president acts as the center of power for Costa Rican government. The government is made up of two vice presidents and twenty cabinet members. The president and other members of parliament and their deputies are elected for four-year terms. Laura Chinchilla Miranda, born in San Jose Costa Rica on March 28, 1959, is the current president and the first woman to be elected president of Costa Rica. Currently, Costa Rica is faced by a number of problems including the current global economic recession, crime, and poverty. However, the country remains one of the major tourist destinations in the world. This is due to the high level of public safety and cheap cost of living and traveling. Reference: Baker C. , (n. d. ), History, retrieved on August 12, 2010 from http://philip. greenspun. com/cr/mo on/history Chinchilla L. , (2010), Biography of Laura Chinchilla Costa Rica, retrieved on August 12, 2010 from http://laura-chinchilla. com/biography-laura-chinchilla-costa-rica-presidential-campaign/ Travel Document Systems, (2009), Government, retrieved on August 12, 2010 from http://www. traveldocs. com/cr/govern. htm Universidad de Pennsylvania, (2010), The Challenges Facing Costa Rica’s First Woman President, retrieved on August 12, 2010 from http://www. wharton. universia. net/index .cfm? fa=viewArticle&id=1900&language=english Vorhees, M and Firestone M. , (2006). (edn 7), Costa Rica, ISBN 1741044634: Lonely Planet McNeil J. , (edn 3), (2001). The rough guide to Costa Rica, ISBN 1858287138: Rough Guides Greenspan E. , (2009), Frommer’s Costa Rica, ISBN 0470482176: Frommer’s

Art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

The transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance reflects a time of great change in the way of life at the time. During the Middle Ages life was in constant turmoil and bleak. After the Fall of the fall of the Roman Empire Europe suffered a multitude of tragedies, such as the black plague, Viking attacks and looting, and barbarian invasions. Throughout these hardships, the glimmer of hope that people clung to was the church. As dark times began to fade the people found a new hope â€Å"homo Faber est quisque fortunate Suae† This phrase is saying that each man is the creator of his own future. This is a juxtaposition to the common ideal in the Roman Catholic religion â€Å"God the Creator† and also exhibits the change in ideology between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, there was a surplus in the faith of the Roman Catholic, this was in part because the primary unifying factor between the people happened to be religion. This allowed the Church to take more of an authoritative rule over society. Church officials kept records and acted as advisors to the monarchs. They were also the largest owners of land and even collected taxes, which greater added to their power and overall influence. There was also less of an emphasis on education during this era, and as a result, it leads to a majority of the population being illiterate. Surprisingly the illiteracy of the population, lead way for art to take a rather important role within society. Where there was such a heavy influence on the Church and religion the average person had no way of reading the bible, so paintings and other outlets of art helped get the churches ideas across through another platform. This is largely why the central topic seen within the art at the time revolves around the Roman Catholic Church. Another reason for the ideology seen within the art at the time is the use of art as a propaganda tool. Throughout time and in all societies you can see that art is one of the most useful forces in getting across ideas between all classes. Gothic and Byzantine art were the main inspirations for medieval architecture. The Byzantine influence can be seen in the Hagia Sophia, a cathedral commissioned by Emperor Justinian during the sixth century. This Humongous church was built in the city of Constantinople and became one of the largest cathedrals for years to come. The Cathedral has Large Granite columns, marble pillars, and beautiful religious mosaics, and possibly the most captivating its large dome. Although the original dome was too heavy and inevitably concaved, it was later rebuilt and improved in the late sixth century. One of the best examples of gothic influence on architecture at the time is the Notre Dame. The Notre Dame was built in Paris, France and initiated by the Bishop of Paris Maurice Sully. The Notre Dame is characterized by gorgeous stained glass windows, large flying buttresses (large arched external supports), and two towers one reaching 300 feet tall. The height and grandiose of these buildings were all just a symbol for the Catholic Church. â€Å"The Cathedral is an image of the City of God, the Celestial Jerusalem, an image of Paradise, as the liturgy for the consecration of churches affirms.† â€Å"The House of God must be illuminated by the rays of the sun, resplendent with a charity like Paradise itself because God is Light, the light who gives beauty to everything that exists†. â€Å"The stained-glass windows that separate us from the storms and let the light pour over us are the Doctors.† These are all but a few quotes that characterize the symbolism seen in the architecture at the time. At the end of the 11th Century, there was a campaign organized by the Western European Christians to reclaim the holy land, in particular, Jerusalem, from the Muslims who had conquered it at the time. The Crusades had a lot of positive effects on the western world as communication and supplies were reignited with the Middle East as it lead way for a lot of new technology and ideas in the west. Such as gunpowder, cotton, new spices, silk, and much more. The Crusades also began to use old Roman roadways to travel during the crusades and as trade routes as well. During the time of the Crusades feudalism also fell. The fall of feudalism gave way to more people becoming merchants because of the recent boom in commerce between the west and the Middle East. As the Merchant business boomed it also allowed for new career opportunities for prior serfs and peasants. It created jobs like bookkeepers, money exchangers, managers, and the making system. This newfound class mobility allowed the serfs to lead a better middle-class life as opposed to being at the bottom of the social pyramid within the feudal system. This change and exchange of new ideas and technology due to the crusades and also the Middle Ages as a whole was the catalyst for the renaissance. The Renaissance was a period in European history also known as the â€Å"rebirth† of European culture following the Roman Empire. This â€Å"rebirth† began in Italy of course. It began in Italy most obviously because of their geographic location. Italy being the boot of Europe was surrounded by water, which made it an excellent hub during the expansion of trade. Italy was the commerce capital between Europe and Eurasia, during this time period, from the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. Painters, sculptors, and architects exhibited a similar sense of adventure and the desire for greater knowledge and new solutions. During the Renaissance, the artist was no longer regarded as mere artisans, as they had been to the medieval past, but for the first time emerged as independent personalities, compared to poets and writers. Many artisans merged mathematics with art, in order to become more precise in their measurements and to make sure an object was supported both rational ly and proportionally. However, Renaissance artists also placed human concerns and feelings at the center of their works. Such optimism combined with intellectual curiosity and increasing worldliness made it possible for art to be valued. Overall, the Renaissance art movement completely discredited the Middle Ages as being dead both intellectually and artistically, thus rendering the Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic style art as being without value. The Renaissance came from a revival of the Classical ideas, concepts, and knowledge. What had once been forgotten was once again the focus of society. It was also found that in Classical times artists enjoyed a much higher level of prestige than they did during the Middle Ages. Artists wanted to enjoy this status once again. The Renaissance took place over a long period of time. Maybe this is an indication of its immense popularity both then and now. However, the Italian Renaissance can be divided into three distinct periods known as Ea rly, High, and Late respectively. These stages were preceded by the Gothic art movement, which acted as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and was followed by Mannerism, which bridged the gap between the Renaissance and the Baroque. Mannerism hardly had an effect on the popular arts of the time and was not fit into the already neatly categorized art periods when historians looked back upon the era. Early Renaissance art took up most of the 15th century and was characterized by inspiration from antiquity. The movement was focused in Florence, Italy because this local had brought attention upon itself through various conflicts within the church and with its neighbors. The art form focused on the human body, space, and the laws of proportion when it came to architecture. The belief was that progress and development were the backbones of the evolution and survival of art. The primary painter of the time was Masaccio. His work was religious in nature and his inspiration came not from other painters but from the sculptor Donatello and the architect Brunelleschi. High Renaissance art was characterized by creating physical presence, drama, and balance than on the behavior and personality that were the focus of Early Renaissance art. The major painters of the time were numerous. There was Leonardo da Vinci, Donato, Bramante, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian. This period was short-lived, lasting from about 1495-1520 and served as a transitional period between early and late Renaissance. Howe ver, although brief, the art that flowed from this period was exceptional and some of the most famous artists ever produced work during this time. After all, these artists had such a command over their talents that they were able to produce any natural effect they desired and they had an intellect that allowed for balance and harmony along with fine detail, also was created a term for some of them, Renaissance man. The term Renaissance man has come to mean someone with exceptional skills in a wide range of fields. The description applies to many people during the Renaissance, but there are two outstanding candidates for the title. They are Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The older man, Leonardo, is exceptional in that he excels in two entirely different disciplines, experimental science, and the visual arts. But on the artistic side alone, Michelangelo must be the man. He creates works, all of the highest quality, in the four distinct fields of sculpture, painting, architecture, and poetry. The late Renaissance began with the sack of Rome in 1527. Artists had to scramble to relocate throughout Italy, France, and Spain. This period led to what is now called Mannerism. Mannerism artists turned to produce paintings of people, often nudes, that were portrayed in strange poses and looking somewhat grotesque while odd themes were used and emotion looked horrifying. Michelangelo was the only painter from the High Renaissance to make into the late period. The growing emphasis on individualism during the Renaissance began a change of status for composers of music in society. Unlike their medieval predecessors, Renaissance composers were recognized more often during their lifetimes. The technology of printing permitted a much wider distribution of their works and enabled a larger public into the study of music. Even when spiritual music was still in a dominant position, secular music was becoming more common and its forms more cultivated than in the previous era. The repertoire of instrumental music became more varied, along with the i nvention of new instruments and many of the instruments of the period were improved. Humanism is considered to be the most significant intellectual movement of the Renaissance. As its name implies, humanism was a philosophy that was characterized by blending concern with the history and actions of all human beings, and their influences on the world with religious duty. Prior to Renaissance thinking, Medieval Europe considered life to be sinful that people should only be concerned about their duty to God and the afterlife. The humanists thought that every person has respect and worth and therefore should command the respect of every other person. The humanistic movement began during the early Italian Renaissance with the rediscovery of the writings of classical Greeks and Romans, which were not only models of literary style, but considered to be guided to the understanding of life. The Renaissance movement ushered in the use of oil paints. This was a boon to artists as, due to the sl ow drying time of oil paints, they could edit their paintings, making adjustments over a period of months. They could now focus more on the quality of light on their paintings and were also more in tune with the architectural accuracy of the buildings in the background of their work. Themes centered on Greek and Roman mythology as well as Biblical characters and the Madonna was a pre-eminent figure. When it came to depictions of the human body, the emphasis was often put on the nude form and the perfection of the body. Another important result of the Renaissance was that painters began to communicate more with poets, essayists, philosophers, and scientists. The boundaries between these disciplines began to blur and they began to share ideas with one another and recognized one another for the visionaries they truly were. What caused this rebirth of the visual arts is still unclear; the fourteenth century in Europe witnessed several catastrophic harvests, the Black Death (1346), and a continuing war between England and France. Hardly ideal conditions for an eruption of creativity let alone a sustained birth of paintings, drawings, sculptures and new buildings. Moreover, the Church, the biggest patron of the arts, was racked with disagreements about spiritual and secular issues. Prosperity was also coming to Northern Europe, as evidenced by the establishment in Germany of the Hanseatic League of cities. This increasing wealth provided the financial support for a growing number of commissions of large public and private art projects, while the trade routes upon which it was based greatly assisted the spread of ideas and thus contributed to the growth of the movement across the Continent. Allied to this spread of ideas, which incidentally speeded up significantly with the invention of printing, there was an undoubted sense of impatience at the slow progress of change. After a thousand years of cultural and intellectual starvation, Europe and especially Italy, was anxious for a re-birth. Overall, the Renaissance produced some of the most well-known art ever created in human history. It was a time of revival, of going back to something from the past that worked and bringing that past into new light. After more than five hundred years we still marvel at the works of artists such as Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Humanism downplayed religious and secular dogma and instead attached the greatest importance to the dignity and worth of the individual. This period was unique in its portrayal of the human body and in its enmeshment of art and science. It was proof that the old and the new can come together in harmony.

Financial Crisis of 2008 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Crisis of 2008 - Research Paper Example Effects of economic recession or financial crisis are usually witnessed in employment, industrial production and in real estate income (Magdoff and Bellamy 41). The technical economic indicator associated with recession is economic growth which is negative which in quarters is two consecutive when measured by a nation’s GDP (Gross Domestic product). The 2008 financial crisis affected all financial institutions in the world. The financial crisis endangered the total collapse of financial bodies, the reduction in stock markets all over the world, world government tried to apply bailouts to financial institutions but still it had little effect. In certain areas such as housing was badly affected in that it led to foreclosures, evictions and unemployment among many people. In addition, the financial crisis was responsible for the collapse or failure of major business, decrease in consumer wealth and recession in economic activities all over the world resulting to the 2008 financia l crisis and leading to European debt problems or crisis. The financial crisis in the US was sparked by the housing bubble that influenced the values of securities in US associated with housing prices to destruction of financial bodies in the world. Further, the 2008 financial crisis was activated by intricate interplay of government laws that motivated home ownership offering them cheap interests on house loans. In October 2008, questions emerged regarding the issue of bank solvency, downturn in availability of credit to citizens and the destroyed investors confidence which had a negative influence on the world stock markets especially in the US and Europe where securities experienced massive losses in 2008. During this time, global trade decreased as availability of credit tightened. The US government reacted to this phenomenon with fiscal stimulus packages for financial institutions, monetary laws expansion, and bailouts (Magdoff and Bellamy 72). The US financial crisis left many shocked because it severely affected their lives. The crisis ended in late 2008 and the beginning of 2009 in the US when the congress enacted the recovery and reinvestment Act of 2009. After viewing the two movies, â€Å"Too Big to Fail’ and the â€Å"Margin Call† it is clear that the US financial crisis began in the housing industry specifically in the mortgage market known as subprime, which spread to prime mortgage, and other types of debts that mortgage firms in the US faced. The movie â€Å"Too Big to Fail† clearly shows the real events that took place in that the US banks and other financial institutions counted losses as high as third of the total financial or bank capital. The films shows that the crisis caused to sharp decrease in bank lending that resulted in severe downturn in the economy of the United States of America. Between August 2008 and October 2008, the subprime borrowers in the US have affected the availability of credit and decreased the repayment of loans. Subprime loans are risky because they are likely to suffer from default than loans offered to prime borrowers. Therefore, if a borrower makes timely repayment of his or her loan, the lender may claim the control of the property. In August 2008, the value of subprime mortgage borrowers stood at over $ 1 trillion with the total of over $ 7 million outstanding mortgage balance. This eventually led to the increase in lending of loans to subprime borrowers with the perception that the prices of houses will continue to increase with time. Further, this act was aided by the increase of non-bank autonomous mortgages, which regardless of their smaller share in the market contributed a lot to the housing indus

Answering the questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11250 words

Answering the questions - Assignment Example 3. It is extremely difficult to precisely define religion because there are several counterexamples posed. Diverse authors have provided various features of religion in their definitions. The feature of religion to express the complete reality of goodness in all aspects of living has been proposed by F.H. Bradley. On the other hand, C.P. Tiele has explained religion as the pure and authentic reverent disposition which is present in the mind frame and known as piety. 4. The working definition is that religion is constituted by a set of beliefs, actions and experiences, both personal and corporate, organized around a concept of an Ultimate Reality. Their definition is not satisfactory because a given religion, with its preferred attitudes and emotions, its prescribed rituals, its important stories and myths and its recommended way of life can never be fully understood. 5. Beliefs are truth claims or statements which are accepted to be true. In a particular sense, all religious have the ir bases in beliefs. The five basic areas of beliefs are as follows: a) Humans find themselves in a predicament b) Humans need a way to resolve the predicament c) There is an existence of a transcendent being which assists humans or is the very objective of existence d) This â€Å"something† can be approached or known in a particular manner e) Something must be done by human to achieve liberation or salvation 6. Philosophy of religion is the attempt to analyze and critically evaluate religious beliefs. This is mainly because philosophy is the study of beliefs and religious philosophy tries to evaluate the diverse beliefs on which religions are based. Religious philosophers try to seek answers to religious beliefs in determining whether they are consistent and coherent. Critical questions are raised as to whether religious beliefs are plausible, probable, meaningful and true. The twentieth century witnessed an advent of religious philosophers to be influenced by analogy. Thus, religious philosophy may also be referred to the study trying to analyze and clarify significant arguments and concepts. 7. a. The editors have an approach to critically review the diverse religious beliefs by trying to and clarify significant arguments and concepts. b. The issue in the discussion of â€Å"the God of the philosophers† and â€Å"the God of faith† is that rigorous intellectual investigation has nothing to offer to devout faith. 8. The unreflective persons are those who have not made a serious attempt to reflect on the grounds of opinions. On the other hand reflective persons are those who responsibly look at all relevant arguments, clarify key ideas and carefully trace the implications of beliefs. 9. The three points of a philosopher of religion is to try and think critically about the issues related to the theistic concept of God, respect serious and responsible thought despite the outcome and respecting the rational process demands that the points rec ognize the stance of philosophers of religion on significant issues. Assignment 1. A â€Å"person-relative view of proof† means that the argument should be sound with accurate premises and a valid conclusion should be drawn from the premises. A person should know the argument to be sound for it to function as a proof. The role of proof helps in extending knowledge and this

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Final Project - Essay Example In addition, the internships can also be part-time or full-time. During the internship process that I undertook in a certain construction company, I gained extensive knowledge in the construction sector. As I was specializing in the quality assurance and control department of the company, I received substantial information in connection to project management. In this internship process, I received full payment for the services that I offered. In fact, in the whole internship process I learnt how to apply the expertise I had obtained in school. There are two main types of internships which include work experience internship and research internship. The work experience internship is practiced by students in their school period while the research internship is accomplished by students in their final school year (Baird 19). The work experience internship requires the apprentice to implement what they have learned in school. On the other hand, the research internship requires learners to research on a company in order to come up with several recommendations that can enhance the growth of the company. In this case, the internship process enabled me to gain all the information required to deal with the procedures incorporated in maintaining quality. In addition, the help from my fellow interns also enabled me to obtain the skills required while working in the department. Ranking of the sessions in the course 1. Introduction to Project Management 2. Case Studies in Project Management 3. Business Development 4. Introduction to Finance 5. International Issues in Business 6. Quality Assurance and Control 7. Managing High Performance People 8. Constraints Based Management 9. Intellectual Property and Innovation Introduction to Project Management The discipline of project management is closely related to the process of internship. A project is simply defined as a temporary endeavor which is time-constrained. Therefore, project management can be defined as a discipline that involves organizing, planning, managing and even securing various resources in order accomplish certain goals. However, in project management, the main challenge involved is achieving all the intentions and objectives of the project. Therefore, a project is usually undertaken in order to meet certain goals and objectives hence, bringing about added value and beneficial change (Newbold 23). The modern-day project management era began in the 1950s. In this era, project management was recognized as a different subject from the study of management. There are various approaches that are also applied in project management in order to develop an effective outcome. Based on a traditional view, project management comprises of several elements including several process groups and a key control system (Newbold 21). Some of these process groups include initiation, development, execution, controlling and closing. As stated above, the introduction to project management is closely correlated to th e internship process. This is because both projects involve planning and managing in order to accomplish a certain task or goal. In addition, these processes are also aimed at bringing beneficial change. For example, in project management the main benefit involves accomplishing the set goals and standards (Newbold 12). On the other hand, an internship also develops professional careers in various industrial sectors. An internship process also incorporates an

Carpooling apps marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Carpooling apps marketing plan - Essay Example The target market will be students as this is relevant for this course as these groups seeks to exploit cost minimization approach in their daily expenditure. Segmentation is equally exhibited by this app as various social classes share rides and donates differently with their comparatively average earners (Crawford, et al. 56). The positioning of this marketing plan is strategic and competitive since it works on the basis of cost saving to the commuters and offers a considerable discount on the overall recurrent expenditure on transport among the students. Consider strategic fit with host organization Carpooling apps is likely to gain much market coverage due to its integration of technology in the growing transport sector. With 511 and LYFT as the main products and San Francisco state university as the host organization, it is worth to note that the technological application by the firm is likely to be sustainable with its internal management structure. The external environment which can be attributed to the increasing adoption of technology by the young generation is a recipe to its sustainable operation performance in the market (Crawford, et al. 256).

Arms Trade Is Big Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arms Trade Is Big Business - Research Paper Example In fact they are spending even more to strengthen their military assets than on health and social development sectors. There has started a race of arms among all the countries a craze of gaining ultimate power and influence.1 There can be no denial to the fact that arms trading involve huge investments and great boost for economy. Millions of dollars are earned every year from the arm trading deals. With the export of arm, huge amounts are invested for the up gradation of security as well as on research and development.2 The other major benefit of arms dealing is national security and defense. It has always been and still is the main concern of every country. On this plead only a huge sum is spent by every single country to gain access to the most up to date and modern technology in the field of arms and weapons. Huge sums are also being spent in creating most effective weapons of mass destruction that can annihilate maximum percentage of enemy area in minimum time. In order to gain power in a certain area countries help each other by trading arms among each other to gain power and influence upon other countries in that area that pose threat to them. Along with this, arms trading provide jobs opportunities. A huge number of people are involved in this weapon making business, supporting number of families.3 With the positive aspects of making economy flourish, providing employment as well as ensuring security on national level, arms trading negative impacts on overall humanity cannot be ignored. An immense number of people are dying due to this legal as well as illegal trading of arms. It is the main threat to global peace as it is endangering civilization on everyday basis. The impact of nuclear bombings on Japans should have been a wakening call to the world, but in fact it has increased the battle of obtaining the most destruction able weapons. The influential nations sell arms to the third world in order to spend money to create even more disastrous weapons than are sold. While the third world countries are trying to create their defense stronger to protect themselves from the foreign invasion, and so are trying to spend every dime on the procurement of deadliest weapons they can lay their hands on. As the former U.S. President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, so rightly put the whole situation, in a speech on April 16, 1953, by saying â€Å"every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children†¦This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening wall, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.†4 His words so rightly justifies the scenario of the present world, where children are dying of hunger and cold and the people elected to provide for their needs are busy making weapons and bringing the world to the brink of another deadliest ever war. With every trade of weapon, the looming sense of danger gets stronger. This weapon traded has no surety of being

Informative summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Informative summary - Essay Example â€Å"I got off the plane around midnight and no one spoke as I crossed the dark runway to the terminal.† this quotation shows how the author applies the first person narrative in the literary work. The literary work also greatly illustrates substance abuse, especially alcohol and drugs. The influence of the substances enables the characters to illustrate an altered perspective or viewpoint. Jimbo discourages the author from taking non-alcoholic products in the lounge. He illustrates that the derby is an enjoyable which requires high levels of fun; hence, alcohol is desirable. The author applies the quote, "Goddam, we gotta educate this boy. Get him some good whiskey..." to explain the preference of alcoholic drinks during sports events. The author illustrates a cultural and sporting event in the story. The derby is a cultural event which occurs on an annual basis. Very many people participate in the event as supporters. The author went to the event to report of the occurrences. Kentucky is a region with a huge population of Native Americans, and sporting and recreational events form a great part of their culture. The author also illustrates racial discrimination instances within the Kentucky society. â€Å"The FBI says busloads of white crazies are coming in from all over the country...† is a quote that negatively describes the Americans who are white. This derogatively illustrates the white social group in the American society. A lot of slang language is applied in the literary work. The quote â€Å"Money is a good thing to have in these twisted times† illustrates a slang phrase used to describe a national economy which is poorly performing. The story also uses the irony literary style. "If I had any money Id invest it in the stock market." And the market, meanwhile, continued its grim slide.† the quote illustrates an individual investing in poorly performing sector of the economy. The likely scenario is that the investor in a

Development and Social Change Essay Example for Free

Development and Social Change Essay â€Å"Although globalization made earlier appearances, the trend has unfolded with unprecedented speeds, and to unprecedented extents since the 1960s. † (SCHOLTE. 2000) This essay will explain how the forces of globalisation have shaped and will continue to shape, the financial, demographic, and political societies we see around us today. It will identify the extent to which sustained Globalization has â€Å" the crevice between poverty, comparative poverty, and luxury. † Such positive and negative attributes affect society on a number of different levels, â€Å" the individual, the household, the firm, the town, the region, the sector, the nation. † (Kaplinsky) This essay will provide and in-depth analysis and examples of how such global processes have worked to erode the fortunes of so many (Sierra Leone); whilst also being the catalyst for success in other areas (Mexico). (HELD. 2007) ‘The Race to the Bottom,’ is a term describing the intra-national contest for the most favourable environment for business trading, manufacture and investment. Following its successful application to join the World Trading Organisation (WTO) in November 2001, China has experienced a vast influx of foreign investment. This has – as expected – empowered the Chinese economy to the detriment of its former South-east Asian exporting partners. Hong Kong and Taiwan had nurtured the Chinese economy for a decade previously, and now find that their economies are being â€Å" hollowed out, as China sucks away jobs. † (CHAN. 2009) How did this happen? In the early 1990s China introduced its first minimum wage system with the intention of protecting its workforce. Due to the great versatility of China, the government came up with a formula (based upon local living costs; inflation etc. ) with which each city or region would publish and enforce its own minimum wage. The benchmark for all minimum wages set is between 40% and 60% of the average wage in that locality. Since 1993, according to a study by the Bureau of International Labour Affairs, almost all of the provincial governments have failed to maintain these standards – [see table 2]. Their desire to attract investment has forced the minimum wage : average wage percentage further down. Shenzhen, a model Chinese exports city, paid, on average, 10% less that the absolute minimum wage required by the government and international labour standards. Conversely, the city of Chongqing, which is not export-led or globally integrated, consistently achieves almost 10% more than its minimum required standards (49. 86% in 2000). Chan concludes a â€Å"worrying trend. † She suggests that; â€Å" as a region or province becomes more prosperous, it violates the national guidelines and seeks to maintain its attractiveness to foreign capital by keeping its minimum wage level low the benefits of globalisation with this competitive logic have not, and will not, trickle down to those who make the products. † (CHAN. 2009) The Human Development Report 2006-2008 uses Corrado Gini’s coefficient to highlight an increase in overall inequality from 0. 31 to 0. 45 during the initial years of reform. [Coefficient measures between 0 and 1 where 0 is complete equality]. (FACTSHEET. 2008) However, the benefits of neo-liberal economic reform in China seem to have had a positive effect on ‘Poverty. ’ Between 1990 and 2005 the influx of industry and trade bought a per capita growth averaging 8. 7%. Using the World Bank poverty line, (measured at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)) household surveys suggest that post 1981, 54% (500,000,000 people) of the population of China scrambled over the poverty line. (CHAN. 2009) In this sense, we must conclude that global economic integration in China has seen a significant reduction in poverty, but an increase in income inequality has come from overwhelming national development due to increasingly capitalist structures stemming from trade liberalization. What advocates of globalization emit is that two thirds of Chinese industry relies on coal, and just 7% of their energy sources are renewable. A report from the Financial Times found that air pollution in China caused by heavy industry and chemical production has led to the annual premature deaths of 400,000 (air quality); 300,000 (indoor air quality); and a further 60,000 due to poor water quality. (BBC. 2007) There is 1 country in the world where economic growth rate has consistently outpaced that of the Asian Tigers: Botswana (9% average annual growth). Botswana had a GDP per capita of just US$ 77 at independence from Britain (1966). It now stands at US$ 7,554 (GLOBAL PROPERTY. 2010). Kraay notes that; â€Å"A sustainable future in Africa rests on its ability to develop and maximise natural resources. Diamonds play a major role in these efforts. † Diamond extraction and production requires a large investment of initial capital. In the case of Botswana, DeBeers and the Government of Botswana invested 50:50 US$40 million in the Damtshaa mine. FDI in diamonds around Botswana accounts for 33% of GDP growth. Global trading and distribution of diamonds and other minerals accounted for 55% of total government revenues in the late 1990s. (MBENDI. 2009) â€Å"Botswana’s history of sound management, good governance [Botswana has an accountable parliament and holds regular democratic elections] and an emerging focus on enhancing regional competitiveness should serve it well as it continues efforts to diversify. † (WORLD BANK. 2009) So, to what extent can we propose Botswana as a model of how ‘Sustained Globalization’ can ‘Eliminate World Poverty? ’ Firstly it is important to note the income elasticity of diamonds and other such minerals. They are a luxury product and due to the current economic downturn, as real wages decrease, demand is likely to proportionally decrease also. Growth estimates for 2009-2010 predict a contraction of 10. 2%. It seems that over reliance on the global export market has forged vulnerabilities in an otherwise stable nation. However the non-mining private sector of Botswana has proved to have deep foundations, recording a 9. 4% market increase this year. Either way, prudent fiscal and taxation policy, and low level of public debt (3% of GDP) resulting from huge capital influx over the years, mean that national reserves are likely to hold out for the recession period. (MBENDI. 2009) Secondly, it is important to note (as was the case in China), that increase in GDP is not directly proportional to poverty decrease. The most deprived quintile share just 1% of GDP, whilst the second quintile accounts for 5. 9% (Gini coefficient 0. 6). This means that 47% of the population still live below the poverty line. Perhaps the capital gains still need more time to filter down through infrastructure development and reform? In 1966 there were just 3 miles of roads; now there are 4,000 miles, a public transportation system and a nation-wide telephone grid. (WORKMAN. 2006) Perhaps the figures are being distorted by the unstoppable force of HIV/AIDs and malaria that has hit Botswana so hard recently? It is impossible to say. What we can say, however, is that in order to reap the benefits of global trade in the long-term, Botswana must recognise the fragilities of basing their economy on an exhaustible and export-orientated resource. In 1991 the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under Froday Sankoh, launched assaults against the Government of Sierra Leone. Their goal was to combat ‘crime and corruption. ’ The ensuing 11-year conflict was funded throughout by revenues generated by the diamond trade (an estimated initial worth of US$ 125 million). A median estimate suggests the murder of 75,000 (USA Today and The Times). A less conservative opinion from the Agence France Presse believe the figure was nearer to 200,000. (WORLD BANK. 2009) Either way, the drain on capital, natural resources, labour demographic and widespread looting was funded by the global financial market and African integration with it. Capital obtained from ‘conflict diamonds’ was notably from consumerism in the global North. Following the end of the war in 2000, the country was exposed to anarchy and complete economic collapse. Drugs and arms trafficking in cocaine and ex-soviet weaponry was rife, and corrupt feudal political structures further intensified income inequality – Gini coefficient over 0. 6. In 2004 its trade deficit totalled $US 350 million. (FACTSHEET. 2005) In the same year the UN named Sierra Leone the poorest country in the world (based on PPP/capita); and â€Å" the worlds ‘least livable’ country, based on its poverty and the poor Quality of Life its citizens must endure. † (WORKMAN. 2006) Whose fault is it? Is it the greediness of the conflicting armies? Is it the presence of such a store of wealth in a poverty-stricken country with few other natural resources? Is it the emergence of a global market that has created cosmic demand for such commodities? Time will tell. What we can see is that again, (as was the case in China and Botswana) global financial demand caused a sharp increase in GDP of the country. In 1965 GPD in Sierra Leone was US$ 246; in 2000 it was US$1,330,429 – see Table. 3. We can also say that this does not in any way correlate to an increase in living standards or reduction in poverty. It represents a huge crack in the neo-liberal ideology and Shah’s suggestion that; â€Å"Sustained economic growth is the way to human progress. Economic globalisation in the form of freer circulation of capital would be beneficial to everyone. † (SHAH. 2009) This essay suggests that however trade and political systems are constructed, without complete socialism, conflict can, has, and will continue to peak at the emergence of valuable natural resources. We can also conclude that whilst globalization could â€Å"offer the best prospects for eliminating world poverty,† African history stands in the way of such an ideology. (Table 6) It is not, however, all doom and gloom for the globalization and poverty argument. Mexico in many ways lost the ‘Race to the bottom’ to China, but neo-liberal reform has played a vital role in the successful integration of the Mexican economy into the global manufacture and export market. Prior to the 1980s (and economic downturn), Mexican economics was characterised by protectionist policies, high tariffs and quotas, and restrictions to FDI. By 1981 choking fiscal profligacy and vulnerability to external conditions (notably the 1973 oil shock) caused an imbalance of payments and massive capital flight. This caused huge inflation and the worst recession since the 1930s, forcing devaluation of the Peso on numerous occasions and further recession. (SOMMER. 2008) The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated the almost all import and export taxes and infused a gradual fade-out of the majority of tariffs between Mexico, the US and Canada. Following initial success, (Table. 4) the government then furthered economic liberalization by implementing 11 free trade agreements with the EU, Japan, and countries in South and Central America. Table. 4 shows how Mexican commodities exported to the United States increases from US$39. 9 billion in 1993; to US$ 210. 8 billion in 2007 (437% increase). Over the same period GDP grew 46%. (SOMMER. 2008) The success of the Mexican model is based largely on efficiency and proximity. Maquiladoras are large manufacturing and export plants, the majority of which are located just south of the US border. There are around one million workers employed in any of the 3,000 clothing, furniture and electronic equipment factories. Their proximity to the US gains them a significant advantage in terms of lower indirect costs (90% of production is transported ‘North’ straightaway) than those of Asian Tigers and the Pacific Ring countries. (BORRAZ. 2007) In contrast to Sierra Leone and Botswana, GDP increase seems to have direct correlation with improvements in real wages; a negative correlation with income inequality; and an overall reduction in poverty. Evidence of its success is shown by a net decrease in Gini coefficient between 1992 and 2002 (Table 5). (FACTSHEET. 2005) Borraz shows that income is less concentrated and has a lower Gini coefficient in states that are more closely linked to the global economy. He suggests that states with stronger links to the world economy might offer proportionately higher wages to the unskilled workforce – in this case (young) women. Unskilled women in Mexico earn between 7% and 16% more than their counterparts in non-globalized or exporting states. Overall, in 2002, 7 out of 9 states in Mexico have seen a decrease in income inequality. (BORRAZ. 2007) Why then, has Mexico succeeded in reducing poverty, whilst Sierra Leone has not? According to Borraz there are two main reasons for Mexican success; 1. Commitment to universal education in the 1940s realized a significant increase in skilled labour and higher overall productivity – sustained GDP growth of 3-4% from 1940. Governmental organizations like PROGRESA have hugely enhanced school attendance rates and decreased child labour. In November 1999 PROGRESA strategies accounted for 82% of the 25% of boys who left work to choose basic or higher education. Thus it was inward looking development strategies prior to neo-liberal reform meant the basic infrastructures for rapid growth were already there. 2. Luck. On the verge of complete inward economic collapse, the discovery of the Cantarell oil fields in 1976 sustained an otherwise weakened and fluctuating Mexican economy. (BORRAZ. 2007) However, it is true that NAFTA and other trade liberalization schemes in the Americas have reduced income inequalities and increased real wages in Mexico – but at what cost? ; The violation of human rights of a million of underpaid (US$ 3. 40/day); overworked (up to 60 hours/week); underage (girls often start at 12 or 13) workers with minimum knowledge of their rights. â€Å"In 1987 a worker had to work 8 hours and 47 minutes to buy the basic food basket for a family of four. Today it takes 34 hours. (CORPWATCH. 2009) The pollution of New River in Mexicali Valley [which runs into the Rio Grande] is now dumped with 130 million gallons of industrial waste each day. â€Å"According to the Texas Department of Health, since NAFTA went into effect the Hepatitis A rate for Cameron County shot up from 17. 8 per 100,000 residents to 87. 4 per 100,000 an increase of almost 400%. † (CORPWATCH. 2009) The Zapatistas have also suffered hugely from opening the agricultural market to mass produced US market-garden exports. Their anti-globalization ideology highlights that their inability to compete with mechanically harvested, artificially fertilized and genetically modified imports from the US. NAFTA also eliminated crop subsidies for Mexico while US farmers still receive them. The agrarian based society has directly suffered from a decrease in real wages and an increase in comparative poverty due to open trade. Further, â€Å"China [Page 2 Table 1] has weakened the allure of Maquiladoras in recent years and some report that more than 500 plants have been closed since the beginning of the decade. † (SOMMER. 2009) Currently, the future of the Mexican economy is unknown. Sharp decreases in PEMEX oil production and the current financial crisis in the U. S. is revealing more weaknesses in the Mexican export strategy. (RANDEWICH. 2008) Conclusion Does â€Å"Sustained globalisation offers the best prospects for eliminating world poverty. † ? Firstly there is no confirmed method of effectively measuring either ‘Globalization’ or ‘Poverty. ’ One can not accurately judge the benefits/detrimental effects of globalization without a baseline measure for poverty. QOL indicators, the Gini coefficient, and GDP are subject to variations and outside influences that cannot be measured or corrected (E. g. measuring GDP in Kerala; or measuring the Gini coefficient of China). The Neo-liberal argument that increased density of economic integration between countries will increase overall efficiency due to the specialization of resource use – is likely to be correct. The majority of trade liberalization cases show an overall increase in GDP. This cannot be taken further to suggest that it directly benefits those living in poverty. Further, in the case of Mexico and China, evidence suggests trade liberalization pits global forces against each other and with no weight divisions and no handicaps, smaller regions, towns, industries and households cannot be expected to win. â€Å"The eradication of global inequality requires much more than simply repeating the tired rhetoric of anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism or, even worse, marking globalization work for the poor. † (HELD. 2007) Claire Short’s White Paper (Title) fails to recognise this, suggesting 5 common elements to successful poverty reduction based around a neo-liberal framework: 1. Openness to trade and eagerness to attract FDI. 2. Political stability and competent governments committed to economic growth. 3. Savings and investment of at least 25% of national income. 4. Economic stability: controlled inflation and government budgeting; avoiding production collapse. 5. Market allocation of resources: minimal necessary government intervention. (DFID. 2006) Such claims can be considered naive. The DFID paper reads like a propaganda policy designed to gain electoral support. This essay suggests that there are only three conclusions that can be drawn. 1. That trade liberalization generally incurs an increase in international trade and GDP. 2. â€Å"Every international institution throughout history has been hierarchical and composed of dominant and subordinate states; there has never been, and in the future is never likely to be, an egalitarian and democratic international system. † (HELD. 2007) 3. â€Å"Globalization is in fast forward, and the world’s ability to understand and react to it is in slow motion. † (TURNER. 2003) Table 1 (WORLD BANK. 2009) (CHAN. 2009) Table 3. Estimated GDP Sierra Leone (WORLD BANK. 2009) TABLE. 4 (SOMMER. 2009) Table. 5 (CHAN. 2007) Table 6. (DFID. 2006) ABOUT. 2009. The History of Transportation [online] [Accessed 28th December 2009] Available from: http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_transportation. htm. ADELZADEH, A. 2008. Simulation Models of 5 African Economies. Designing Africa’s Poverty Strategies: Creating the Capacity for Policy Simulation. [online] [Accessed 3rd January 2010] Available from: http://models. wider. unu. edu/africa_web/input_login. php? class=bw_quickiesinstance=quickiescountry=bw

Benefits of CPOE With CDS for Hospital Organizations

Benefits of CPOE With CDS for Hospital Organizations Can a computer physician order entry and computer decision support provide benefit by improving patient safety, reducing medication and other errors, improving quality, and aiding in compliance for hospital organizations? Studies and research show that the usage of these systems provides many advantages over the present paper based order entry system and provide healthcare organizations with multiple benefits. Medication errors are a big problem in healthcare and top the list of harm that is placed upon patients in the United States everyday. These errors are preventable. Computer Physician Order Entry (CPOE) is a network technology that when coupled with a Clinical Decision Support (CDS) system can be a valuable tool in reducing the incidence of medication errors. (Dixon, Zafar, 2009, para 6) CPOE is most effective when used in conjunction with a healthcare organizations Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. (Felkey, 169) CPOE coupled with CDS are network technologies that can benefit healthcare organizations in many ways. The Joint Commission (JCAHO), Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, (HFAP), and the National Quality Forum (NQF) all place patient safety high on their list of goals and best practice suggestions. One of JCAHOs core measures is the patient safety related standard which dictates the prevention of accidental harm through the analysis and redesign of vulnerable pa tient systems (e.g. the ordering, preparation and dispensing of medications. (JCAHO, 2010) HFAP and NQF have several Safe Practices demonstrated in their online crosswalk that demand healthcare organizations address the issues of patient safety directly; following is a list: performance improvements that reduce harm to patients, identifying and mitigating safety risks and hazards to drive down preventable patient harm, healthcare organization must develop, reconcile, and communicate an accurate patient medication list throughout the continuum of care, and the safe adoption of CPOE. (HFAP NQF 2009) JCAHO, HFAP, and HQF all work closely with the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) to set patient safety and quality compliance standards for US healthcare  organizations. Many providers follow guidelines imposed by the CMS for coding and payment. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented. (IOM, 1999) The FDA stated in their 2005 report that medication errors result in at least one death per day and 1.3 million injuries per year in the United States. (as cited in Figge, 2009, para 1) Walker states that of all the steps in the medication use process, the areas most associated with errors are prescribing and administration. (2008, para 2) CPOE is a mobile capable network technology that allows a physician to enter orders electronically for medication, laboratory services, imaging, procedures and admissions from almost anywhere at anytime. (Dixon, Zafar, 2009, para 4) This mobile functionality can improve a physicians efficiency allowing them to use their precious little down time to get more things done in less time. The wireless capability of CPOE can allow it to communicate with Personal Digital Assistants (PDA). A Harris Interactive Poll reported that 18 percent of the nations physicians reporting using a PDA as an integral part of their professional duties. (as cited in Ying, 2003, pg 59) This functionality gives physicians who employ the PDA technology the capability to input orders on the go and between other tasks in their busy daily work schedules; allowing more flexibility and efficiency in the physicians workflow. When fully integrated with an EMR, the CPOE/CDS system can generate alerts by looking for drug interactions, medication contraindications, dosing and frequency suggestions based on current information contained in the patients EMR, the pharmacy formulary and the CDS system clinical support databases. (Dixon, Zafar, 2009, para 5) Some information that could be compared and evaluated includes the medications that the patient is presently being prescribed against the patients diagnosis, co-morbidities, and vital statistics. The CPOE/CDS system uses evidence based medical information and would be customized by the hospital organization using selected guidelines, protocols, and algorithms. (Walker, 2008, para 18) The CDS can be programmed to look for errors based on the data sets the healthcare organization has selected. The system can then alert for errors and offer suggestions for medication dosing, medication administration, and treatment plans tailored to the individual patient. Remml inger, documented potential benefits of CPOE including eliminating lost orders and illegible handwriting, improving the consistency of documentation, reducing variances in care, improving consideration of the patients clinical data, and improving coded data for outcomes analysis. (as cited in Gray Felkey, 2004, pg 192, Figure 1) Eliminating most handwritten clinical data in healthcare organizations is a priority that the IOM and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices has suggested for healthcare; CPOE and CDS systems are two initiatives that can facilitate this objective. (Walker, 2008) The IOM has also suggested that healthcare organizations implement process improvements when implementing healthcare technology. (AHRQ 2009) Since the CPOE is an electronic order system, illegible handwriting is no longer entered into the  system because paper orders have been eliminated and all order entry is done electronically. The present ordering system allows for verbal orders to be given over the telephone, written and submitted in person or faxed. The numerous possible avenues an order can follow to get into the hospital order entry system invite a multitude of opportunities for things to go wrong. Paper orders can be virtually impossible to read at times due to illegible handwriting, over-handling, and image c opying issues. Remmlinger notes that one of the quality improvements seen with CPOE is eliminating lost. (as cited in Gray Felkey, 2004, pg 192, Figure 1) Data is entered directly into the CPOE system; eliminating the need for a patient to carry the order. Paper orders also require a scanning process to enter the order into the electronic environment adding another step in the process where errors can occur; pages can be missing, scan badly, or get indexed incorrectly. This step in the workflow process also contributes to a lag in the time between when the order is received by the healthcare organization and when it actually enters the patients medical record. The elimination of handwritten orders used in the order entry system cuts out the risks associated with the handwritten and/or paper order; providing safety for the patient and improved quality. By removing illegible handwriting from the system this ensures that every order is readable and available in real-time. (as cited in Gray Felkey, 2004, pg 192, Figure 1) The extra work generated by a paper order is eliminated as well, making for an efficient and complete ordering process and on time documentation. This saves everyone time, improves processes which in turn saves money for the patient and the healthcare organization. Process improvements like this contribute to complete, timely, and accurate documentation making for a safer and more accurate real-time picture of the patients status at any given time from virtually any location, while implementing best practices as recommended by JCAHO, HFAP, and the NQF. Dosing for drugs becomes more standardized when using the CPOE/CDS system; by assessing the individual patients vital statistics included in their EMR.T. (as cited in Gray Felkey, 2004, pg 192, Figure 1) The CDS can calculate dosing by using patient information such as current age, weight, height which is included in their EMR and then comparing that information with the recommended dosage given in the pharmacy formulary. The CPOE/CDS also uses evidence based decision support and can give outcomes analysis based on the current plan of care or give suggestions based on an alternate plan of care. The CDS can predict possible outcomes based on historic data when coupled with alternate plans of therapy. CPOE also promotes efficiency gains by checking the EMR for duplicate orders for clinical tests and other therapeutic events that have already been performed. (as cited in Gray Felkey, 2004, pg 192, Figure 1) Duplicated orders will cause an alert to be generated, resulting in the avoidance of unnecessary testing or other clinical events. This is much safer for the patient considering some clinical tests such as contrast Cat Scans are performed with inherent risk involved. The CPOE/ CDS system checks for duplicate orders therefore improving patient safety, saving time, money and providing better coordination of care while allowing for best resource utilization. A 2005 CPOE study presented an improvement report that showed a 50% reduction in medication errors with CPOE, eliminated illegibility and transcription errors after implementing a commercial CPOE system. (Grandville, Kupetsky, Molinari, Campbell, 2005) Another 2005 study found a 7.6% error rate resulting in 143 errors out of 1879 prescriptions. (Gandhi, Weingart, Seger, Borus, Burdick, Poon, Leape, Bates, 2005) Analysis of the findings: basic CPOE sites had a similar rate of incidence; while employing advanced dosing and frequency checks could have prevented 95% of potential Adverse drug Effects. (ADE). (Gandhi et al, 2005) This finding supports the recommendation given by the IOM suggesting CPOE and CDS should be implemented together to provide the best possible technology to improve patient safety and quality of care. CPOE CDS systems benefit a healthcare organization by improving patient safety through goals and best practices that help reduce medication prescribing and administration errors and offer process improvements that increase efficiency by reducing duplication of services, improve quality while saving money and time for both patients and the healthcare organization. Improvements in processes along with the careful implementation of technologies assist healthcare organizations to be compliant with increasing requirements imposed by various agencies and providers.

US History Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the federal governments attitudes and actions towards blacks and Native Americans civil rights in the 19th century were very different they also had lots of similarities. Both blacks and Native Americans were treated poorly and did not have many rights. Blacks were slaves and Indians (Native Americans) were fighting to stay alive. All these negative actions were a bad look for a country that was growing bigger and bigger by the day to someday reach what the United States is today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Culture was a huge part of Indian life in the 19th century, from hunting buffalo and respecting and loving the lands that they lived on to amazing spiritual and religious ceremonies. Blacks did not have much culture because they were mostly all born slaves in the U.S.; except for the ones that were born in Africa and had good memories about they’re past culture. There were also elder slaves that had experienced the African culture who tried to pass it on to the American born slaves who didn’t have any sense of there culture. From the 1850’s all the way until 1924 the Indians were battling the U.S. militia, government and army. The Indians were being kicked off there land and forced onto reservations. Many battles such as Red Clouds war in 1863, Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and even the Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer’s last stand) in 1876 are all examples of battles that the Indians fought against U.S. men. Many of these batt...

Essay --

The world we live in today is full of an exceptional variety of animals. The time it took to conclude to the various sorts of species seen today has been throughout a period of millions of years. The vast majority of these animals are accredited to evolutionary advancements. When the environment changes, organisms have become accustomed to changing to fit their environment, to ensure their species does not die off. These physical changes have resulted in different phyla, ranging from basic structures, like sponges to advance systems, like that of an octopus. Porifera is the most simplistic phylum under the kingdom Animalia. The sponges have no tissue layers, but instead an interior and exterior layer with a gelatinous middle layer that separates the two. They are the only phylum with asymmetrical symmetry. Throughout the advancing phyla it will be shown this trait is lost. Porifera lacks a proper digestive system, but a canal system allows the sponges to filter feed. Along the inside of a sponge, flagella pump water through the sponge’s body. This process brings in oxygen and other small organisms and then flows out the top of the sponge, the osculum, removing waste by diffusion. Sponges lack a circulatory system, as does many of the first couple of phyla. A coinciding factor could be their small size. A nervous system is also missing, but very basic nerve cells within the pores sense the water currents. Gas exchange occurs through these pores. Reproduction in sponges can be asexual by budding, gammation, or fragmentation. Some s ponges can also have sexual reproduction occur as an egg gets released and fertilized in the open water by free floating sperm. After this stage they cling onto rock and begin their sessile, basic, life.... ...d female reproductive organs. An egg becomes fertilized when they rub clitellum. Earthworms play an important part in the environment. They break down organic matter and dig tunnels under the soil that help increase water and oxygen flow. Throughout the various phyla discussed evolutionary advancements are relevant. Starting from the basic, simplistic life forms of a sponge, up to the intelligence of an octopus and advance organ systems of Annelida the changes have only improved. Some species changed and evolved because as populations grow, they spread out farther and different conditions begin to affect their life. Why some species haven’t changed is because their body plan and system works for the environment they inhabit. Evolution has helped animals spread out all over the world and adapt to various conditions, seen in the habitats Aschelminthes can prosper in.

lena horne :: essays research papers

Singer/actress Lena Horne's primary occupation was nightclub entertaining, a profession she pursued successfully around the world for more than 60 years, from the 1930s to the 1990s. In conjunction with her club work, she also maintained a recording career that stretched from 1936 to 2000 and brought her three Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989; she appeared in 16 feature films and several shorts between 1938 and 1978; she performed occasionally on Broadway, including in her own Tony-winning one-woman show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music in 1981-1982; and she sang and acted on radio and television. Adding to the challenge of maintaining such a career was her position as an African-American facing discrimination personally and in her profession during a period of enormous social change in the U.S. Her first job in the 1930s was at the Cotton Club, where blacks could perform, but not be admitted as customers; by 1969, when she acted in the film Death of a Gunf ighter, her character's marriage to a white man went unremarked in the script. Horne herself was a pivotal figure in the changing attitudes about race in the 20th century; her middle-class upbringing and musical training predisposed her to the popular music of her day, rather than the blues and jazz genres more commonly associated with African-Americans, and her photogenic looks were sufficiently close to Caucasian that frequently she was encouraged to try to "pass" for white, something she consistently refused to do. But her position in the middle of a social struggle enabled her to become a leader in that struggle, speaking out in favor of racial integration and raising money for civil rights causes. By the end of the century, she could look back at a life that was never short on conflict, but that could be seen ultimately as a triumph. Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born June 30, 1917, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Both sides of her family claimed a mixture of African-Americans, Native Americans, and Caucasians, and both were part of what black leader W.E.B. DuBois called "the talented tenth," the upper stratum of the American black population made up of middle-class, well-educated African-Americans. Her parents, however, might both be described as mavericks from that tradition. Her father, Edwin Fletcher Horne Jr., worked for the New York State Department of Labor, but one of her biographers describes him more accurately as "a 'numbers' banker": his real profession was gambling.

Musket Wars

The first major cause of the Musket Wars was the introduction of European Technology, particularly Muskets. This changed the economy of Maori society, as they had no form of currency so trade was their means to gain power and ‘wealth’ This created the danger of one tribe, in this case Nga Puhi growing increasingly powerful and influential, therefore their supplies of these muskets and weaponry growing exponentially in size. In 1821 Nga Puhi leader Hongi Hika acquired 300 muskets after trading them for his gifts he received from the King of England.This became a turning point in the Wars as it gave him overwhelming power for his tribe in the North. Muskets greatly altered the way in which Maori fought battles, as these muskets could cause far more death and destruction than previous weaponry used by the Maori. Historians such as Angela Ballara argue that the Muskets were not the cause of the actual start of the War, the war could just as easily be called ‘Potato war s’ as many Maori fought for food supply, but because of the destructive nature of the muskets, without their role the Wars could have taken a very different path.The introduction of Muskets also amplified tensions between Nga Whatua and Nga Puhi, as Nga Puhi acquired more and more muskets, other tribes particularly Nga Whatua felt threatened by the potential use of these muskets, and confrontation between these now heavily armed tribes became inevitable. The colonization of NZ by Europeans and subsequent consequences support the ‘Fatal Impact theory’, which states that impact of European society on Maori lead to the general downfall of Maori, but it is impossible to blame the Musket Wars entirely on European impact.Prior to European contact the Maori had a well-established political system between iwis. For them war was an essential part of this, as a means of declaring land ownership. Wars were fought quickly between short distances, resulting in fewer deaths. T he first war fought with muskets was the battle of Moremanui in 1908, when Nga Whatua secured a victory of Nga Puhi, as they tried to reload their muskets.The leader of Nga Puhi Hongi Hika wished to execute revenge on Ngati Whatua for the defeat, thus leading to his acquisition of muskets and intertribal warfare. The conclusion can be made that the Maori pre-established political system of which war was an integral part, was a major factor leading to the intertribal warfare of the Musket Wars, but European impact was the factor that made the warfare so destructive and lead to the many fatalities.

Group Development Essay

The first stage is the forming stage. During this stage, things are characterized by much uncertainty. There is uncertainty as to what the purpose of the group is, what the structure of the group is, and who the leadership of the group is going to be. Members of the group will want to test the waters and try to determine how far they can go and what they can get away with during this stage of the group development process. The second stage is the storming stage. During this stage of group development, the members of the group accept the existence of the group but are against the restraints put on individual creativity. This can lead to serious problems if there is not some sort of compromise or agreement put in place on allowing individuals to be creative within the guidelines of the project. The third stage is the norming stage. During this stage, relationships among team members are becoming closer and group cohesiveness is coming together. The group identity is really becoming clear. This stage is considered complete when the structure of the group is completely solidified and the members of the group have decided on what is considered proper behavior for members of the group. In my opinion, this is one of the most critical stages in group development. The fourth stage is the performing stage. This stage of group development is really when things start to happen. Members of the team have fully accepted the structure and the team is working towards accomplishing the goals that were set forth initially. The group has gone from getting to know each other to complete understanding and working on accomplishing the  task at hand. The fifth and final stage of group development is the adjourning stage. This is only true for groups that are temporary. Permanent work groups are finished after stage four. This stage is normally when the group finalizes and wraps up the tasks that they have been asked to perform and then they go their separate ways. This stage is hopefully where the project is finalized and the group has been successful at accomplishing the goals that were initially set forth. Problem Identification There are two major problems that I see in this situation. The first problem that I see with this group is that there is going to be conflict of interests from each of the different groups. Each of the groups have different agendas as to how to fully accomplish the goals of the project. This can lead to problems or possibly a severe conflict between one or more of the groups. This differing of opinions and attitudes by the groups could also possibly lead to an overall failure to achieve any of the objectives of the group. The second major problem that I see with this project is demographic diversity. There are such wide and varied demographics in the school district that this project is going to take place. There could be conflicts that one demographic is being favored over another. There could also be problems that stem from this. If one demographic seems to think that another is being favored, then they could cause problems for the overall project and the goals of that project. Retrospective Evaluation The solution for the first problem will be the easiest of the two problems. During the formation of the development group for this project, common goals need to be decided upon by the development team. These goals need to be approved by all of the different entities that have an interest in this project succeeding. There should be one major common goal for the project and all of the groups should agree to this goal. If they cannot agree to a common goal, then there really is no need to go forward with the project. The solution for the second problem is going to be a little harder to solve. I believe that a non-interested third party group should be brought in to oversee the project. This will allow for an impartial representative to make decisions and also to ensure that no one demographic group is being favored more than another. If one groups interests are being pushed and another group see this favoritism, it could lead to problems and thus an overall failure of the project. Therefore, a third party should be placed in charge and there should be no conflicts because they should not favor any one particular group. Reflection The project is all about making things better for the kids of this school district. This could lead to better educational opportunities for all involved within the district. However, there are possible issues that need to be solved for this project to move forward and be a success. If these issues are addressed in the beginning then there should be resolutions and no problems should arise. This will allow a successful project and the enhancement of educational opportunities for the children of the school district.

Foundations of Mythology Essay

Myths have been a great part of history, from the very moment humans roamed the green marble we call Earth. Therefore, mythology has become just as relevant in attempting to answer life’s greatest questions as any scientific method. Myths have shaped our world from the very beginning to the world we live in today. We will explore the common meaning of myth versus the academic meaning of myth, what are some of the common mythological themes, and the relationship between belief, knowledge, mythology, and religion. Myth is a word commonly used to describe â€Å"a widely held but false belief or idea,† (Google, 2014). As an example, when someone says ‘that’s a myth,’ they are commonly referring to something being false, untrue, or nonfactual. It is in this context that the majority of the population would use and have used the word myth. In an academic context, a myth is an ancient narrative that attempts â€Å"to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions,† (Leonard & McClure, 2004, pg. 1). I would define a myth as a statement or  event that is believed in without factual basis. Just because the facts elude us, does not make something untrue or false, merely unproven. If something remains unproven, it should not be considered or perceived as false. After all, if it is not proven to be false, it does not make it true and vice versa. The most common mythological themes are of creation, the birth of order, and secretion themes. Many diverse culture around the globe address such similar and universal themes because they are all attempting to answer the most profound questions. Questions that deal with our existence, the existence of all around us, as well as what occurs upon the death of our bodies. These themes tend to cover the creation of all that exists, the order and mechanics of everything, and why things are the way they are. One commonly overlooked creation myth is that of the big bang theory. There is no factual data that indicates that the big bang occurred ‘millions of years ago,’ or that it occurred at all, let alone that it will repeat the cycle of condensing all material into a sphere (the size of a period on this page, up to marble sized which is the source of another debate). Truth is that there is more data that points to a young earth, solar system, and universe than there is for ‘millions of years’ (Creation Today, 2010). There exists an intertwining relationship between belief, knowledge, mythology, and religion whether or not we acknowledge it. Many religions are based on mythology and those in practice of such religions must believe in the knowledge attained from and passed on by centuries of practitioners prior to them. For example, a Buddhist believes he or she will reincarnate to a higher or lower social class depending on their behavior during their current life. This cycle is repeated until enlightenment is attained. This is based on the mythology of Buddha that has become a religion, which millions of people around the globe believe to be truth based on the writings of Buddha himself and the knowledge of all those who came after him. It is this intersection of belief, knowledge, mythology, and religion that has helped countless of people cope with fear of death, or fears in general, with poverty, injustice, suffering, and the unknown. Mythology is still relevant in today’s contemporary culture. Although, the word mythology is not commonly used synonymous with religious beliefs, mythology has shaped the modern social cultures. The majority of people have a religious point of view, whether they believe in a god, many gods, or none at all. It is these belief systems that help them to deal with the unknown, hardships in life, and death. Science has been making leaps and bounds in recent years. Nevertheless, modern science cannot pretend to know half of everything, but given that it did know half of everything, is it not possible to have a creator that dwelled in the half we do not know? I dare to comment that it is quite possible, even more so, that it is inevitable. References Creation Today. (2010, May 12). The age of the earth. Retrieved from http://creationtoday.org/seminar-part-1-the-age-of-the-earth/ Google. (2014). Google search. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=myth&safe=off Leonard, S., & McClure, M. (2004). _Myth & knowing: An introduction to world mythology_. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.