Pfizer Financial Analysis Essay Example

Pfizer Financial Analysis Essay Pfizer Incorporated (PFE)  was established in 1849 in Brooklyn, New York. Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhardt, two German-American cousins, founded a chemicals business and produced an anti-parasitic- Santorin, which was a great success. Pfizers  business  began to grow with production of citric acid in 1880s. Total sales of Pfizer had reached almost $3 million by 1910. By 1950s, Pfizer had set up business in countries like Belgium, Canada, Iran, Panama, Turkey, and United Kingdom. Pfizer is a  pharmaceutical company ranking number one in sales in the world. The company is based in  New York City, with its research headquarters in  Groton,  Connecticut. Its headquarters are in  Midtown Manhattan,  New York City. Pfizer owes a lot of its success to its number-one drug, Lipitor. This drug is used to lower blood cholesterol. Accupril and  Viagra  are two other major products offered by Pfizer. In 2007, total sales of Pfizer amounted to $48. 82 billion while it rounded to be about 50 billion in 2009. Profits made by this firm were worth nearly $10. 562 billion. Total assets held by Pfizer were worth around $115. 46 billion. Total  employee  count of Pfizer was around 86,600. As we take a look at the different ratios of the company. Pfizer Inc. s current ratio deteriorated from 2007 (2. 15) to 2008 (1. 59) but then slightly improved from 2008 to 2009 from 1. 59 to 1. 66. If we compare these numbers to the industry average of health care, overall Pfizer is performing better to the industry and Pfizer current ratio is higher t han the industry in 2007 and 2008. While in 2009 it is closer to the industry average of 1. 72. We will write a custom essay sample on Pfizer Financial Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pfizer Financial Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pfizer Financial Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Liquidity ratios are used to evaluate the firm’s ability to pay its short-term debt obligations such as Accounts Payable and accrued taxes and wages. So far from these numbers, we can predict that Pfizer is meeting its ability to pay short term debt to its creditors and suppliers in the market. As current ratio, the Quick Ratio of Pfizer is also higher than the industry average in 2007 and 2008 and is a little below in 2009. The declining curve in the current ratio of Pfizer may be the result of decreasing cash flow from operations. However the cash flow liquidity ratio of Pfizer has declined from 0. 43 in 2007 to 0. 26 in 2008. The declining cash flow from operations is forcing Pfizer to borrow to cover its bills. Overall the liquidity of Pfizer still looks quite sound compared to the industry. Now as we look at the Average collection period and day’s inventory held for Pfizer, we notice a dramatic change the average collection period of Pfizer has increased about 112% from 2007 to 2009 while the days inventory held for Pfizer has also increased about 189% from 2007 to 2009. This raises a caution flag about the increase in these ratios. Pfizer may be too lenient to its creditors. If we compare the increase in these values to the increase in Pfizer’s Sales, the sales only increased by about 3%. As we move to analyze the efficiency of Pfizer, we see that account receivable turnover has decreased about 53% from 4. 92 times in 2007 to about 2. 31 times in 2009. Yet again this major decrease in turnover of accounts receivables shows the inefficiency of Pfizer in collecting cash from creditors. The average collection period has increased dramatically from about 74 days in 2007 to almost 160 days in 2009, rounding to 115% change in the two years. However, apart from the decrease in ratios in the past few years Pfizer is still close to the industry average so we cannot predict that Pfizer is under performing compared to its competitors. Pfizer’s fixed asset turnover and total asset turnover has remained almost the same between 2007 and 2008 but has declined by almost 39. 57% in 2009 (3. 63 to 2. 20). This indicates the increase in fixed assets without a proportional increase in sales. Pfizer is a capital intensive firm and has invested more than 40% in its fixed assets. The increase in fixed assets from 2007 to 2009 is about 71%, clearly indicating that Pfizer is trying to expand more. The decrease in the ratios is rather of the heavy increase in the fixed assets while not sufficient increase in sales. Looking into the leverage of Pfizer, long term debt has increased 600% from 2007 to 2009 but the debt to assets ratios has not increased much in 2008 compared to 2007. The overall change in debt ratio is about 30% increase from 2007 to 2009. This ratio has not increased in the same capacity as the Long term debt has increased. This explains the increase in the asset of Pfizer. As Pfizer is expanding, the overall debt ratio has still not increased a lot compared to the industry average and even though the long term debt has increased extra ordinarily, the ratio of debt to equity ratio is still stable due to the increase in Pfizer’s total fixed assets. Looking at the times interest earned we notice that it has decreased from 19 times to about 9 times from 2007 to 2009 respectively. This decrease is mainly because of the increase in interest charged on the higher borrowings in the two years. The cash flow from operations in this respect is still increasing and the total increase from 2007 to 2009 of the CFO is about 24%. To analyze the profitability break down, Pfizer’s gross profit margin has increase from 76. 79% in 2007 to about 83% in 2009. The operating profit margin increased from 15. % in 2007 to about 23% in 2009. Also the cash flow margin increased from 27% in 2007 to about 33% in 2009 and is almost close to the industry averages. This indicates that Pfizer has the ability to turn sales dollar into profits and has maintained its performance relatively to the industry. Return on assets and return on equity both have decreased from 7% to 4% and from 12. 5% to 10% respectively which is far below from the industry averag e of 10% and 20%. This decrease may be due to the increase in assets of about 85% in the recent years that was discussed earlier. The return on asset could not be realized so soon in the industry of Pfizer. This, no doubt indicates the poor management of the assets but if we look at the figures they are actually increasing level of assets which clearly gives us the image of expansion of Pfizer Inc as they have recently spent over 68 billion dollars on the purchase of Wyeth. After looking into the key financials of the company we see that the total liabilities have increased over 100% which clearly shows the increase on the company’s interest as well. Their overall investment has increased by 170% mainly because of the purchase of Wyeth. The cash flow from operations and operations revenues have increased by 24% and 48% respectively. The liquidity ratios and profitability ratios are stable if we compare it to the industry but still the efficiency ratios are declining. The variance in the figures is mostly between 2008 and 2009. The criminal penalties on Pfizer in 2009 have also damaged the company’s image and have affected its revenues. From the financials, Pfizer still does not look a weak stock if compared to the industry. The idea of buying and holding the stock also depends on the patent expiration in November, 2011 of its top selling drug â€Å"Lipitor†. Pfizer has to invest more in research and development for creating new drugs. Creating new drugs may seem an obvious goal for a drug maker. The New York-based Pfizer, however, has grown into a giant not by discovering new blockbusters but by buying three competitors and their product lines. References: www. finance. yahoo. com http://topics. nytimes. com/top/news/business/companies/pfizer_inc/index. html

Vantage Point Essays - English-language Films, Vantage Point

Vantage Point Essays - English-language Films, Vantage Point Vantage Point Vantage Point General introduction of this movie (director background etc) Pete Travis is an English television and film director. His work includes The Jury, Cold Feet and Omagh for television and Vantage Point, Endgame and Dredd. The president of the U. S. Declares is in Salamanca, Italy, to give his oversight within the community. We see a plain-clothes cop, his sweetheart with another man, a mother and child, a U. S. vacationer with a digital camera, and medical personnel who recently came back from medical leave. Moments following a photo shoot, the president falls; a few moments later, we listen to a remote blast, then a blast goes off in the rectangle. Those moments are retold, several times, focusing different characters' activities. Progressively, we discover who's behind the story. Summary of the movie (plot) Colombia Pictures' action-packed thriller Vantage Point presents eight unknown people with eight different opinions try to discover the truth behind a killing attempt on the chief executive of the United States. Johnson Barnes and London Taylor are two Secret Service agents allocated to protect President Ashley at a milestone peak on the international war on terror. When President Ashley is shot minutes after his appearance in Italy, disorder arises and different lives conflict in the search for the killer. In the audience is Howard Lewis, an America vacationer who believes he has taken the shooting on his video camera while recording the occasion for his family. Reviews The governmental thriller Vantage Point is flat-out one of the more interesting and unique gut-busters that the show biz industry has created. It is all action, but it is never senseless and it is completely outstanding with excitement phases all the way. Its assumption has the United States President (William Hurt) showing at a milestone anti-terrorism peak conference in Salamanca, Italy, that becomes a catastrophe when he is gunned down by a sniper from an old city block in the town's primary plaza. In a captivating starting series worth David Frankenheimer at his protagonist, this killing and two blast explosions that further convert the field into disorder is seen from the viewpoint of the movie director (Sigourney Weaver) of a TV information group protecting the conference. After completion, the film rewinds 15 minutes and then repeats the same activities from the viewpoint of an anxious Key Support broker (Dennis Quaid) who may or may not have glimpsed the killer just minutes before the capturing. Then the film rewinds again and reveals the series from the viewpoint of a Language cop (Edgar Ramirez) who steps onto the presidential stage after the killing, is pursued by the Quaid personality and may or may not be engaged in the fringe movement. The film rewinds yet again and reveals the 15 relevant minutes from the viewpoint of the President and then yet again from the viewpoint of an U. S. states vacationer (Forest Whitaker) who unintentionally records key details involved in the killing. With each of the viewpoints, the movie is efficiently and enticingly improved, and then the film segues into an impressive and incredibly complicated pursuit series that reduces between all the members and choices a few new ones in the process as it pushes to an intense summary. Conclusion As seen in this article, the movie Vantage Point was created through mastery of the film world by well known directors and acted by renowned actors. With no individual larger-than-life being the main theme, Vantage Point keeps its audience captivated by the motion pictures, being a tale packed with a few too many surpasses (including a subplot with acting professional Matthew Fox that's needless and a little preposterous).

Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Obesity - Essay Example The success of obesity-reducing strategies is highly unlikely without the utilization of research as a foundational tool in the design process. A 2012 study by Epstein and colleagues examines two different approaches to childhood obesity intervention designs. The researchers conducted this research with the goal of illuminating differences in several outcome measures between groups based on the focus of the intervention being either a reduction in high energy-dense food consumption, or an increase in dietary components with low energy density. A multitude of additional variables were also included in the analysis, and are described below. This study primarily relies on the use of inferential statistics, though a number baseline descriptive measurements (age, gender, height, weight, percent overweight, body mass index, and diet trends) are appropriately added to the report. The primary dependent variable in this experiment is the change in standardized body mass index (zBMI) associated with each group, as measured at three different time periods following the implementation of an intervention program (0-6 months, 0-12 months, and 0-24 months). Secondary dependent variables were also evaluated at these intervals, including changes in eating behaviors like food choices, and the results of questionnaires related to parenting changes. The independent factor in this study was the dietary focus on either reducing high energy-dense food consumption, or increasing low energy-density ingestion. The population of focus for this study was composed only of children between the ages of eight and twelve who are able to read above a grade three level, are in a percentile higher than the 85th of the BMI average, are not currently on other weight loss treatments including pharmaceuticals, have parents who are not in weight loss programs, have at least one parent willing to participate in the study, and dont have any physical or psychological

Cause and effect of carotid stenosis Research Paper

Cause and effect of carotid stenosis - Research Paper Example Carotid Artery stenosis disease can be caused by atherosclerosis, which is a state whereby the arteries are hardened because of cholesterol, fat and other substances buildup in the lining of the arteries’ walls (Henry, 2004). This condition leads to the complication of the carotid arteries. As the disease becomes more complicated, it can create a more serious problem since the atherosclerotic plaques can rapture and cause the formation of a blood clot and arterial blockage or the plaque materials can move to the brain causing stroke or a transient ischemicattack (TIA) (Henry, 2004). Carotid artery disease is, therefore, a frequently threat cause for the transient ischemicattacks (TIAs) and stroke. TIA/mini stroke is a kind of disease that is caused by the momentary obstruction of the blood supply to some parts of the brain, leading to a reversible loss of brain function that usually continues for less than a day. According to Chartuvedi (2004), TIA can be a warning of a looming stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) that occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is cut for a longer time leading to the deficient of oxygen to the brain cells and eventually leading to the death of the blood cells Carotid stenosis can also be caused by being overweight more so in adults, which may make one have weight that is above the required weight for a normal human being, excess weight increases the risk of getting carotid stenosis. Overweight is caused by taking in diet that has more calories that exceeds the normal calories that is required in our body. Excess weight can also occur when the calorie intake is not in balanced. This, in turn, can lead to the blockage of arteriosclerosis artery leading to the formation of plaque in the artery hence causing the carotid artery stenosis (Moussa, Rundek & Mohr, 2007). If this can continue for a long period of time then it can lead to the formation of obesity, risks of serious diseases like the heart

Charles Schwab, Company Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Charles Schwab, Company Summary - Essay Example Appendix A shows a graph that illustrates the price movement of the stock during the past year. The stock a year ago was price at $13.86. The price of the firm climbed for six months and then it started a downward spiral to reach the current price of $11.54. The graph that illustrates the movement of the SCHW common stock looks similar to the graph of the normal distribution function. The founder and chairman of the company is Charles Schwab. Walt Bettinger is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company. The enterprise has 13,200 employees worldwide. The corporate headquarters of the company are located in San Francisco. â€Å"Schwab also operates 302 domestic branch offices in  45 states, one branch in  Puerto Rico and one branch in London. Hong Kong clients are served through a Schwab subsidiary† (Aboutschwab). The quality of the human resources of the firm has been a critical success factor that has helped the company achieved tremendous growth during the past 40 y ears. The mission statement of Charles Schwab is to empower individual investors to take control of their financial lives free form the high costs and conflict of traditional brokerage firms (Blogspot). The financial service industry is a multi-trillion dollar industry. The top three stock exchanges in the United States: NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ moved 3899 million shares in 2010 (Plunkett Research). Charles Schwab is a major player in the brokerage industry. The company generated $4.2 billion in revenues in fiscal year 2010. The revenues of the company were 1% higher than in 2009. The firm has a total of 8 million client accounts. The client accounts of Charles Schwab have grown by 14.28% in comparison with 2007. The net income of the firm was $454 million. The net margin of the firm was 10.80%. The net margin is the firm was better than the industry average. The industry standard net margin is 5.8% (Dun & Bradstreet). The earnings per share (EPS) of Charles Schwab in 2010 was $0.38. The EPS is a metric that tends to influence the market price of the common stock. The return on assets (ROA) of the firm was 0.49%. The ROA industry average is 1.7% (Dun & Bradstreet). Return on assets measures how effective a company has been at generating net profits with its assets. The ROA of Charles Schwab in 2010 was 1.2% below the industry average. The return on equity (ROE) metric measures how effective a company has been at generating profits from its equity. The ROE of the company was 7.29%. The industry standard ROE is 12.3% (Dun & Bradstreet). The price earnings ratio (P/E) of the company on December 30, 2010 was 45.13. The P/E ratio is calculated by dividing the market share price by the earnings per share. The price earnings ratio shows whether a stock is relatively cheap or relatively expensive in comparison to its current earnings. There are several competitors that compete directly with Charles Schwab. Five of the top competitors Schwab faces in the marketplace are Merrill Lynch, Scottrade, Morgan Stanley, Ameritrade and ING. One of the things that set apart Charles Schwab from the competition is its brand value. The tremendous brand value of the firm has helped the company maintain high gross margins by charging $29.95 per trade. A lot of online traders receive revenues below $10 a trade. For instance Scottrade charges its customers $7 a trade. Charles Schwab i

A social model analysis of disability

A social model analysis of disability In recent times, social model of disability has gained academic attention through the works of acclaimed activists like Vic Finklestein, Paul Hunt and Mike Oliver (Barnes, 2000; Oliver, 1990a). The social model of disability holds a divergent view to that of the medical model. The social model tends to make a clear distinction between impairment and disability. That is to say the impaired person is disabled as a result of social barriers and structures. This social model of disability view is esteemed highly in the developed nations as America, Germany, Britain and Austria. In the UK the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was enacted based on the medical model however service providers adjusting to accommodate the law reasonably follow the social model (Lewis, 2005). Could the social model of disability be translated into the economies of the majority world where lack basic infrastructure to meet the needs of persons with impairment are far reaching? This essay will attempt to answer that question by firstly defining what social model and developing nations are. It will, secondly, develop further by giving a brief historical background of the social model of disability. Thirdly it will discuss other modules of disability such as the medical model, the WHOs International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) and International Classification Functioning (ICF). It will make reference to situations in a few minority countries for broader comparison. Disability in the majority world will be examined in conjunction with social model of disabilities ideology. Then finally critically analyse the social model under the microscope of the majority world perspective. Definitions and Models of Disability Llewellyn and Hogan (2000) state that usually a model signifies a kind hypothesis that is specifically structural and which looks to make clear an idea by linking it to a theoretical method and device. A model is basically a structure for assessing information. Models of disability therefore offer structures through which the experience of disability is understood. This enables disabled people to provide for themselves and the society they live in a framework through which laws, regulations and structures can be developed. It also provides knowledge about the attitudes, ideas and prejudice of people and the impact they can have on people with impairments. Furthermore, they highlight ways in which society relates to disabled people in daily life. The models of disability are characterised by two primary viewpoints, medical and social. Williams (1996), a proponent of the medical model, asserts that impairment is a natural part of disability. Given the position that impairment is a natural part of disability, then the individual becomes responsible for his/her disability. Oliver (1990b) highlights this issue by saying that there are two main problems with the individual or medical model. Firstly, it places the problem of disability with the impaired person and secondly the cause of the problem and the practical restrictions involved are imagined to arise from the impairment. The medical model was obviously born before the social model and is often held in contrasting opinion with the social model. Mercer, Shakespeare and Barnes (1999) posit that disabled individuals are considered to be reliant on others to be looked after, and to overcome disability they have to rely on healing medicine. Practically, normality through rehabilitation is then sought if the impairment cannot be healed. Overcoming disability can then b e considered to be parallel with prevailing over physiological restrictions of impairment. Disability rights groups often compare this model to the price of intrusive medical procedures like genetic screening. Often big investment in these procedures and technologies is underpinned by the medical model. Oliver (1990b) asserts that where impairment cannot be treated or cured, a lot of people with disabilities will receive unnecessary medical attention, which is oppressive and unacceptable. This is often thought of as a waste of money as adaptation of the disabled persons surroundings could be less expensive and achievable than medical intervention. The medical model of disability is also seen by some disability rights groups as a civil rights issue and they often disapprove of benevolent initiatives such as awareness raising campaigns which are used to portray disabled people. It is felt that this often encourages negativity and undermines the image of people with impairments and does nothing to promote disability as a political, social and environmental dilemma. The International Classification of Disease (ICD) was the first definitional schema developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It had been in existence since 1893 and evidenced that the health care systems previously focussed on disease. The theorisation of disease was purely straight forward. If a disease manifests it is able to be cured or it can develop until the organism dies. The progress in medical technology drastically changed the potential outcomes of pathologic conditions beyond weighing morbidity and mortality. Impairments and disabilities figure prominently in these conditions and as the ICD model could not assess health problems that were chronic or disabling a new model that would make assessment significant was required. The new definitional schema took an individual model approach in the name of International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicaps (ICIDH). Bury (2000) confirms this when he comments on ICIDH2. He writes of his excitement as WHO shied away from its constricted medical model view point. ICIDH was developed in the mid 1970s and is part of a family of classifications. It was purposely designed to constrict the gap between what health care will be able to do and what it is expected to do (WHO, 1980b). The International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicaps (ICIDH) basically examined the cost of non-fatal disease to an individual and also the interaction between that individual and society. There are three parts of the ICIDH which are related to the state of health. They are namely impairment, disability and handicap which has been defined as follows: Impairment In the context of health experience, an impairment is any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function. Disability In the context of health experience, a disability is any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. Handicap In the context of health experience, a handicap is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability, that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on the age, sex, social and cultural factors) for that individual. (WHO 1980a:27-9) This classification was recognised world wide and underpinned many medical assessments but it was not long before it came under criticism. Oliver (1990) for instance disapproves of the ICIDH because for an individual to carry out their role as an ordinary member of society the person would be expected to change instead of his/her environment. He feels the medical viewpoint on disability is propagated through the definitions given and that individuals are expected to be healed through some form of interference. Pope and Talov (1991) also criticised the usage of the term handicap. The word had negative connotations which inferred limitations in performance. They also assert that ICIDH fails to make a clear distinction between disability and handicap planes. WHO, in the light of criticisms, brought about the development of the ICIDH-2 which soon after became International Classification of Functioning (ICF) (WHO, 2001). The social and medical models of disability have been integrated in the ICIDH-2 (Finkelstein 1998, Barnes and Mercer, 2004; World Health Organisation, 2002). The aim of the ICF was to create a classification that would be simple enough to be considered by practitioners as a significant description of the consequences of health conditionsAmong other things it was to be functional and enable identification of health care needs, shape intervention programs like prevention or rehabilitation. De Kleijn-De Vrankrijker (2003) affirms that the ICF is a better revision of the ICIDH. The language is impartial and the fundamental values very contrasting. The social model, however, was developed in the 1970s by disabled people. It was a response to basically how society treated disabled people plus their experience of the welfare and health systems which drove them to being segregated and oppressed. Scholars like Vic Finkelstein, Colin Barnes and Mike Oliver gave it a backing (Shakespeare and Watson 2002). The social model could be said to have been initiated from an essay entitled A Critical Condition written by Paul Hunt in 1966. (Hunt, 1966) In the essay Paul Hunt argued that society held non-disabled people in high esteem making disabled people feel unlucky and good for nothing. Fallow (2007) however, argued that this might not be an exact view of disabled people but one that had been imposed on them. Almost a decade after Paul Hunts essay, the Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) developed the social model in their definition of impairment and disability. They asserted that disability was: the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contemporary social organisation which takes little or no account of people who have physical impairments and thus excludes them from participation in the mainstream of social activities (UPIAS 1976:14). Mike Oliver, teaching a group of social work students, later coined the term social model in an attempt to introduce the ideas of the UPIAS Fundamental Principles. He said focusing on the individual model concept against that of the social model he derived the difference made between impairment and disability by UPIAS. (Oliver 1990b) Making a clear distinction between impairment and the disabling effect of society in relation to impairment is what the social model is about. It implies that when a person cannot walk it is not his/her inability to walk that disables them but the lack of stairs that are not wheelchair accessible that disables them. If a person is visually impaired, it is not their impairment that disables them but the lack of information in Braille or large print that disables them. Disability can be said in other words to be socially constructed. The social model recognises people with physical, mental or learning difficulties may not be able to function and therefore seeks to remove any barriers that limit their functioning. It advocates for disabled people to enjoy equal rights and responsibility. Swain et al (2004) assert that impairment should be considered as a positive benefit not something pitiful. It has been documented from disabled peoples perspective that being impaired can have benefits . Definitions of Developing and Majority World Developing nations is an economical term used to describe medium income economies for the purpose of this essay. It is a term that has many variations for example third world, and the south (Stone 1999). These terms are sometimes frowned upon because they give an impression that western industrialisation or so called developed nations provide the yard stick for judging advancement. Stone (1999) alleges that the idea of the west occupying the highest sit in development and the rest world hanging to the sit is inherent. Developing nations also refers to a nation or country that does not have a well developed economy and political structure compared to industrialised nations. World Bank Group (2004) defines developing nations as countries with average levels of GNP per capita plus 5 high-income developing economies like Hong Kong, Israel, Kuwait, Singapore and United Emirates. Pearson Education (2005) states that they are nations that have been defined by the World Bank as having low or middle incomes with low living conditions compared to high income nations. Katsui (2006) uses the South to refer to developing countries and beneficiaries of growth collaboration and North for developed countries. Majority world refers to non-westernised countries where often policies and structures are lacking to support the nations. These are countries that fall outside of the minority world and are considered to have low income per capita, levels of economic growth and low indices of life expectancy and education. Minority world also stands for developed world, western world, the North and industrialised nations. Countries like America, Australia, Germany France, Britain, Netherlands etc that have high level of economic growth according to their income per capita and high gross domestic product per capita. Industrialisation is another economic criteria used to measure growth in these countries. In recent times more outstanding issues like human development index matched with economic weight, national income, other measures, indicators like life expectancy and education have become part of the criteria for measuring which type of world a country is from. Disability in the Minority World Priestley (2005) puts forward that there has been a remarkable change in the way disability is viewed in European social policy. The minority world has over the years seen the application of social model of disabilities in various laws, policies and strategies. The European Commission (EC) (2010b) maintains that disabled people should have dignity, basic rights, and protection against intolerance, equality, justice and social cohesion. It sees disability as a social construct which fronts intolerance and stigmatisation. Consequently, it is the disabled persons environment that has to change and not the person. The EC has a disability strategy plan (DAP) which guides disabled policies. The EC wants to see disabled people get involved in disabled affairs and also have more accessibility, job opportunities and self-sufficient living. EC (2010a) further asserts that about 80 million Europeans have a disability and cannot enjoy the everyday comforts like riding on a bus, shopping, using the internet and watching television because of barriers put in place by society. A new strategy to remove these obstacles has been implemented. These EC statements are certainly underpinned by the social model of disability. They all advocate for a disabled persons environment to be altered to enable them participate fully in society. National Disability Authority (2005) adds its voice to the debate by saying the social model has added to the shift from disability based agendas to a more conventional and inclusive approach. All of the above makes it relatively easy to live with impairment in the minority world. The provision of the welfare system is a fundamental part of western society and those who benefit from it most are those who are unable to work because of ailment (Overland 2007). If a person lost a limb, for example, they would be registered disabled as they would be limited in what they could do. Their needs would be taken care of by some sort of income benefit. Fit-for-purpose cars are built for people who have difficulty moving about. Special parking spaces for disabled people are provided making life relatively easy for many disabled people. Architecture supports building design and factors in access ramps. The Disability Equality Duty (DED) which was introduced by the new Disability Discrimination Act of 2005 in the UK for instance makes public bodies obligated to take into consideration the needs of disabled people when they are planning services. An affirmative attitude is recommended to be shown towards disabled people. Out-Law (2006) affirm Disability Rights Commission UKs view that the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 would bring a great change to disabled people and will change how public authorities offer their services. Walking aids are provided for those with balancing difficulties to help support and maintain their balance. Visually impaired are given guide dogs to move around with. They have various assistance technologies to help them study and participate in full economic and social activities. Most organisations provide accessible information for the hearing and visually impaired. There are electronic resources that support disabled life. Enabled People website is one of them. It gives information about disabled support, rights and systems (Bristow 2005). Developed nations and their respective governments make sure that disabled people live normal lives or reduce restrictions placed by disability. They have organisations and networks and people or organisations with political clout lobbying on disabled peoples behalf. Disability in Britain was transformed by disabled peoples movement in the 1980s (Hasler,1993). The European non-governmental organisation, European Disability Forum (EDF) stands for the concerns of 65 million disabled people in Europe. In America effective laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 regulates disability law and prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in housing, employment and access to public services. The purpose of ADA is to assist disabled people in any way practicable and to ensure that their human rights and civil liberties have not been abused. It ensures that disabled people have all the comforts non disabled people have like disabled parking space and permits, ramp laws to showers and bathroom installations designed for physically disabled people. ADA was also established to improve quality of life by training both disabled and non disabled. Social model disability ideology The developing world cannot boast of such a life for its disabled people. The social model of disability has become known and thrived within minority or western society but critics have said it cannot be translated into the majority world (Stone, 1997; Miles 1996). In Britain the social model has become a fundamental indicator of disability politics which is used by disabled activist to differentiate among establishments, strategies, regulations and ideas (Shakespeare 2002). The needs and opportunities for people with impairments in majority world are sometimes entirely divergent from those in minority world and may require various solutions, systems of enquiry and explanations. The inequality is not a stand alone issue, but has roots in the various ideologies that surround disability in the majority world. The social model of disability has two main schools of thought. Those who believe that capitalism has contributed to the oppression of disabled people and those who believe that disability is as a result of an inherent believe in culture, attitude and prejudice (Sheldon et al., 2007; Barnes and Mercer 2005).The former, materialist, believes that the economic and political structures put in place in society have largely contributed to disabilism. Therefore political effort is desired to effect fundamental changes of an unequal system designed by capitalism. The latter, Idealist believes that disabled people are excluded from society purely because of lack of thought than anything else and in that sense a redress can be sought with education and addressing peoples attitudes without changing legislation that excludes people from everyday activities and inaccessible infrastructure (Priestly, 1998). This line of argument supports the improving of existing social systems. Capitalism which controls most of the world economy today is believed by the materialist to be the undercurrent of poverty in the majority world. Norberg (2003) raises issue with the fact that per capita GDP is more than 30 times higher in 20 wealthiest nations than in 20 deprived nations. Oliver (1999) asserts that the oppression of disabled people is ingrained in the economic and social formation of capitalism. Free markets have allowed various international organisations and individuals to set up home in the majority world taking away land and property from original settlers. Eskine (2009) asserts that numerous rich nations are purchasing land from the majority world for future investments. Since 1960 a new global industrialisation has arisen with international corporations operating in offshore outsourcing (Nash J and Fernandez-Kelly 1983). This has caused people who use to rely on agriculture; fishing and petty trading to lose their livelihood pushing them into poverty. Poverty is a major cause of disability in the majority world as simple diseases like diabetes cannot be managed making people blind. Thomas (2005) posits that poverty and disabling impairments are expressly connected and most disabilities can be avoided because they are poverty orientated. Meanwhile, other social commentators also argue that the free market is a good thing and that developing countries will benefit from this freedom (Urbach, 2004; Murkherjee, 2004) People will be able to travel freely and immigrate to other countries. They would also be able to trade with who ever they wish to trade with. It is further argued that consumers will have a wider choice and businesses will be able to lower their cost by hiring workers from other countries. Organisations setting up home in the majority world will bring more work to the society and people will be able to learn new skills, have social links and mix with other cultures but are these arguments not entrenched in colonialism or neo colonialism? Nkrumah (1965) asserts that neo-colonialism is the most damaging form of imperialism because those who engage in it have power but not accountability leaving those at the brunt of it exploited with no way of putting things right. Examples are, in the mid 20th century in places like Africa where nations obtained independence from their European masters but found that they were not totally free from their influence. Governments were undermined using destruction tools like propaganda, coup dà ©tats and the nomination of specific people into positions of influence (Hanlon, 1991). This caused many nations to remain dependant on their colonised masters even though they were free. Another form of capitalism which has influenced the majority world is Imperialism. It has been described as the ultimate form of capitalism and an extension of the basic parts of capitalism (Lenin 1916). Imperialism creates socio-political systems which make the world an unfair place and this inequality is constantly represented in global relationships where the rich and poor nations fight for the same resources and the improvement of their citizens. That is, if a nation is able to get in the lead by maximising its resources, technology and power then it becomes a super power and rules the others who could not. This gap then becomes a divide which has been termed the North-South gap. This ruler and ruled is an old concept. Wallerstein (n.d) posits that difference is a basic truth about todays world systems as is of past world systems. Even though Imperialist rule has long gone, distribution of resources and power is still uneven. Global south is still being exploited and continues to trail behind the super powers with all types of international insecurities like starvation, disease, civil war and the digital divide (Fong 2009; Compaine 2001). This inequality produces continuous discrimination making majority nations more impoverished. The gap means the rich minority world has been able to create powers that in effect control the poor majority world. Organisations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have over the years designed policies and strategies which are difficult for the majority world to follow (Barnes and Mercer 2005). Disability in the majority world According to the World Health Organisation 650 million people are disabled in the world. Of this total, 80% live in developing countries, 20% of them are the poorest in the world. Out of these figures only 2 3% of disabled children have access to education (Youthink, 2010). These figures are significant and make uncomfortable reading. Katsui (2006) gives further insight by stating that according to the United Nations (2000) and San (1999) Out of 80% disabled people living in the developing world only 2% receive some type of help. He further asserts that disabled people who live in the south are mainly uncared for by the governments and the global society. Godrej (2005) posits that in the majority world people with impairments are not at the top of the priority list. Disabled people in the majority world face multiple challenges, the overarching being poverty and social discrimination. WaterAid (2010) indicates that disabled people in the developing world do not only deal with social barriers but poverty and isolation. Yeo (2001); Coleridge (1993) states that suffering high levels of poverty is not the only problem for people, but the likelihood of acquiring an impairment. Furthermore, people with ailments normally have little rights to property, medical care, healthy food, accommodation, education and work. Lack of thorough diagnosis of ailment and on going medical care is another challenge for the disabled in the developing world. Impairments like Down syndrome can be detected in the womb but the fairly sophisticated equipment for doing this is often lacking. In child birth, routine conditions which are taken for granted in the minority world cause complications which often lead to brain damage and other physical disabilities for babies and their mothers. Baylies (2002) states that, pregnant mothers who for instance, abuse alcohol are often not aware of the harm they are causing their unborn children. A large number of mental impairments are acquired because of Iodine deficiency or poor nutrition. Disabled people are normally very deprived and frequently reside in places where health care and other facilities are hard to come by or does not exist leaving some impairments undiscovered and others not discovered on time (United Nations Enable, 2006). In the developing world many disabled people are less likely to be employed. Many resort to begging on the streets to support themselves and their families as most of the time there are no structures in place to support them in employment. Income is scant, dwindling and unequally allocated among the disabled. Transportation is another challenge as cars, lorries, buses and trains are not accessible for disabled people. Savill et al (2003) argues it is challenging for disabled people to travel therefore difficult to find a job or socialise. In many parts of the majority world culture affects the way disability is perceived. Often times, ignorance, superstition and fear cause people to see disability as a curse from God. In some parts of the majority world disabled people are seen as sub-human and unhealthy to join in community activities. Some are ashamed of their disabled relatives and hide them depriving them of any prospects whiles others view them as supreme beings and worship them (Turmusani, 2003; Edgerton, 1970). Disabled people hardly form part of the political process in the majority world often missing in the process of making decisions in communities and governments. Some even dont have the basic right to vote in elections because of difficulties in getting access and information. Most of the time, they are not consulted on subjects and decisions concerning them. Relevance of Social Model in majority world Advocators of the social model emphasizes that discrimination against disabled people is socially constructed and has little to do with their impairments. Meaning that disabled people in the majority world can live more like their non disabled peers if social barriers like inaccessible roads, transport, schools, hospitals and churches were adapted to accommodate them. Barnes (2009) states that disability is a social problem which has been worsened by globalisation and that the answer to the difficulties disabled people face in the developing world will probably remain the same if fundamental changes do not occur at local and global stages. Albert and Hurst (1997) affirms that the social model has given rise to awareness among the disabled people to forge a common front to fight for their basic rights. However, the relevance of the Social model of disability has been questioned by a number of academicians. Grech (2009) criticises the social model saying it is challenging for cultures because it for a certain period and speaks for certain class of disabled people in the minority world. She further argues that applying the social model in communities where the source of revenue is based on household economies is debatable. Edgerton (1970) describes in his East African research on how different communities across East Africa view people with mental impairments. Some show prejudice, others welcome them whiles others revere them. It has been argued that these cultural differences would make the adaptation of the social model of disability difficult. Albert and Hurst (1997) refute this argument asserting that many local customs like genital mutilations and killing of infants are acceptable in certain cultures but are they acceptable world-wide? This is affirmed by Baird and Hernà ¡ndez (2005) Tomà ¡s Hernà ¡ndez a disabled activist from Nicaragua highlighted on the changes that took place in Managua after wheel chair users demonstrated, realising they could not go to work without help. This demonstration had a positive effect where the sitting government took measures to lower kerbs and build ramps to accommodate wheel chair users. The Social model of disability is also accused of not taking into account the impairments of disabled people. Albert and Hurst (1997) asserts that this a major problem for the minority world how much more the majority world but they immediately defuse this statement by arguing that the statement is made by able bodied people who have no idea of what it means to live with impairments. Thomas, Gradwell and Markham (1997), and Oliver (1996) state that the social model of disability does not overlook impairment but refuses to give it attention. Opponents of the social model of disability like Crow (1996) and French (1993) question the reason: the word impairment is being overlooked and calls for it to be brought to the fore as it is a fundamental part of being disabled. Albert and Hurst (1997) further argue that the social model of disability does not overlook the source of disability rather it advocates for the removal of social constructs like poverty and wars that easily beset people. Another argument is that the social model of disability is a western phenomena and that disabled people in the minority world have basic needs and therefore are able to fight for social rights whereas their compatriots in majority world lack even the basic needs (Werner 1998 cited in Albert and Hurst 1997 p27). Charowa (2005) posits that disabled people in Zimbabwe are frequently not able to acquire personal aids so they make use of makeshift wheel chairs. Albert and Hurst (1997) however, counter argue that the social model of disability is not a western phenomena as a large percentage of its out spoken proponents come from the majority world. Schmidt (2010) indicates that specialist equipment that will require the use of energy will not be helpful to the 1.5 billion people who are poor. International Energy Agency forecast that 1.3 out of the 1.5 poor people will not have access to energy until 20 years time. Another point raised against the relevance of the social model of disability in the developing world is the matter of difference. Where for example, the physical impaired are treated better than people with mental impa

Edgar Allan Poes Writing Essay -- Literacy Analysis

Often times, authors use specific instances from their lives to produce ideas for stories and incorporate them into his or her works. In the gothic times, dark, threatening, horrific, morbid, depressing, bizarre, bewildering, death and insane are just some words that best describe the popular type of literature at that time. One man’s name can summarize these words, Edgar Allan Poe. He is considered to be one of the greatest obscure American authors/poets whom many literary scholars still try to make heads or tails of. People throughout the history often wondered why Poe’s writings are so fantastically diverse and unusual, why his literary style is dark, and why he has so many supernatural connotations in each of his writings. He displays his tragic life, achievements, and mostly his disappointments which occurred over the course of his life in a series of stories and poems. Edgar Allan Poe's works are not only a product of creative genius, but also a reflection of his countless struggles and devastating personal experiences. These occurrences spawn the themes of untimely death, insanity, and revenge that become the focus of his macabre style of writing. Poe's life experiences have a major influence in his writings, including the use of the nature of death and provocative questions about the afterlife. The favorable reason to his macabre works has been thought to be the result of experiencing the many deaths of his loved ones early in his life. Based on Poe’s works, he believes that the death of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetic topic in the world. For example, in his later poems, most notably, and represents the imaginative repetition of his painful experiences. Jeffrey Scraba, one of the literature critics ... ...oston, Massachusetts: G.K Hall&Co, 1987. N. pag. Print. Medline Plus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 29 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 May 2012. . Poe, Edgar Allan. The Literature Network. N.p., 2012. Web. 7 May 2012. . Scraba, Jeffrey. "Repetition and Remembrance in Poe's Poerty." Critical Insights The Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Steven Frye. Pasadena California: Salem Press, 2011. 34-46. Print. Stauffer, Donald B. "Style and Meaning in "Ligeia" and "William Wilson"." Critical Essays on Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Eric W. Carlson. Boston, Massachusetts: G.K Hall&Co, 1987. 115-25. Print. Zlotnick-Woldenberg, Carrie. "Edgar Allan Poe's `Ligeia': An Object-Relational Interpretation." American Journal Of Psychotherapy 53.3 (1999): 403. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

A Worn Path Critical Analysis Essay

â€Å"How old are you Granny? † he was saying. â€Å"There is no telling mister,† she said, â€Å"no telling. † â€Å"Well, Granny,† he said, â€Å"You must be a hundred years old and scared of nothing (216-217). † Granny is an old woman; described as â€Å"being so old that her skin was as if she had a tree in the middle of her forehead with numberless branching wrinkles (213). † Phoenix Jackson is her name. She is an African American woman, very old, withered and frail. Phoenix is the protagonist in Eudora Welty’s story â€Å"A Worn Path. Throughout time, people have gone on their own journeys, traveling rocky roads, climbing mountains while overcoming obstacles along the way; while grasping on to hope to strengthen each step they take. This short story begins in southern Mississippi, likely in the early 1900’s. It is a cold December morning, the earth still frozen; and once again Phoenix will begin her long journey through the thick pine woods. Despite the odds that are against her, Phoenix’s determination and undying love for her grandson will carry her the many miles she has to travel. What are the odds that are against Phoenix? See more:how to write a critical analysis outline What obstacles does Phoenix have to overcome? What is her destination? The greatest odd that stands against Phoenix is her age. She is very old and tired. On her journey she must walk over a hill, when she reaches the top she says, â€Å"Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far (214). † Despite her age, Phoenix still exists, because she has a purpose. She is able to conquer all because of the love she has for her grandson. Phoenix knows that it is up to her to walk to town to retrieve the medicine he needs to live. She is all he has, he depends on her. The strength she receives Lewis2 feeds off of the love she has for him. Phoenix endured many obstacles on her journey to town. One of the biggest obstacles she has to overcome is a wild dog. The wild dog appears and causes Phoenix to fall down. She is not able to get up, so she talks to herself, â€Å"That black dog comes up out of those woods to stall you off (216). † She is telling herself this because it helps her to be strong as if she is thinking your not going to let this dog deter you, are you? Now, along comes the second obstacle. A hunter appears with his dog. He is a white man. Even though he is a God send and saves her; he is a racist and bully. He tells her she needs to go home where she will be safe. She tells him no! She is on her way to town, and she is not stopping until she gets there. Then he tries to intimidate Phoenix by pointing a gun right in her face and asking her if it scares her with an arrogant smirk on his face. She stands up to him, stares him straight in the eyes and tells him she is not scared of it or him and has seen many guns in worse situations. During this time he drops a nickel; Phoenix sneakily picks it up and puts it in her pocket. As he walks away she says to herself, â€Å"God watching me the whole time. I come to stealing (217). † Even though she knows stealing is wrong, she feels that God will pardon her and this time it is justifiable due to the humiliation he put her through. Once again for the sake of her grandson she finds the inner strength she needs to continue on. She finally arrives to the town of Natchez and went straight to the Dr. ’s office. She was so tired now that she was depending solely on her feet to guide her and take her up the flights of stairs that stood before her and to the correct office; where she faces yet Lewis3 another obstacle. Now, standing in the office, when the receptionist asks for her name, her mind goes blank. The receptionist starts making racial slurs, â€Å"A charity case I suppose (218). † It wasn’t until the nurse who knew Phoenix came out and refreshed her memory that she finally remembered why she was there. She is overwhelmed by guilt, wondering how she could forget her grandson, her life, her purpose. She begins reflecting her life as if she is trying to find a justifiable reason for forgetting about him. She blames this on the fact that she is uneducated. She makes a vow with herself never to forget her grandson again. The receptionist who seemed very cold in the beginning now finds within herself compassion towards Phoenix and offers to give her a few pennies. Even though Phoenix is uneducated she lets her know five pennies make a nickel, with that, the receptionist gives her a nickel. Phoenix is happy, she now knows that the nickel along with the nickel she took from the hunter is enough money to buy her grandson a Christmas present. This replenishes her soul and spirit to begin her long journey on the path back home. For whatever reason, Phoenix is the only one in the world her grandson has to care for him. This is her purpose in life. She has traveled down this path at least two or three years to get his medicine. She also knows that when she leaves him, he is all by himself until she returns. There is nothing a good grandmother would not do for the sake of her grandchild. This is enough purpose to give Phoenix the endurance she needs to go on. This story shows us that love can conquer all things.

Free Essays on Bahama Mama

Bahama Mamma Some people consider me very lucky, but I just see it as a trip to Grandma’s house. Yes, that’s right†¦my Grandparents live in Bahamas. Others may give their right hand to go there, but to me it’s just a plane ticket away. That’s where I went this summer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and the summer before that†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and the summer before that. But what made it special this time around was that I got to bring my friend, Courtney, with me and there were no parents! Imagine that†¦a whole week without parents. It was just my brother, Kyle, Courtney, and I together all week. I’ve never had so much fun before. To clue you in, my week went a little something like this†¦ We arrived in the main harbor of Abaco, Bahamas on Sunday afternoon. From there, my Grandparents took us to their tiny island of Hopetown. Hopetown is a place where everyone knows everyone, and the houses have names such as â€Å"Rocky Bay†, instead of numbers. Their town consists of the maximum of about 20 stores and people get around the island by cruising in the golf cart. It’s like a little taste of heaven you could say. We got everything settled in by Sunday night and Grandma made her famous dish of delicious homemade spaghetti (my brothers favorite). We were all exhausted from the plane trip, so we called it a night and went to sleep, preparing for our exciting tomorrow. Monday morning, I was awoken by the sound of the exhilarating ocean at my ears. I turned and smiled at Courtney and said, â€Å"Are you ready for this?† and she replied â€Å"More than you know!† Grandma cooked us some bacon, eggs, and homemade cinnamon bread for our breakfast. We couldn’t wait to get out there, so Grandma took us on a trip of the town and showed us around. The hurricane that came through their island last year destroyed everything, so they had to almost start over from scratch. The town lo... Free Essays on Bahama Mama Free Essays on Bahama Mama Bahama Mamma Some people consider me very lucky, but I just see it as a trip to Grandma’s house. Yes, that’s right†¦my Grandparents live in Bahamas. Others may give their right hand to go there, but to me it’s just a plane ticket away. That’s where I went this summer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and the summer before that†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and the summer before that. But what made it special this time around was that I got to bring my friend, Courtney, with me and there were no parents! Imagine that†¦a whole week without parents. It was just my brother, Kyle, Courtney, and I together all week. I’ve never had so much fun before. To clue you in, my week went a little something like this†¦ We arrived in the main harbor of Abaco, Bahamas on Sunday afternoon. From there, my Grandparents took us to their tiny island of Hopetown. Hopetown is a place where everyone knows everyone, and the houses have names such as â€Å"Rocky Bay†, instead of numbers. Their town consists of the maximum of about 20 stores and people get around the island by cruising in the golf cart. It’s like a little taste of heaven you could say. We got everything settled in by Sunday night and Grandma made her famous dish of delicious homemade spaghetti (my brothers favorite). We were all exhausted from the plane trip, so we called it a night and went to sleep, preparing for our exciting tomorrow. Monday morning, I was awoken by the sound of the exhilarating ocean at my ears. I turned and smiled at Courtney and said, â€Å"Are you ready for this?† and she replied â€Å"More than you know!† Grandma cooked us some bacon, eggs, and homemade cinnamon bread for our breakfast. We couldn’t wait to get out there, so Grandma took us on a trip of the town and showed us around. The hurricane that came through their island last year destroyed everything, so they had to almost start over from scratch. The town lo...

The Most Famous Arsonist in Ancient Greece Wanted to Be a Star

The Most Famous Arsonist in Ancient Greece Wanted to Be a Star The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were famous even in antiquity, but not everyone loved gorgeous architectural marvels. Heres a tale of the ancient worlds most infamous arsonist, who burned down one of the greatest buildings of the Mediterranean. The Burning of the Temple The burning of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus  in modern Turkey, which was first built in the sixth century B.C.E., happened on the same day Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C.E.  According to Plutarch, a guy named Hegesias the Magnesian quipped that Artemis  (Diana for the Romans), goddess of childbirth, among other things, was too busy welcoming the future king of Macedon and much of the Mediterranean into the world to keep an eye on the temple. The Ephesian priests, dubbed the Magi, took the destruction of the temple as a much bigger portent. Looking upon the temples disaster as a sign of further disaster, [they] ran about beating their faces and crying aloud that woe and great calamity for Asia had that day been born. Of course, that danger was baby Alexander, who would  eventually brutally conquer most of Asia. The Ultimate Punishment:  Being Forgotten Forever! The criminal responsible was a man named Herostratus. What made him commit such a heinous act? According to first-century author  Valerius  Maximus: Here is appetite for glory involving sacrilege. A man was found to plan the burning of the temple of Ephesian  Diana so that through the destruction of this most beautiful building his name might be spread through the whole world. This madness he unveiled when put upon the rack. In other  words, after being tortured, Herostratus admitted he torched  the temple for personal fame.  Maximus added, The Ephesians had wisely abolished the memory of the villain by decree, but Theopompus’s eloquent genius included him in his history. Herostratus was the most hated man around...so much so that a   damnatio  (meaning his memory was to be obliterated forever)  was decreed! The second-century C.E. Roman writer Aulus Gellius noted that Herostratus was dubbed inlaudabilis, namely, one who is worthy neither of mention nor remembrance, and  is never to be named. It was decreed that no one should ever mention the name of the man who had burned the temple of Diana at Ephesus.   If Herostratuss name and  memory were banned,  then how do we know about him? Most sources followed the rules and never mentioned his name, but Strabo disagreed. He was the first to break the rules in his Geography, stating the Ephesian temple was set on fire by a certain Herostratus.  The priest Aelian even  associated Herostratus  with atheists and enemies of the gods. After Herostratus did his dastardly deed, the Ephesians didnt hesitate in resurrecting their holy spot. According to Strabo, the citizens constructed one more magnificent. Howd they get the cash for such an extravagant building? Strabo said the tax collectors brought in ornaments of the women, contributions from private property, and the money arising from the sale of pillars of the former temple to pay for a new one. So the temple was even more awesome than before, all thanks to a firebug.

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Questions - Essay Example Analyzing the video, I would say that this game can serve students in two ways. First, it provides enjoyment to users and secondly it makes them learn different sets of English vocabulary and terms that people use normally in their daily lives. The criteria that I used to assess the game included nature or complexity level of words included in the game for completion, the speed of spoken English being used before the start of the game, and writing style of the rules being shown before a use actually starts playing the game. I think the game is good with respect to two of the three criteria, which were complexity of words and writing style of rules. Writing was in simple English which makes it easy for an ESL/EFL student to play the game. The words chosen for completion are also not very difficult. The only criterion which can make this game inappropriate for ESL/EFL students is the speed of spoken English being used before the start of the game. Copyright provides protection to the content written by a writer. It is such an intellectual property that grants the rights of editing only to the person who owns that property. No other person can use or edit that content without the permission of the holder of that intellectual property. In the given example, the student has taken the text from a source which is not a legal act to do. Copying the writing of someone else from the internet or from any other source is illegal from academic point of view. What a person writes and gets published becomes his/her intellectual property which belongs only to that particular person and no one else can use it without making a proper reference to it. If someone wants to use some part of that content in his/her own writing, then he/she must properly cite the source both within the text and at the bottom of the text in the references page. Otherwise, it becomes a serious issue from academic

Classroom Management and Student Discipline Research Paper - 2

Classroom Management and Student Discipline - Research Paper Example In this essay, I endeavor to engage in reflection particularly in classroom management and student discipline. Towards this end, I will be discussing various dimensions in classroom management and discipline in the context of my own personal experience. To fully engage in reflective practice, I will draw from relevant literature to assess my own practice. In assessing my practice, I will introduce two types of overarching skills: hard skills and soft skills from where specific strategies belong. I will then highlight areas of weaknesses and strengths. In conclusion, I will offer recommendations for my own practice that hopefully, will aid in both my personal and professional growth. In evaluating and reflecting upon my practice of classroom management and student discipline, I find it helpful to distinguish between two types of practices. First, I will refer to as technical strategies or hard skills. The second category I shall label as relationship strategies or soft skills. In the world of work, hard skills often refer to technical skills or procedures often involving machinery and computer protocols. In the classroom, technical strategies are those that involve planning, structuring and organizing systems and procedures to maintain an effective classroom environment. Soft skills on the other hand are the people skills that are employed to build on relationships. In the classroom, certain relationships are important and must be established to reduce disruptions and misbehaviour. Planning would be the key factor in Arrend’s (2009) preventative classroom management strategies. To be able to plan effectively though, it is highly important to know and understand the background of the students, which I usually invest in during the first term of the school year. I have found that this preparation facilitates not only making effective lesson planning