The Knights Templar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Knights Templar - Research Paper Example Being a monastic military, the Knight Templar’s mandate was to protect Christian’s pilgrims on the route to the holy land. King Richard 1 commonly known as Richard the lion Hearted fought along side the Templars in the battle to the holy lands. The Templar was interesting because it had both soldiers and monks, making some of the earliest soldiers in the Western World. Orders played a vital role in many battles of the crusade to the extent that it improved modern banking, which could be considered as a notable improvement. The knights of the Templars started in small group, and as time progressed it grew in membership. The members of the group possessed certain duties and lifestyles, which made them unique in all their endeavors. As the military fighting for Christ, the Templars kept aside every temptations of the ordinary secular life, for a dedicated life of holiness and service to God. Since then, the concept of service has been the legacy of the Templars whereby mos t people emulate the military group. To many, the military group fought for Christ extraordinarily putting aside every secular life for an arduous life of service. In reality, the Templars’ services were greatly appreciated given the fact that, they gave their lives fully for the sake of Christ. At this point, the following paper aims to discuss the Knights Templar through giving out a brief history, its mandatory purpose, and its religious benefits. To Hale (1), the Knight Templars were the soldiers of the Christ throughout the medieval world of Solomon’s Temple. This implies that the Knight Templars were devoted soldiers who had set their lives for the service. Historically, the Templars originated from the Kingdom of Jerusalem around 118 AD whereby nine members vowed to protect the pilgrim of the dangerous road leading to Jerusalem. The Templars members combined the rules of knight in a remarkable way that the western world had never seen before. Their passion to se rve was so notable that, King Baldwin 11 of Jerusalem granted part of his palace to them for their headquarters, which thereafter a became a stable place of the Temple Mount which was referred to as Solomon’s Temple. After a while, the temple was captured by the Muslims whereby they built their holiest site commonly known as the Temple Mount. Despite controversial that emerged from who possessed the temple, the site remained sacred to the Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Many assumed the temple was significant to Christians since it was the storage of the Ark of the Covenant with other biblical treasures. After twenty years of crusaders conquest of Jerusalem, the noble French knight collected eight knights where several of them were relatives. Their stated assignment was to protect pilgrims of the holy land in service as military members gave their lives fully to the commitment of Christ. The knights were seen as complementary to the society in the sense that, they cared for si ck and weary pilgrims while the Templars guarded those approaching and those who left the city. The Knights Templar was emulated by many, particularly the official blessings of the church of the Council of Troyes, which grew dramatically hence the group was showered with blessings and donations. The group grew exceptionally, and as time progressed, they received land and money to assist the fight in the holy land. The group was so respected that, no princes, kings, or bishop could command

Australian nation Speech Essay Example for Free

Australian nation Speech Essay Ladies and gentlemen I am very pleased to be here today at the launch of Australias celebration of the 1993 International Year of the Worlds Indigenous People. It will be a year of great significance for Australia. It comes at a time when we have committed ourselves to succeeding in the test which so far we have always failed. Because, in truth, we cannot confidently say that we have succeeded as we would like to have succeeded if we have not managed to extend opportunity and care, dignity and hope to the indigenous people of Australia the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. This is a fundamental test of our social goals and our national will: our ability to say to ourselves and the rest of the world that Australia is a first rate social democracy, that we are what we should be truly the land of the fair go and the better chance. There is no more basic test of how seriously we mean these things. It is a test of our self-knowledge. Of how well we know the land we live in. How well we know our history. How well we recognise the fact that, complex as our contemporary identity is, it cannot be separated from Aboriginal Australia. How well we know what Aboriginal Australians know about Australia. Redfern is a good place to contemplate these things. Just a mile or two from the place where the first European settlers landed, in too many ways it tells us that their failure to bring much more than devastation and demoralisation to Aboriginal Australia continues to be our failure. More I think than most Australians recognise, the plight of Aboriginal Australians affects us all. In Redfern it might be tempting to think that the reality Aboriginal Australians face is somehow contained here, and that the rest of us are  insulated from it. But of course, while all the dilemmas may exist here, they are far from contained. We know the same dilemmas and more are faced all over Australia. That is perhaps the point of this Year of the Worlds Indigenous People: to bring the dispossessed out of the shadows, to recognise that they are part of us, and that we cannot give indigenous Australians up without giving up many of our own most deeply held values, much of our own identity and our own humanity. Nowhere in the world, I would venture, is the message more stark than it is in Australia. We simply cannot sweep injustice aside. Even if our own conscience allowed us to, I am sure, that in due course, the world and the people of our region would not. There should be no mistake about this our success in resolving these issues will have a significant bearing on our standing in the world. However intractable the problems seem, we cannot resign ourselves to failure any more than we can hide behind the contemporary version of Social Darwinism which says that to reach back for the poor and dispossessed is to risk being dragged down. That seems to me not only morally indefensible, but bad history. We non-Aboriginal Australians should perhaps remind ourselves that Australia once reached out for us. Didnt Australia provide opportunity and care for the dispossessed Irish? The poor of Britain? The refugees from war and famine and persecution in the countries of Europe and Asia? Isnt it reasonable to say that if we can build a prosperous and remarkably harmonious multicultural society in Australia, surely we can find just solutions to the problems which beset the first Australians the people to whom the most injustice has been done. And, as I say, the starting point might be to recognise that the problem starts with us non-Aboriginal Australians. It begins, I think, with that act of recognition. Recognition that it was we who did the dispossessing. We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the diseases. The alcohol. We committed the murders. We took the children from their mothers. We practised discrimination and exclusion. It was our ignorance and our prejudice. And our failure to imagine these things being done to us. With some noble exceptions, we failed to make the most basic human response and enter into their hearts and minds. We failed to ask how would I feel if this were done to me? As a consequence, we failed to see that what we were doing degraded all of us. If we needed a reminder of this, we received it this year. The Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody showed with devastating clarity that the past lives on in inequality, racism and injustice. In the prejudice and ignorance of non-Aboriginal Australians, and in the demoralisation and desperation, the fractured identity, of so many Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. For all this, I do not believe that the Report should fill us with guilt. Down the years, there has been no shortage of guilt, but it has not produced the responses we need. Guilt is not a very constructive emotion. I think what we need to do is open our hearts a bit. All of us. Perhaps when we recognise what we have in common we will see the things which must be done the practical things. There is something of this in the creation of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. The Councils mission is to forge a new partnership built on justice and equity and an appreciation of the heritage of Australias indigenous people. In the abstract those terms are meaningless. We have to give meaning to justice and equity and, as I have said several times this year, we will only give them meaning when we commit ourselves to achieving concrete results. If we improve the living conditions in one town, they will improve in another. And another. If we raise the standard of health by twenty per cent one year, it will be raised more the next. If we open one door others will follow. When we see improvement, when we see more dignity, more confidence, more happiness we will know we are going to win. We need these practical building blocks of change. The Mabo Judgement should be seen as one of these. By doing away with the bizarre conceit that this continent had no owners prior to the settlement of Europeans, Mabo establishes a fundamental truth and lays the basis for justice. It will be much easier to work from that basis than has ever been the case in the past. For that reason alone we should ignore the isolated outbreaks of hysteria and hostility of the past few months. Mabo is an historic decision we can make it an historic turning point, the basis of a new relationship between indigenous and non-Aboriginal Australians. The message should be that there is nothing to fear or to lose in the recognition of historical truth, or the extension of social justice, or the deepening of Australian social democracy to include indigenous Australians. There is everything to gain. Even the unhappy past speaks for this. Where Aboriginal Australians have been included in the life of Australia they have made remarkable contributions. Economic contributions, particularly in the pastoral and agricultural industry. They are there in the frontier and exploration history of Australia. They are there in the wars. In sport to an extraordinary degree. In literature and art and music. In all these things they have shaped our knowledge of this continent and of  ourselves. They have shaped our identity. They are there in the Australian legend. We should never forget they have helped build this nation. And if we have a sense of justice, as well as common sense, we will forge a new partnership. As I said, it might help us if we non-Aboriginal Australians imagined ourselves dispossessed of land we had lived on for fifty thousand years and then imagined ourselves told that it had never been ours. Imagine if ours was the oldest culture in the world and we were told that it was worthless. Imagine if we had resisted this settlement, suffered and died in the defence of our land, and then were told in history books that we had given up without a fight. Imagine if non-Aboriginal Australians had served their country in peace and war and were then ignored in history books. Imagine if our feats on sporting fields had inspired admiration and patriotism and yet did nothing to diminish prejudice. Imagine if our spiritual life was denied and ridiculed. Imagine if we had suffered the injustice and then were blamed for it. It seems to me that if we can imagine the injustice we can imagine its opposite. And we can have justice. I say that for two reasons: I say it because I believe that the great things about Australian social democracy reflect a fundamental belief in justice. And I say it because in so many other areas we have proved our capacity over the years to go on extending the realms of participation, opportunity and care. Just as Australians living in the relatively narrow and insular Australia of the 1960s imagined a culturally diverse, worldly and open Australia, and in a generation turned the idea into reality, so we can turn the goals of reconciliation into reality. There are very good signs that the process has begun. The creation of the Reconciliation Council is evidence itself. The establishment of the ATSIC the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission is also evidence. The Council is the product of imagination and good will. ATSIC emerges from the vision of indigenous self-determination and selfmanagement. The vision has already become the reality of almost 800 elected Aboriginal Regional Councillors and Commissioners determining priorities and developing their own programs. All over Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are taking charge of their own lives. And assistance with the problems which chronically beset them is at last being made available in ways developed by the communities themselves. If these things offer hope, so does the fact that this generation of Australians is better informed about Aboriginal culture and achievement, and about the injustice that has been done, than any generation before. We are beginning to more generally appreciate the depth and the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. From their music and art and dance we are beginning to recognise how much richer our national life and identity will be for the participation of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. We are beginning to learn what the indigenous people have known for many thousands of years how to live with our physical environment. Ever so gradually we are learning how to see Australia through Aboriginal eyes, beginning to recognise the wisdom contained in their epic story. I think we are beginning to see how much we owe the indigenous Australians and how much we have lost by living so apart. I said we non-indigenous Australians should try to imagine the Aboriginal view. It cant be too hard. Someone imagined this event today, and it is now a marvellous reality and a great reason for hope. There is one thing today we cannot imagine. We cannot imagine that the descendants of people whose genius and resilience maintained a culture here through fifty thousand years or more, through  cataclysmic changes to the climate and environment, and who then survived two centuries of disposession and abuse, will be denied their place in the modern Australian nation. We cannot imagine that. We cannot imagine that we will fail. And with the spirit that is here today I am confident that we wont. I am confident that we will succeed in this decade. Thank you

Brown Vs.Board Of Education :: essays research papers

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) (USSC+) 347 U.S. 483 Argued December 9, 1952 Reargued December 8, 1953 Decided May 17, 1954 APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS* Syllabus Segregation of white and Negro children in the public schools of a State solely on the basis of race, pursuant to state laws permitting or requiring such segregation, denies to Negro children the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment -- even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors of white and Negro schools may be equal. (a) The history of the Fourteenth Amendment is inconclusive as to its intended effect on public education. (b) The question presented in these cases must be determined not on the basis of conditions existing when the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted, but in the light of the full development of public education and its present place in American life throughout the Nation. (c) Where a State has undertaken to provide an opportunity for an education in its public schools, such an opportunity is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms. (d) Segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race deprives children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal. (e) The "separate but equal" doctrine adopted in Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537, has no place in the field of public education. (f) The cases are restored to the docket for further argument on specified questions relating to the forms of the decrees. Opinion WARREN MR. CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN delivered the opinion of the Court. These cases come to us from the States of Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware. They are premised on different facts and different local conditions, but a common legal question justifies their consideration together in this consolidated opinion. In each of the cases, minors of the Negro race, through their legal representatives, seek the aid of the courts in obtaining admission to the public schools of their community on a nonsegregated basis. In each instance, they had been denied admission to schools attended by white children under laws requiring or permitting segregation according to race. This segregation was alleged to deprive the plaintiffs of the equal protection of the laws under the Fourteenth Amendment. In each of the cases other than the Delaware case, a three-judge federal district court denied relief to the plaintiffs on the so-called "separate but equal" doctrine announced by this Court in Plessy v.

Legal Drinking Age English Essay Rough Draft

Alcohol is used for many reasons among people. Teenagers and underage drinkers are known to drink for the following; rebellion, peer pressure, celebration, insomnia, anxiety, sadness, and boredom are just a few. Currently, the legal drinking age is 21. I’m not sure what the reasoning is behind this law, but if drinking is lowered to 18, I’m positive the underage drinking percentage would decrease drastically. Freedom. That’s what America is known for; Land of the free. When you turn 18, your legally considered an adult.You can buy cigarettes, you can vote, you can get married, buy pornography, have babies, and join, fight, and die for your country. So if your considered mature enough to have all of these responsibilities, shouldn’t you be able to consume alcohol too? The legal drinking age has been set at 21. The government set the legal drinking age to 21 to prevent drunk driving and other problems they blame on irresponsible drinking. The government shou ldn’t decide when someone is responsible to drink because even many â€Å"adults† aren’t responsible enough to know their limits.Drunk driving classes and alcohol consumption classes should be taught in schools so kids have an understanding on what alcohol can lead to and how to drink responsibly. Turning 21 doesn’t make you any more responsible or knowledgeable about alcohol than at age 18. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would help because there would be less underage drinkers and less of a need to feel mature and accepted by teens. A study shows that 87% of high school seniors have consumed alcohol. This means that from the ages 17-19 people are already drinking.Seniors in high school and other underage drinkers consume alcohol for many reasons. Rebellion, celebration, peer pressure, insomnia, anxiety and boredom are just a few reasons, however, the biggest reason is rebellion. Teenagers don’t feel like they are being treated fairly by the gover nment because they are considered adults and they are being denied the right to drink, so they rebel. Not only do they rebel to make a point but they are rebelling because of the excitement they get when they know they are breaking the law and also because drinking is a symbol of â€Å"adulthood†. A study conducted by Dr.Ruth Engs shows that drinking is more exciting when its illegal and that we as Americans should be more focused on safe drinking instead of age restrictions. If the drinking age was to be lowered to 18, the temptation to drink would decrease because it would be accepted and people would no longer get that excitement and thrill from breaking the law. The U. S. government is concerned about the number of drunk drivers and irresponsible drinking so they made the legal drinking age higher. If you look at Britain, they don’t have a drinking age and France has a minimum drinking age of 8; neither of which having a problem with drunk driving.On the other hand , America has a minimum drinking age of 21 and our problem with drunk driving is considered to be the worst in the industrialized world. We can see that the 21 minimum drinking age is having a negative effect on the U. S. , yet we keep it the same and expect different results. Lowering the drinking age to 18 will make it so there are less irresponsible drinking and underage drinkers. 18-year-olds will have a feeling of adulthood and they will feel accepted. I think drinking will become more casual and social more than it is now and people will have less temptation to drink heavily and irresponsibly.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Essay

The novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Kesey, 1962) is narrated from the point of view of a character called â€Å"The Chief† who is an inmate of the mental asylum in which the story takes place. The book opens with a scene where the Chief is sweeping the floor and ends with the Chief escaping from the asylum, and so the changing perceptions of the Chief are a key to the main messages of the book. The character who occupies most of the action in the book is a rebellious newcomer called McMurphy. It is McMurphy who is the catalyst for the change in the Chief, showing him a both a different way to see the asylum and a number of strategies of resistance which ultimately allow the Chief to break free. This paper will analyse how the Chief perceives the asylum in the early stages of the book, focusing especially on the concept of â€Å"the Combine†. After that Murphy’s view of the world will be presented, along with his various resistance strategies. In conclusion the Chief’s revised view of â€Å"the Combine† will be analysed, showing what has changed in his understanding of the world of the asylum, and of the world in general. At the start of the book it is not immediately evident that the Chief is mentally ill. He explains that he is half Indian and chooses to be deaf and dumb: â€Å"I’m cagey enough to fool them that much† (Kesey, p. 9) His separation from the world of sound is presented as a deliberate defence against oppression, but the reader may suspect that it is a symptom of a mental illness like paranoia or schizophrenia. It is a feature of the book that medical descriptions are avoided, and the reader is left to figure out for him or herself whether or not, or to what extent the characters are ill or mad. The Chief imagines the Big Nurse having powers that extend via wires which only he can see: â€Å"I see her sit in the centre of this web of wires like a watchful robot, tend her network with mechanical insect skill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kesey, p. 27). He imagines that she is working to control the world outside the institution also, suggesting that there is a huge conspiracy against him and the other inmates called â€Å"the Combine† which he defines as â€Å"a huge organization that aims to adjust the Outside as well as the Inside† (Kesey, p. 27). This analogy works both as a description of a delusion, with no basis in reality, and as an artistic representation of an institution (the asylum) and a wider authoritarian society (conservative American society in the early 1960s) which operates on a rigid and inhuman basis. At the start of the book the Chief, and through him the reader, feel this cold, hard, oppressive force and see the inmates as victims of its power. One way of making this chilling force constantly present in the narrative is the Chief’s use of vocabulary relating to machinery to describe all of the asylum personnel. The three â€Å"black boys† who are orderlies working for the Big Nurse speak with the â€Å"hum of black machinery† (Kesey, p. 9) and the most frightening of all is Nurse Ratched herself: â€Å"She works the hinges of her elbows and fingers †¦ She starts moving,†¦when she rumbles past she’s already as big as a truck, trailing that wicker bag behind her in her exhaust like a semi behind a Jimmy Diesel†¦ and her smile’s going out before her like a radiator grill. † (Kesey, p 79). These are inhuman images used to describe the leaders of an inhuman regime. The arrival of McMurphy into the story makes a huge impression on the Chief who, despite his huge size, is cowering and fearful of the cold and all-controlling power of the Combine. The first impression is of McMurphy’s â€Å"loud brassy voice† (Kesey, p. 14) Chief significantly makes a connection between this voice and the voice of his Indian father: â€Å"He talks a little the way Papa used to, voice loud and full of hell†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Shortly after this the ward is stunned by the sound of McMurphy’s laughter, which is strange to them because no one ever laughs in this oppressive place. So much of McMurphy’s verbal behaviour is a surprise to the ward: his laughing, singing and ironic banter are all examples of a language the inmates have forgotten the meaning of. This is one of the most important aspects of McMurphy’s influence. He reminds the inmates of a different kind of communication with authority and with each other that is free and spontaneous, unconcerned about the hierarchies of the asylum context, and taking everything less seriously than the authorities intend things to be taken. McMurphy mocks people, including his friends, in order to show that there is more than just one way of seeing things, and that the asylum’s regime is ridiculous when viewed from outside perspectives. He argues with the Big Nurse, and he laughs at her rants and rages. This is a subversive attitude, and it sparks new thoughts in all the inmates, setting off a chain reaction of awareness that cannot be stopped. The first meeting of McMurphy and the Chief is also an important moment in the book, and this time the Chief is struck by the touch of McMurphy’s hand: â€Å"It rang with blood and power† (Kesey, p. 25). Later, when sweeping out the sleeping area, the Chief notices a smell that he has never encountered before in all this time on the ward; â€Å"the man smell of dust and dirt from the open fields, and sweat, and work. † (Kesey, p. 83). It is as if the Chief is rediscovering through the presence of McMurphy, all the natural human senses which had been dulled or switched out of commission by the Combine. Just by being himself McMurphy reawakens the warm, human qualities of the inmates and shows them how to use these qualities against the hard, cold machinery of power. The world that McMurphy represents is offered as a contrast to the regimented, controlled environment of the ward. There is nothing particularly radical about what he represents, for example setting up a voting process to determine the television viewing schedule for the inmates, but in the upside-down regime of the Combine this appears to be a shocking suggestion. Drinking, smoking marijuana and sex with prostitutes are, in the world outside the asylum, quite ordinary and natural expressions of normal masculine behaviour in large sections of the community. It is the abuse of power by the Big Nurse in talking to Billy Bibbit’s mother that turns the antics of the inmates from a prank into a tragedy. In every society it is common for young males to push boundaries and experiment with things that are forbidden by teachers, parents and authority figures. It is part of normal growing up. The irony of the asylum is, that it takes an oppressed youngster like Billy and then just when he catches a glimpse of sexual and other kinds of freedom via McMurphy, crushes his spirit so completely that he takes his own life. The book depicts a struggle for power over the inmates: â€Å"As the many symbols and images indicate, the central theme of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the restoration of the inmates’ individual and collective potency. (Lupack, 1995, p. 94). Whether as group, or as separate individuals, McMurphy encourages the inmates to take back the power that has been unjustly stolen from them by the institution. Some critics have seen McMurphy in religious terms, as a character who sacrifices himself in order to save his brothers: â€Å"The fishing scene is an extended figure of Christ and his disciples, and instance of McMurphy as fisher of men. † (Hicks, 1981, p. 174). Hicks points out that there are images of the cross and the crown of thorns in descriptions of the electric shock table, and that McMurphy’s men are â€Å"physically cannibalizing him† (1981, p. 5) by wearing him out more and more as he transfers his power and energy over to them. It is true that as McMurphy’s influence grows, more and more of the inmates rebel or discharge themselves, or in the case of the Chief, make a spectacular escape but this is a book that does not come with a happy ending and salvation in a heavenly future. McMurph y is turned into a lobotomized shell of his old self which the Chief kills out of mercy, as an Indian would kill an injured animal. The future of the other characters is not known. The freedom that the Chief gains is a freedom from the real and imagined â€Å"wires and connections† (Kesey, p. 254) that he rips up when he throws the control box out of the window. In conclusion, then, it appears that the Chief has changed his view of the Combine. He leaves the delusions and the asylum behind but he still must navigate his way in the outside world. It remains to be seen how he will tackle the Combine-like injustices and oppressive forces in the wider world. He does not have his mentor McMurphy with him, and must only go back to where he started and try to reintegrate into a community that has been oppressed and exploited by the building of a great dam. The great difference at the end of the book is that that he wants to go back to his old haunts â€Å"just to bring some of it clear in my mind again† (Kesey, p. 254) and thanks to the example shown by McMurphy, he can now do this with courage and clarity, seeing possibilities of collective resistance rather than just being isolated and crushed by overwhelming institutional power.

Determination of Genotypes from Phenotypes in Humans essays

Determination of Genotypes from Phenotypes in Humans essays An organism can be thought of as a large collection of phenotypes. A phenotype is the appearance of a trait and is determined by pairs of genes. The pairs of genes represent the genotype for the trait. In this lab, some phenotypic traits were determined. From the phenotypic traits, it was determined what genotypes were had. If a trait is dominant and the person possessed that trait, it would not have been able to be determined the exact genotype because it could have been either homozygous or heterozygous for the gene. However, if a trait was determined by incomplete dominance, it could be told if it were homozygous or heterozygous. Genotypes of recessive traits could be identified. By comparing the genotypes and phenotypes with other people in the class, it would have seen why it was a unique individual. Given the almost limitless number of gene combinations, it is almost impossible that anyone would have all the same traits. First, one piece of PTC paper was obtained and untreated taste paper from a teacher. The untreated paper was placed on a wet tongue to see how it tasted. Then it was disposed of in the wastebasket, and placed the PTC paper on a wet tongue to see if it could taste the phenylthiocarbamide-PTC. It was tasted. It was quite bitter and it was noticed readily that it had the ability to taste the chemical. The data was entered now that the phenotype was determined. For each of the following traits, it was observed and recorded in the table for genotypes and phenotypes. TRAITS MY PHENOTYPE POSSIBLE GENOTYPES b) Hairline Widows peak WW, Ww e) Tongue dexterity Unable to roll cc f) Thumb Hitch-hikers thumb BB, Bb j) Lip protrusion Slightly protruding PN ...

3 Rules of Architecture and How to Win the Big Prize

3 Rules of Architecture and How to Win the Big Prize On the back of the Pritzker medallion are three words: Firmness, Commodity, and Delight. These rules of architecture define the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered the highest honor that a living architect can attain. According to the Hyatt Foundation which administers the Prize, these three rules recall the principles set down by the ancient Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio: firmitas, utilitas, venustas. Vitruvius described the need for architecture to be well-built, useful by serving a purpose, and beautiful to look at. These are the same three principles that Pritzker juries apply to todays architects. Did You Know? The Pritzker, or Pritzker Architecture Prize, is an international award given each year to a living architect who, in the opinion of a select jury, has made profound achievements in the world of architecture. Laureates of the Pritzker Architecture Prize receive $100,000, a certificate, and a bronze medallion. The Pritzker Prize was established in 1979 by Jay A. Pritzker (1922-1999) and his wife Cindy Pritzker. The Pritzkers made a fortune by founding the Hyatt hotel chain. The Prize is funded through the familys Hyatt Foundation. Vitruvius famous multi-volume De Architectura, written around 10 B.C. explores the role of geometry in architecture and outlines the need to build all kinds of structures for all classes of people. Vitruvius rules are sometimes translated this way:   All these must be built with due reference to durability, convenience, and beauty. Durability will be assured when foundations are carried down to the solid ground and materials wisely and liberally selected; convenience, when the arrangement of the apartments is faultless and presents no hindrance to use, and when each class of building is assigned to its suitable and appropriate exposure; and beauty, when the appearance of the work is pleasing and in good taste, and when its members are in due proportion according to correct principles of symmetry. - De Architectura, Book I, Chapter III, Paragraph 2 Firmness, Commodity, and Delight Who would have guessed that in 2014 the most prestigious award in architecture would go to an architect who was not a celebrity- Shigeru Ban. The same thing happened in 2016 when Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena received the architecture prize. Could the Pritzker jury be telling us something about the three rules of architecture? Like the 2013 Pritzker Laureate, Toyo Ito, Ban has been an architect of healing, designing sustainable housing for Japans earthquake and tsunami victims. Ban also has circled the globe providing relief after natural disasters in Rwanda, Turkey, India, China, Italy, Haiti, and New Zealand. Aravena does the same in South America. The 2014 Pritzker Jury said of Ban that His sense of responsibility and positive action to create architecture of quality to serve societys needs, combined with his original approach to these humanitarian challenges, make this years winner an exemplary professional. Before Ban, Aravena, and Ito came the first Chinese recipient, Wang Shu, in 2012. At a time when Chinas cities were choking in over-urbanization, Shu continued to defy his countrys quick-build attitude of over-industrialization. Instead, Shu insisted that his countrys future could become modernized while tethered to its traditions. Using recycled materials, said the 2012 Pritzker Citation, he is able to send several messages on the careful use of resources and respect for tradition and context as well as give a frank appraisal of technology and the quality of construction today, particularly in China. By awarding architectures highest honor to these three men, what is the Pritzker jury trying to tell the world? How to Win a Pritzker Prize In choosing Ban, Ito, Aravena, and Shu, the Pritzker juries are reasserting old values for a new generation. The Tokyo-born Ban was only 56 years old when he won. Wang Shu and Alejandro Aravena were only 48. Certainly not household names, these architects have undertaken a variety of projects both commercial and noncommercial. Shu has been a scholar and teacher of historic preservation and renovation. Bans humanitarian projects include his ingenious use of common, recyclable materials, like cardboard paper tubes for columns, to quickly construct dignified shelters for victims of disasters. After the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, Ban helped bring order to a devastated community by building the Hualin Elementary School from cardboard tubes. On a larger scale, Bans 2012 design for a cardboard cathedral gave a New Zealand community a beautiful temporary structure expected to last 50 years while the community rebuilds its cathedral, decimated by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Ban sees the beauty of carboard concrete tube forms; he also started the trend for reusing shipping containers as residential properties. Being named a Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate establishes these men in history as some of the most influential architects of modern times. Like many middle-aged architects, their careers are just beginning. Architecture is not a get rich quick pursuit, and for many the riches never materialize. The Pritzker Architecture Prize seems to be recognizing the architect who isnt seeking celebrity, but who follows ancient tradition - the architects duty, as defined by Vitruvius - to create architecture of quality to serve societys needs. Thats how to win a Pritzker Prize in the 21st century. Sources Commodity and Delight by Andrew Ryan Gleeson, The Lying Truth (blog), July 8, 2010, https://thelyingtruthofarchitecture.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/commodity-and-delight/Jury Citation, Shigeru Ban, 2014, The Hyatt Foundation, pritzkerprize.com/2014/jury-citation [accessed August 2, 2014]Jury Citation, Wang Shu, 2012, The Hyatt Foundation, pritzkerprize.com/2012/jury-citation[accessed August 2, 2014]Ceremony and Medal, The Hyatt Foundation at pritzkerprize.com/about/ceremony [accessed August 2, 2014]The Ten Books on Architecture by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, translated by Morris Hicky Morgan, Harvard University Press, 1914, gutenberg.org/files/20239/20239-h/29239-h.htm [accessed August 2, 2014]FAQ, Hyatt Foundation,  https://www.pritzkerprize.com/FAQ  [accessed February 15, 2018]Pritzker medalion image courtesy of the Hyatt Foundation

Global Warming and the Risk of Flooding in Tuvalu

Global Warming and the Risk of Flooding in Tuvalu Tuvalu is a tiny island country located in Oceania about halfway between the state of Hawaii and the nation of Australia. It consists of five coral atolls and four reef islands but none are more than 15 feet (5 meters) above sea level. Tuvalu has one of the worlds smallest economies and has recently been featured in the news as it is becoming increasingly threatened by global warming and rising sea levels. Basic Facts Population: 11,147 (July 2018 estimate) Capital: Funafuti (also Tuvalus largest city) Area: 10 square miles (26 sq km) Coastline: 15 miles (24 km) Official Languages: Tuvaluan and English Ethnic Groups: 96% Polynesian, 4% Other History of Tuvalu The islands of Tuvalu were first inhabited by Polynesian settlers from Samoa and/or Tonga and they were left largely untouched by Europeans until the 19th century. In 1826, the whole island group became known to Europeans and was mapped. By the 1860s, labor recruiters began arriving on the islands and removing its inhabitants either by force and/or bribe to work on sugar plantations in Fiji and Australia. Between 1850 and 1880, the population of the islands fell from 20,000 to just 3,000. As a result of its decline in population, the British government annexed the islands in 1892. At this time, the islands became known as the Ellice Islands and in 1915-1916, the islands were formally taken over by the British and formed a part of the colony called Gilbert and Ellice Islands. In 1975, the Ellice Islands separated from the Gilbert Islands due to hostilities between the Micronesian Gilbertese and the Polynesian Tuvaluans. Once the islands separated, they became known officially as Tuvalu. The name Tuvalu means eight islands and although there are nine islands comprising the country today, only eight were initially inhabited so the ninth is not included in its name. Tuvalu was granted full independence on September 30, 1978, but is still a part of the British Commonwealth today. In addition, Tuvalu grew in 1979 when the U.S. gave the country four islands that had been U.S. territories and in 2000, it joined the United Nations. Economy of Tuvalu Today Tuvalu has the distinction of being one of the smallest economies in the world. This is because the coral atolls on which its people are populated have extremely poor soils. Therefore, the country has no known mineral exports and it is largely unable to produce agricultural exports, making it dependent on imported goods. In addition, its remote location means tourism and the related service industries are mainly non-existent. Subsistence farming is practiced in Tuvalu and to produce the largest agricultural yield possible, pits are dug out of the coral. The most widely grown crops in Tuvalu are taro and coconut. In addition, copra (the dried flesh of a coconut used in making coconut oil) is a major part of Tuvalus economy. Fishing has also played an historic role in Tuvalus economy because the islands have a maritime exclusive economic zone of 500,000 square miles (1.2 million sq km) and because the region is a rich fishing ground, the country gains revenue from fees paid by other countries such as the U.S. wanting to fish in the region. Geography and Climate of Tuvalu Tuvalu is one of the  smallest countries on Earth.  It is in Oceania south of Kiribati and halfway between Australia and Hawaii. Its terrain consists of low lying, narrow coral atolls and reefs and it is spread over nine islands which stretch for just 360 miles (579 km). Tuvalus lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at sea level and the highest is an unnamed location on the island of Niulakita at only 15 feet (4.6 m). The largest city in Tuvalu is Funafuti with a population of 5,300 as of 2003. Six of the nine islands comprising Tuvalu have lagoons open to the ocean, while two have landlocked regions and one has no lagoons. In addition, none of the islands have any streams or rivers and because they are coral atolls, there is no drinkable ground water. Therefore, all of the water used by Tuvalus people is gathered via catchment systems and is kept in storage facilities. Tuvalus climate is tropical and is moderated by easterly trade winds from March to November. It has a heavy rain season with westerly winds from November to March and although tropical storms are rare, the islands are prone to flooding with high tides and changes in sea level. Tuvalu, Global Warming, and Rising Sea Levels Recently, Tuvalu has gained significant media attention worldwide because its low-lying land is so susceptible to rising sea levels. The beaches surrounding the atolls are sinking due to erosion caused by waves and this is exacerbated by rising sea levels. In addition, because the sea level is rising on the islands, Tuvaluans must continually deal with their homes flooding, as well as soil salination. Soil salination is a problem because it is making it difficult to get clean drinking water and is harming crops as they cannot grow with the saltier water. As a result, the country is becoming more and more dependent on foreign imports. The issue of rising sea levels has been a concern for Tuvalu since 1997 when the country began a campaign to show the need to control greenhouse gas emissions, reduce global warming and protect the future of low lying countries. In more recent years though, the flooding and soil salination have become such a problem in Tuvalu that the government there has made plans to evacuate the entire population to other countries as it is believed that Tuvalu will be completely submerged by the end of the 21st century. Resources and Further Reading Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, April 22). CIA The World Factbook Tuvalu.Infoplease.com. (n.d.) Tuvalu: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com.United States Department of State. (2010, February). Tuvalu (02/10).

Commodity chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Commodity chain - Essay Example The high density polythene is constantly recycled, where other products that have lived their usefulness are broken and the materials remolded to make new items. The mug as it involves simple manufacturing process of melting plastics and then remolding the plastic to form the mug. This must have been made in the same place where the material was outsourced. This is further affirmed by Media Federal (2011) who explains that the company manufacturers large volumes of similar product. It therefore means that the smelting and the molding were made at the same factory; that is the Wei Mon industry co., Ltd. The plastic that is the main raw material in the mug was most likely sourced within the country for recycling or was either new plastic that was formed in the company to manufacture mugs. Considering that the factory manufactures many similar products as Media Federal (2011) explains, the plastic was most likely new and had been formed from raw materials. Plastics are made of polymers through a polymerization process. Most ingredients for polymerization are mostly imported from several countries China and the U.S being leaders in making these polymer materials (Harper, 714). The ingredients to make the mug were most likely bought from China and the company carried out the polymerization process to obtain the polymers that were later used in manufacturing the mugs. ` The product is produced through injection molding. The molds were most likely designed in the Wei Mon Industry co. and then used to carry out injection molding as the main process that the company is involved in. The product therefore involved the use of already designed moulds where molten plastic was forced through, and the mug formed from the molds. The workers in the process must have made very low wages. The mug requires the use of molds that are in most cases automated, the human input is reduced to control

The Volcker Rule and its Consequences for the Financial and Banking Essay

The Volcker Rule and its Consequences for the Financial and Banking System - Essay Example Federal Reserve has publicly announced that the banking system of US does not need to accept and operate according to the rule before the month of July of 2014 but the banks will have to conduct the process of â€Å"good faith planning efforts† to get ready to accept the rule in the future and during the temporary phase. As banks and the financial system is still not aware of the bans that will be levied, there will be a cloud of uncertainty that these systems will experience for two years (Ciro 2012). These systems are experiencing ambiguity in understanding what does the Federal Reserve means by good faith planning efforts. The ambiguities are making condition worse thus decision makers should make the scenario clear and present the effects of the rule on US and other nations. The cloudy situation was made clear when a draft of the regulation was prepared and this draft consisted of details regarding the services offered by financial system and the way these services are use d by the common public. The situation is still quite unclear for financial institutions as even the draft wasn’t clear enough to identify the effects that the rule will have on financial sector. The European Union and other countries have even showed concerns as they expect that the rule will decrease the liquidity in world financial markets, thus it is quite clear that the rule will impact the financial systems negatively. Body The delay in implementing and clearing the effect of the rule may not help the banks and make situation worse as banks do not have the correct idea of when the rule will be implemented and banks will have to accept the rule legally regardless of whether they understand its effect or not. Legally it is stated that those banks that have operated in good faith effort during the temporary implementation phase will experience less problems in complying with the actual rule. The policy makers should make the scenario clearer instead of making the financial system of US and overseas operate according to their own guess work. The delay is making the financial system take decisions under ambiguous situation which is already hurting the system. Volcker Permitted Bank Activities According to the rule there are certain permitted activities that can be performed by the banks, these activities comprise of banks acting as market maker, underwriter, hedger, deals of government securities and other activities that are stated under the act as permitted activities. These activities have been permitted to ensure that banks continue to provide liquidity to the markets and help companies in raising capital. But these activities have been restricted to ensure that banks do not cross the line and the funds with the bank do not become unsafe. If the permitted activities cannot be conducted in a safe environment and without risky conditions, then the federal system has the right to barge banks from conducting such activities or increase charges and fines on these activities so these activities become unfavourable to the banks. The activities that have been stated as acceptable in the rule are done on the basis that the bank conducts these activities for the customer and only to meet the short term demands of the customers. Rule Effect The Volcker Rule has received its name from the Paul Volcker who was the Federal Reserve Chairman during the period of the financial crises of 2008. The

Imperial Oil Company Limited Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Imperial Oil Company Limited - Case Study Example The company is important in the Canadian economy as oil products are the choice for the transportation fuel and Imperial Oil captures a significant portion of the market; since it was once a national asset which now is in the hands of the private sector but, still it contributes significantly in terms of taxes and supporting the economy. The Imperial Oil Company Limited is in the petroleum business, involved in all upstream and downstream activities; including exploration, production, transportation and sale of crude oil and natural gas, and lastly, the manufacture and transportation and sale of petroleum products. The Imperial Oil Limited's board of directors comprises of 8 directors, 5 of which are non employee directors. These directors are responsible for the overall management of the company. Profiles of each are as follows: Mr. Broiles joined Mobil Corporation in 1979 as a process engineer in South Texas and has held positions of increasing responsibility over 25 years including project management, technical, line management, commercial negotiations, and strategic planning. Prior to his current appointment with Imperial, he served as the global planning manager for the Houston-based ExxonMobil Production Co., a position he held for three years.Before that, he was the executive director of production for ExxonMobil, based in Lagos, Nigeria for four years (1997-2001), after his two-year assignment (1995-1997) as vice-president of production for Mobil Oil Canada's Western Canadian business. He was also the production manager for Mobil's Hugoton Field Area for two years (1993-1995), located in Liberal, Kansas.In addition, he was planning manager for Mobil New Producing Ventures for two years (1991-1993), where he contributed to the company's acquisition of material working interests in Qatar's North Field, Kazakhstan's Tengiz field, and Venezuela's Cerro Negro field. Mr. Broiles is a member of the American Society of Petroleum Engineers and serves on the CAPP Board of Governors as well as the CAPP Safety and Human Resources CEO Task Group. T.J. (Tim) Hearn Mr. Hearn is chairman, president and chief

Communication in the 21st Century Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication in the 21st Century - Term Paper Example Communication is one fundamental process in human’s existence. Due to the fact that the economic and corporate environment is one of the important components of the present society, the interest regarding the process referred to as corporate communication is also an immediate concert and interest. The main objective of the study undertaken is to be able to present the issues that are related to corporate communication specifically in the 21st century. The importance of the said study can be considered based on the role of communication in different aspects of the corporate world. As in human interaction, it is also important for the different processes in the operation of organizations and participants in the corporate world. In addition, it is considered as one of the most significant resource that can be viewed as an input for the success and profitability of a company (Kitchen and Schultz 1). The objectives of the study are achieved through the determination of the differen t ways and methods that corporate communication is defined due to the fact that communication can vary through the transition of history. In addition, the elements and factors that are related to corporate communication are also defined. The different elements include the innovations and the effects that are associated upon the application of the said innovative technologies and methods to the conventional system. The importance of communication in the corporate and business context an be described on the basis of the importance.

Pollution Monitoring and Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Pollution Monitoring and Control - Essay Example There are various sources of freshwater across the world, however these resources are in danger of being exploited and mismanaged not only due to human error, but also because of ecological degradation. The primary sources of pollution in freshwater is associated to untreated wastes being discharged irresponsibly, companies dumping industrial effluents, as well as the by-product of the run-off produced by agricultural areas. The causes continues to increase due to the societal urbanization and the growth of industries, which brings about the utilization of synthetic organic substances that cause considerable effects on sources of freshwater bodies (Hogan, 2010). It has been well known that countries that are developed are those who experience the issue of chemical discharges integrated in their water sources, whereas developing nations come across water pollution due to agricultural by products. Such concerns then affect the health of the people as there are chemicals and substances in drinking water, which leads to illnesses (Schueler, 2000). Water Pollution Water pollution entails any modification in the quality of water as adversely impacted by any organism or substance. There are various types of water pollutants and there are those that are fatal when consumed. Pollution varies, although the common organism that affects the health of humans is attributed to pathogenic organisms. Such organisms roots from human wastes that are not treated appropriately. Two forms of water pollution can be differentiated based on its source, the point and non-point sources (Biswas, 2008). Point sources are water pollutants that are derived from singular dump site of plants, companies and factories. This type of source is considered easier to monitor due to the designated sites wherein the wastes are dumped, which makes the types of pollutants under point sources easier to regulate. On the other hand, non-point sources are those that are produced in a scattered manner based from various areas or runoff from agricultural fields. The latter is harder to regulate because there is no designated area to monitor or regulate (EPA, 2006). Human Health and Water-borne Diseases Water-borne illnesses are those that are acquired through consuming contaminated water. Major ity of these illnesses are infectious and are caused by human waste, while others are due to chemicals that serve as contaminants. Illnesses caused by pathogens are more prevalent in developing countries as caused by poor sanitary practices. These organisms are integrated in water sources, which becomes in direct contact to individuals ingesting food and water. On the other hand, chemicals that contaminate water are naturally in land, but come into contact with water due to human activity (Nwachcuku & Gerba, 2004). The researcher will expound on 1) pathogens and 2) chemicals, as water pollutants that affect the health of humans. Pathogens One of the most common types of water pollutants are pathogens. Pathogens usually take the form of bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms. These are derived from human and animal wastes, which cause water-borne illnesses. The integration of these pathogens in water is dangerous to human beings, as ingestion of contaminated water would be d etrimental to the consumer’s health (Marechal, Ahmad, Engerrand, Galeazzi, & Touchard, 2006). Not only does it induce symptoms that negatively impact the patient’s over all well-being, but it also progresses to illnesses that can cause permanent damage to the individual’s internal organs. There are also instances that such diseases can lead to death (Biswas, Tortajada, Braga, & Rodriguez, 2006). The highest probability of ingesting water with microbes are those

Dynamics of multinational companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dynamics of multinational companies - Essay Example However, it should be noted that the benefits that come about as a result of FDI can only be possible if all the three parties follow the right regulations, and the ethical ways of doing business is strictly adhered to. This paper sheds some light on the costs, and benefits of FDIs to the investors, the home country, and the host country. In addition, it will also review how the country, and the firms’ level of development, and growth play a role in determining the costs, and benefits accrued from the FDIs (Weigel, Wagal & Gregory 1997, 56). Benefits and costs for The host country One of the core benefits of global foreign direct investment is that it creates an opportunity for money to freely flow to any business around the world that shows any signs of potential growth in the future. This is in light of the fact that when investors choose to invest their money, the main logic behind this is that they expect some forms of return from the investment. Additionally, the home cou ntry’s capital account will benefit from the inward flow from the returns on the investment. There are no standard criteria on who deserves the investment, and who doesn’t. This ensures that all the businesses get equal competitive advantage, and no particular business is favored over the others. Subsequently, economists observed that the best money will be invested in the best business anywhere in the world despite the race or color or culture. This in turn means that the goods, and services will reach the market just in time as compared to an instance when unrestricted FDI wouldn’t have been available. Benefits and costs for home country The foreign direct investment has an advantage to the investors too. The investors get to receive global benefits. The fact that the investors can freely invest in different countries reduces the risks likely to be suffered from the investment. Diversification brings about reduction in the risks likely to be incurred, and an i ncrease in the returns that will be enjoyed from the investment (Stephan 2013, 43). Secondly, the other benefit to the home country that comes with FDIs is that the investors can learn new valued skills that may come in handy from the foreign markets. Thereupon, these skills are then transferred to the home country leader to even further growth, and development for the country’s economy. Moreover, the businesses also get to benefit in that when an investor chooses to invest in a particular business, it is often expected that the investor will ensure that the staff is competent enough to give the investment a return. Additionally, the investors will introduce new technology to the business to ensure that it has a competitive edge over its competitors.(Chung 1997, 40) The business will get to be enlightened on ways of doing business they would likely not have been aware of before the investors come into the picture (Jones & Wren 2007,54). As a result, there will be improved gen eral living standards of the employees of the business with all these new incorporation. To add to this, since there are no kinds of favoritism in choosing which business to invest in, it would be expected that the government will have less influence on the business, and that the government isn’t able to put up poor economic policies that will affect the business. The other advantage for the host country is that there is a general improvement on the standards of living for the people in the country.

Pollution Monitoring and Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Pollution Monitoring and Control - Essay Example There are various sources of freshwater across the world, however these resources are in danger of being exploited and mismanaged not only due to human error, but also because of ecological degradation. The primary sources of pollution in freshwater is associated to untreated wastes being discharged irresponsibly, companies dumping industrial effluents, as well as the by-product of the run-off produced by agricultural areas. The causes continues to increase due to the societal urbanization and the growth of industries, which brings about the utilization of synthetic organic substances that cause considerable effects on sources of freshwater bodies (Hogan, 2010). It has been well known that countries that are developed are those who experience the issue of chemical discharges integrated in their water sources, whereas developing nations come across water pollution due to agricultural by products. Such concerns then affect the health of the people as there are chemicals and substances in drinking water, which leads to illnesses (Schueler, 2000). Water Pollution Water pollution entails any modification in the quality of water as adversely impacted by any organism or substance. There are various types of water pollutants and there are those that are fatal when consumed. Pollution varies, although the common organism that affects the health of humans is attributed to pathogenic organisms. Such organisms roots from human wastes that are not treated appropriately. Two forms of water pollution can be differentiated based on its source, the point and non-point sources (Biswas, 2008). Point sources are water pollutants that are derived from singular dump site of plants, companies and factories. This type of source is considered easier to monitor due to the designated sites wherein the wastes are dumped, which makes the types of pollutants under point sources easier to regulate. On the other hand, non-point sources are those that are produced in a scattered manner based from various areas or runoff from agricultural fields. The latter is harder to regulate because there is no designated area to monitor or regulate (EPA, 2006). Human Health and Water-borne Diseases Water-borne illnesses are those that are acquired through consuming contaminated water. Major ity of these illnesses are infectious and are caused by human waste, while others are due to chemicals that serve as contaminants. Illnesses caused by pathogens are more prevalent in developing countries as caused by poor sanitary practices. These organisms are integrated in water sources, which becomes in direct contact to individuals ingesting food and water. On the other hand, chemicals that contaminate water are naturally in land, but come into contact with water due to human activity (Nwachcuku & Gerba, 2004). The researcher will expound on 1) pathogens and 2) chemicals, as water pollutants that affect the health of humans. Pathogens One of the most common types of water pollutants are pathogens. Pathogens usually take the form of bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms. These are derived from human and animal wastes, which cause water-borne illnesses. The integration of these pathogens in water is dangerous to human beings, as ingestion of contaminated water would be d etrimental to the consumer’s health (Marechal, Ahmad, Engerrand, Galeazzi, & Touchard, 2006). Not only does it induce symptoms that negatively impact the patient’s over all well-being, but it also progresses to illnesses that can cause permanent damage to the individual’s internal organs. There are also instances that such diseases can lead to death (Biswas, Tortajada, Braga, & Rodriguez, 2006). The highest probability of ingesting water with microbes are those

Marketing Practices of China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Practices of China - Research Paper Example The article from the Financial Times examines the activities of the HNA business group of China. The group is the first investment company from China to start purchasing property around the world. It indulges in purchases across various sectors ranging from the shipping industry, hotel industry and airline industry in various countries across the globe (Lemer and Rabinovitch 23). The company has a lot of capital and is increasingly obtaining more property around the world. The CEO of the group tells the writer of the article that they will purchase more companies outside his country. This will be because the financial crisis around the globe affects many companies. They will purchase those companies which are in debt since they will be cheap to acquire (Lemer and Rabinovitch 24). The other investment companies in China only invest their money in natural resources when investing outside their country. The company’s global focus comes after their witnessing of growth in their do mestic activities (Luo 15). The business uses diverse marketing strategies and professional management styles that bring it success. The businesses future plans are to spread their investment activities to other continents around the globe such as Africa and the South American continents. The company invests in a series of industries that have relations to one another. Their investments are in various industries ranging from the airline industry, the hotel industry, the shipping industry and the entertainment industry (Lemer and Rabinovitch 24). ... This will be because the financial crisis around the globe affects many companies. They will purchase those companies which are in debt since they will be cheap to acquire (Lemer and Rabinovitch 24). The other investment companies in China only invest their money in natural resources when investing outside their country. The company’s global focus comes after their witnessing of growth in their domestic activities (Luo 15). The business uses diverse marketing strategies and professional management styles that bring it success. The businesses future plans are to spread their investment activities to other continents around the globe such as Africa and the South American continents. The company invests in a series of industries that have relations to one another. Their investments are in various industries ranging from the airline industry, the hotel industry, the shipping industry and the entertainment industry (Lemer and Rabinovitch 24). The business is aware of the concerns a nd actions of their competitors and has measures to stop them. They plan to increase their investment in the financial and insurance industries in countries that are willing to accept their initiatives. However, management claims that they do not intend to invest in countries where the regimes are wary of their activities. This they say will not be good for their business activities and will not also enhance their growth activities. The management of the business also claims that all their activities are done in accordance with the existing rules and regulations (Lemer and Rabinovitch 23). The second article from Forbes magazine examines the chances of success for Chinese brands around the globe. The author states that their success is dependent on the favor they get

The West Virginia 1985 Flood Essay Example for Free

The West Virginia 1985 Flood Essay The floods of November 1985 devastated much of West Virginia. Authorities called the record-breaking floods that began November 4 the worst this century. More than 3,500 homes and 180 businesses were wiped out. 123 bridges were destroyed or damaged and hundreds of thousands of farm animals were killed. 47 West Virginians lost their lives, 28 of whom resided in Pendleton and Grant counties. 33 of West Virginias 55 counties were declared disaster areas. Its highest winds moved at 85Â  mph (140Â  km/h). Damage was estimated at $570 million. Hurricane Juan was blamed for the floods throughout central and eastern West Virginia, which hit the Gulf Coast on Halloween and moved north. As a step towards recovery The Forest Service scientists at the Northern Research Station’s Fernow Experimental Forest near Parsons, West Virginia along with the West Virginia Division of Forestry and Virginia Tech University have been evaluating the effects of forestry activities on flooding. Important conclusions from these research efforts are:-Most hydrologic models are not designed to handle extreme events, such as flooding; therefore such models must be used as predictive tools with caution; The amount and intensity of rainfall are the main determinants of the level of peak flows (the largest peak flows result in flooding), and during very large storms, harvesting activities did not significantly affect peak flows; and Timber harvesting does not contribute significantly to flooding. The Chessie System workers had one span of the new girder bridge in place less than a week after the flood waters had receded. Instead of constructing another double track bridge, Chessie System decided to just build a single-track one and construct a new interlocking farther west on Cheat River grade near Carrico Road Xing this solved the urgent communication problem that had resulted due to the collapse of the of the bridge. A culvert was put in place to channel the rest of the water over the side. In any natural disaster, a communitys self-sufficiency is its best hope for a speedy recovery. West Virginians were the model of resiliency in the aftermath of the 1985 flood. Not only did they help their neighbors by donating food, clothing and money, but also they banded together to rebuild their communities.

OLD GRINGO :: essays research papers

the editor of the Journal mentioned above, Dr. Earl H. Elam, made a systematic search of records in the Presidio County courthouse and found no trace of anyone with a name resembling Bierce having died there during that period. Importantly, Elam also spent a lengthy period in the military records at the National Archives in Washington, D. C. during 1989. While there he located and recovered reams of documentation concerning military activities on both sides of the Big Bend of the Rio Grande border during the Mexican revolution, but he found no trace of Ambrose Bierce having died at Marfa, or anywhere else for that matter. Nevertheless, Bierce probably did see Marfa, Texas, one time. It was from a train coach window as he passed through on his way to El Paso during November. Certainly, he never returned. The most rational explanation for the disappearance of Bierce is that he came north with Villa, arrived near Ojinaga on January 9, and was either slain during the battle on January 10 or that he died of natural causes sometime during that entire time frame. There is even a small piece of information that tends to prove this proposition: after the revolution several groups of investigators went into Mexico looking for Bierce. One method they used in their research was to interview former villistas who were known to have been at Chihuahua and then at Ojinaga during the same time that Bierce was believed to have been there. One officer, a man reportedly named Ybarra, when shown a photograph of Bierce, said that he had indeed seen him at Ojinaga but that after the assault on the federal garrison (which assault we do not know) he never saw him again. So, it is most reasonable to conclude that Ambrose Bierce died at Ojinaga. Many of the dead at Ojinaga were buried in trench graves. Many others however, were interlaced with dry wood, mostly vigas and wooden planks that had been taken from the wrecked structures in Ojinaga, then doused with kerosene and set afire on the plaza de armas in front of the Nuestra Padre de Jesà ºs church. So, was Bierce’s body burned to ashes, or was he buried in an unmarked grave? It is doubtful that anyone will ever know. Doubtful I said, not certain. For tantalizing clues are occasionally brought to light. There is, for example, that piece of information concerning the execution of an old American journalist by huertista soldiers in an old mining village of northern Zacatecas.

Slavery Essay -- American History

Slavery vs. Economics "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" --Declaration of Independence Slavery is a societal institution based on ownership, dominance, and exploitation of one human being by another and reciprocal submission on the part of the person owned. The owner may exact work or other services without pay and virtually without restriction and can deny the slave freedom of activity and mobility. Slavery is one of this country's most debated topics. In America's history slavery and economics go hand in hand. Most people think that the ban of slavery was a human rights issue in the south, where in fact it was a major economic one. The issue of slavery has been debated between the North and South since before the colonization of the thirteen colonies. It has been the instigator of many events throughout the history of the states. The North and the South obviously had very different views regarding the subject. The debate over the economic advantages of slavery in the South has raged ever since the first slaves began working in the cotton fields of the Southern States. Initially, the wealth of the New World was in the form of raw materials and agricultural goods such as cotton, sugar, and tobacco. The continuing demand for slaves' labor arose from the development of plantation agriculture, the long-term rise in prices and consumption of sugar, and the demand for miners. Not only did Africans represent skilled laborers, but also they were a relatively cheap resource to the South. Consequently, they were well suited for plantation agriculture. Whi... ... organizations which sprung up, as well as much bloodshed.(Abbott) Throughout the rest of time before the Civil War, slavery remained in the Southern states. Slavery was not abolished until 1865 when the 13th amendment was passed. Slavery has been around since the dawn of time, and it still exists today. Just because the Constitution says that slavery was outlawed, does not mean that the South followed the "rules" so to speak. If you look at society today, you can still see small types of slavery. In reference to the quote from The Declaration of Independence at the beginning of the paper, where it says that "We hold these truths to be self-evident", "all men are created equal", and "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights", but do we as a society view everyone as it is put in the constitution? Everyone in society has his or her own answer.

Quality Management Essay

Before we start our subject, let’s define briefly some key words that will be used in our studies. We will describe quality management, quality assurance as well as quality control. For a better understanding of our subject we will run all these quality types with more details in the next pages. Quality management, used by many companies, has a specific meaning within many business sectors. The quality management doesn’t especially promote a good quality for a firm, but rather to ensure that a product or organization is consistent, can be considered to have four components: quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and quality improvement. Quality management focuses not only on product or service, but also in the way to achieve it. Therefore, quality management is using quality assurance and control of processes as well as products to achieve a better quality. We will describe clearly these two types in our subject. However quality assurance known as QA; refers to engineering activities that are implemented in a quality system so that requirements for a product or service will be accomplished. Quality assurance is associated with feedback loop that confers error prevention, systematic measurement, comparison with standard and monitoring of processes. Additionally, there are two principles included in quality management: â€Å"Fit for purpose†, the product should be suitable for the intended purpose; â€Å"Right first time† mistakes must be eliminated. Quality assurance manage quality of assemblies, product and components, raw materials, production and inspection processes. In the other hand, quality control knows as QC is more general. It is a process by which companies review the quality of all f actors involved in production. This approach can be described on three aspects: 1- Elements such as controls, job management – defined and well managed processes, performance and integrity criteria and identification of records 2- Competence such as knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications 3- Soft elements such as personnel, integrity, confidence, organizational culture, motivation, team spirit, and quality relationships. Controls is also a product inspection, in different way every product is examined visually and often using a stereo microscope for deep details before the product is sold in an external market. Usually inspectors provide lists and descriptions of defected products such as surface blemishes or cracks for instance. After defining all these terms, we can obviously examine our subject with more  details. Let’s start with quality assurance. Remember the basic principle of a quality assurance, is working out the best course of action beforehand and communicating it to all department concerned, applying this concept whenever a planned process is complex. Beyond this, the decision to follow a quality assurance depends on your organization’s decision; however the firm should answer the following questions: * Is your organization prepared to invest time to follow the formal discipline required? * Does the regional law require your organization’s compliance with a specific standard such as pharmaceutical manufacturers? * Do your customers insist on your organization’s compliance with a standard; (nowadays many companies prefer to deal with supplier with quality assurance certification)? After answering all these questions positively, and making the decision to implement quality assurance. We can start in general way by identifying the tasks, processes or systems critical to the business and writing clearly a guidelines and instructions for employees. Use a guidelines and instructions for training and day-to-day reference. For processes and systems covered will basically reduce: * Wasting time and materials associated with error * The number of errors; * The number of problems to fix and customer complaints; * The time spent on giving day-to-day instructions; * The time needed to improve processes and systems by establishing a stable base. However, you can also take this general principle of clearly documenting tasks, systems and processes to the next level, by using ISO 9000, which is related to quality management systems and to help organizations assure that they meet the right needs of clients and other stakeholders, while meeting statutory and regulatory requirements related to the product. We could also establish another appropriate quality assurance system code as a model to cover all aspect of quality, using formal discipline for controlling information accuracy, and reviewing and improving systems. Therefore quality assurance is deeply involved in any commercial product, from MP3 players, to children’s toys, to video games. A specialist needs to test and use almost all items you buy. Is not performed by one person but by a group of people, and it has many level of testing, from the minute, testing tiny pieces of code, to the gigantic, testing the final  products. In United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal and states regulatory agencies have instituted rules and regulations regarding manufacturing practices and products. In large measure, it is the responsibility of the quality assurance department to maintain compliance with these regulations. After all, companies using quality assurance get benefice from it. This system basically increases customers’ confidence and companies’ credibility, which very important nowadays in the current market. Improving work processes and efficiency will definitely enable to better compete with other competitors and increase earnings. Today’s quality assurance systems emphasize catching defects before they get into the final product. The quality assurance team uses a popular tool commonly called PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) to evaluate and determine excellence and provide improvement. The principle is, once a hypothesis is negated, beginning and implementing the cycle again will further extend knowledge, bringing about perfect output and operation within the company. In the other hand, quality control is similar to, but not identical with quality assurance. As described before, it is a procedure or set of procedures intended to ensure that a manufactured product or performed service adheres to a defined set of quality requirements or mee ts the needs of the clients and/or customers. In order to install an effective quality control program, the firm must first decide which specific standards the service and/or product must meet. Then the extent of quality control actions must be determined – for instance, the percentage of units should be tested from each lot. After that, the real-world data must be collected – the percentage of unit that fail, and the result should be reported correctly to the management personnel. Next, the corrective actions take place and decided upon and taken – defective units must be repaired or rejected, and service repeated at no charge until the costumers are satisfied. In some companies, if too many failures or instances of poor service happen, the plan must be devised to improve the production process and then that plan must be put into action. However, quality control process must be ongoing to assure the remedial effort by producing satisfactory results, and immediately detecting recurrences or new instances of trouble. The quality of product or service is ensuring if proper designing process is followed. This designing process needs to be  back by an appropriate process design which confirm to requirement of customers. Quality control also ensures error and defects are prevented and finally deleted from the process of production. However, quality control should include: Planning, designing, implementation, gaps identification and improvisation. The benefits from an organization which is implementing a stringent quality control are as follow: * Reducing product defects lead to less variable cost associated with labor and material; * Increase in employee motivation and awareness of quality; * Increase in productivity and overall efficiency. * Reduction in wastage, scrap and pollution; * Ability to produce quality products over longer period of time; * With quality maintenance needs for inspection reduces leading to decrease in maintenance cost; * And finally ensure customers satisfaction; However the quality of any giving product and service determines success of failure of the company. All consumers expect the company to maintain high-level of quality and consider it one of the most important aspect of satisfaction. Therefore, quality management becomes very important as far as any organization is concerned. It can be accomplished through various quality control techniques. Quality assurance and quality control are objectively oriented and can be achieved through statistical quality control. Quality reviews are conducted to gather evidence on whether or not standards are being met. An effective quality review is a team effort involving several roles. The three most important roles will be given different names depending on the type of organization, but can generally be described as the creator, the reviewer and the manager. REFERENCES: 1- Wikipedia.com: Quality Management, Quality assurance and Quality control 2- Whatls.com: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/quality-control-QC 3- Asq.org: http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/quality-assurance-quality-control/overview/overview.html 4- C2.com: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?QualityAssuranceIsNotQualityControl 5- Hci.com:

Personal Branding

â€Å"I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you. † Oprah Winfrey Most of us know how important our brand is but we don’t always consider all the components that constitute our brand. When birthing your brand, you must consider the total user experience. Your personal brand should be extended into all aspects of your business. As image professionals, we are walking advertisements of our services so our business brand begins with us. A personal assessment should be the first step in building your brand. There are numerous ways to conduct a personal assessment. Consider and honestly answer the questions: What am I good at? How do I want others to describe me? What do I have to offer others? In other words, what is your value proposition that adds measurable, remarkable, distinctive value? You have to understand what makes you unique and what you have to offer then exemplify that in your business in every way. Once you take inventory and understand what it is you bring to the table as an individual you can work on bringing out the positives and improving the negatives. Continuously perfect your craft by participating in educational seminars, meetings, webinars, and other networking events. It has been said that it takes at least 10 years to be considered an expert at anything. Start as early as possible honing your skills and continue to sharpen them by regularly reading and trying new things. Just being the best is not good enough if you can’t communicate why this makes a difference to others. If you cannot articulate your brand effectively to the world, it will overlook you so careful communication of your brand is paramount. This is done in many ways, including verbally telling people and by writing about your brand or unique selling proposition in the form of articles or online postings. Online and social media are vital forms of communicating your message and should certainly be a part of your personal branding strategy. But be careful that the information you put out is aligned with your goals, audience needs, and your genuine style. All elements of your personal image have to be consistent in all aspects of your life to have the strongest effect. The final part of the process will be a matter of applying your brand in all areas of your life. Not only with your appearance, communication, and etiquette but also in the other extensions of your own personal brand, which include the house you live in, the car you drive, the company you keep, the events you attend, the work space you maintain, to the documents you disseminate. All of these represent you and make an impression, good or bad. Remember that personal branding refers to the images and ideas evoked when you think of a particular person. It is the purposeful method of shaping those images and ideas people have of you. The term personal branding has become more popular in the last decade but as Tom Peters, management guru, famously wrote â€Å"Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the age of the individual, you have to be your own brand. †

Mughal Inspiration: Art Forms Increasing Culture

After the Mughals arrived in India, a great cultural growth occurred in many different forms of art, such as music, visual art, architecture, and literature. India was already a country with many different cultural aspects, but the Mughals, of Turkish-Mongolian descent, expanded the realm of art even further. This Mughal art and architecture was considered an Indo-Islamic-Persian style, which combined different aspects of Islamic and Persian art with indigenous Indian art. This style thrived during the Mughal Empire from approximately 1526-1857 A. D. The monarchs of the Mughal dynasty encouraged art in areas such as literature and painting and created many great buildings and gardens that are still a great display of beauty today. The presence of the Mughals in India added to Indians’ cultural life through the beautiful and rich forms of art such as architecture, painting, literature, and music that they introduced to the subcontinent. First, the Mughals made many great contributions in architecture. The mausoleums, mosques, palaces, and cities that the Mughals created were very rich and intricate. In the words of A. L Basham, â€Å"The Mughal period was one of great splendour, and has left its mark on India in the form of many lovely buildings, wherein Islamic and Hindu motifs often blended in perfect unity. † The most noticeable contribution that the Mughals made in art was architecture, because they left so many great mausoleums, mosques, and palaces. Perhaps the most famous piece of architecture even in the worl d today is the Taj Mahal, which is a mausoleum that was built by the Mughal monarch Shah Jahan to entomb his third wife’s remains after she died in childbirth. Construction on this beautiful structure began in around 1632 and was completed in the year 1653. This structure was built mainly of marble, and it includes many tranquil gardens and canals. It is an Islamic structure, but it still was a â€Å"symbol of beauty and excellence for all Indians regardless of religious or sectarian affiliation. † Although this structure was built for an Islamic woman and was influenced by the Islamic style, people from all backgrounds and religions appreciated it for its beauty and symbol of eternal love. The first three Mughal emperors, Babur, Hamayun, and Akbar, each used the Iranian Timurid style of combining marble and red sandstone in the structures that they built. For example, Akbar, the third monarch of the Mughal Empire, built a new capital city called Fatehpur Sikri, which sat on a rocky plateau and overlooked a lake. A royal mosque with a palace was set to the west with the residential town area residing below. The city was gated with a grand entrance made of the red sandstone, and a lofty flight of steps were climbed to reach the city. There was also a marble tomb for Salim Chishti inside the city. Chishti was a Sufi mystic who told Akbar that he would eventually have three sons. The tomb was made of marble, and consisted of geometric shapes and inscribed verses from the Quran. The design of the inscribed verses was considered an abstract form of Islam. This shows the influence that Islam had on the tomb, and therefore on the rest of the citizens who saw this mausoleum in their city every day. Other Mughal monarchs made their mark on Indian architecture as well. Jahangir and his wife Nur Jahan built tombs for Akbar, his father, at Sikandra and for her father at Agra, respectively. These tombs both incorporated the marble theme that the Mughal emperors before them had started. Overall, the Mughals devoted most of their greatest efforts to burial places for their loved ones. They also developed many fortress-like palaces with intricate details. For example, many of the rooms and corridors in these palaces were shielded from the outside by jalis, or latticework windows. They contained â€Å"mirror rooms†, wall alcoves, small waterways to provide air conditioning, and many statues and sculptures. Many intricate details were used in not only the palaces but also all of the structures that the Mughal monarchs built. The architecture of the Mughals added a very noticeable elegance and beauty to the Indian subcontinent. Another example of a form of art that enriched Indian culture with the arrival of the Mughals was painting. Mughal paintings were and still are very treasured Indian art. Generally, the paintings that the artists created from that time had a realistic yet imaginative style to them. Annemarie Schimmel stated in her book on the Mughal Empire that Mughal style â€Å"developed from the interaction between the refined Persian style and the strong, lively version of the Hindu artists. † There was a naturalistic style in these paintings, which was not seen in Iranian tradition or in early indigenous paintings of India. Some believe that it may have been both Akbar’s interest in realism and the European prints that arrived at court that influenced the artists to create this style and use naturalistic colors. The second monarch of the Mughal dynasty was Humayun, who was very intrigued by paintings. If an exotic bird flew into his tent, he caught it and ordered his artists to paint it. This shows his love and passion for painting, even if it was just of a small bird. Akbar, the third emperor, seemed to be the most enthused of all the Mughal emperors about paintings. He encouraged artists to paint and to show him their work; if he enjoyed it, he would give them rewards. Sometimes, he would even honor the especially talented artists with titles or positions close to the throne. In some of the paintings of Akbar’s time, Islamic attitudes towards the representations of living things were considered. Akbar had stated that the reason that the paintings of living things were somewhat imaginative was because the artists could not make anything individualistic, because every arm looks the same and every body looks the same. Therefore, they put their own spin on whatever they were painting, making it unique and abstract. Akbar also believed that painting deepened faith in God, while many others believed it to be blasphemous. The Mughals also showed interest in allegorical themes. They had paintings of Christ, the Last Supper, St. John, and other religious allegories that were not affiliated with their own religion. The reason for their possession of this artwork, though, was nothing more than curiosity. The fact that the Mughal emperors were willing to have paintings of Christian descent shows that they appreciated any and all forms of paintings that they came across, and it added to the diversity of the artwork that they had and broadened their cultural life. The Mughals greatly enjoyed paintings and made this form of art a part of their daily lives by having their own artists with them at all times and by rewarding those who showed them their creations. The Mughals’ arrival also influenced of other forms of art such as literature, music, and even textiles. The first emperor, Babur, and all of his descendents shared a love of fine books. They also thought that calligraphy was very important too; it was not just the contents of books that mattered; they appreciated the calligraphy as well. Akbar was supposedly illiterate, but he worked around this by having people read to him and having scribes take his dictation. His library contained over 24,000 books, of a variety of subjects. Much of his library had books of important Sufi writings, which showed his devotion to his Islamic religion. Also, because Akbar was tolerant of various religions outside of Islam, his library contained translations of Hindu texts. The great variety in these books show the appreciation they had for all kinds of books, no matter what they were about. Each of the emperors were also interested in textiles, but especially Akbar. He appreciated fine-quality velvets, silks and cottons. In each of the Mughal monarchs’ palaces, tombs, and tents, there were fine carpets that were used to cover the floors. They appreciated anything fine and beautiful that they could use to decorate their homes. Lastly, the Mughals brought a unique twist on the music of that time period in India. During the Mughals time period, Indian Classical music arose as two different traditions. There was the north Indian Hindustani and the south Indian Carnatic, which arose mainly because of the Islamic influence. The Hindustani tradition was a mixture of traditional Indian music and aspects of Persian performances. Many new musical forms and instruments formed under the Mughal rule. While some of these musical forms began to form a few centuries before the Mughals arrived, they reached their pinnacle under the rule of the Mughals. The Indian Carnatic music, on the other hand, focused more on the vocal portions of the music and less on the instruments. Most of the Carnatic compositions were written to be sung and performed in a singing style with less focus on the instruments. Each of these forms of Indian classical music, Hindustani and Carnatic, were from Hindu origins. This music helped to evolve Hinduism and allowed its people to practice their religion in a different way. In a more negative light, though, Aurangzeb, perhaps one of the least flexible rulers of the Mughal empire, allowed only strict interpretations of Islam, therefore barring music. This caused music to be driven underground and caused the performers of music to become social outcasts. Overall, though, the Mughal Empire had more lenient rulers that allowed music to flow through India and influence people in a positive light. The Indians were able to expand their musical preferences and appreciate newer forms of music. Directly following the arrival of the Mughals, a great increase in Indian culture occurred through various forms of art such as architecture, painting, literature, and music. Although the Mughals were descended from warriors, they had a great eye for beauty and displayed their love for art through the pieces of work that they contributed to their empire. The great cultural varieties that the Indian people were exposed to by the Mughals allowed their already rich and diverse culture to have even more variety. With art to join them, both Hindus and Muslims were able to live together in harmony during most of this time period. This is also due to the rulers who allowed it, of course, but with these new ways to express art it allowed the Indian people to be united regardless of their religious views and backgrounds. People were influenced to share their own artwork and their cultural diversity expanded even further. Because of the Mughals presence in India beginning from the sixteenth century, Indians’ cultural life was broadened through the beautiful and rich forms of art like architecture, painting, literature, and music that the Mughals brought to them.