How reliable is source 5 as a representation of the death of Hattie Carroll?

‘The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll', the song by Bob Dylan is both reliable and unreliable in many ways as a representation of her death. During the Black Civil Rights Movement of the time, Dylan was a popular artist and felt strongly about this specific cause. Through his lyrics he spoke out for the oppressed minority. His songs however, did not represent the views of all the black people at the time. Through his lyrics he expressed only his point of view. Therefore, it must be taken into account that there may be bias of some form in some of his works. We must take into account that it is more than likely that Dylan was not at the actual murder scene and therefore his song is a secondary source. We also are not totally sure if Dylan was genuinely concerned about the welfare of the oppressed, or, he was using the situation to boost his own career. Ultimately, these together could be factors for why Dylan wrote and performed â€Å"finger-pointing songs.† I would say that the majority of the motives in his work are honourable but others may think differently. Joan Baez, a folk singer and a Civil Rights activist and, Dylan's girlfriend at the time said of him; â€Å"he never went to marches. One of the ironic things was, 20 years after the fact, people at marches saying, â€Å"Is Bob coming? We heard Bob's coming.† He never went. It wasn't his life and there was no reason he should really because he didn't believe in all that politics stuff.† The contents of the song tell us some of the basic facts about the incident. We know Hattie was murdered by Zanzinger who got a very lenient sentence. Gaps however exist in our knowledge due to the fact that source 5 contains only part of the actual song. Therefore we do not see the full picture surrounding what happened and what actually happened. Dylan puts his lyrics across with a sarcasm and bitterness. This is because Carroll was murdered due to racial discrimination. We are not sure if Dylan was present at the trial and because of this we cannot trust what he is suggesting fully but we can take it for granted that what he is saying is at least partly true. I feel that Dylan's intended audience was universal. He aimed to inform people of the wrong in society and he gave the black Americans hope in their campaign for justice. I can only presume that Dylan wrote this song to make society aware of what was happening to the black people. I also think that the fact that Dylan would gain publicity for his controversy and therefore this may have been a reason for him writing and performing â€Å"finger-pointing songs.† In source 5 we do not gain any insight into Zanzinger's motives for murdering Carroll. Zanzinger's story is not known and because each story has two sides we cannot view the ‘bigger picture.' This source is partly reliable. We know that Dylan had a good reputation as a truthful, genuine artist but it must be acknowledged that the limitations to the song as a representation of the death of Hattie Carroll given the language, tone, motives and the missing part of the source.

Zara Internationalization Analysis

ZARA-Internationalization Analysis When it comes to internationalization strategies, ZARA is the perfect case to look at. By putting in practice a set of different strategies, ZARA has accomplished great positioning worldwide and is one of the most recognized brands in the apparel market. Listed below are the main internationalization strategies ZARA has used to become one of the leading clothing brands in the world. Operating Filial When ZARA first started opening stores outside of Spain, at the end of the 1980’s and beginning of the 1990’s, they looked for markets that resembled the Spanish market, had a minimum level of economic development and would be relatively easy to enter. The entry into the market would be decided by a team of economy experts from the headquarters that, after analyzing the micro and macro components of the market that affected ZARA directly, would say whether to enter or not. This analysis was made to see how much alike was the international market to the Spanish one. This allows them to, successfully, have the same products in the international market and the local market, distribute the same products between both markets, apply same decisions taken by the head offices and save money and time on flexibility between the international and local market. These key factors, allowed ZARA to have more control of its operations and an easier management. It is no coincidence then, ZARA’s first European stores (outside of Spain) opened with high success in countries like Portugal, France, Greece, Belgium and Cyprus. Joint Venture A joint venture can be defined as an agreement between two or more companies through which they compromise to build a new firm to achieve a certain purpose. This kind of strategy allows the company to expand with limited capital investment, and therefore, to limit the risk too. The company can also be benefited from the partner's experience in a certain field. Making joint ventures with public foreign corporations can allow the company to start prosperous relationships with that certain market, and use them in the future. It was not clearly seen how could this alliance benefited Benetton due to the fact that they’re one of ZARA’s very strong enemy; but Benetton admitted that because of this potential competitiveness, they would prefer to have some control into this new ZARA venture and also to have it as a partner and not as an enemy in the Italian market. Franchise ZARA has 31 franchised stores in 12 countries. The company use franchises in countries that are risky, small, or with significant cultural differences or administrative barriers that feeds the desire to invest in this market. ZARA in their franchises, has very strong financial partners, franchises are well established and are usually for five years. ZARA charged its franchisees from selling their products a fee that varies between 5% and 10% of its sales. The company offers its franchisees complete access to business services, which are human resources, logistics and training, all without any cost and allows them to return to 10% of merchandise. Some of the advantages that a franchise offers to ZARA are, less investment and less risk, standardization and relatively little scrutiny. Franchise also has its disadvantages, difficult to find local investors and seek to ensure the policy coherence in the image. But if a company like ZARA that is so big and recognized around the world use a franchise as an investment decision, is because the benefits are more than the losses. Manufacturing Contracts Autonomous Filial ZARA is an exclusive and dedicated local market, it has strong relationship to the country where is located. It is relatively autonomous but not at the same level as the qualified filial and is considered a small replica of the parent company. While management stressed that ZARA used the same business system in all the countries which it operated, there was some variation in retailing operations at the local level. The first store opened in each market, usually a leader store for the market, played a particularly critical role in refining the marketing mix by affording detailed insights into local demand. The marketing mix that emerged there was applied to other stores in the country as well. Pricing was also part of this market based mix. However if a decision was taken to enter a particular market, customers effectively bore the extra cost of supplying it from Spain. ZARA had historically market local currency for all the countries in which it operated on each garments price tag. The higher prices outside did imply a somewhat different positioning for ZARA overseas, particularly in emerging markets. For example in Spain about 80% of the citizens can afford ZARA. It’s different in Latin-American countries like Mexico for cultural and economic reasons because the average income in Mexico is $3000 compared to $14000 in Spain. The Mexican people who buy in ZARAare the upper class and the middle class, which is the class that knows fashion that is accustomed to buying in Europe, or in the United states. In Mexico ZARA’s are targeting 14 million inhabitants compared to 35-36 million in Spain, but 14 million is more than enough to put in a network of stores there. Differences in positioning also affected the stores which products were sold and ZARA’s overall image. For example in South America, ZARA’s products had to present a high-end rather than a mid-market image and it was emphasized that they were â€Å"made in Europe†. However, the image presented was never one of â€Å"made in Spain†. Qualified Filial A qualified filial is a unit with great strategic relevance in the entire corporation. It acts in coordination with other units of the multinational corporation, mostly influencing them with strategic behavior and their expertise on a specific technology. Thus, a qualified filial has to be a center of excellence. In ZARA, the international distributing centers can be considered as qualified filials, for distribution is one of the key factors in ZARA’s selling process. International distributing centers are located in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, where shipments are consolidated from the main distributing center in Arteixa. Working under Just in Time policies and systems, distributing centers have a great responsibility linking the stores with Arteixa, and at the same time, implementing distributing strategies that affect them. These centers allow a rapid flow of information and merchandise to the different stores, so keeping their levels of excellence are vital for the process. This is why ZARA invests on their ongoing improvement to keep up with technology as it improves and making it a flexible and reliable system so it doesn’t fails.

Teaching assistants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teaching assistants - Essay Example It has been argued that teaching assistants have too much responsibility without being given sufficient recognition for what they do.Discuss the evidence that is available to support or refute this statement indicating which appears to be more persuasive..''There is a Chinese proverb," Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself." Teaching is an art and to learn is also an art. Learning depends upon the level of interest of a student and art of a teacher is that how she/he make the specific subject or lecture interesting that a student has no other option but to learn whatever is being taught to him/her. If someone asks you to categorize teachers you may say math teacher, science teacher etc etc or you might say a good teacher and a bad teacher but you will never say a teacher and a teacher assistant. Do you know why Because most of us don't give the sufficient recognition to teacher assistants, we even don't consider them as teachers but as a helper to teacher or just an assistant .Just think when you will get into your practical life and some day sit down and try to remember your school days what would first came to your mind Your class room, your table, the teacher you most hated and your favorite teacher.that's it Had you ever taught about the teachers who use to come in your class in the absence of your teacherThese teacher assistants check your papers, copies and are indirectly related to you somehow and it won't be wrong if you had considered them one of your teachers. These teacher assistants are paid less then your class teacher may be that's why they are of less importance to you or the education system. She/he sits with the teacher in class and tries to judge if students are able to understand the lecture or not. Normally he/she is friendlier than your teacher. So in short the teacher assistant is a support for teacher, students, curriculum and school as well. They sometimes play the role of a mentor as well for the students as they interact with th e students more than the teacher. In short "they exploit and create learning opportunities"3 The question that arises is if they are given the appropriate pay and recognition for what they do A teacher works come to an end after attending class but a teacher assistant have to make course outline, examination schedule etc etc. Teaching has been considered as one of the noblest professions of world especially for women. These women are very competent who choose teaching as a profession because it is not easy to teach someone; To make them understand what you want to. A teacher assistant is also a kind of teacher who works more hard than "teachers". Then why they couldn't get the respect that students usually give to the teachers The reasons would be because they are paid less, they sometimes have to face arrogance of the teacher if she/did did any mistake or if the word "assistant" had made them lesser important than teacher or they might think that assistant know less then teacher. Unqualified Teachers: In some areas of world even teachers are not qualified enough i.e. "a survey of teacher qualifications in Northern Ireland which indicates that a significant percentage of teachers are unqualified in the areas of mathematics, physics, ICT, history and

Marketing Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Report - Essay Example Major shifts have also been seen in terms of consumers which have mostly become older citizens. Consumer behavior has also shifted to the globally and internet connected consumer with more demands on convenience. Issues being faced by the airline include: competition from other airlines, increased demands for other forms of transport, including trains, low satisfaction levels from consumers, low innovation as well as poor reliability. Phase 2 Executive Summary Based on the analysis of British Airways, possible objectives for its improvement are important considerations and this paper shall primarily cover the strategies and recommendations for the airline in order to improve its marketability. This second phase of the marketing report on British Airways shall be carried out through an exploration of current plan of action and other effective measures needed by the airline in order to improve its business. The primary objective for British Airways is to increase their customers and ma rket share in the long haul category from 63% to 70% by December 2013. Opportunities for competitive advantage can be implemented in order to ensure its efficacy in the long haul market. For targeting consumers, British Airways needs to determine the importance of every consumer and how services must be individualised to their needs. British Airways must therefore seek to offer a fun and innovative services, as well as quality services on convenient locations for consumers. It must also offer flights worldwide in the upper class, premium economy, and economy categories. Moreover, BA must exploit the weaknesses of its competitors and capitalize on its brand as Britain’s premiere airline. Maintaining their patronage must be directed towards ensuring a steady stream of consumers, offering the best services, catering to their needs, and focusing on the quality of their services, including the competitive edge they can maintain against other airlines. Reflective overview The Strat egic Marketing Management’s module objectives mainly provide students with knowledge and skills in developing and implementing marketing strategies in order to help their (future or current) organisations gain superior competitive advantages (Strategic Marketing Management’s module handbook, 2012). Based on these objectives as well, there are many potential strategies conveyed to marketing students, including myself, by the nature of the module teaching where I have gained experiences, both within and outside the classroom setting. The potential strategies, in relation to the selective approaches as methods from the module and module tutors, were considered, exercised, analysed and implemented by the student in terms of the following: Customer analysis, Competitor analysis, Industry analysis, Environmental analysis, Internal analysis, SWOT analysis (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) as well as marketing mix strategy with key methods provided both from lec ture and seminar class; general lecture class; related books and websites; residential trips; and assignments (both group work and individual ones). Implementing above strategies with sample case or situation setting was the challenging task.

Consumer Behavior Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Consumer Behavior Master - Essay Example The following are the 6 stages: Stage 1: Problem Recognition or in other words awareness of need-In this stage the consumer realizes the need for a certain product. For example, when a person is hungry, he thinks of eating some thing. Hunger--Food. Hunger stimulates your need to eat. But this kind of thought can easily be stimulated through advertisements. Children are often attracted by the advertisements of ice creams, chocolates and lot of other items. In other words when a person recognizes that there is some deficit in their life, they try to fulfill those needs. When one see a commercial for a new pair of shoes, it stimulates the recognition the need for a new pair of shoes. Stage 2: Information search-Once a person realizes the need for an item, then the second immediate step would be to find out more information about the item. This can be done through internal search, memory, print and visual media, friends and relatives, word of mouth, marketer dominated sources, comparison shopping, public sources etc. A successful information search leaves a buyer with possible alternatives or in other words different brands. For example, when a person is hungry, and wants to go to a restaurant, he has probably a set of restaurants to choose from depending on what kind of food item he likes to have. It can be Chinese food, Indian food, burger king, or klondike kates etc. Stage 3: Evaluation of Alternatives-Once a set of alternatives are present it is time for evaluation of each of them. Hence there is a need to establish criteria for evaluation, features the buyer wants or does not want, in the case of restaurant tastes that the customer likes. The customer based on the criteria for evaluation rank or weight alternatives. If the customer is not satisfied then they resume search. For example, if the customer wants to eat something spicy, then the Indian food gets highest rank. If not satisfied with the choices then return to the search phase to find another restaurant. Look in the yellow pages or internet etc. Information from different sources may be treated differently. Marketers try to influence by "framing" alternatives. Stage 4: Purchase decision-The fourth step is the stage when the final decision is made. Choose buying alternative, includes product, package, store, method of purchase etc. Stage 5: Purchase--May differ from decision, time lapse between stage no 4 and 5, product availability. However, this is one of the most important stages in the process. Stage 6: Post-Purchase Evaluation-This is the stage of outcome that can be either satisfaction or dissatisfaction. For example, if the Indian food was very delicious, the customer will be satisfied but if it was not up to the expectation of the customer, then the customer might be dissatisfied and will be reluctant to go to the same restaurant the next time (udel.edu, N.D.). 2. Two major learning theories have dominated research and teaching in consumer behavio

Developing a strategic plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developing a strategic plan - Essay Example Similarly I made a plan for improving students’ perception and satisfaction with transportation. I included two action items; offering buses to commuter students and ensuring the schedule accuracy to facilitate the students and providing private buses and shuttles for the students of Pittsburgh and nearby shopping centers within a radius of 10 miles. This improvement can reduce car traffic and parking issues by 30% and increase student mobility by 75% to Pittsburgh downtown. I did not use trial and error or any redundant old method just to fill in that space with a strategy. I built my strategy based on the information I collected through students’ reviews. Even though the strategic plan is complete and quite comprehensive I would like to add a few things especially regarding public safety. The three action items are very helpful. For instance, they publicize encourage enrollment in E2 campus emergency notification system. Similarly, there are other programs offered under the same category but one thing that I feel missing is the follow-up. There should be a measure or any form of tracking the performance of implementing the strategy. This is to see whether the implemented strategy is giving the output that it is supposed to deliver. Moreover, it is only encouraging students to take part in self-defense programs offered on campus. I believe it should be mandatory for students to take basic training programs for the self-defense. It is quite likely that several students would not want to join but by involving them in the process of constructing the course the program can be more inclusive and productive in the interest of all. This is the first time for me to learn how to develop a strategic plan. The entire process from the beginning to the end has been very helpful and educating for me. The key lessons I learned from this process is how to incorporate the vision and a mission in a plan. I have realized that developing a

Research, identify and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Essay

Research, identify and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of business regulations - Essay Example Regulations are good in the way that they provide a particular direction for businesses to follow. Rules and regulations actually help standardize the business operations as all workers and businesses will follow a particular set of instructions which are applicable to them. On the other hand regulations are also important as some businesses do not self-regulate themselves and can therefore be involved in actions which are harmful to the society. For example if restrictions are not imposed on the emission of factories then many companies might not care about the negative effect of emissions from factories ad may continue to do so in order to save costs of safe emission systems. When regulations are made and implemented, then these companies are bound to follow it otherwise they’ll have to bear the consequences in form of penalty such are monetary fines or closure of business. Therefore, regulation is one form of ensuring that the business doesn’t harm the society. (Porket, 2003) Moreover, regulations are also important in protecting the rights of the employees as without regulations, employers may exploit the employees through bad working conditions or low wages etc. Due to this government tend to make regulations regarding minimum wealth, health and safety conditions. Regulations also help in preventing exploitation of consumers. If there are no regulations, then monopolies would exploit consumers with high prices, companies won’t produce goods with quality standards and might not mention the harmful effects of using a particular product if proper regulations are not in place. Therefore regulations are beneficial as many businesses don’t tend to self-regulate them. (Porket, 2003) Along with advantages, there are also some drawbacks of regulations. These include the costs of complying with these regulations. Regulations which are

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

Metallgesellschaft - Case Study Example MGRM's Supervisory Board avoided bankruptcy by liquidating its forward delivery positions in December 1993. MGRM had begun to experience significant growth since 1989 when it acquired 49% stake in Caste Energy as part of its efforts to become a fully integrated oil business in the United States. As MGRM continued to make a series of costly expansions, its fixed-assets values tripled between 1989 and 1991. In a continuing effort to expand its US business, MGRM entered in to forward delivery contracts with Energy end-users at historic low prices during the summer of 1993. However, these contracts exposed MGRM to the risk of rising energy prices. To hedge this price risk, MGRM acquired energy futures at NYMEX and entered into OTC swaps with large OTC swap dealers. However, since future markets do not trade in very long term (10 years in this case), MGRM's strategy was to concentrate its derivatives positions in stacks or short-dated futures. Similarly the swaps had to be rolled forward continuously. MGRM's strategy exposed it to various risks. Its short-dated positions left it exposed to rollover risk. If the prices had risen, MGRM would have made substantial profits. And the opposite was true in case of the prices falling. However historically, energy prices have always shown an upward trend. Over a period of ten years prior to 1993, the energy market had been predominantly in backwardation. MGRM was betting on Energy prices continuing to rise. However, as shown by Edwards and Canter, its rollover risk was only about 15% of its price risk. Had the market been in backwardation, MGRM would have made handsome profits. But in 1993, crude oil was in contango every month, heating oil was in contango every month except March and April and gasoline was in contango every month except August. As a result, MGRM made substantial rollover losses during 1993. MGRM was also exposed to funding risk since its strategy was that of one-to-one hedge instead of a "minimum variance" hedge. This strategy would have worked had there been a one-to-one relationship between forward and spot energy prices. In that case, a fall in the spot prices would have been balanced by an equal and opposite change in the value of its forward delivery contracts. However, as shown by Edwards and Canter, a one-to-one relationship between spot and forward prices does not exist in the energy market. MGRM was also exposed to credit risk due to the long duration of its forward-supply contracts. And once the prices started to fall, this risk further increased as with the increased disparity in spot and contractually fixed price, the risk of the smaller firms defaulting also increased. Finally, MGRM was also exposed to basis risk due to the one-to-one hedge ratio. The timing of the investment in derivatives also went against MGRM. As stated above, 1993 proved to be disastrous year with energy market in contango for most part of the year. The huge size of MGRM's rollover trade was also responsible for increasing these risks. MGRM's huge holdings, equivalent to 160 million barrels, meant that other firms would have looked at MGRM before taking any steps. The size of MGRM's rollover trade could have also been indirectly responsible for pushing down energy prices. Hedging or Speculating There is some debate over whether MGRM's strategy was hedging or speculation. Culp and

GDP of the United States Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

GDP of the United States - Assignment Example The United States economy, with regard to recent trends, therefore, should be going forward and getting better. However, the United States is trying to recover due to the fact that the trend is not going as expected, and the question of why America down remains to be answered (Cobb, 1995) is. As regards to above trends in the current account as a percent of united states GDP, of 1980-2010, it is clear that the GDP rates keep fluctuating as it did in past recessions in the United States. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the real gross GDP recorded an annual increase rate of 1.8 percent in the third quarter of 2011 (News Release, 2011). This trend of increase from the second to the third quarter has been a notable release by the Bureau of economic analysis. The second quarter of the year 2011 saw the real GDP increase by 1.3 percent. The gross domestic product refers to the output of goods and services that labor and property located in the United States produce (News Release, 2011). In the United States, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is an essential component of the economy. For this case, the future of the economic activity is predicted by the yield curve slope and the spread between the interest terms (News Release, 2011). This is because the shifts of the slope are key determinants and indicators of high and low GDP growth. In determining GDP, there are three different approaches, which must carry out similar results. Therefore, the â€Å"total value of production†, the â€Å"total value of income† and the total value of expenditure should reflect equilibrium or simply be equal (News Release, 2011). The first method involves deriving a residual value and is referred to as the production approach (Krugman, 2001). Production approach involves taking an estimate of each industry’s gross output from other industries, and this is used to derive each industry’s residual value.

Factors Affecting Global Demand and Supply Research Paper

Factors Affecting Global Demand and Supply - Research Paper Example A research conducted by Ronaldo (2010) indicates that a significant loss of shareholder value emerges from gaps in demand and supply management. Mostly, these shortages in supply are caused by monopolized supply, poor forecasting, poor planning, low inventory levels, long delivery processes and poor communications. With a delay in one of the above elements of demand or supply, a big impact is evident in the business operations especially financially. When a company ignores the importance of advanced and innovative technology, it stands a big chance of losing its competitive edge. Demand can be either independent or dependent. A dependent demand is whereby the demand for a certain product depends on the availability of and demand for another product (Aswathappa, 2004). For example, the demand for mobile batteries will depend on the availability of mobile phones. On the other hand, independent demand means that each product demand does not rely on demand or supply of any other product or service. Factors Affecting Demand and Supply Demand for commodities and services are mainly influenced by commodity price change as customers can easily shift to the same product offered by a competitor. If there is a change in customers’ income, the customer can either purchase more or less with respect to the income change. Tastes and preferences constantly change among customers due to change of fashion trend or other influencers such health and change of status. Demand is also affected by a change in the price of competitive goods; if the prices of such goods increase, the demand for supplementary goods go high and vice versa (Nezih & Lewia, 2011). Government policies may also increase or reduce demand when they pose a control bill and supply restrictions. Further, when certain goods are taxed and levied heavily, producers limit production. Thus, prices are high due to the cost involved in the production, hence high price tags per unit product. Natural calamities and s easons play a big role in changing goods and services demand and supply. For instance, during winter, the demand for warm clothing is high, but during summer, the demand is very low. Commercial advertisements, when communicated effectively, increase demand of the particular product or service since a large volume of customers is exposed to the information and is willing to try out the product due to curiosity and as a result, the demanded goods flood the market (Collins, 2012). Demographic factors such as age, the total available population and a change of growth rate have a very big impact on demand and supply. A certain age group will show demand high of a specific commodity than that of another age group. For example, kids will demand more of toys than any other age group and a population with a big number of babies means that the total demand and supply of toys is high. Sociological factors such as level of education, marital status and sex will also influence demand. The quanti ty of competition in the market affects demand in the sense that if competitors are many, there is a lot of supply. Therefore, the customer has a wide variety to choose from, and this inversely affects demand and price stability. Cost of inputs has a major influence on supply. If labor and capital charges are high, the supply is limited since the producers have a limited production capability.  

Philosophy that was born during the Renaissance Essay Example for Free

Philosophy that was born during the Renaissance Essay Humanism is a philosophy that was born during the Renaissance, beginning in Florence in the last decades of the 14th century. The theory introduced new ways of thinking that allowed people to question and interpret the Bible anyway they wish. Prior to Humanism, people lived their lives under the impression that it was all to serve god. It wasn’t until people began taking an interest in the work of Greek philosophers that true appreciation of human life became apparent. Humanism inspired people to believe that their life was meaningful and that they were capable of more than just working to please God. The key principle of the theory was that â€Å"human beings are not subject to God or any divine agency. They have no obligation to love, fear or obey any such supernatural agent.† (Victor A.Gunasekara) When the importance of human life prevailed, there was no longer a strained religious perception of earth and society and this is when the freedom of art and self-expression truly took form. Art was no longer a way of glorifying God, but a way of showing individualism and creativity within ones self. The origins of Humanism can be found in the Golden Age of Greek Philosophy. Xenophanes (580 BCE) said, â€Å"If cattle had hands and drew pictures of Gods, Gods would look like cows† making it patent that Gods are of our own making. When Protagoras (450 BCE) wrote, Man is the measure of all things, of things that are that they are, and of things that are not that they are not. he was accused of impiety and was banished for creating such freethinking sentiments that would be considered thoroughly unorthodox for his time. His words are metaphorical of us ‘knowing the world by our own proportion, from our point of view.’ He crafted the idealistic principle of human perception that shaped the humanism philosophy we know today. Humanism was not limited to mental thoughts and ideas on the value of human life, but shown physically through a spectrum of art mediums. The theory shaped various aspects of Renaissance art including the content, style and subject matter of all art forms. During the middle ages, well before Humanism took form, art was notable for glorifying and praising God. During this time, all art was assigned from the church and so the subject matter consisted of mainly biblical themes, stories and characters. Within these paintings, man wasn’t portrayed with anatomical accurateness, but as a small, off scale and minor element next to a much larger religious figure. Within almost all of Middle Age artworks, biblical figures were seen is the most powerful and most important; and so they were made to look exceedingly larger than people or children, who were painted on a much smaller scale. The importance of these religious figures was also shown through height and placement within the picture. They were often painted higher than other figures, adding to the overall impersonal and symbolic outlook of Middle Age art. Because most of the work at this time was so religious, people weren’t able to connect and view art for the purpose of enjoyment, but for worshiping a higher presence. Take the Ognissanti Madonna (1310) for example. The painter, Giotto, depicts Mary and her son with saints surrounding them. They’re portrayed as very large, while everyone else in the painting is very small. Neither of the two are life size nor are they anatomically accurate. However the most obvious aspect within the painting is the overstated size of the two most important biblical figures, Mary and Jesus. This was the conventional style of Middle Age art. The value of human life was never considered, nor was it illustrated through paintings or sculpture. During the late 14th century, Artists began looking at natural depictions of the world and ancient pagan culture. The notion of human form that characterized medieval art was supplanted with the concept of full anatomical accuracy. With the celebration of human life, precision of the human body within paintings and sculptures became a crucial part of depicting the realistic perception within art, one that was not justified by any singular religious context but ones desire for perfection. People began painting secular subjects and portraying man with the same importance that was used for religious figures within the Middle Ages. When the prominence of human life prevailed, people began taking an interest in the accurate portrayal of human characters. This provoked a range of pictorials to be created in parallel with the human form, reflecting the balanced and symmetrical form of the human body in art. Artists began creating precise proportions or the ’golden mean’ in order to establish symmetrical and harmonious composition within a varied spectrum of art mediums. The Golden Mean is the desirable middle between two extremes and is given the number Phi(= 1.618033988749895†¦) Commonly known as the ‘divine proportion’ to Renaissance artists, the Golden Mean was used for atheistic appeal and balance within architecture, but was often used effectively for other visual art forms, such as paintings or sculptures. Collective to the Greek mentality, the golden mean was considered an attribute of beauty that included symmetry, proportion and harmony. The Golden Mean can â€Å"be derived with a number of geometric constructions, each of which divides a line segment at the unique point where: the ratio of the whole line (A) to the large segment (B) is the same as the ratio of the large segment (B) to the small segment (C).† (http://www.goldennumber.net/golden-section/) Paintings, buildings and sculptures adapted and drew inspiration from classical roman structures (a time when the Golden Mean was recognized To Greeks as dividing a line in the extreme and mean ratio) during the High Renaissance period in order to interlace the crucial ascetic appeal that was desired when Humanism was at great interest. High Renaissance style architecture conventionally begins with Donato Bramante (1444-1514) who built the Tempietto at S.Pietro in Montorio, Rome in 1510. The Tempietto ‘’is an attempt at reconciling Christian and humanist ideals’’. With no limitations of Humanism on any particular art medium, Michelangelo’s sculpture of David in (1501) is a perfect example of its boundless effect on accurately conveying the human body with precise proportions and measurements. Other works relating to Humanism included The Birth of Venus (1485), by Botticelli. Prior to Humanism, the majority of art appeared two dimensional or flat. These artists were one of the first to begin adding vast details and highlighting the illusion of space, form and dimension in all art mediums. Combining these and taking into mind perspective (the notable technique of all Renaissance artworks) they ultimately crafted the image of humanist art; molding the backbone of the High Renaissance. In order to embrace this philosophy within art, artists needed to explore the relationship between the human body and mathematics. These artists are one of the many from the High Renaissance period to articulate this relationship physically through multiple art forms. Before the High Renaissance, there was Early Renaissance. During the mid 14th century, architects such as Leon Battista Alberti and Flippo Brunelleschi began taking an interest in proportion. The concept was that a building should be â€Å"fitted together with such proportion and connection, that nothing could be added, diminished or altered, but for the worse.† (Alberti) The rising theory of proportions was looked into by a number of artists and many architects such as Alberti and Brunelleschi over a long Period of time, but it wasn’t until Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man (1490) that people started to take it seriously. Not limiting himself to just art, but exploring the realms of math, music and science, da Vinci used his experience and knowledge to establish the link between art and mathematics. Some would say that his work acted as a catalyst towards the start of the High Renaissance and that he was able to pave the way for painters, sculptures and architects that were interested in creating realistic dynamics of human proportion within their art medium. When Michelangelo was commissioned in 1501 by the Board of Works for Florence Cathedral to sculpt David from marble, he used the opportunity to illustrate the true growth of the art movement and the influence of Humanism on various art forms. Michelangelo works against the medieval concept of humanity, a time where man was seen as sinful, immoral and ‘born of dirt’. He shows David before the fight, highlighting his ability as a human to make conscious decisions and a choice to commit himself to act. This depiction of man is one who can become godlike through his own intellect and power of will. Compare this David to Donatello’s David, made out of bronze during the 1440’s. Donatello depicts David as a young boy, looking rather effeminate in a shepherd hat and boots. He’s shown with a smug smile and his foot on Goliaths severed head subsequent to the battle. Donatello’s version of David is an interpretation of the biblical text. His feminine like physic serves the purpose of clarifying that his triumph in throwing the stone at Goliath was not of his own doing, but rather God’s will. He is created very close to the biblical story, having hat and boots typical of a shepherd, where as Michelangelo’s David’s complete nudity shows how he has stripped almost all biblical context from him, focusing entirely on the human entity. He is no young, scrawny boy that follows God blindly, but a man with the ability to make his own choices and fight his own battles. His full nudity shows the true beauty of the human anatomy, which fascinated Michelangelo. Not only has his work shaped the perception of humanity through symbolic catalysts, but through the riveting recreation of the human form with accurate proportions, illustrating the perfect use of the golden mean. It is clear that a grave amount of thought and work went into creating an accurate insight towards the human body. David’s hands and upper body are made slightly larger in order for the human form to look accurate and proportional when seen from the ground. The truthful portrayal of vein and muscle within the body highlights the humanistic elements within the sculpture. In contrast to this, Donatello’s David looks quite unusual and incongruous, although he was sculpted at a younger age than Michelangelo’s David, their anatomical differences are distinct in a way that can’t go unrecognized. Donatello’s work shows shoulders and a chest that are diminutive and slightly disproportioned to the rest of the body. Prior to Humanism, there wasn’t this striving focus for anatomical excellence within art for anyone unless they were a religious character holding the supremacy over man kind that everyone once believed they had. His work on David provided the humanist vision with its first and most prevailing artistic expression. He’s shown as a strong and heroic man, not a smug boy as shown in Donatello’s sculpture. The Birth of Venus, painted by Bottichelli in 1486 is a celebration of Renaissance Humanism, depicting the classical myth. The picture is very calming and somber, focusing on the true beauty of Venus with warm and soft tones. Venus, Goddess of Love, is shown emerging from the sea on a shell, parallel to the story of her birth. There is an emphasis on sea imagery that was used to please church authorities. Zephyr and Chloris are blowing her to the shore with wind, amongst a shower of flowers, while a Nymph, Flora, is reaching out to cover her naked body with a cloak. The nudity of Venus was very unconventional at the time; primarily, pictorials of naked women were only shown through portrayals of Eve; but here Venus stands; completely naked and not in a biblical context. In a time when almost all artwork was of Christian theme, the honest portrayal of Venus and the secular imagery had a crucial impact on High Renaissance art and was a catalyst for other artists to explore humanistic elements within their work. Venus, the goddess of love is depicted in human form with such magnificence and accuracy that humanist themes are not suggested, but a manifest to Botticelli’s audience. Godly figures began taking form of earthly beings and showing the true exquisiteness of the female body. There is a de-emphasis of deep space in order to stress the sense of pattern and beauty that defines the painting. Flora is not giving the cloth for just modesty, but giving her the ‘veil of wisdom’. She shows us how great intellectual gifts are always concealed from plain sight. Botticelli’s portrayal of the female body is used to further drive ideas of Humanism. Her physique is quite an accurate and refreshing portrayal compared to earlier years were nudity was not yet established in non biblical paintings. Her stomach is a truthful portrayal of what a women with some muscle tone in her abdomen would have, the legs and arms are somewhat shapely, showing the female body in its most natural form. Venus in this painting is both humble and pure. It’s plausible that one of the main themes within this painting, second to Venus’s birth; is the idea of beauty. The picture has a decorative quality to it; not only does it showcase the substantial change in art during the High Renaissance, but its symbolic of a rich classical history, reinvention and an earthly world view. It is through The Birth of Venus, and many other High Renaissance paintings, where the true impact of Humanism is made clear. Artists would incorporate Greek and Roman mythology as apposed to writing and painting about biblical texts. This was because humanists turned to the classics for inspiration, and so these were often the themes of High Renaissance art. The inspiration of Greek Philosophers inspired those within this period to strive less for divinity. This painting is one of the many to depict Roman or Greek deities, other famous works include Mars and Venus and The School of Athens. One of the most outstanding changes during the High Renaissance period was Architecture. The statement that man is the measure of all things is mirrored within different art mediums, showing a great point of difference within humanist and non-humanist architecture. Humanism meant that architects built not only churches, but palaces and buildings exposing ideals of classical styles. Humanism gave people a chance to look for inspiration from ancient Greeks and thus buildings took influence from the Ancient Classic period. One of the highlights in High Renaissance Architecture is the Tempietto, built in 1502 by Donato Bramante. The building marks the crucifixion site of St Peter and follows selected traditions from the Christian building the Martyria while employing classical principles that create a geometric ideal. Both ancient Greeks and ancient Romans employed the circular plan that governs the perception of the Tempietto. The devotion to symmetrical perfection makes it clear of Bramante’s conscious decision to recreate this in a way that is not only true to the humanist theory, but one that depicts the thoughts of the ancient roman writer Vitruvias, who studied and wrote about architecture and correct proportions within it. Bramante is really following this line of thought with the Tempietto. He’s created a radial building with a round structure that is very dissimilar to the traditional crucifix form of church, which is based on the ancient basilica. His work is considered almost nothing short of architectural brilliance, due to his innovative techniques at changing the orthodox designs of churches and buildings. The building is the perfect example of the relationship between ideal ancient geometry and the divine. Geometry was thought by the ancient Greeks and again later in the Renaissance to be a vehicle in which we can imagine the perfection of heaven. The Tempietto is a building that truly celebrates Humanism. It’s believed to show how man can produce exemplars on earth of the perfection of the heavenly, using correct geometrical structures and symmetrical portrayals. This is similar to that of the golden mean, while relating to the work of Michelangelo and Botticelli, where Humanism was celebrated through the accurate portrayal of the human form. The Humanist theory allowed Bramante to make these changes within architecture; he drew inspiration from classical traditions while making his own original decisions to enhance the symmetrical nature of the Tempietto. His work is similar to that of classical origins, but he allowed for variation. Greek and Romans would not put pilaster that pairs with the columns of the building, however Bramante did. By aligning the true columns with the false columns, he was able to maximize the radial quality and overall centrifugal theme of the building. The Tempietto shows a rhythm, one that was definitely inspired by classical antiquity, the Doric Order in particular. The columns of the Tempietto are a roman variant of the first level of the Coliseum. Depicting the styles of the Doric Order, there are triglyphs and metopes above the columns. Mitchell Beazley was literal when he wrote; â€Å"The emphasis here is on the harmony of proportions, the simplicity of volumes (cylinder, hemisphere) and the sobriety of the Doric Order. The circular plan symbolizes divine perfection. Inspired by ancient temples, the Tempietto is both a homage to antiquity and a Christian memorial. Humanisms affect on architecture was one of the largest. Despite differing in architectural elements, different styles of columns were explored throughout all High Renaissance architecture, utilizing techniques that show proportion and highlighting themes of classical tradition. Nearly all buildings constructed after Humanism follow these principles and show a vivid influence of ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The Humanist movement allowed architects to make changes in what they were creating. They drew inspiration from classical architecture, traditions and even philosophies and refabricated it within new architectural masterpieces that shaped the Humanist theory in many inconceivable ways. Alberti and Brunehlleschi were a crucial aspect in the innovation of humanist architecture. They were no Greek philosophers, however they employed the idea of symmetrical excellence and inspired the creations of many renowned and prominent buildings including the Tempietto itself. Many great architects of the high renaissance period such as Bramante and Michalangelo were captivated by this idea and were thus able to shape traditions and techniques to produce the conventional high renaissance architecture style that we’re accustomed to today. Inclusive to classical traditions, architects began taking the beauty of human proportions and reflecting it through architecture, similar to the way humanist painters and sculptors depicted the human form with symmetrical perfection. Humanism was noted for 3 things. The revival of classical Greek/Roman art forms and styles, faith in the nobility of man as apposed to pure worship of religious or god-like figures; and finally the appreciation of the human body, that influenced almost all artists and architects of the era to portray this accurately in their work. Humanism shaped the art of the High Renaissance period through a change in architectural style and content; subject matter of paintings and sculptors; and a difference in the anatomical structure and proportions of man. People became important and an appreciation for human life fell apparent through a range of art where human history and perspective was no longer considered sinful, but was explored multiple times with a range of artists. Humanism provoked the study of classical and mythological traditions. Paintings began to depict Roman or Greek deities. Biblical figures no longer subjugated artworks with height and proportion, but became equal to man. Sculptors began creating humanist characters that were strong and noble, architects began referring to classical and ancient antiquity for new innovation towards humanist architecture†¦ the freedom of thought and self expression was at its highest.

Sample Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Sample Personal Statement Essay As an undergraduate student at the University of New Mexico I have become increasingly aware of the complex network problems that I face as a citizen of the world. I have also realized the progress and success that I enjoy in the same capacity as the frontiers of medicine, technology and communication continue to expand. My desire to participate in the resolution of those problems and in the further expansion of those frontiers had inspired me to seek a degree in biology and entrance into a School of Dentistry. I intend to successfully complete program of dentistry and further my specialization in the area of endodontics. Upon completion of my degree programs I would like to return to the southwest region of the country to make my services available to the underserved population of the area. I would also like to spend some time serving the populations of Central and South America where I could gain invaluable experience and provide the much needed services of a specialist. My desire to enter the field of dentistry has grown as I’ve participated with professional oral health care providers in the field and observed a wide range of procedures. My interest in dentistry began early on as I was involved in orthodontics for eight years before undergoing corrective jaw surgery. I gained a deep appreciation and understanding of what people in need of such services are experiencing, as well as a great respect and admiration for the professionals of that field. Through the practice of dentistry I desire to have a positive supportive impact on the lives of those I serve, as I experienced in my own life through my oral healthcare providers. I also desire to be a respected, contributing member of the community, and I feel that the field of dentistry will afford me such opportunities as I participate in it. I will be successful in dental school because of my dedication to the pursuit of academic excellence and my desire to succeed. I have gained experience in public speaking through my various service and academic activities and enjoy meeting and dealing with people, which will serve me in dental school and as a professional healthcare provider. I have increased my fine motor skills and manual dexterity through my study of guitar, which will also aide me in pursuit of a DDS degree. My service as a missionary in Mexico gave me a better understanding of the world and of life as I worked with people in many different situations. I struggled and succeeded in my search for ways to serve and help people in a language, land and culture that was not my own. Those experiences have given me needed skills and attributes to become a successful servant of the community and participant in the dental community. I have repeatedly shown my determination in the environment of the university as I have faced and conquered challenges. I was able to successfully return to the university after my two-year absence and have been successful each semester since in maintaining my scholarship. I have maintain my academic standing as I take full loads of course work and hold employment outside of class as well as sustain my family. I feel that I have been able to accomplish this because of the balance I seek as I participate in the academic, spiritual, social and family spheres of my life. The smell alone used to make me nauseous. I could barely get through the front door before I would feel the hair at the base of my neck stand on end. I would sit uncomfortably in the waiting room chairs praying that my mom would have a change of heart to take me back home. This was the scene each and every time I had a dental appointment. Needless to say, I feared the dentist. My memories of the dentist are not highlighted with visits to the treasure box or the joy of picking out a new toothbrush. By the time I reached this part of the dental visit, I wanted nothing to do with anything that would keep me in the office even a second more. My first exposure to dentistry, out of the chair, came when I began babysitting for a dentist. He worked on the weekends, and his daughter and I would tag along. Initially I stayed as far away from the dentist chair as possible, but later, I became curious, and gradually observant. By the time I reached high school, I was intrigued by every aspect of dentistry. The procedures quickly turned from one of torment into something more familiar. Coming from a family of engineers and contractors, I recognized the doctor’s instruments because they were similar to tools I had grown up watching my father use. I began to think of dentistry as performing small scale construction in a small hole. Performing such intricate procedures while simultaneously utilizing my mind and hands both excited me and complimented my detail attentive personality. Since my interest first peaked, I have continued towards my goal to become a dentist, not only through high academic achievement, but with life experience. I obtained my dental radiography license and worked as a dental assistant during high school and was provided with the opportunity to observe a variety of dental procedures. I also gained exposure to the additional responsibilities of a dental professional ranging from the billing process to dealing with insurance companies. I got a glimpse of the organizational skills necessary to run a small business. I continued gaining experiences upon entering college by volunteering at a dental clinic that provides free services to the homeless. My service at this clinic has strengthened my desire to become a dentist. Volunteering at the homeless dental clinic has taught me the importance of dental hygiene and how it can affect every aspect of a person’s life. Most of the homeless patients have neglected their teeth for years, and realize that they need help. It is an amazing experience to watch the transformation in a person as their teeth are fixed. For most patients, it is a long process, and their self esteem visibly increases with each visit. By the end of the treatment, some finally have the confidence to get a job, and may return to let us know of their new found success. The personal contact incorporated with dentistry is appealing as it provides the opportunity to interact with individuals of diverse ages, cultures, and backgrounds. As a student and an employee I have to realize the importance of integrity, responsibility, and hard-work. I know that in order to earn the respect and trust of my patients, I must be dependable, energetic, and professional. I must have the confidence to take on the role of authority, while as the same time be willing to follow the lead of someone else if necessary. I have equipped myself with these necessary traits to be a successful dental student and professional through my classes, employment, and extracurricular activities. Working as an administrative assistance has equipped me with communication skills, and has taught me how to efficiently organize my time. Conversing with children with a mental illness while working as a mental health technician has built my character by improving my patience and revealing the traits necessary to earn the trust of others. Leading my university’s pre-dental society as president has taught me leadership skills and how to organize a group to work together. As a native New Mexican, I realize the states vast need for dental health care professionals, and would like to contribute by returning to the state after completion of my dental degree. Becoming a dentist has been my desire throughout both high school and college, and I have worked at becoming a well-round, educated, and experienced individual to achieve this goal. I have developed a strong work ethic, which, when combined with my choice of dentistry as a profession, has been greatly enhanced by the opportunities that I have had to work in this field. I firmly believe that I have built a foundation from with I will move forward to earn my dental degree. I am determined to success, and ready to begin this challenge. Essay # 3 Author Accepted for 2006 Entering Class I can vividly recall my grandfather opening his tool shed in hopes of inspiring his five year-old grandson to create something beautiful out of pieces of wood that were old and otherwise discarded. A passion for intricate artwork has seemingly always been a part of my life. Whether it is throwing a pot on a wheel or tying flies to mimic aquatic insects for the art of fly fishing, I have always loved to create pieces of art with my hands. A true love for intricate artistic work is a necessary and an essential characteristic of a dentist. I have devoted five years to playing guitar, and it has become part of my everyday life. Great manual dexterity is required to play the guitar, and this manual dexterity bears a direct correlation to dentistry. When trying to undertake a new musical piece, the initial excitement overwhelms me and accomplishing a beautiful musical piece provides great satisfaction. Similarly, in dentistry, when a patient has a problem, the dentist will assess and treat the individual. On many occasions, I have found that the dentist is eager to start the procedure and pleased with the work and the well being of the patient. It is my belief that dentists hands not only have the power to grasp the world but the power to change it. I feel that dentistry will afford me with the opportunity to do something I love, working with my hands. The manual dexterity involved in dentistry is only a fraction of what makes the profession wonderful. To a further extent, a dentist must have a humanistic instinct to provide care to others. As a college freshman, I volunteered every weekday of my summer as a literacy leader for Americorps. While volunteering as a literacy leader 40 hours a week at Cesar Chavez Community Center, I had the privilege of mentoring and teaching young boys how to read. Spanish happened to be the childrens first language and overcoming the language barrier became easier as I immersed myself deeper into the language. Teaching these children allowed me to develop a greater understanding of people and a trusting and caring relationship with each child. For the past three years, I have been part of Healthy Smiles, Special Smiles, and Give Kids A Smile Day. These three volunteer events give opportunities for the entire dental community to work together for the sake of childrens dental healthcare and I have established that this is important to me and my character. I have had many memorable experiences from these volunteer events and they have all taught me how to be kind, gentle, and comforting to the patients. I look forward to dedicating my time to such volunteer events as a dentist. In addition to these volunteer events, I also enjoy participating in extracurricular activities such as running, lifting weights, snowboarding, reading, and fly-fishing. All of these activities help me cope with stress and give me time to see where I fit in this world. For the past year, I have been working at Starbucks as a Barista. This job has shown me people from all walks of life and has given me a better understanding of people. Many people who come into Starbucks are fascinating and I enjoy learning about their lives. The social skills obtained from this job are an invaluable asset to my character. One of my greatest accomplishments has been being an active member of the Pre-Dental Society for my entire career at the University of New Mexico. It was my pleasure to be the Vice President of the Pre-Dental Society for the past year. I am currently the President of the Pre-Dental Society and look forward to the upcoming year. These two leadership positions have enriched my public speaking ability and given me the confidence to articulate my ideas clearly. Extracurricular activities give you a time to reflect on the type of person you are and the merit of your character and this, too, is important to me. These extracurricular activities have refined me as a person and given me new and satisfying experiences. There is something unique about dentistry that draws you in the more you immerse yourself into the profession. Maybe it is the dedication to excellence or the altruism that gives you a sense of belonging. Regardless of what brought me to dentistry, I am here to stay because it is where I belong. Activities that challenged my curious mind such as solving crossword puzzles and riddles thrilled me as a child, and my love for challenges expanded into other areas as I grew older. I began playing musical instruments at the age of six, beginning with the piano and ultimately moving on to the clarinet, which I have played for the past 9 years. The clarinet allowed me to achieve greater manual dexterity through countless hours of practice, as I have trained my hands to move carefully and precisely. There is no greater feeling than that of having mastered the fingering for a particularly difficult musical piece. Similarly, it will be necessary as a dentist to devote many hours perfecting the techniques essential for providing high-quality oral healthcare and I will feel great satisfaction in doing so. Not only should good dentists acquire great manual dexterity, but they should also have excellent hand-eye coordination. While helping a PhD student conduct research using Drosophila flies, I was required to manipulate the small specimen to identify their species, sex, and size. This experience permitted me the opportunity to improve on the eye-hand coordination skills that are crucial for good dentistry. The challenges I will confront throughout my course in dental school do not daunt me, but motivate me. It has always been exciting for me to take problems and solve them using my mind and my hands. Not only has the technical difficulty of playing an instrument satisfied me, but also the sheer beauty of the art form. Music has the ability to impact the emotions of people. I see a similar opportunity in dentistry to bring joy and happiness to peoples lives. By providing a person with the appropriate treatment, a person who has a low self-esteem due to untreated dental problems can be transformed into a person who has self-confidence. As a child, I had a terrible overbite and was in dire need of an orthodontist. The result of braces was more than a corrected bite. It yielded a higher self-esteem and a greater sense of self-confidence in me. I would like to provide others with the chance to have this same experience. Shadowing in many different dental offices allowed me to realize that all forms of dentistry can have this effect on patients, whether it was crowns from a general dentist or a set of dentures from a prosthodontist. Helping people psychologically is an additional result of what is most important, which is taking care of the patients overall oral health. One of the most influential moments that lead me to pursue a career in dentistry was the day a UNM Pre-Dental Society guest speaker discussed the underserved communities in New Mexico. I was astonished to learn that all but a few counties are in dire need of dentists. From that day forward I made it my personal goal to become a dentist so that I could help the people of New Mexico. Helping people has always been a part of my life. I have always enjoyed helping classmates with schoolwork as well as spending many hours teaching my younger sisters. In the past year, I was employed as a Biology/Chemistry tutor, which allowed me to help other students succeed. I have also been able to help others through community service and volunteer work such as annual clothing donations to homeless shelters, participating in volunteer events such as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, Give Kids a Smile and Special Olympics Special Smiles. These events helped me to realize that I want to continue helping people in the future. Being elected Historian of the UNM Pre-Dental Society gives me yet another way to help other students, now in their pursuit of a dental career. I would like to have the opportunity to continue helping others through dentistry. The desire to help people was instilled in me by my family. They have always encouraged me to work hard and praised me for my accomplishments. As the first person in my family who will graduate from college, I can understand the importance of family encouragement in having accomplished this goal. In the future I would like to have my own family, providing the same encouragement I was so fortunate to have as a child. I will be successful in dental school because I possess perseverance. Being determined and persistent has helped me overcome many obstacles in the paths towards many goals in my life, and these attributes will prove just as beneficial in my pursuit of a dental career. Essay # 5 Author Accepted for 2006 Entering Class My name is â€Å"name of author. † I am twenty-four years old and have graduated from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. My studies were concentrated on Biology as my major, and Spanish as my minor. I was adopted from South Korea when I was seven months old. My family and I resided in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until I was four, then Chicago, Illinois until I was twelve. After that we lived in Glendive, Montana. I have a unique perspective of lifestyles and culture due to the diversity of the places that have shaped me and helped me become who I am today and they have defined what I want to pursue professionally, which is Dentistry. I have come to understand the importance of comparative and contrasting qualities. In Chicago, the city was the hub of civilization and in Montana the citizens relied on and lived for the land and cattle. Presently, in Albuquerque, I have come to love and appreciate the Southwest style and diverse culture. Everywhere that I have lived and traveled has taught me something new and offered irreplaceable life experiences. I chose the University of New Mexico because I wanted to be far enough away from home to be independent, and also because they offered majors in biology and dance. I was on the UNM dance team for three years. Throughout college my interests have expanded which is why I now still study Spanish as well as biology. After attending an exchange program to Trujillo, Spain, I plan to utilize the Spanish language in the dental practice. I have come to respect and love the now-thriving language in America. I plan to educate and assist people in upholding a condition of well being of every ethnicity and background. I am constantly seeking new experiences as well as responsibility and have been a resident advisor for two years and then a Student Head Resident for one year. This is my second year that I am an Area Coordinator in the residence halls. Working directly with student, faculty, staff, and peers, I know I thrive to work directly with many people in a personal setting. With the responsibilities of these occupations, I have also learned many managerial skills, which are applicable to the dental field. My family is an important aspect of my life. Since I am adopted I have learned that the value of a family is measured in love, not in bloodlines. My family has supported me in everything that I do, especially now as I apply to dental school. They have taught me trust, responsibility, respect, determination, honesty, and of course, love. With these attributes and the support from my family, I am confident in myself to further broaden and excel in the pursuit for an education in dentistry. I have been involved in a variety of activities throughout my life. These experiences have helped me to define who I am as a person and where I fit into society. Trying different activities has broadened my horizons and raised the expectation for myself. They have taught me how to learn and attempt to strive for my ultimate best. They have also taught me that trying new things is constantly a good lesson to remember throughout my life. The most important thing that I have taken from these different activities is the ability to narrow and define exactly what it is that I want to do with my life, which is working in the dental field. I started thinking about career choices while attending college; and while I have always had a passion for biology and the fact that it is the study of life, I have not had a desire to be a dentist since I was little. From my love for biology derived my compassion and drive to improve the quality of life for others. Having worked with people all my life, there is nothing I would rather do. The field of dentistry gives hope, confidence, and health to others. I want to give back to the community my erudition to better the lives for individuals and families in sustaining a soundness of body and mind. I am determined to do whatever it takes to excel in the field of Dentistry. Essay # 6 Author Accepted for 2007 Entering Class He gave me something valuable, something I could not have done for myself. That is how I felt each time I left my dentist’s office as a teenager. I wondered how the dentist must feel on the giving side of the relationship and I hoped to one day be in a profession that would allow me to help people daily in such a tangible way. As I matured and became more serious about choosing a profession during my college career, I realized that dentistry is exactly what I want to do with my life. In my preparation for a dental career, I have spent many hours observing this same dentist who inspired me years ago as he helps others maintain their dental and overall health. I clearly see the satisfaction that can be achieved by practicing dentistry. I have also been able to observe all the nine dental specialties (except radiology and pathology) seeing a wide variety of dental procedures ranging from simple fillings to more technical gingival grafts, osseous regeneration surgery, apicoectomy, veneer smile makeovers, etc. The more I see, the more eager I become to actively participate in such an exciting profession. Success in the dental field requires dedication, compassion, and the ability to work intimately and effectively with people. I am well prepared to take on this challenge. I have worked as a corporate trainer for a 500-employee quick-lube franchise in the Southwest for the past three years while completing a Bachelor of Business degree at the University of New Mexico. My professional experience continuously hones my interpersonal communication skills, public speaking skills, and leadership as I help manage a business and educate hundreds of people. As a corporate trainer, I have become more self-motivated, organized, and detail-oriented through being responsible for designing company training programs, modifying company policies, and teaching new skills to managers and employees alike. I have also developed further dedication and commitment working to provide for a family while attending classes full time and participating in other extracurricular activities. Dentists frequently tell me that managing a practice is one of the activities they struggle with the most. My business background and strong interpersonal skills will enhance my ability to succeed in dentistry. I am serving as the Vice President of the New Mexico Pre-dental Society this coming year where I can use these skills to help New Mexico produce more dentists and reduce the state’s immense shortage. As a dentist I would like to be actively involved in advancing the profession and promoting improved oral health in my underserved state and our nation. My professional experience provides a strong foundation to achieve these goals. I spent two years living in remote areas of Brazil serving an ecclesiastical mission and learning to read, write, and speak fluent Portuguese. In Brazil I witnessed the great suffering caused by poor oral health. So many teenagers had mouths full of decayed permanent teeth, which must have caused great pain and loss of self esteem. They did not even have a way to get these teeth safely extracted. Access to dental care and proper oral hygiene education could have prevented nearly all these problems. I hope to someday participate in humanitarian health care programs in Brazil and I also know that there are far too many Americans with limited access to care. I plan to serve in one of the smaller towns of New Mexico to help alleviate this great need. For the past three years I have volunteered for a program called Taxhelp New Mexico where I did free tax preparation for low income and elderly families. I love working with people and enjoy the opportunity to teach them ways to save money on taxes. They leave so grateful and I get that same feeling that I gave them something valuable they could not do for themselves. I greatly enjoy teaching others and have already started to ponder ways to educate and motivate patients to better maintain their oral health. These, and many other events, have kindled my aspirations to become a dentist and have prepared me to be successful during and after dental school. Dentistry is a perfect way to combine my affinity for business, my passion for learning the biological sciences, and my desire to teach and serve others. I am anxious to achieve my goals and consider it a privilege to be starting a career in a field that is so respectable and that gives back so much to our communities.

Relationship Between Microfinance And Nigerias Economic Growth Economics Essay

Relationship Between Microfinance And Nigerias Economic Growth Economics Essay ABSTRACT Microfinance has over the years been associated with eradicating poverty, and consequently improving the standard of living of the less privileged members of a society, and rubbing on positively on the nations economy. This dissertation aims at exploring the impact microfinance has on economic growth, considering a specific case of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Due to the fact that this area of study has not witnessed so much research in the past, this work seeks to come up with an approach where the different links between microfinance and economic growth can be discovered and studied. Since most societies, especially the developing ones usually experience the presence of two types of financial system, the formal and the informal one under which microfinance falls, this will also be taken into consideration. The first hypothesis to be considered has to do with the micro level and this examines the relationship between microfinance and the financial system. The Second hypothesis h as to do with the macro level and examines the relationship between the financial system and economic growth, while the third one links the previous two, by checking the relationship between microfinance and economic development. Keywords: Microfinance; Economic Growth; Financial System; Nigeria INTRODUCTION Microfinance Institutions are financial organisations licensed to provide micro-savings, micro-credit, and micro-insurance in an economy. They operate in the informal sector of the financial system and are the major source of fund-provider for the medium, small and micro-enterprises. The basics of microfinance is the fact that the poor cannot access a loan from a bank of any reasonable commercial source, that is why Microfinance Institutions go out to the villages, meet with the poor who are encouraged to form an association, they give them micro-credits and sometimes even give them trainings to help them make the best use of the loan accessed (Mohammed and Hasan, 2008). The methodology used by most micro-finance institutions to make loan is that they gather people into trust groups and meet weekly. These groups assume joint liability and joint guarantee on loans extended to any member of the trust unit and this invariably helps in reducing incidence of defaults and bad loans. Most Micro-Finance Institutions enjoy a high repayment rate. It should also be noted that majority of microfinance customers are women who also make up a greater percentage of the worlds poor, and also experience a very high rate of unemployment; and sadly in most cases are responsible for providing for and taking care of their families. Nigeria with a GDP-real growth rate of 5 %( 2009 est.), remains a major player in the African economy but her population of about 149, 299,090(sourced from CIA-The world fact book), which is the largest in Africa, has about half of it living in poverty. However, since the introduction of microfinance in the country, an increase has been noticed both in the growth of the economy and also in the increase in number of microfinance institutions. The Central Bank of Nigeria is saddled with the responsibility of issuing banking license and supervision of banks in the country, Micro-finance Institutions inclusive. LITERATURE REVIEW Microfinance, through its provision of financial services to the poor can influence economic growth by encouraging savings, giving out loans for feasible investments, provision of free advisory services to new clients on how best to invest, and also to those with long standing relationship, on how to increase the marginal productivity of capital (Pagano, 1993). A lot of studies have been carried out on the relationship between financial development and economic growth. King and Levine(1993) are in support of the view that financial development leads to economic growth and in their visit on Joseph Schumpeters work pointed out that banking institution through their provision of funds for productive investments are of great importance to economic growth(Schumpeter, 1911 cited in King and Levine, 1993). Greenwood and Jovanovic(1990) suggested that the relationship between financial development and economic growth is mutual, while Khan,(1999) who is of a similar opinion explains further that economic growth create financial development which in turns helps in sustaining the growth. Qayyum et al.,(2007?) are of the opinion that direct finance has a significant positive relationship with economic growth. The availability of funds to the poor increases production and output, this also leads to an increases in the demand for more financial services (micro-savings and micro-insurance), which positively affects financial development and sets the economy on the path of growth(Khan, 2008).It can then be said that availability of funds generates enterprise, enterprise generates finance flow, finance flow generates financial development, while financial development generates economic growth. De Gregorio and Guidotti(1995) also argued that financial development leads to improved economic growth, especially when funds are efficiently invested. However, Kemal, et al.,(2004) do not regard finance(micro-finance inclusive) as an important determinant of economic growth and Lucas(1988) even referred to it as overstressed, while Levine(1997) sees financial institutions as more harmful to a nations economic growth. This led to a call for redefinition and the use of appropriate measure of estimation of the relationship between financial development and economic growth and development of financial intermediaries by Bencivenga and Smith(1991). The main objective of Microfinance is to raise income, by encouraging private sector activity through the provision of micro-credit to micro and small scale entrepreneurs ((Aghion and Morduch, 2000)). In a study conducted by Chua et al.,(2000), they noticed that the impact of microfinance services on income and consumption is dependent on the initial endowment of the household and the length of time they have been clients of the institution. It is also affected by how efficient they are in the management of the sourced resource and also the profitability of the sector they invest in. Availability of Social amenities and a cheaper source of factors of production also influence income. According to Akanji (2002), the poor make effective use of the credit facilities and not only are they willing to pay the high interest rate on loan, they also in no time make enough returns to run a savings account with the MFI. It should also be noted that the conversion of the poor who were formerly economic liabilities into profit making micro-entrepreneurs have a positive impact on the financial system and consequently begins the process of economic growth by bring its full physical and human resources into productive use (Kamath, 2008). METHODOLOGY Not many literature are available as regard the relationship between microfinance and economic growth, therefore the study will rely much on theoretical framework in order to understand the link between microfinance and economic growth. Both Primary and Secondary sources of data will be used and Questionnaires will be sent out to have a direct feedback from the beneficiary of the scheme while previous studies and findings as regards the Nigerian economy will also be put into use in order to determine a theoretical association between Microfinance and Economic Growth. It should be noted that the two main variables in this dissertation is Microfinance and Economic growth. The choice of Nigeria as a case study was borne out of the fact that the country has recently had its microfinance regulations tuned to enable it play its role in serving its targeted market effectively. An increase in the growth of microfinance institutions in the country has also made them better established and competitive, giving the erstwhile neglected micro-entrepreneurs a choice. The relationship between financial system and economic growth will be first examined and in the second part, microfinance, alongside its associated theories will be explored to determine their impact on Economic Growth. The third part will be about examining the impact of theoretical macro-level effect on the case study, which is Nigeria. Its effect on the case study will help in reshaping the theoretical framework which will be the basis for conclusion. To determine the impact of Microfinance on economic growth, micro credit disbursement from 2000 to 2009 will be analyzed using both non-parametric and parametric test methods. The parametric test involves regressing the dependent variable (GDP from 2000-2009) against the explanatory variable (micro-credit disbursements) to ascertain if its significant and provide explanatory power for economic growth. While the Chi-square method of non-parametric test will be used to examine the questionnaire to determine if there is any association between Microfinance and economic growth. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES This Objective of this dissertation to answer the following questions: Is there a relationship between microfinance and Nigerias economic growth between 2000-2009? Does investment of micro-credit into commerce contribute more to economic growth than other sectors? Does microfinance have an effect on the financial system? Does an increase in the number of Microfinance Institutions result to an increase in economic growth? POTENTIAL PROBLEM The potential problems envisaged in this research work is the availability of data from microfinance institutions in Nigeria as a large number of them do not have access to the internet and so do not post their information online. This brings about another problem, which is the distance between my place of study and the location of the case study. The relative scarcity of research on this area of study also creates a problem of limited materials. However, I have devised solutions for each of the problem. Most of my materials will be sourced from the Microfinance Unit of the Other-Financial -Institutions department of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as they have unhindered access to records of every Microfinance Institution operating in Nigeria. Most of my materials will be sent online while I will make use of a cheap and reliable courier service for my questionnaires. Also, the available materials online will be coupled with those sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria Library and Dat a collected on the MFIs. RESOURCES REQUIRED The main resources needed are data on Nigerias GDP, list of MFIs presently operating, records of loan disbursement by MFIs, records of total amount set aside for Small and Medium Scale Enterprise by the nations commercial banks. All of these will be sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria, while Past Studies and other literature will be freely assessed through the school library. The Questionnaires will be sent through mail and returned through courier. Estimated cost at conclusion is  £250, which includes cost of printing and binding, as well as courier cost. WORKPLAN ITEM PARTICULARS NOTES TIME FRAME 1. Dissertation Proposal Submission May 5, 2010 2. Literature review Sourcing of materials and review of literature July 4- 16, 2010 3. Submission of preliminary literature review to my supervisor, and making suggested corrections June 17- 20, 2010 4. Methodology Reading on Methodology and structuring of theoretical framework June 20- 24, 2010 5. Submission of proposed methodology to supervisor, and making suggested amendments. July 25-June 28, 2010 6. Questionnaire Devise Questionnaire June 29-30, 2010 7. Submission of questionnaire to supervisor, and making suggested amendments July 1-5 2010 8. Questionnaire distribution July 6, 2010 9. Collection of all other needed data and further review of past literature July 7-20 2010 10 Collection of questionnaires and analysis of findings July 21- 25, 2010 11. Data Analysis July 26- 30, 2010 12. Interpretation of Findings. August 1-5, 2010 13. Formulation of Conclusion August 6-10,2010 14. Abstract, and appendix and referenced materials arrangement August 11- 15 15. Updating and Review Review with Supervisor August 16-20, 2010 16. Self review and amendment August 21-25, 2010 17. Final review with supervisor and proof-reading August 26-28,2010 18. Printing and Binding Printing and Binding August 29, 2010 19. Submission Submission at the PG office September 2, 2010. EXPECTED OUTPUT The output, which is the conclusion of this dissertation, is expected to help the Government in its activities aimed at the nations economic development. It will also guide them in effective channeling of resources aimed at poverty alleviation. MFI administrators will also benefit from this work as it will help them in making decisions on how to enlarge their area of coverage and to also record higher returns through provision of other services. Donor Agencies and International institutions will also discover opportunities for helping in the economic growth and empowering the poor. Lastly, this study is expected to pilot other studies in this area and form a basis on which other people discover more efficient and effective ways of making microfinance have a lasting positive impact on economic growth.

Evil From Morals :: essays research papers

Evil From Morals By textbook definition, evil is "What is morally wrong, what hinders the realization of good" (Webster). If that is evil, then what is good? It's "what is morally excellent, virtuous, well behaved, dutiful." (Webster) Philosophers have argued over what evil is and why it exists for thousands of years. They have raised questions like ‘How can there be a God if there is evil?' These questions were raised due to God's nature: he is said to be all-powerful, all- knowing and all-good. If this is the case, why doesn't he stop evil? And, since people are supposed to be created in God's image, why are they capable of moral evil? If one believes that God exists, there can only be one answer: evil exists because God allows it, and moral evil exists because God has given us freedom of choice. Evil has been looked at in many different ways throughout the years. Philosophers like Socrates and Plato believed evil was a matter of ignorance. Ancient Persians saw good and evil as two principles, "engaged in a perpetual struggle."(Collier) In reality, evil is merely the absence of good. "The essence of all reality is good, evil is merely the faulty reflection of reality found in a world of particulars."(Funk & Wagnalls) There can be many different types of evil. Two of such types are moral evil and natural evil. Natural evil consists of things like pain and suffering, while moral evil consists of making ‘bad' decisions. "Moral evil depends on the exercise of human will; natural evil is independent of this." (MacGregor) The main difference between these two evils is that people are unable to control natural evil, while moral evil depends on their will. Some people even say physical evil is a human necessity; "Without the evil of pain, man would not be warned of illness and of danger". (Colliers) In life, there are times where ‘bad' people are better off than `good' people. Why is this? Some say it is a test for the soul, and rewards await us. "The human family is as one, and its members help one another by their good actions as the also cause suffering to one another for their faults"(Collier). As an example, take what happened to Jesus. He suffered for all sins of mankind, and through this saved them all. But what of moral evil, which consists of things like murder, which people can control? Why does God permit it if the consequences are undesirable? To understand why moral evil exists, the concept of free will must be understood. Freedom of choice, or free will is "the power and exercise of

Liberals Opinion on American Government :: essays research papers

The typical philosophical ideals of the liberals seem to focus on the government helping the little guy and leveling the playing field. They oppose tax-cuts for the rich, they are distrustful of big-business and those who are wealthy. They like government programs that help minorities and those with lower incomes. They want to raise the minimum wage, provide better national healthcare and provide better unemployment and welfare coverage’s. They nearly always side with unions over management, the guy who sues the big business. They are sick and tired of conservatives telling them that the poor are poor because they don't work hard enough. They are sick and tired of being criticized for caring about the little guy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liberals focus on the bad side of human nature, and look to the government to protect us from it. They see the fragility of the human spirit and overwhelming outside factors as the determining reason why people struggle. They see those who are born with better looks, more intelligence, more athletic skills, more creative skill, or more money as having an unfair advantage in life. They believe that those at the top have gotten there either by these advantages, or by stepping on people. This is why they view those at the top skeptically, because if they stepped on people to get there, they will continue to step on people once they are there. They see examples of this in their own everyday life... The snob from school who had everything given to him, who is now a successful business owner that pays all of his employees minimum wage so he can drive a Caddy. The poor kid from down the block who had to quit school to help support his family, and now works menial labor j obs because he never got the chance to get an education. Why should some people fail, while others succeed? Liberal’s believe that life shouldn't be like that. The typical conservative tends to focus his philosophical Ideals on the self reliance and free market. They don't see the need for big spending politicians and big government programs. They would prefer to see the money stay in the private sector. They also believe that business people tend to be better at economic decisions than politicians. They believe that the government has it's place, but many times oversteps it's authority for political reasons. Big business and corporations are not evil in their world, in fact most conservatives will tell you that big business and corporate success is the only thing that will make the economy go.

Karl Marx And The Communist Manifesto Essay -- Communist Manifesto Essa

Karl Marx And The Communist Manifesto Because the first printing of the Communist Manifesto was limited and the circulation restricted, the Manifesto did not have much impact on society after it was written in 1848. This meant that there were not many people who had access to the document. It wasn’t until 1871, when the Paris Commune occurred, that the Communist Manifesto began to have a huge impact on the working class all over the world.[i] The Paris Commune, which was the insurrection of Paris against the French government, resurrected the idea of communism that had been banished for good just a few years after the Manifesto’s publishing. It created widespread interest of the Manifesto among the dominant classes as well as in the labor movement. In their 1872 introduction to the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels acknowledged the important influence of the Paris Commune on their thinking: â€Å"One thing especially was proved by the Commune, viz., that ‘the working class cannot simply lay hold of ready-made state machinery, and wield it for its own purposes.’"[ii] The Manifesto would soon become the most widely read publication of the modern working class (Proletariat) movement. By the late 19th century, through the influence of the Internationals (communist organizations), Marx’s ideas had become popular with the European trade movement, and the major socialist parties were committed to his ideas in theory if not in practice. A major separation occurred, however, between those socialists who believed that violent revolution was inevitable, and those, most notably Eduard Bernstein, who argued that socialism could be achieved by evolution. Both groups could cite Marx as their a... ... on humans all over the world. Notes [i] Bob Jessop, The Communist Manifesto as a Historical Document, <http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/katori/Jessop_on_CM.html> (21 March 2002). [ii] Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Preface to the German Edition of 1872, in Manifesto of the Communist Party, (New York: Pathfinder, 1987), 13. [iii] Paul Dorn, Two Months of Red Splendor: The Paris Commune and Marx’ Theory of Revolution, <http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~pdorn/Marx.html> (21 March 2002) [iv] Dorn [v] Dorn [vi] Paul Lewis, For Many, Marx’s Manifesto Remains Relevant, The New York Times (Sept. 21, 1997). [vii] Lewis [viii] Jessop [ix] Philip J. Kain, Marx and Modern Political Theory, (Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1993), 360. [x] Kain, 360