Egypt from 2100-1700 BC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Egypt from 2100-1700 BC - Research Paper Example There are villages built alongside quarries and building sites, and so poor people must have lived near to the wealthy people, but segregated into their own living quarters. Some indication of Egyptian family life from this period has survived in papyri, such as letters from an old farmer Hekanakhte who left his home to go on business: â€Å"these letters, which are full of sharp commands to his several sons to do his bidding, to stop whingeing about the slender rations he has allowed them, and to be kind to his new wife.†ii The content of these letters may not be very significant in terms of historical facts, but it is interesting that the tone is so authoritarian, and the sons and wife all have to obey the commands of the father figure. Reading between the lines, there is a suggestion that the sons were not respectful, and perhaps this was a stepmother whom they resented. This evidence suggests that the Egyptian society of the time was patriarchal, and that families were exp ected to work the land together. The importance of agriculture was immense, because it brought the food on which the cities depended. The population of Egypt was then, as now, mostly gathered along coastal areas in the North and especially along the banks of the Nile, whose life-giving waters sustained the crops, and also served as a transport artery along the Eastern edge of the country. Hard work in the fields was probably the reality for a large number of people. This period was also known for its commitment to funerary rites, including the building of tombs and pyramids, the worship of Osiris, lively trade with countries around the Eastern Mediterranean, and advances in medicine, pottery and literature. Some of it looks back to earlier Egyptian glory and this why it is sometimes likened to a Renaissance period. The monuments are not quite so huge, and there is more evidence of modest day to day living, paying taxes and working on crafts, which suggests that at least some of the ordinary people were beginning to enjoy the pleasures and achievements of advanced civilization. Reflection It is pleasing to see in the period from 2100 to 1700 that towns and villages are growing up, partially with the support of the ruling Pharoahs, and are developing their own local economies. The worship of female gods, and the mummification of queens shows also a positive role for women, in some layers of society at least, but I do think that this was probably a very sexist society, where gender roles were pretty much fixed. There seems also to be a great respect for elders, and so to be young, and female, and especially to be a servant or slave, must have been very difficult. Added to this is the tendency of the Nile to flood, and the unreliability of harvests, which means that living conditions may have varied from season to season depending on the weather conditions. The evidence of taxes being levied is also a rather modern complaint, and this made me think that many aspec ts of life back in this period must have been similar to modern times. The lower classes always struggle to meet this obligation to the state, and it seems unfair that those who work the hardest seem to benefit the least. I had not been aware

Jude the Obscure Essay Example for Free

Jude the Obscure Essay According to philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, religion is a â€Å"falsehood. † The implications of the â€Å"death of God† addressed by Nietzsche are portrayed through the characters and the plot itself of the novel Jude the Obscure written by Thomas Hardy. Nietzsche believes that religion has influenced and distorted the value of truth, the influence of morality, and the need for worship, leading people down a path of wandering. The main character in the novel, Jude, experiences many troubles throughout his life, which stem from uncertainty of his beliefs and desires. Religion seems to be the light Jude should follow, but it is actually an illusion, which leads to a falsehood of truth and meaning, morality, and the church. Friedrich Nietzsche believes that everything that made sense with God no longer exists and religion has led to the death of truth and meaning. This is a common theme in Jude the Obscure. Throughout the book, Hardy displays the feeling that religion is something that people use to satisfy themselves by giving their lives meaning. This is apparent in the main character Jude, who is an orphan constantly searching to give himself an identity. Jude gravitates towards people or places hoping to give his life meaning. His relationship with Mr. Phillotson led him to follow a religious path, believing it will help him add meaning to his life. Jude is illustrated as a wanderer, similar to those who are on the path of religion, wandering from place to place to find work and searching for his own identity. Hardy uses this allusion to convey that a religious path does not provide one true destination, but rather it leaves people wandering. The concept of morality and distinguishing between what is good and evil often causes angst and anxiety among people. Religion creates a battle of guilt and uncertainty. Throughout the novel, Jude is battling with his religious views and his deepest desires, wanting to be religious like his mentor but also fulfill his desire to stay with Sue. The guilt Jude felt about his longing to be with Sue led him to leave the church. These feelings of guilt caused Jude to move away from the Church and â€Å"betray† God, as he states, â€Å"The Church is no more to me (Hardy 237). † Religion produced a falsehood of emotions that only left Jude dissatisfied with his thoughts and actions. Religion forms an image of an attainable ideal world, but this ideal vision rejects reality. Within the novel, Jude sees in Christminster an attainable, ideal world, similar to the one people see in the Church, heaven. Hardy uses biblical references that lead readers to make a connection between the Church and Christminster. Jude sees Christminster as â€Å"the city of the light† and â€Å"a place he had likened to the new Jerusalem (Hardy 22). † Jude sees Christminster as a place where he desires to fulfill his hopes and dreams, but this wonderful world exists only in Jude’s imagination. Jude runs to religion to escape his problems and what he had hoped to achieve in Christminster was unfulfilled. His love, Sue, left him for the one who brought him to religion, and he was not accepted to any of the colleges he had desired to attend. Like Hardy, Nietzsche explains that religion and the church create a false illusion of the world, which is actually filled with many letdowns. When religion is gone and God is dead, all that is left is the love we have for one another and ourselves. Jude’s tribulations throughout the novel are linked to his internal battle of emotions towards religion and his desires. Religion is a falsehood that leads to wandering down a path towards an unattainable ideal world. Religion creates one value of truth, but according to Nietzsche and Hardy, there isn’t one single truth and it is impossible to judge the values and correctness of one group. The judgment and hypocrisy Jude felt in the novel led him down a path of unhappiness and emptiness. Jude’s realization at the end of the novel correlates with Nietzsche view on religion; one must choose his own path because when God is dead, all that is left is the individual perspective on reality.

College Admissions Essay: Art Therapy and Animal Therapy :: College Admissions Essays

Art Therapy and Animal Therapy    As another wave of excited, hopeful seniors pack their cars for college, the community that nurtured them watches them go with nostalgia and anticipation at what these bright new adults will make with the talents bestowed on them and with the mountains of opportunity available to them. The students are brimming with anticipation also - what possibilities await them! As I take my place with my fellow classmates, I watch my old community fade into the distance and wonder how I will contribute to my community in the future.    My career choices have varied throughout the years with a colorful strand threading my love for animals, art and people. I intend to major in psychology with a minor in art. My dream is to help people through my compassion and creativity. Art therapy and animal therapy are exciting fields of work hungry for new talent and well-educated, dedicated professionals. My love of these lines of work stems from having witnessed the wrinkled hand of an infirm, elderly woman stroke the soft fur of a dog, immediately brightening and starting to communicate her first words in years. I have also understood the intense relief of parents of a sick, depressed child whose interest in her artwork sparks renewed interest in the world around her. My artistic ability, strength in science, love of animals and passion for bettering the lives around me give me daily reasons why I know I am committed to this field.    However, the reasons do not stop there. I want to extend my vision into the community, perhaps starting a program in my church community that involves participants taking small pets on their visits to nursing home residents. I could even involve surrounding youth groups in work on art projects with the youth at our local children's home. Getting the community involved in such projects opens new outlets of creativity to flow into a cause I am so passionate about. Plus, the participation can be a healing, nurturing experience on both sides. With my sometimes-stubborn determination and enthusiasm for this endeavor, I will be able to involve my community in worthwhile efforts to improve the conditions of many of those who need most need assistance.

Edp250 Pt 4

Introduction The purpose of this easy is to compare and contrast two art lessons in relation to authentic arts learning and integration. The lessons will be sourced from the internet and both will be examples of using objects in the natural environment to create a painting. The lessons were designed for students in grades two to six. DiscussionAuthentic arts is as noted by Dinham,(2011) arts that incorporates learning involving integration necessitates, making connections across the curriculum between subject areas or disciplines and providing opportunities for students to witness and engage the relationships, transfer their knowledge and apply their learning through these connections. To make this happen there needs to be a move to prepare classroom teachers to become aware of art, and ways of delivering a successful lesson. Smilan and Marzilli miraglia (2009) notes, that â€Å"teachers need clarification about what art integration is and what it entails.We believe that true authen tic art- integrated learning places visual arts content at the centre of teaching and learning (p. 39)†. Meaning every teacher must continue to up skill their own knowledge of art and understands the elements to delivering an authentic art lesson requires(Dinham,2011). Art is more than painting, drawing and play dough; it is not merely a time filler at school, so teacher can have a break, or a bit of fun. Dinham, (2011) suggest that teachers need to understand what art gives their students, and how art provides a connectedness to society and their own identity and meaning.Art provides students the opportunities to problem solve, express their needs and emotion, be creative, try new experience and more importantly teachers need to appreciate authentic arts programmes as a significant importance in the curriculum. Lessons Lesson one demonstrates a well prepared art lesson and in lesson two, many elements of creating an effective authentic arts lesson are missing. Both lesson one and two require students to use natural items found in the environment to create a painting.Both lessons would be suited for students in grades two to six, and comprises elements of authentic arts. Below is a table that show what elements of authentic arts are essential when delivering an arts class. Required characteristics| Example| 1. Has connections across the curriculum| Lessons makes links to other curriculum such as maths, history etc. | 2. Uses understanding of multiple intelligences and different learning styles| Such as Howard Gardner concepts of multiple intelligence. | 3. Is themed and examines the theme in different areas| Such as dinosaurs, outdoor garden, countries. 4. Uses different modes of learning incorporated into different areas| Such as reading, singing, creating, comparing, contrasting, discussing. | 5. Lessons relate to real life tasks, that draw on a range of knowledge and skills across the curriculum| Lesson would encourage students to use prior knowledge of the task at hand. | 6. Learning’s provide opportunity for students to see relationships, transfer and apply learning and make connections across the curriculum| The lesson has been enriched with elements of real life experience and understanding. | 7.Activities are Instrumental and/or intrinsic| Instrumental, lessons that extend beyond the immediate lesson. Intrinsic lessons relates to the learning gained through the lesson Dinham,(2011). | Table is adapted from PowerPoint presentation Integration. Curtin University, (2012). Using this table as a guide the below lessons well be corresponded with the number from the above table showing which part of the lesson address each charatritcs. Lesson one: Retrieved from http://contemporaryartscenter. org/images/lessonplans/mughal-miniatures_natural-beauty. pdfMughal Miniature Paintings: Natural Beauty Grades: 2nd-7th Visual Arts Developed By: Kristen M. Woods Lesson Description: Mughal miniature painting originated during the 16th century in the Mughal Empire which spanned what are now India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. This art form is marked by careful attention of small detail, lush jewel tones, epic subject matter, and miniature scale. All of the Miniature artists that are participating in the Contemporary Arts Center’s exhibition Realms of Intimacy have studied at the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, Pakistan.The NCA is renowned for its program dedicated to the centuriesold tradition of Mughal miniature painting which flourished from 1526 to 1857. The extremely selective school takes only a dozen of its accepted students to pursue the intensive major of miniature painting. This major at the NCA mimics a traditional eight year apprenticeship in two years of schooling. The meticulous technique begins with the posture of the students. The students are required to be seated on the floor for hours a day, hold their papers close to their eyes and brace their painting arms against their bod y.Their posture is essential to mastering the tiny brushstrokes needed to create pieces with such fine details. They spend their first year and a half copying historical works and learning to make their own tools. Only in the final half year are they allowed to explore their own creative devices. There is an extreme mental discipline that goes along with every aspect of being a miniature painter. The style is based on old traditions. One brush is still composed of a single squirrel hair. Mussel shells are used as mixing bowls for their organic paints.These natural paints are made from raw materials like vegetables, fruits, oil, soil, lime, indigo and lapis lazuli and on occasion eggs, gold powder, and silver foil. Through this program students must master ultra-fine figure drawing and brushwork, tea staining of page borders and burnishing of paper surfaces; all essential to practices that were used centuries ago. For this project, students will explore natural materials that can be used to dye paper and make paints then use their homemade materials to make their own versions of Mughal miniature paintings Objectives: ? Use problem solving to figure out natural materials they can use and combine to make paints and also dye paper Learn about the process that Mughal miniature painters go through when creating a piece Create their own composition based on Mughal miniature paintings Materials and Resources: Watercolor paper Tea, coffee, and cranberry juice Lard, Butter, Solid and liquid vegetable oil Spices, mustard, dirt, grass, fruits and vegetables, and other natural materials that can stain Paint brushes Small containers with lids (paint storage)Aprons/paint shirts Links and Books on natural paint mixing and Mughal Miniatures; http://www. hyoomik. com/images/egg. html http://www. sairawasim. com/ http://www. ambreenbutt. com/web/home. php http://www. ambreenbutt. com/web/works. php Whiles, Virginia. (2010). Art and Polemic in Pakistan: Cultural Politics a nd Tradition in Contemporary Miniature Painting. Edwards, Lynn. (2003). The Natural Paint Book. Critical Questions: How are cultural practices and traditions passed down and continued over time? Why are they important? Is process important in relation to product? What if miniaturist painters used synthetic materials? Would it change the look of the work? The Emotion? Activities: Preliminary Discussion: Discuss process with students; how artists begin a piece as opposed to showing them the finished product first. Then look through some images of contemporary Mughal Miniaturist paintings by Ambreen Butt and Saira Wasim whom still use tea staining and hand mixed pigments from natural materials. Discuss briefly the imagery and subject used in the works and the meanings behind them.With older students you may be able to get them to discuss some of the political satire seen in Saira Wasim’s work Art Activity: Start the project by dying paper. Using tea, coffee, or even fruit jui ce; have students dip a piece of watercolor paper into a large container full of the liquid of their choosing. Leave the paper in the liquid for at least 15 minutes and check on how well the liquid is dying the paper (don’t leave the paper in for too long because it will start disintegrating). Once the paper has a nice color all around, take it out and leave it to dry for about 24 hours. Next, have students mix their paints. Find some things either outside or maybe in the refrigerator that can stain. Things like grass, dirt, berries, flowers, mustard, and spices would work well. Have students use lard, solid or liquid vegetable oil, or butter to grind and mix their natural materials together making a thick paint. Have each student make at least three different color paints. They may share paints when it’s time to use them. Have students use a paint brush with their homemade paints to create their own miniature painting on their dyed paper. This project is more about p rocess and nderstanding materials so the composition can be very simple especially with younger students. You might suggest they do a composition showcasing the natural materials they use to make their materials like flowers, fruit, etc. Assessment: Students have dyed a piece of paper using tea, coffee, or fruit juice Students have mixed their own paints using fat and natural materials Students have used their paints and dyed paper to create their own miniature paintings Lesson two: Retrieved from http://www. kinderart. com/painting/plantdye. shtml PLANT DYE PAINTSGrade: 2-6    †¢    Age: 6-12 †¢Ã‚   Written by: Kim Swanger [Kim is a K-3 art teacher at Lakeview and Central Elementary Schools in Council Bluffs, Iowa. ] | Objectives: Students will learn that plants are a source of natural dyes and paints. This is a good lesson to show how pioneers or early civilizations may have used plant dyes to color cloth. What You Need: * crock pots * beets * spinach or kale * bl ack walnuts in the shell * dry onion skins * paint brushes * paper What You Do: 1. Discuss with the students that before we had synthetic dyes, people had to make their own paints and dyes using plants and other resources available.Show the students the nuts and vegetables you have and ask how the pioneers may have used these materials. 2. The night before the painting lesson, place beets, spinach or kale, walnuts, and onion skins in separate crock pots with enough water to barely cover them. Cook all night. The following morning, the water in each of these pots should have turned into natural dyes. The beet water will be magenta, the onion water will be amber, the spinach or kale water will be a light green and the black walnut water will be brown. 3.Pour a small amount of paint into bowls and ask students to smell them. Discuss which vegetable made which paint. 4. Provide brushes and paper (plain or coloring pages) and permit students to paint using the natural dyes. 5. After the painting experience, ask students what other natural materials might make dyes the pioneers could have used. Experiment with student suggestions. Note: If black walnuts are not available, VERY STRONG coffee or tea makes an adequate brown dye. Berries can also be used to make colorful dyes. Currently, red dye is commonly made from a parasite that lives on cacti.Both lessons are similar in terms of requiring students to use natural objects to create a painting; However a teacher using lesson one, their students would gain a deeper understanding of authentic art, and acquire skills that they can use across curriculum, as it demonstrates modes of learning and teaching strategies which enables each students to expression and understand what is required. It also uses scaffold learning, which enable students to see examples of what they could achieve, but also gives the history and reasoning behind why they are required to do this activity.This enables students to take an educational value from the lesson, rather than doing it just for merely fun (Dinham,2011). Although lesson two also has real world connection and can be intergraded into other curriculums it is its lack of depth to which it can do this that makes it the inferior of the two lessons. Lesson two can link to history whereas lesson one can relate to multiple curriculums, making this a more intergraded lesson to benefit student learning’s (Dinham, 2011).Lesson one has provided more elements of real life experience for students that they can compare contrast between a variety of objects they have used from the environment, from vegetables to plants and so forth. Whereas lesson two only focuses on one element. Both lesson one and two are instrumental meaning that they extend beyond the immediate arts experience (Dinham,2011) but again it would be lesson one that take this experience further as it looks at the impact the lesson has upon students learning as a whole.Overall, lesson two does not tick th e boxes for authentic arts integrated learning in the way that lesson one does. Lesson one provides a real and authentic learning experience that incorpatres connections to other areas of the curriculum, using modes of learning and teaching strategies which encourage and support every learner in the classroom regardless of skill or ability, all essential fact in delivering an authentic arts experience.References Curtin University, (2012). Course Notes. PP2 Integration. Retrieved fromhttps://lms. curtin. edu. au/webapps/portal/frameset. jsp? tab_tab_group_id=_4_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_47595_1%26url%3D Dinham, J. (2011). Delivering authentic arts education. South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning.

Competency Statement Essay

To establish and main a safe, healthy learning environment I believe it is important to establish and maintain a safe and healthy learning environment by keeping my center and play ground area clean and free of the things that are harmful to my children. I believe the first steps to encourage learning is to keep a clean and safe environment, that my children’s minds will be stimulated and will meet there individual learning styles. My goal is to encourage my children to follow healthy and nutritional eating habits. I do this by promoting foods that are healthy and clean for my children to eat. I teach about and have my children sample all types of healthy food to help our bodies grow strong. My children and I have helped encourage in changing the centers menu to make the menu fun, colorful, yet healthy and nutritious, that meet the needs of those children with a special diet. One thing I would love to try to do more of would to have the children service them self as a family style meal. In the functional area of establishing a learning environment my goal for my children is to try to make sure that my classroom is fun, safe, organized and set up for success. In my classroom I have seven different learning areas: art, science, blocks, dramatic play, manipulative, writing and library. All labeled with words and pictures. I try to set up stimulating learning centers so that my children can move freely with age appropriate material for their self-directed play and learning. I like to provide a high activity, low stress environment where my children can learn and play happily together. I do have to mesh some centers onto one shelf due to limited space in my classroom. If I could I would change the layout of the room and add some more space for each center. My weekly plan is not designed by myself but by my company. I believe it is a very effective lesson plan, age appropriate and fun. I do get to add or make changes to it as needed to make it work for special needs. I try to  involve my parents in helping provide props or anything they have laying around the house that we can use to make our centers more life like. My lesson plan focus areas include circle time, language/reading activities, creative expression, science/math, music and movement, gross motor, dramatic play and sensory. I try to make every lesson fun and hands on so that I know my children are grasping the learning part of the lesson.

Pentium Flaw Essay Example

Pentium Flaw Essay Example Pentium Flaw Paper Pentium Flaw Paper NTI 1 10: Computer Structure and Logic ITT Technical Institute 10/20/2013 The Pentium Flaw a divisional error was discovered in the summer of 1994. The flaw was discovered by Intel. Intel decided that their chips did not need to be recalled since the chance of the average user discovering the error was less than 1 in 9 billion. Thomas Nicely a mathematics professor at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg VA made error public when he sent an e-mail to several colleagues. Nicely was using several computers to compute mathematical problems to prove they had enough power to do so. I believe Intel did not handle the problem correctly at all. Intel knowing that there was a flaw in the chip still sent out a defective product. Regardless of who might come across the flaw or error Intel should have recalled the chip immediately to have them replaced. Intel deciding to send out the flawed processor has probably helped the company as well. Before the flaw not many people even knew who or what Intel was. Intel after months of research and help from outside professionals decided to recall the chip and have them replaced. Nicely said he had run more than one quadrillion calculations on a revised chip and could ot reproduce the error. If a similar flaw like this were to happen today Im not exactly sure what would happen. One thing Im sure of is word of any flaw or error would spread like wild fire. The old rule of thumb is 1 tells 10, well now its more like 1 tells 10,000. I believe that if a similar situation were to occur it would be handled quickly and promptly. Im sure Intel has new policies in place to handle situations like this and other companies would learned from Intels mistake. Reference Markoff, J. (1994, November 24). New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from

The Snake Cult of False Prophet Alexander of Abonoteichus

The Snake Cult of False Prophet Alexander of Abonoteichus It turns out that modern America isnt the only place suffering from scary and bizarre cults. Meet Alexander of Abonoteichus, who used a hand puppet to create his own cult centered on a snake. Alexanders story comes to us from the Greek satirist Lucian, who weaves a fascinating tale of faith and scams. External sources corroborated the existence of a Glycon cult, and even one of Lucians more spurious claims - that Alexander slept with married ladies - seems to have been possible, if not terribly likely. Early Life Alexander hailed from Abonoteichus, a hot-spot in Paphlagonia on the Black Sea. But  the story of this  Alexander,  Lucian says, is no mean feat to tell; Lucian might as well be speaking of Alexander the Great! As Lucian quips, The one was as great in villainy as the other in heroism. As a youth, Alexander was a prostitute. One of his  clients was a snake oil salesman/doctor, a quack, one of those who advertise enchantments, miraculous incantations, charms for your love-affair. This guy recognized trained him in the ways of trickery and selling scams. There was a long tradition of wandering scholars/magicians in this part of the world at the time, as Lucian attests: Alexanders master once followed the famed mystic Apollonius of Tyana. Sadly for Alexander, his master died when he hit his teens, so he formed a partnership with a Byzantine writer of choral songs to go around the countryside practicing quackery and sorcery. Alexander and his partner Cocconas followed one of their best clients home to Pella in Macedon.   At Pella, Alexander got the idea for his greatest  scheme yet, one that allowed him to  become the Professor Marvel of the ancient Mediterranean.  He bought one of those pet snakes and, having realized that people who provided hope to their worshippers earned a  lot of money in tribute and offerings, decided to  found his own snake cult based around prophecy. Serpents had  long been associated with foreknowledge in ancient Greece, so that was a no-brainer. A False Prophet Is Born Alexander and Cocconas started in Chalcedon, where they went to the temple of Asclepius, a healing deity and son of prophecy god Apollo. In that sanctuary, they buried tablets that foretold the coming of Asclepius to Alexander’s hometown of Abonoteichus. Once people â€Å"discovered† these texts, every mystic headed straight there to build a temple to Asclepius.   Alexander went home dressed as a prophet descended from Perseus (even though everyone who knew him from home was aware his parents were Average Joes). In order to keep up the pretense of prophecy, Alexander chewed soapwort root to fake fits of madness. He also created a snake hand puppet made from linen that â€Å"would open and close its mouth by means of horsehairs, and a forked black tongue ... also controlled by horsehairs, would dart out.† Alexander even stashed an extra snake egg near the temple in Abonoteichus; muttering words in Hebrew and Phoenician – which seemed like magical gibberish to his listeners – he scooped up the snake and said Asclepius had arrived! Alexander then snuck in a tame snake he bought from Pella and swapped it out for the baby serpent, telling everyone it grew up super-fast, thanks to magic. He also put tubes into his snake puppet and had a friend speak through them to allow Asclepius to prophesize. As a result, his snake, Glycon, was turned into a god. To interpret prophecies, Alex told supplicants to write down their questions on scrolls and drop them off with him; he secretly read them after removing their wax seals with a hot needle, then prepped his answers before they returned. He banned others from sex with young boys, but allowed himself to molest choirboys who served him. This fraud set a high price for his prophecies and sent people abroad to stir up good PR for him. Word reached as far as Rome, from which rich but gullible Rutilianus came to visit; the false prophet even manipulated this guy into marrying Alexanders own daughter. This helped Alexander establish a spy network in Rome and create  mystery rites  for his cult,  like those of Demeter or Dionysus. So great was Alex’s influence that he convinced the emperor to change the name of Abonoteichus to Ionopolis (perhaps after another of Apollo’s mythical sons, Ion); the emperor also issued coins with Alexander on one side and the snake Glycon on the other! Alexander once prophesied he’d live until 150, then get struck by lightning, but his real death was less dramatic. Before he turned 70, one of his legs rotted all the way to his groin; only then did people notice he wore a wig to look young.

Dissolve Styrofoam or Polystyrene in Acetone

Dissolve Styrofoam or Polystyrene in Acetone Dissolving Styrofoam or another polystyrene product in acetone is a spectacular demonstration of the solubility of this plastic in an organic solvent. It also illustrates just how much air is in the Styrofoam. All you need to do is to pour a bit of acetone into a bowl, and place Styrofoam beads, packing peanuts, chunks of foam, or even a Styrofoam cup in the container. The Styrofoam will dissolve in the acetone much like sugar dissolves in  hot water. Since Styrofoam is mostly air, you may be surprised by how much (or, in the end, how little) foam will dissolve in the acetone. A cup of acetone is enough to dissolve an entire bean bags worth of styrofoam beads. How It Works Styrofoam is made of polystyrene foam. When the polystyrene dissolves in the acetone, the air in the foam is released. This makes it look like youre dissolving a massive quantity of material into a small volume of liquid. You can see a less-dramatic version of the same effect by dissolving other polystyrene items in acetone. Common polystyrene products include disposable razors, plastic yogurt containers, plastic mailers, and CD jewel cases. The plastic dissolves in just about any organic solvent, not just acetone. Acetone is found in some nail polish removers. If you cant find this product, you could dissolve styrofoam in gasoline just as easily. Its best to do this project outdoors because acetone, gasoline, and other organic solvents tend  to be toxic when inhaled.

Differential and Integral Calculus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Differential and Integral Calculus - Essay Example Calculus is widely used in physical, biological and social sciences. Examples of its applications in physical sciences are like studying the speed of falling body, rates of change in a chemical reaction, or rate of decay in a radioactive reaction. In the biological sciences its applications include solving the problem of rate of growth of bacteria as a function of time. In social sciences Calculus has its applications in the study of probability and statistics. The two main branches of Calculus are Differential Calculus and Integral Calculus. Differential Calculus deals with rates of change while studying or solving a problem and Integral Calculus involves summations of special type. One helps to find the slope of tangent to a curve at a certain point while the other is used to find the area covered by a curve and two points on it. As the entire natural world is in a constant motion and thus a change, mathematical analysis provides us the means to investigate the process of change, motion and dependence of quantities upon each other. Consider the motion of a body moving in a straight line whose position is given by a number expressing the distance and direction from a fixed point, the origin. Now if we specify the position of this body at each instant of time, it is equivalent to defining a function of some real numbers representing time to some corresponding real numbers representing position. Now consider the following three scenarios: 1. What will be function to give the velocity at each instant 2. If only velocity is known at each instant, find the distance travelled during a particular interval of time. 3. If only the function giving the velocity at each instant is known, what would be the function giving the position at each instant These are the basic problems which are generally addressed by Calculus. DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS The two main concepts in Calculus are limits of a function and continuity. Limit of a Sequence If n is a set of integers greater than 0 then consecutive points of a sequence, in our example 2-1/n, when plotted on a number line the sequence will come out to be as 1,1.5,1.66,1.75, 1.8, , 2-1/n, . or 1, 3/2, 5/3, 7/4, 9/5, , 2-1/n, .. Sequence I It is worth noting that as our sequence progresses it seems that we get closer and closer to 2 or our sequence appears to be approaching 2 as it progresses further and further but at no point does it appear to be exactly equal to 2. If x is a variable with above sequence as its range then it is said that xapproaches 2 as limit, or, x tends to 2 as limit and it is written as x 2. Limit of a Function Continuing with our example of Sequence I above, if function of x f(x) = x2 then all our results would be approaching a value of 4 as in (1)2, (3/2)2, (5/3)2, (7/4)2, (9/5)2, , (2-1/n)2, .. or 1, 9/4/ 25/9, 49/16, 81/25, whereas x 2. Like in another example of a sequence emerging from 2+1/10n the terms of the sequence are 2.1, 2.01, 2.001, 2.0001, .., 2+1/10n Sequence II Here again x2. It can be easily demonstrated that x24 as squaring

W.E.B. DuBois life and role in the history of education Essay

W.E.B. DuBois life and role in the history of education - Essay Example William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an influential African American intellectual leader in the United States, who lived between 1868 and 1963.As a sociologist, historian, civil right activist, Pan-Africanist, author, editor and educator, W.E.B. Du Bois explored scholarship, integration, national self determination, human rights, cultural and economic separatism, politics, third world solidarity, expatriation and international communism as possible solutions to the issue of racism that was prevalent in the twentieth century America society in which he lived (Lewis, 2001). W.E.B. Du Bois emerged in the limelight through his opposition to Booker T. Washington alleged idea of accommodation as a solution to the problems affecting the African-American population (Calhoun et al., 2009). In place of the idea of accommodation, W.E.B. Du Bois advocated increased political participation of African Americans to ensure civil rights and challenged African-Americans to achieved greater successes i n their endeavors and become exceptional leaders in their communities to ensure progress of the African-American race. Indeed, W.E.B Du Bois suggested that African-Americans should focus on obtaining higher education in the liberal arts as this will equip them to negotiate and change a society that is dominated by racism, hate and prejudice (Alridge 2008). As a mixed-race son of a lone impoverished mother, W.E.B. Du Bois faced challenges that shaped his educational ideology. He worked after-school to support himself and his mother, who could not work as a result of stroke. His childhood experiences and those at school; in addition to the relationships he forged while at schools nourished his ideology that education provides the means through which African American can advance their socio-economic standing. Life of W.E.B. Du Bois: events that shape his thoughts W.E.B. Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, to Alfred Du Bois and Mary Silvina Burghar dt Du Bois (Alridge, 2008). Great Barrington, where W.E.B. Du Bois grew up, was a predominantly Anglo-American settlement. His maternal family was part of the relatively very small black population in Great Barrington while his father, who was of a mixed race – French Huguenot and African – was from Haiti (Wolters, 2003). Before W.E.B. Du Bois was two years old, his father deserted the family. While still young, Du Bois’ mother suffered stroke that rendered her incapable of working. Thus, the family relied on charity from family members and the income from W.E.B. Du Bois after-school work. The predominantly white population of Great Barrington notwithstanding, Du Bois never felt separated while at school (Du Bois, 1903). In fact, some neighborhood whites rented Du Bois and his mother a house in Great Barrington (Du Bois, 1903). However, a certain experience during a game of â€Å"calling cards† when a white girl refused to accept his card on the basis of his skin color, led him to the realization that racism is ingrained in the thinking and life of some people in the American society (Du Bois, 1903). As a young boy working to support his incapacitated mother and himself, he realized early in life that education holds the key to the door of economic and social emancipation and betterment of not only his family but that of other African-Americans. His successes in his academic pursuit confirmed his belief and also equipped him in his quest for the empowerment of African Americans. Encouraged by his teachers, who recognized his intellectual potentials, he majored in classical courses in high school (Du Bois, 1903). He attended Fisk University, Harvard University and University of Berlin. His study stay at Berlin led to his intellectual maturation as he was opportune to study under German prominent social scientists. He also travelled extensively throughout Europe during his study at Berlin. These experiences and relationships nourished and shaped W.E.B. Du

Business Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Tax - Essay Example on, whether an activity is considered as trading or non-trading depends on the specific facts of different cases as provided in the badges of trade (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2015). In this regard, this paper states the general rules relating to how HMRC determines trading and applies them to interpreted different transactions in different scenarios. The badges of trade aid in deciding whether a transaction after review, is a trade or non-trade for the application of corporation taxes. The first of the badges of trade is the profit-seeking motive which states that with evidence that the sole intention of purchasing an asset is to re-sell at a profit and not holding it as an investment leads to the conclusion that trading has occurred or is being carried on (Great Britain & Hodge, 2013). The implication of the profit-seeking principle is not that a profit-seeking objective should definitely mean a trade is being carried on but that this motive should be weighed with the other factors provided in the badges of trade. For an example of a case law, Salt v Chamberlain (1979) case concerned losses that had been made by an individual in the transaction of buying and selling quoted securities with a motive of making profits. In that case, the prosecution asserted that the evidence that an individual is engaged in transactions involving speculative dealings in the stock market is considered as carrying on a trade (Great Britain & Hodge, 2013). In this case, the claim was that all the other badges of trade were present but the General Commissioners and the court declined to disturb the findings indicating that they were not trade transactions (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2015). This case implied that the motive of seeking profit is a question of fact that and is not determined by the professed intentions of the person and in most cases it is inferred from the surrounding situations. The second badge is emphasized on the number of the transactions and states that repeated and systematic transactions

Critical nursing situations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical nursing situations - Research Paper Example The study had several limitations regarding the sample population, tools, availability of data, and the role of nurses in pain identification and assessment. First, the study reviewed medical documents from two medical centers with specified care in Quebec City. The study also considered only 52 patients and 183 pain cases. The statistics indicate that the study had a narrow coverage that did not offer an ultimate sample population. Second, the research used reviewed secondary data from the two clinics. It is possible that this clinic lacked proper documentation procedures. Thus, the availed documents had irregularities that result to wrong interpretation of the results. Third, the use of secondary data is an indication that the medical field lacks appropriate tools for conducting pain assessment for patients in this category of care. Thus, inadequacy or lack of the tools might have resulted in wrong data and misinterpretations. Finally, the research focused on non-pharmacological pr ocedures in clinics that used pharmacological procedures. The differences were sources of faults and wrong data. It also failed to incorporate the nursing roles and ideas of assessing pain. Overall, the reliance on medical documentation to identify the best practices for pain assessment created room for wrong entries and findings. The highlighted are the main limitations of this study. In the absence of non-pharmacological equipment for assessing pain in the critical care units, the sector should empower nurses by conducting preemptive education plans.

Applied buyer behaviour in a global context Assignment

Applied buyer behaviour in a global context - Assignment Example The two adverts have exposure of consumer buying process, segmentation, perception map, motivation and finally marketing mix (Sandhusen & Richard, 2013, p78). The advert by John Lewis that had been designed by Adam & Eve/DDB has which is the agency that creates a huge chunk of the John Lewis adverts has so many notable sections in it. The included song was from an upcoming pop star who is a breathy young man. Other adverts in the past have been entailing breathy young woman. The artist creates maximum emotion from every section of the song making highly applicable for entire. While the song by John Lennon is not popular by many people, the artist (Tom Odell) creates emotional sphere from it. It creates a scenario whereby the story is typically narrated through the use of pictures in a manner indicating little girls and boys playing with different toys. The story outline creates a perception of people waiting for love. There is a creation of snow that was filmed in July. There is also the creation of a Christmas tree and entailing of a middle-class family in some parts of the north east London and heavy filming from Victoria hackney. The adverts create a sensational and ambitious model similar to the 2013 adverts that featured a bear and hare animated epic. Instead of the use of the epic model, the John Lewis chooses to apply the formula of a cute boy highly longing for the Christmas time to get a penguin gift in the 25th December. It reveals of how the by spends his time paling with the friend who is a penguin. At first, the penguin friend appears real but later it emerges that it was untrue, and perhaps CGI was entailed in the filming process. The film shows the Sam, who is the boy going to the field and playing Lego with his friend penguin (Monty). The two bounce to trampoline in unison and Sam notes the Monty is lonely as it sees couples touching hands. In Christmas time, Sam looks Monty one g ood thing, a mate that it had strongly missed all the time. Beside

What did the Impressionists aim to do Discuss their subject matter and Essay

What did the Impressionists aim to do Discuss their subject matter and their distinctive painting method - Essay Example The main aim of impressionists was to objectively record the world with respect to the protean effects of light and color. The Post-Impressionists, however, intended a better ambitious expression of light and color. Impressionists were initially considered as painters of mere impressions who are unable to create a well composed and finished painting. However, their special way of depicting the world received recognition later. An Impressionist paints outdoor sceneries and landscapes. They work for short period of time. They stop when light changes and resume their work when light become similar on another day. The Impressionist way of painting is done by making new advances in color. Color is packed in collapsible tubes that are portable. New ranges of colors are available, for example, some are less fugitive compared to others. Impressionist’s way working initially alienated the public though it gained great impression in some minds. The Thames below Westminster† is an example of nature painting that has the typical impressionist characteristics. It is a misty London landscape painting. The scene of London drowned in mass of fog captured the artistic heart of Claude. The special impressionist technique, the smear effect of brush touch, is recognizable in this painting. The less contrast of white and black and the balance between two main colors constitute the typical impressionist characteristics. Grey and beige color balance in the painting forms a smooth texture of mist perception. The Water-Lily Pond (1899) also has typical impressionist character of painting nature. The simple design of this painting, the lake and the close-up view of the bridge, makes it special. The painting shows an early summer day, leaves of fresh green color. The lively brushstrokes and application of pure color makes the painting a special impressionist painting. Seurat’s Bathers at Asnieres (1884), the celebrated painting of the young artist Georges Seurat (1859 -1891) shows some special impressionist characteristics. The usual pattern of impressionist paintings is visible in this painting. The open-air light effects, that are special characteristics of impressionist works, are found in this painting. According to impressionist ideas, the actual color of an object can be modified by various effects like sunlight, atmospheric light and juxtaposed colors. The technique of modifying color is visible in this painting. The painting is an example of the color theory of impressionists. It also shows an outdoor scene that is very common in impressionist paintings. A Wheatfield, with Cypresses 1889, the celebrated Vincent Van Gogh painting exhibits several characteristics of the paintings of impressionism. The painting shows nature, that is found in several other impressionist paintings. The equable balance of Impressionism, found in this painting, is cleanly replaced by an emotional disturbance. Calm objectivity is replaced by a special expression of intense feeling. The variety and freedom employed in the use of brush and the juxtaposition of near-primary colors makes A Wheatfield, with Cypresses 1889 a typical impressionist painting. The sunny landscape and the cypress trees also characterize the impressionist works. Van Gogh's Long Grass with Butterflies (1890) is another painting that shows the characteristics of works of the impressionism period. Nature scene and the color contrast visible in the painting makes it an impressionist painting. For capturing the constantly changing effects of light on

Applied buyer behaviour in a global context Assignment

Applied buyer behaviour in a global context - Assignment Example The two adverts have exposure of consumer buying process, segmentation, perception map, motivation and finally marketing mix (Sandhusen & Richard, 2013, p78). The advert by John Lewis that had been designed by Adam & Eve/DDB has which is the agency that creates a huge chunk of the John Lewis adverts has so many notable sections in it. The included song was from an upcoming pop star who is a breathy young man. Other adverts in the past have been entailing breathy young woman. The artist creates maximum emotion from every section of the song making highly applicable for entire. While the song by John Lennon is not popular by many people, the artist (Tom Odell) creates emotional sphere from it. It creates a scenario whereby the story is typically narrated through the use of pictures in a manner indicating little girls and boys playing with different toys. The story outline creates a perception of people waiting for love. There is a creation of snow that was filmed in July. There is also the creation of a Christmas tree and entailing of a middle-class family in some parts of the north east London and heavy filming from Victoria hackney. The adverts create a sensational and ambitious model similar to the 2013 adverts that featured a bear and hare animated epic. Instead of the use of the epic model, the John Lewis chooses to apply the formula of a cute boy highly longing for the Christmas time to get a penguin gift in the 25th December. It reveals of how the by spends his time paling with the friend who is a penguin. At first, the penguin friend appears real but later it emerges that it was untrue, and perhaps CGI was entailed in the filming process. The film shows the Sam, who is the boy going to the field and playing Lego with his friend penguin (Monty). The two bounce to trampoline in unison and Sam notes the Monty is lonely as it sees couples touching hands. In Christmas time, Sam looks Monty one g ood thing, a mate that it had strongly missed all the time. Beside

Take-Home Exam Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Take-Home Exam - Term Paper Example Scenes in movies or films are the activities that take place at a single location through a given amount time (Tomaric, 2012). Scenes are small films within a film, which make up the whole, when they are merged, through editing, to come up with one complete film. Scenes have some distinct qualities that characterize them to the extent that they are given unique names. This is because these characteristics can be reproduced, on other films, to bring about the same effect that they were designed to elicit. Establishing a shot in filmmaking is the process of making a long footage whose objective is to provide an overview of the scene that follows this shot. A wide shot in a film is also referred to as a long shot, and it shows the entire feature of interest in the frame. The shot includes an entire object that is captured including the surrounding environment that relates to the feature. A medium shot in filming is a shot that is taken when the camera is positioned at a medium distance away from the feature of interest (Tomaric, 2012). The distance that defines a medium shot is not clearly established because it creates confusion between a close up shot and a medium shot. A medium close up shot can be defined as a picture frame that includes, for example, the photo of a person from the below the waist and above the knees. A close up shot is a photo that includes the image of a person from the chest up or even the face only. An extreme close up shot is tightly taken A photo that only shows a specific detail about a feature. This can be a close up of the ears or the eyes. An over the shoulder shot is a shot of a feature taken from the perspective or camera angle of an over the shoulder view of another person or object. A 2-shot is a shot taken to include two features in one single shot. A point of view shot is more of a short scene describing the subject feature’s view at an object which taken by placing the camera angle between the subjects view and his/her reaction to the object (Tomaric, 2012). Question #2 A film budget is the money used to cater for expenses that are incurred in the filming making process. A film budget includes an above the line budgetary allocation that covers the key players, in the production of a movie for example, producers, directors, actors and writers. All other fund allocations are referred to as below the line. The film I would like to make addresses the prevailing social problems in society. The film would be produced in a way that it would be appealing and intriguing to the intended audience. I would seek to address the issue of drug abuse in society especially by the young generation. In doing this, I would seek the services of a script writer whose is familiar and conversant with the theme of this film. Ideas for this film can be got from persons who have had prior experience with drug abuse involving the youth. Film making has three basic steps that are involved in the process. These are the pre-prod uction stage, the production stage and the post production stage (Cleve, 2012). The pre-production stage involves the careful planning and designing of the film. A production company is created along with a production office. Pre-visualization of the film is done, and a storyboard of the film is established with guidance of concept artists and illustrators. A production budget is also drawn up during the pre-production which helps determine and plan for film expenditures. Films with

The Amish and their ways Essay Example for Free

The Amish and their ways Essay There are many cultures around and have different view as we do. People are all different and no one is alike. We all perform different beliefs and ideas. One of these cultures are the Amish. They live a different way of life than what we do or as myself. The Amish way of life has many interesting concepts that may make them different from different cultures. Some may see the Amish as bad people but they are not and their way of living distant and makes them look stronger in todays society. The primary mode of subsistence of the Amish is Horticulturalist. They are farmers. They plant different crops every year depending on the time of year. The women help them with the farming and with the farming they feed themselves and most don’t depend on anything else other than what they grow on their lands. tillers of the soil and people of the land. When a young Amish couple gets married they are given a parcel of land by one of the fathers. This land is given so that the couple can get a head start on taking care of themselves and earning a living. The Amish people today do not use many modern day agriculture implements depending on the old ways to farm and harvest crops. The Amish have a patrilineal descent pattern, although they do incorporate the mothers maiden name as a childs middle name. This only confirms the fact that the Amish believe Christ is the head of man and man is the head of women. Women’s descent lines are in no way ignored, they are just less emphasized. The (male) father is the individual who possesses the most authority within the Amish family. Inheritances are often passed down through the male side of the family. Sons are more likely to gain property than daughters, and it is typically the younger siblings who receive the inheritance. The Amish naming patterns are the most similar to the Iroquois and Inuit kinship systems naming patterns. They include the same names for nuclear family, although in the Amish culture the mothers sister is called Aunt and not mother as well.The Amish go through three stages of childhood. These can be classified as the little people, the scholars and the young people. The little people include children below school age, the scholars include people who are in school and the young people include those who are 15 years or older who are exploring themselves at social events like youth groups before marriage. With age comes social power and according to the Amish wisdom is based on age and experience rather than the level of education obtained or scientific knowledge. Most Amish people get married between the ages of 22 and 25 on a Tuesday or Thursday and divorce is rare. By the age of 45, the Amish woman has 7.1 children and this is largely based on the fact that the Amish do not view birth control as a permissible medication to use. Marriages and church services take place in the homes of the older Amish communities and the more liberal Amish people have church services in church buildings. Sometimes extended family will all live on the same farm and couples will retire so that their children can take over the farm. Men are seen as the head of the house hold and are often treated with more respect than the women. The main functions of the Amish families are procreation, nurture and socialization. Certain loyalties towards family members exist not only in childhood but throughout life. It is the mans duty to find another Amish woman to be his mate. His selection of possible wives is limited but can extend to other Amish communities other than his own. The Amish have limited contact with other communities because of the fact that they do not rely on technology such as the internet and telephone. Therefore most marriages occur within the same communities. Many mates meet at singings, where the boys sit on one side of the table and the girls on the other. Girlfriends and boyfriends do not often refer to each other by their first names and instead refer to them as he or she. Families are patriarchic and monogamous with the father being the head of the house hold. The wife is supposed to be obedient to her husband but first and for most she is supposed to be faithful to god and there are no grounds for a divorce. The wife has a purse that is controlled by her husband who gives her money for house hold items and clothing as needed. Arguments among couples often go unnoticed or with silence. Children are seen as sinless as they are believed not to know the difference between right and wrong and it is the parent’s responsibility to teach the children these things. In terms of laws and rights the Amish are essentially egalitarian. The lines between each social status are very blurred, and although women’s voices are less heard their votes still count equally to the votes of men. The Amish do not have an established government. Social power comes from the ministers and church officials. The Amish culture does not identify with a political structure. The church leaders have more of an influence over the people than any political power does. Laws used throughout the rest of the United States are also enforced in the Amish counties of the Northeastern United States. Punishment in the Amish culture is excommunication from the church and or banning from the community and from communicating with friends and family still in the community. Gender roles play a large part in Amish communities. From a young age, the Amish are taught the roles of males and females. The Amish take their beliefs from the bible. This is how the concept of gender roles came about in their society. Amish women are expected to cover their hair to show submission. They are expected to honor and support their husbands. In Amish communities, the males are the leaders and the ones who make the decisions for the entire community. The women are expected to take care of the family and maintain the house. Women generally do not have jobs outside of the home. However, young women are usually schoolteachers. Once there are small children in the home however, it is difficult for women to have outside jobs. The role of women and men differ in mainstream society. Today, their roles have moved to become more equal. Men will help with the housework and women often have full-time jobs helping to support their families. Because of their religious beliefs, the Amish still separate male and female roles. Although I may disagree about some of their ideas, I can understand why the Amish’s view of gender works in their communities. They have lived this way for a number of years and they seem to accept their roles well. Even though it appears that women are inferior to men, women are also free of some social pressures common in mainstream society. Amish women do not accentuate their physical appearances. They do not wear make-up or modify their appearances in any way. This is hardly the case in mainstream society. Despite these seemingly strict gender roles, the boundaries can be crossed. For example, if there is a lot of work to do, the women may help with the field work, and sometimes the men will help with the household chores. The Amish seem to be content with how their communities are run. The Amish people of modern day America are no different as this unique subculture strives to cure the sick and diseased within the realm of community accepted means. By taking a detailed look at the methods utilized by the Amish to cure sickness and disease, one will come to appreciate the role culture plays in establishing medical treatment as well as the importance of health matters in Amish society. One of the most common and historically based methods for curing the sick and diseased in Amish society is through the use of folk remedies. Folk or house remedies as it is often termed, have their roots in the Germanic ancestry of the Amish. Oral tradition has maintained a basic knowledge of various teas, powders, liniments, and foods used in Amish folk remedies for hundreds of years. Another application used to cure the sick and diseased also has its roots in the German ancestry of the Amish. Powwowing, also called sympathy curing, is often applied to cure the sick of the community in conjunction with various home remedies. The Amish seek help from the medical establishment in nearby villages, towns, and cities when it is needed. Although there is an absence of any type of restriction in the Amish lifestyle pertaining to the use of the medical establishment, many are reluctant to seek professional medical care unless it is absolutely necessary. This stems from several reasons, one of which is the avoidance of the world, a strong Amish belief previously mentioned. Another reason is the high cost of medical treatment as the Amish do not believe in carrying health insurance. Having health insurance would be seen as associating with the world and therefore detrimental to the Amish faith. The Amish history shows us that living the way they have, is not easy. They have been able to almost completely separate themselves from the rest of society. Although they may have had to give in to some of the progressive ways of America, they remain a small jewel inside of a large country. There are very few people who live such a slow-paced, simple life as do the Amish. Maybe our society should take a closer look at the Amish and learn a few life lessons from them. Reflecting on the Amish could help us understand many problems that our own society faces every day. References 2009 The Amish. Electronic document, http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/Christianity/subdivisions/Amish_1.shtml Stevick, Richard A. 2007. Growing Up Amish. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 72, No. 5 (Oct., 1970), The Journal of Economic History, Vol. 53, No. 2 (Jun., 1993), Hostetler, John A. Amish Society. Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore and London, 1993. Kraybill, Donald B. The Riddle of Amish Culture. Rev. ed.: Baltimore, Md.; London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.

Cultural Difficulties of Joint Venture in China

Cultural Difficulties of Joint Venture in China The benefits in Joint Venture: JV gives more resources, greater capacity and increased technical expertise. It acts as a representative for marking the companys entrance to a new market when still it is at its learning stage. The mutual trusted partnership and co-operation will lead to its success. It strengthens the long term relationships or it may also collaborate on short term projects which lead them to access a new market and access to new technologies and they can also learn how to tackle the cultural difficulties if they are successful. The risks in joint venture: partnering with another company in an entirely new market is a bit risky. It takes more time and effort to build the right relationship. the problems will likely arise if the objectives of the JV are not clearly mentioned and explained or communicated. Normally the companies have their own objectives which will be different than the JV objectives. Imbalance in levels of expertise, assets and investments will lead to a poor integration and co-operation. Different culture and management styles will also lead to poor performance and co-operation. If both the companies doesnt provide necessary leadership support in early and developing stage of the JV it will also lead to disaster like dissolution. Cultural difficulties may occur for a global company in JV follows below: Understanding the cultural environments is critical to the success of the organisation or a company. Culture is important and it makes difference in the management. Variable  culture and different management styles will lead to dissolution of the venture.   Cultural differences always influence the way of making decision and solving problems. this also may lead to disaster. Unmanageable complexity, loss of autonomy, information  uncertainty and long term orientation will lead to failure of the venture. Human resource management plays a vital role in the Joint venture. Poor human resource  management will lead to ultimate failure of the venture. The companies on their own have different structural style but in a joint venture there is a  different style. It has been learnt in early days the Chinese use so called shame technique. The Chinese do not regard people as mature until they are at least 40yrs old. Most of the Chinese companies are part owned by the GOVT so the business decisions  making are done or influenced by govt burucracies and this will also consume more time  so this may also lead to impatience of global company. Within the advertising industry in China, advertisements have also not been spared from  controversy and national debate. With a strong influence of multi-ethnic Chinese culture  and history, companies are constantly challenged to convey their messages to potential  consumers effectively, accurately, and yet not appear offensive. While the Chinese  embraces globalization, they are not a least hesitant from voicing their dissatisfaction  when the contents of advertisements threaten their strong Chinese values. Western expatriate managers in JVs could be extraordinary. This could make an  expatriate assignment to JV in China and it will be a very frustrating experience. Presumably, cross-cultural training may be particularly helpful for the adjustment of westerners encountering the frustrating work environment in JV. In comparison, the  adjustment of Western expatriate executives in other types of organisations may not be  facilitated as much by cross-cultural training. Senior managers in China have good technical training, but it is not common for Chinese  managers to have formal management training. Besides, they may have little  international experience or understanding of a free-market economy. Such differences  may create substantial problems for expatriate managers in China. Disparity in education  and background may result in lower affinity on an interpersonal level. Differences in age  and experience may lead to further complications. A negative circle can easily take hold,  creating a considerable amount of stress. Unaware of the finer nuances of the local  cultural and social context, Western expatriates may quickly attribute their inevitable  business difficulties to the ineptness of their Chinese JV partners. This attribution could  be reinforced when they are reminded that they have been invited to China to improve on  the business deficiencies of their Chinese counterparts. To the Chinese, the word  contract means only a commercial agreement, not a legally binding document. Signing  a contract is a formal confirmation that they intend to do business with you, not an  indication of how they are planning to conduct business. It is well known that real  negotiation in China begins only after the contract is signed. Any problems arising  there from are due to the fact that the officials in the negotiation process have limited  authority and also tend to interpret the provision of the contract from their own cultural,  political and economic viewpoint. Also, the government frequently changes the  laws; hence, parties to the contract try to keep the arrangements as open and flexible as  possible. Recommendations to enable a joint venture: China is booming market which has  more than 1.3 billion of consumers and it has retained a considerable attraction for  international business. Initially, the Joint Venture law from 1979 only allowed foreign  companies to invest in joint ventures (JVs), but from 1987 onwards they could also form  wholly foreign-owned enterprises. Although the number of wholly foreign-owned  enterprises are increasing at a faster rate. So if a global company wants to market their  products in the Chinese market pyramid then the best option to attain their goal is to  make a JV and reach their goal in china while still in the developing process. China  is distinctly different from most other countries and would be a challenging destination  for Western business expatriates. Their need for effective cross-cultural skills appears to  be substantial, as they have to adjust to a fundamentally different cultural and social  context than their own. That adjustment may be facilitated by means of cross-cultural  training, there is inconclusive evidence of its effectiveness the impact of such training  may be contingent on circumstances at the host location. Hence, the challenges  facing Western expatriate managers in JV could be extraordinary. This could make an  expatriate assignment to a very frustrating experience. Presumably, cross-cultural  training may be particularly helpful for the adjustment of westerners encountering the  frustrating work environment in JV. In comparison, the adjustment of Western expatriate  executives in other types of organisations may not be facilitated as much by cross-cultural training. In organisational settings totally dominated by the foreign parent,  Western expatriates may encounter a less frustrating internal work environment. It is best that the global and foreign company both should seek due representation in the  top management group. They both should offer enough leadership to provide a better  developing process. Human resource management plays a vital role in joint venture before starting the  process for the joint venture they should go for look see process in which they analyse  the key factors like how they are going to train and employ staffs from china with the  help of the JV company, by studying the cultural advantages and disadvantages and what  are the resources they will be needed from the parent company and from the foreign  company. Next the key task should be picking the right person for the right job and they  should also keep in mind that in china they consider the person is mature when at least  they are 40 yrs old others will be considered as kids, so they should keep the age in mind  when they are appointing key persons in the company. Language training may vary from brief survival language instruction to extensive,  immersion training, aiming for complete spoken and written fluency. Host language  ability may serve several purposes. Besides facilitating communication with locals, it  may also demonstrate an attitude of attempting to learn about the host culture, enabling  one to be polite, and permitting cultural understanding not otherwise possible. They three key dimensions of in-country adjustment: (1) adjustment to work; (2) adjustment to interacting with host nationals; and (3) adjustment to the general non-work environment. For a successful company it should establish a good relation with the partner company to learn the cross culture and what are the key tasks they should concentrate to acquire the required knowledge for implementing the process to form a greater JV company. They should provide training for the people in the organisation to understand basic tenets of Chinese values, norms, and behaviours through cross-cultural training may facilitate the daily work routines of the Western expatriates increasing their work adjustment. In a Joint venture both the companies should learn their foreign languages in order to improve the communication and share information which will lead them to success in the joint venture. Both companies should share their resources, technology and analyse the aims and objectives of the company to succeed in the JV. Marketing is one of the major tasks in the joint venture company are any company. Marketing: Marketing, among all business functions, is most down-to-earth in terms of dealing with customers. As ordinary customers, every one of us already knows about  marketing. After all, it is all around us. Many people may be under the impression  that marketing is only selling and advertising, but it is actually only the tip of the  marketing iceberg. There exists a massive network of people and activities, competing  for customers attention and purchases. In todays marketplace, marketing must be  understood in the new sense of satisfying customer needs. They define marketing as  the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer  relationships in order to capture value from customers in return. The company has to understand the marketplace and customer needs and wants. Therefore, the company needs to research its customers and the market place in order to collect and manage marketing information and customer data. The second step, designing a customer driven marketing strategy, takes place once the market place and customers are fully understood. The company will select which customers to serve through market  segmentation and targeting. A value proposition will also be decided through  differentiation and positioning. After deciding on its overall marketing strategy, in the  third step, the company is ready to construct a marketing programme, which  transforms abstract strategies into real value for customers. The programme is also  known as the marketing mix which consists of 4 elements (the 4Ps)-product, price,  place and promotion. The fourth step, which is actually throughout the whole  marketing process, is to build profitable relationships and create cu stomer delight. To  achieve the goal, the company must establish strong relationships with marketing  partners as well. The fifth step is when the company can finally reap the fruits of its strong customer relationships by capturing value from customers in return. Once the  company has created satisfied and loyal customers, it can capture customer lifetime  value with a result of increased share of market and customer. The marketing mix starts with product strategy. Product covers more than the physical goods the company wants to sell. It is the goods-and-service combination the company offers to the target market. The company has to be aware of the advertisements which they produce this may also incur some problems because within the advertising industry in China, advertisements have also not been spared from controversy and national debate. With a strong influence of multi-ethnic Chinese culture and history, companies are constantly challenged to convey their messages to potential consumers effectively, accurately, and yet not appear offensive. While the Chinese embraces globalization, they are not a least hesitant from voicing their dissatisfaction when the contents of advertisements threaten their strong Chinese values. Chinese culture at the level of national culture, which is best embodied in the values held by its people. A value system is seen as a relatively permanent perceptual framework that influences an individuals behaviour. Chinese cultural value system is so unique that it distinguishes Chinese culture from Western cultures and the other Eastern cultures. Chinese culture is composed of traditional culture, communist ideology. The key to understand the traditional Chinese culture is Confucianism. Having competed with the other schools of thought in history, such as Taoism, Buddhism, etc., Confucianism is undisputedly the most influential thought, which forms the foundation of the Chinese cultural tradition and still provides the basis for the norms of Chinese interpersonal behaviour If the HR department and the operations department are clear with the Chinese culture and able to differentiate between them then it will reduce the risk variable culture organisation. The first key and method to market a product is to adopt cultural approach in marketing. Culture penetrates our inner being subconsciously and at a deep level. World cultures  share many common features. it is highly risky to ignore the potential influences generated by distinctive Chinese culture on marketing outcomes. It can lead to embarrassing mistakes, or more importantly, little rewards after all the efforts on marketing. Strategic management has to be global, whereas marketing management largely needs to be tailored to local contexts; therefore, an intercultural orientation to marketing best serves a global strategic view. Product is the central element in the market offering. localization in China is to appeal to Chinese customers taste. The production department should always keep in mind that brand new designs for a single market may be very effective in terms of delivering customer value for a specific market. Whereas, it cannot be applied to a wide range because the costs shoot up. Price is a significant element of communication and a decisive element in the social interaction between buyer and seller. It endorses their agreement and shapes their relationship, immediately and in the long term. For customers, price is a means of evaluating products in terms of social representations strongly akin to culture. The major priority lies in capturing the most customer value at the lowest cost, which is achieved by sourcing locally. cultures influence on pricing seems a little weak. Pricing is a big problem facing many marketing executives. The rest of the marketing mix must be taken into account while marketers decide how to price. The choice of place or distribution is one of the two elements of the marketing mix, which are essential in pushing the product towards the customer. Due to that reason the distribution forms subtle relationships with consumers by means of direct contact, it also plays a role as a cultural filter. Companys promotion mix also called its marketing communication. Mix consists of the specific blend of advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling and direct-marketing tools. The company uses the set of tools to persuasively communicate customer value and build customer relationships. Ideally if the company carefully coordinate these promotion elements to deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling message about the organization and its products then it can capture the market. And there are situation like you can only appoint Chinese officials only for certain market strategy and product developing, if the necessary steps had been taken by both of the companies then the JV will lead to great success. And there are necessities to have a relation ship in Chinese govt bureaucracies to have better understanding and learning of laws. Multinational companies or global company face more complicated marketing environments when dealing with customers cultivated in different cultures in the times of globalization. The JV helps in these situations so it is best to become a JV and focus on the market after studying the cultural differences thoroughly. There exist other concerns apart from culture, such as the local marketing environment, the companys long-term strategic plan. The marketing should be culture conscientious, they should perform locally as well as be customer value oriented, holding a global view. The key to success in joint venture is  the global company and the foreign company should have mutual understanding and trust on each other. In organizational communication, people are mainly to express him self through language to express ideas, concepts and facts. Language is the foundation of effective communication So it is best to keep a common language to communicate between the people. To improve cross-cultural communication skills as an effective measure is to develop cross-cultural training programs. These training programs should focus on training efficiency and effectiveness, avoid engaging in forms of training objectives and training should be based on object-choice training content, training content selection based training methods. These methods will help the organisation to run in smoother way. It is true that global companies cannot impose their ways of doing business on China. On the other hand, China actually wants and needs overseas firms to introduce more modern practices as a way of whipping domestic businesses into shape. So there will be success for the joint venture firms if they focus in the right direction at the right time. They should always analyse their aims and objectives it will lead them to success. Even though they are from different cultural backgrounds they should exceed in visualising their goal by communicating each other and passing through to even the lowest grade staffs. This reduces misunderstanding and their performance improvement can be seen. Due to the globalisation even the Chinese also try to keep up with the current trends in the market to survive so this will also help in a matter of fact for the joint venture company.

Museum Assignment: Portrait Comparison Between the 17th and 19th Centur

The Flemish seventeenth century artist Peter Paul Reubens and the nineteen century French artist Jean Auguste Dominque Ingres had little in common besides their occupation, as both utilized very different styles in their art. Reubens’s work is classified under the Baroque style, a period between 1600 and 1750 as a contrast to the prior perfection of Renaissance art, whereas Ingres’s work is under Neoclassicism, which praised the Greek and Roman classics that inspired the Renaissance artists (Kleiner). Yet the two separate time periods and painting styles that influenced the painters also share small similarites, through visual quality and iconography. Reuben’s portrait of Susanna Fourment and Ingres’s portrait of Franà §oise Poncelle clearly belong to the specific artistic movements, but some aspects of painting remain timeless, with each artist drawing inspiration from prior work. Peter Paul Reubens’s paintings were heavily influenced by his studio’s location in Antwerp. The city’s banking industry led to an emphasis upon works that a family could purchase, often within the upper middle class instead of the immensely wealthy. This emphasis allotted more time to be put into portraiture, in place of the large scale church altarpieces or palace paintings, which could be displayed in the family’s homes with more modesty. The Baroque period, a term that comes from the Portugese word â€Å"barroco†, or â€Å"irregularly shaped pearl† (Kleiner), is known for its bright colors, emphasis on reality’s relationship to fantasy, theatric quality, and dramatics. Many of Reubens’s paintings are allegorical, colorful, and inspired by numerous artists of the past as well as his current time. After the Renaissance period, artists took the classically influ... ... This painting style emphasized natural human form instead of Smooth finishes replaced thick swirls or dabs of paint to accurately convey the human form, which is shown explicitly in Ingres’s portrait. Although both pieces are portraits, each portrays the subject in differing manners. The harsh lines and blurred strokes convey a mysterious attachment to Reuben’s portrait, whereas the defined lines and photographic detail within Ingres’s portrait attach a formal connotation. The demand for home based patronage spread from Antwerp in the late sixteen hundreds into the early eighteen hundreds in France, yet what makes a portrait truly exemplary moved with the time shift. Each work reflects the time period while continuing to explore parallels between various artistic styles as well as movements, connecting artists together through their differences and similarities.

Kimberly Clark Proctor Gamble Diaper Wars Essay

Competition in the diaper industry raged on as Kimberly-Clark (KC) strived to stay ahead of its main competitor, Proctor and Gamble (P&G). By the end of 1989, KC’s Huggies controlled 32% of the market share—the highest of any single product competing in the diaper market. Now facing significant financial constraints, the leader in personal care products endeavored to create product improvements that would hold market share and outperform Proctor and Gamble’s Pampers. External Analysis One political force affecting KC and the diaper industry is Congress and eleven states introducing legislation taxing, regulating or banning the sale of disposable diapers. Because disposable diapers were not biodegradable, environmentalists were concerned about millions of diapers saturating landfills and possibly contaminating groundwater. Environmentalists lobbied for diapers to be taxed or banned to prevent further environmental degradation. If laws were passed taxing or banning disposable diapers, consumers would stop buying Huggies and resort back to cloth. Possible legal restrictions severely threatened the future of the disposable diaper. A second political factor affecting Kimberly-Clark and the diaper industry is ease of entry to European and Japanese markets. Neither Japan nor European countries imposed political sanctions and foreign regulations preventing KC from entering their markets. A final example of political/legal forces affecting the diaper industry and KC is P&G unlawfully monopolizing the diaper market and violating anti-trust laws. In 1989, Pampers (Proctor and Gamble’s premium diaper line) and Luv’s (Proctor and Gamble’s mid-price diapers) together controlled 49% of the diaper market. P&G’s violation of anti-trust laws could prevent KC from having an equal opportunity to gain market share and every percentage of market share lost would cost KC $6-10 million in profit. Because diapers accounted for 37% of Kimberly-Clark’s net income, P&G’s monopolization could significantly impact KC’s future. An economic factor affecting Kimberly-Clark and the diaper industry is the increase in disposable income by women working outside their homes. The increase in disposable income allows KC and its competitors to successfully sell disposable diapers at premium prices. There are several social/cultural forces affecting KC and the diaper industry, as previously mentioned, there was an increase in consumer activism. Environmentalists and environmentally concerned customers expressed concerns over disposable diapers’ potential health risks for sanitation workers and groundwater pollutants. Also, disposable diapers received harsh criticism for not being biodegradable. Landfills contained approximately 4-5.5 billion pounds of discarded diapers—nearly five percent of total volume. Environmentalists were determined to stop further pollution, which seemed inevitably detrimental to KC and other diaper manufacturers. Another social/cultural force was an aging population. Fortunately for KC, there is a positive relationship between the number of elderly persons and the need for incontinence products. According to statisticians, 31 million North Americans were over age 65 and 10% had incontinence issues. Because Kimberly-Clark has extensive knowledge in producing diapers, feminine products, toilet paper and other paper products, they could easily create diapers for adults. A third social/cultural force is the extended amount of time children spent in diapers. The diaper extension led KC to introduce Pull-Ups, which targeted toddlers being potty-trained. Other social/cultural forces include a decrease in family size and more mothers working outside the home (mentioned above). A technological force affecting Kimberly-Clark and the diaper industry was the introduction of super-thin technology. Super-thin technology was created by using polyacrylate, a powder crystal that absorbs 50 times its weight in liquid. The introduction of super-thin technology created more shelf space for Huggies and reduced shipping costs (more diapers fit in a truck). A second technological factor is industry spending on R&D. P&G and KC spent approximately $110 million annually on Research and Development. As previously mentioned, every percent of market share gained equals $6-10 million in profit. Kimberly-Clark and its competitors worked to create breakthrough inventions that would steal customers away from Proctor and Gamble. A third technological force affecting KC and the diaper industry is patent protection. Due to heightened competiveness in the industry, P&G and KC took strenuous efforts to protect their technology from competitors. KC and P&G were extremely suspicious of one another and frequently sued over use of proprietary technologies (gains from lawsuits were negligible). Some of the political/legal, economic, social/cultural and technological forces are similar in other parts of the world. For example, a social/cultural force in Japan and Western European countries is the changing role of women. Like North America, the number of Japanese and Western European women working outside the home increased. Unlike Western and Japanese women, Southern Europe had few mothers working outside the home. A social/cultural trend in Japan that is frequent diaper changes. Japanese parents change their children twice as often as North Americans. Also, Japanese avoided the use of non-biodegradable plastics. Forces that drive industry competition are threat of new entrants, rivalry among existing firms, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers. The most important forces are rivalry among existing firms and threat of new entrants. The five forces are discussed separately below. Some factors that affect the threat of new entrants are product differentiation, capital requirements, access to distribution channels and economies of scale. Kimberly-Clark sought to differentiate itself from competitors through extensive advertising. It used coupons, commercials and product placement to convince customers that Huggies are the best diapers. It used product placement by showing customers that even baby Elizabeth in â€Å"Baby Boom† wears Huggies diapers. Successful advertising campaigns created a high barrier of entry to new firms hoping to enter the market. Another factor that prevented new competition from entering the market is high capital requirement. The machines used to produce diapers cost between $2-4 million and were several feet long. New firms that lacked capital to purchase machines would automatically be barred from competition. Access to distribution channels also affected the threat of new entrants. Retailers created their own mid-priced/lower market diapers and were often reluctant to give shelf space to competing firms (in the mid/low price segment). Retailers’ ability to earn profit margins on their own products outweighed revenue from firms purchasing shelf space. A final factor that prevented new entrants is economies of scale. Large companies, such as KC and P&G, created similar products and could take advantage of existing distribution channels, resources and facilities. Overall, threat of new entrants in favorable. Factors affecting rivalry among existing firms include the number of competitors, rate of industry growth, capacity, fixed costs, product or service characteristics and height of exit barriers. The number of firms competing in the diaper industry is relatively low. P&G and KC are the only firms competing in the premium diaper market and control 81% of market share. Other firms and retailers compete in the lower price segment; however, they target a different audience than premium diaper manufacturers. A second factor contributing to rivalry among existing firms is rate of industry growth. Because birthrate is declining, there is little market share to be gained. Therefore, market share cannot be gained unless taken away from competitors. Rivalry among competition is unfavorable. A third factor affecting rivalry is capacity. Kimberly-Clark and its competitors must operate their plants at full capacity to lower unit costs. They also have regional plants in multiple locations to reduce transportation costs. Another factor affecting rivalry is the amount of fixed costs. Diapers are expensive to produce, market and sell, as previously mentioned, machines cost between $2-4 million. Height of exit barriers also influences rivalry. Exit barriers are low. Throughout Huggies’s existence, many firms have entered and left the diaper market. For example, Johnson & Johnson, Borden, Scott and International Paper all unsuccessfully created diapers. Some factors that contribute to threat of substitute products or services are cloth diapers and two piece diaper systems. Increased environmental concerns led some customers to choose to dress their babies in cloth diapers as opposed to disposable. Initially, cloth diapers were seen as more environmentally friendly do to their reusable nature. Cloth diapers posed a serious threat to disposable diapers until KC and P&G convinced customers that cloth was more detrimental to the environment (laundering cloth diapers created ten times more water pollution). Another substitute for disposable diapers is the two-piece diapers created by Fischer-Price and Gerber. Threat of substitute products or services is somewhat unfavorable for firms in the diaper industry. Bargaining power of buyers was influenced by the buyers’ ability to integrate backwards, margins from diaper sales and brand-names. Many of the retailers that sold Kimberly-Clark’s diapers also created their own lines sold at lower prices. Another factor contributing to the bargaining power of buyers is the low profit-margins retailers made off diaper sales. Over one-third of KC’s revenue came from diaper sales. Brand loyalty decreased the bargaining power of buyers. Parents with young children may only shop at places that sell the kind of diapers their baby wears. If the retailer chooses not to sell diapers, it could lose business. Bargaining power of buyers is unfavorable for the diaper industry. Bargaining power of suppliers is affected by inability to integrate forward and technology. As previously mentioned, super-thin technology was achieved by using polyacrylate. Unfortunately for KC and P&G, only one firm, Cellanese, had a license to make polyacrylate in the United States. Substitutes for polyacrylate were not readily available, so Kimberly-Clark and its competitors were dependent upon a single firm for super-thin technology. Cellanese had significant supplier power over its buyers. It could control price increases and business deals. Although Cellanese could make polyacrylate, they did not have the ability to integrate forward. Cellanese was a chemical firm and diaper production was not one of its competencies. Inability for supplier to integrate forward is favorable for KC. The bargaining power of suppliers is unfavorable for firms in the diaper industry. When evaluating the external environment, it is important for firms to recognize opportunities and threats. Some opportunities are a large un-served mid-price market, changing demographics and priorities of North American women, Japanese markets, expansion into Southern Europe, aging population and new technology. Threats include Japanese companies consider global expansion, rising environmental concerns, saturated disposable diaper market and declining birthrate. Each opportunity and threat’s application to Kimberly-Clark is described below. Seventy-five percent of new mothers in the 1980 are working outside the home. Families began to value time over money and were more willing to pay premium prices for quality diapers. Also, the decrease in family size increased the amount of money that could be spent on diapers. This is an opportunity because it allowed KC to successfully sell Huggies at premium prices. A third opportunity for Kimberly-Clark is Japanese markets. Selling Huggies in Japanese markets is an opportunity because they had not reached the same level of maturity as North American markets. Also, as previously mentioned, Japanese babies use twice as many diapers than Americans. The Japanese market was comparable in size to the North American market. Expansion into Southern Europe is an opportunity for growth due to the low penetration levels and unsophisticated competitors. In 1989, there was no large European industry leader. KC has the potential to become the leading diaper distributer in Europe if they execut e successful marketing campaigns. An aging population is an opportunity for KC to increase its incontinence product sales. Sales for 1990 were estimated to exceed $1 billion due to the increase in people over age 65. In the future, the incontinence market is projected to become more profitable than diapers. A final opportunity for Kimberly-Clark is new technology. Utilizing and taking advantage of new technology is an opportunity because it allows KC to outperform P&G and regain market share. A threat that affects Kimberly-Clark is Japanese companies consider global expansion. Japanese expanding globally would hurt KC because Japanese diaper technology is years ahead of North American. Japanese companies, specifically KAO and Unicharm, create biodegradable diapers. Due to recent environmental concerns, KC would lose market share to Japanese companies if they penetrate the North American market. Rising environmental concerns are a threat to Kimberly-Clark because environmentalists feared potential health risks for sanitation workers and ground water contamination. They were lobbying to ban disposable diapers and pushing for consumers to use cloth diapers instead. Kimberly-Clark could lose customers to environmentally-friendly diapers if they do not create a biodegradable diaper. Another threat to KC is a saturated disposable diaper market. A saturated disposable diaper market is a threat to KC due to little growth in the diaper industry. The only market share to be gained must be taken away from competitors. A final threat to KC and the diaper industry is the declining birthrate. A declining birthrate and decrease in family size is positively related to a decrease in diaper sales.