The witch craze of the 1600s essays

The witch craze of the 1600's essays Are there such things as a witch? If the answer is yes, then what do they look like? Where do they live? In what way are they different from the modern day illusionist or magician? If the answer is no, then explain why nearly the entire population of Europe was convinced that witches existed for more then a century so much so, in fact, that a section of their written laws was devoted to the steps for discovery and prosecution of witches If you were to ask the average individual in North America what they new about witches, they would probably mention something about the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts during colonial America. The fact of the matter is that the twenty witch burnings that took place in Salem in 1692 pale in comparison to the witch craze that engulfed Western Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries . If the entire population of a continent believed in witches, then it is unquestionable they do exist, or at least did exist, right ? One logical way to accurately answer these questions is to examine books pertaining to the controversial subject of witches. The two books chosen for this investigation provide both a macro and a micro perspective on the European witch craze. Joseph Klaits Servants of Satan: The Age of Witch Hunts gives a general overview of the witch hunt craze of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The more detailed book A Case of Witchcraft: The Trial of Urbain Grandier by Robert Rapley, on the other hand, describes a specific series of events, which occur during the same time period. By comparing these two books, an understanding of the political, religious, and social attitudes of that era can be obtained. Thus, once this understanding is outlined then perhaps these witch related questions can be answered. In order to understand these books more clearly, the scene must be set for the impending investigation. Although the witch craze was a phenomeno...

The Special Education Resource Room

The Special Education Resource Room The Resource Room is not just a place, but also a placement.   Because the resource room removes a child from a general education classroom for even part of the day, it is increasing the restrictiveness which is defined and proscribed except when necessary by IDEIA (Individual with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act.)   It is part of the placement process and is considered necessary for children who are easily distracted in the general education setting, especially when new information is being introduced.   Resource rooms  is a separate setting, either a classroom or a smaller designated room,  where a special education program can be delivered to a student with a disability individually or in a small group.   It is for the student who qualifies for either a special class or regular class placement but needs some special instruction in an individualized or small group setting for a portion of the day. Individual needs are supported in resource rooms as defined by the students IEP. Sometimes this form of support is called Resource and Withdrawal (or pull out). The child getting this type of support will receive some time in the resource room, which refers to the withdrawal portion of the day and some time in the regular classroom with modifications and/or accommodations which are the resource support in the regular classroom. This type of support helps ensure that the inclusional model is still in place. How Long Is a Child in the Resource Room? Most educational jurisdictions will have time increments that are allocated to the child for resource room support. For instance, a minimum of three hours a week in time increments of 45 minutes. This will sometimes vary on the age of the child. The teacher in the resource room is, therefore, able to concentrate on the specific area of need with some consistency. Resource rooms are found in elementary, middle and high schools. Sometimes the support in the high school takes on more of a consultative approach. The Teachers Role in the Resource Room Teachers in the resource room have a challenging role as they need to design all instruction to meet the specific needs of the students they service to maximize their learning potential. The resource room teachers work closely with the childs regular classroom teacher and the parents to ensure support is indeed helping the student to reach their full potential. The teacher follows the IEP and will take part in the IEP review meetings. The teacher will also work very closely with other professionals and paraprofessionals to support the specific student. Usually, the resource room teacher will work with small groups helping in one to one situations when possible. How Resource Rooms Helps Students Individual Needs Some older students feel a stigma when they go to the resource room. However, their individual needs are usually met better and the teacher will work closely with the regular classroom teacher to help support the child as much as is possible. The resource room tends to be less distracting than the regular classroom setting. Many resource rooms also support the social needs of their students in the small group setting and will provide behavior interventions. It will be very rare for a child to spend more than 50% of their day in the resource room, however, they may spend up to 50% in the resource room. Students in the resource room are usually assessed and tested in the resource room as it provides a less distracting environment and a better chance at success. A child will be re-evaluated every 3 years to determine special education eligibility.

Risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk management - Essay Example This report will focus on the different types of yield curves and how changes in the slope of yield curve impacts the future prospects of the economy. Further, it will also take into consideration the effectiveness of monetary policy responses in the time of financial crisis and how those responses have affected the shape of the yield curve. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Task 1: To Examine the Types of Yield Curve 4 Task 2: Impact of Yield Curve on Future Economic Prospect 6 Task 3: Effectiveness of Monetary Policy 9 Task 4: Implication for Investor and Policy makers 10 Conclusion 10 Appendices 11 Reference 13 Introduction A yield curve is referred to the graphical representation of the relationship among the yield on a group of securities for different maturities. It explains how interest rates differ with the term to maturity (Burton, Burton and Nesiba, 2010, p.115). The yield curve has too much information about the economic conditions an d the future interest rates. In U.S. the benchmark interest rate last recorded was at 0.25%. Federal Reserve reports the interest rates in U.S. Historically, from 1971 to 2013, the interest rate of U.S. averaged 6.17 % and recorded a high of 20% in March 1980 and a low of 0.25% in December 2008. Interest rate changes depend not only on what Federal Reserve does today or next year but also on perception of the people about the goals and reliability of the monetary authority. In U.S. the monetary policy is determined by the Federal Reserve. The goals and the associated expectations depends on the arrangement of the monetary policy (Haubrich, 2004, p.1). The yield curve is used by the investors to understand the future prospects of economic activities. Task 1: To Examine the Types of Yield Curve The structure of interest rates can be characterized by a graph which shows the relationship between the yields to maturity as a function of term to maturity. Such a graph is termed as yield cu rve. There are four different types of yield curve for U.S. Treasury securities such as normal yield curve or upward sloping yield curve, inverted yield curve or downward sloping yield curve, flat yield curve and humped yield curve. There are two theories which are used to explain the shapes of yield curves. The pure expectation theory reflects the current expectation of the future rates of the market and the market segmentation theory signifies that the shape of yield curve is established by demand for and supply of securities within each maturity sector. In normal yield curve long term rates are high in position than short term rates. The securities with longest maturity provide the highest returns and the shortest maturity securities provide lowest returns. Generally it is upward sloping. The normal yield curve signifies the normal conditions of the capital markets. It presents the borrowers with the risk-return trade-off (Droms and Wright, 2010, pp.144-145). It entails that the investors of the U.S. expect growth in the economy in the future and for this growth to lead to higher interest rates and higher inflation. They don’t purchase longer term securities without receiving a higher interest r

Tambour embriodery work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Tambour embriodery work - Essay Example The origins of tambour work are traced to the 18th Century where it grew into a favourite pastime for women. Being a new form of embroidery, the technique was preferred due to it being an exotic form of stitchery (Embroiderersguildwa.org, 2014). The finest attires stitched through this technique were traded all over Europe from Britain to France and in Asiatic countries such as India and Persia. In Turkey and India, tambour embroiderers used metal threads to stitch their fabric. Turkey, specifically, used tambour work to make covers used in ceremonial household events, as it was a status symbol (Embroiderersguildwa.org, 2014). The Indians of Peru, on the other hand, developed their work without the use of a frame; also known as coarse chain embroidery. The popularity of tambour work grew in leaps and bounds because of the Napoleonic wars. These wars made it difficult for people to obtain fashionable French laces and they had to settle for tambour laces. It was further adopted in Britain after an Italian established his tambour embroidery shop in Edinburgh (Thetextileblog, 2014). Its popularity grew further after the invention of a machine that would manufacture tambour fabric on a larger scale. There was massive production of ‘sprigged muslin’ and other tambour

The Allied Occupation of Japan Essay Example for Free

The Allied Occupation of Japan Essay In 1945, to end the Pacific war, Operations Olympic and Coronet, America’s proposed landings on Kyushu and the Tokyo Plain were the largest amphibious invasions ever planned. Thomas M. Huber: Pastel: Deception in the Invasion of Japan Command and General staff college, 1988 {www-cgsc. army. mil/carl/resources/csi/huber2/huber2. asp} The allied forces successfully invaded Japan and imparted values and ethics of democracy in Asia. The success measure is evident, exemplified and argued through various contexts. One it stopped the creation of a Draconian empire in Asia whose onset was the 1937 invasion of China. Shillony 1981: p 87. Brute force and escalation due to self atonement and belief that supremacy through war is power doomed the Japanese and was what the allied forces sought to destroy. Japan was defeated militarily. There deaths of over one and half million soldiers and hundreds of thousands of civilians were a blow to the empires magnum strength in Asia. Bailey, Paul J. 1996 Post War Japan: 1945 to present: The American interregnum p 22 . Though an atrocity to human life, militarily and as per the objectives of the allied invasion, this was a successful war. They won it and Japan when it withered to the onslaught conceded defeat and called on to the forces for a truce. ‘Japan was the only major nation in the world which had never been invaded’ Russell Brines: Macarthur’s Japan, 1948. p 13 It is within this context refutation of the win is made subjective. Within the Japanese empire, there was collective rebellion and repulse to accept defeat due to the implications. A split is seen to have emerged and a struggle to stop the emperor speech by some of the generals is indicative of the remaining strength of the Japanese army. By the end of 1941 Japan had completed a decade of planned industrial expansion and could look back upon a period of considerable achievement. Industrial output had risen from six billion yen in 1930 to thirty billion in 1941. To destroy this and that, was heavily demoralizing and they were defeated not due to the military power but the loss of kin and gains they had made. Jerome B Cohen: Japans Economy in War and Reconstruction. 1995 {pg1} it is arguably correct, that the success was only based on the physiological within the leadership structure of the empire. ‘The army insisted on the continuation of the war while prime minister Suzuki advised acceptance of the surrender terms†¦. Despite a desperate attempt by a few middle ranking officers from the imperial guards division in Tokyo on the night of 14the august to destroy the recordings of the emperors surrender speech, the broadcast went ahead. Bailey, Paul J. 1996 Post War Japan: 1945 to present: The American interregnum {pg 25} This proves, there was still military might in Japan and they would have escalated but a demoralised leader and generals due to the human suffering and loss of lives by innocent humans caved in to the terms of the surrender. However, this cannot be vilified since, it seen from the assertions and collective analysis by the context of Nakamura, Takafusa. 1990. The Post-war Japanese Economy: Its Development and Structure, the Americans, a key player in the allied forces, made the breaking up Japanese economic structures through the principals of Zaibastu dissolution. ‘The purpose of the Zaibastu resolution†¦. Is to destroy Japans military power both physiologically and institutionally’ this dimensional perspective is proving of political weakening and infiltration of Japans key and integral structures. It is indicative of a successful defeat. Nakamura, Takafusa. The Post-war Japanese Economy: Its Development and Structure: Economic democratization 1990 p 25 The principal objective of the Allied forces was to stop and reform the Japanese escalation. They made it possible and due to diversified interest, the objectives of the allied forces shifted based on each country’s policy on the war and Asia. It within this context the split of economic policies between the Union Soviet Socialist Republic and the United States is offset. USSR was instrumental in creating a Korea issue as its interest while from the spoils of Japan, the Americans made economic and military positions in Asia. Japans recipient nature after the war is indicative of its dissolved might and its pro United States policies. The recipient nature developed from the brute force of the American forces in the war and the final blow that was the atomic bomb that led to deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. This also signifies that, the Japanese had gone further in the war to form a formidable force whose strength could not be eased and only a political demoralization strategy within military options would create that opportunity, hence the brute action by the United States. Subsequently, the post-war Japan policies and principals all correlate with assertions which deem the allied forces won the war ‘the externally imposed occupation reforms greatly changed the fixed system of the pre-war Japanese economy and ended by preparing a rich soil not only for democratization but also for economic growth’ Nakamura, Takafusa. The Post-war Japanese Economy: Its Development and Structure: The post war Japanese economy1990. p 48 . Based on this fact, the essence of the invasion and its effectiveness in imparting or rather inducing policies and structures of the allied forces political and economic systems is within this context then. Beyond reasonable doubt, this was a complete and successful invasion. Factual evidence of the invasion and its extremes of success are seen in the Japanese leaders acceding to American war demands and surrender instructions. Based on the President Truman and the great general, in the Asian conflict General McArthur, principles on the Japanese escalation, prowess and economic structures, the Japanese had to go into the sea, board the US naval ship USS Missouri and sign the peace accord that made them safe than sorry in the naval ship. H. Passin, The Occupational: Some reflections, in C Gluck and S Graudbard, Showa: the Japan of Hirohito, 1992 p 108 In his explication of these events Passin is emphatic about the brute of the Americans. They assume the polity of the Japanese who had imbued themselves with extreme gusto, gist and were drunk with power. According to Passin the Americans showed off during the signing of the treaty. The subsequent course of events led to demilitarization of Japan, an ethic fact that shows Japan had been incapacitated and completely taken over. Further economic restructuring using America policies and reforming the country political and judicial system is indicative of the vast influence and filtration of the Japanese by the Americans deep in to their social economics, tradition and religious structures. The question of how long the American occupation and restructuring of the Japanese socio-political- economic structures would last was ambiguous then as Passin implies. It is long term and this often spells the question of whether these American policies are a continuation of the occupation. Seen from his virtues, Passin seems to admit hypothetically that the occupation was a long-term one and that the effects and the continuity was not parametrical hence no projections would ratify nor assume the end of the era. ‘Will the reforms last or will they disappear as soon as we leave? ’ this is and was then a fair question, but is it answerable? Despite all the fanfare and futurology we cannot really predict the future in any degree of complexity. H. Passin, The Occupational: Some reflections, in C Gluck and S Graudbard, Showa: the Japan of Hirohito, New York: Norton 1992 pg 125 . Another agreement with the purge is seen within the Robert Wolfe context. ‘In the interim, the basic policies regarding the removal of Japans wartime leadership had been translated into a far-reaching directive to the Japanese Government entitled Removal and Exclusion of Undesirable Personnel from Public Office’ Robert Wolfe, Americans as Proconsuls: United States Government in Germany and Japan, 1944-1952 p 188 Passin revisits the Zaibastu issue sceptically and quite emphatically. The Zaibastu principle is a proliferation like principle. All the structures of the economy and the legislative structures are brought to their knees through disintegrating them and making military and economic stability not to withstand any slight implication. According to Passin, the dissolution was controversial. ‘The dissolution of the Zaibastu remains the most controversial of the occupational measures with respect to its desirability and its effectiveness’ H. Passin, The Occupational: Some reflections, in C Gluck and S Graudbard, Showa: the Japan of Hirohito, New York: Norton 1992 pg 117 He is empathic in context. He is seeking to moralize the Zaibastu as a structure which was not only an integral Japanese economic and social stability pillar but also the basis of both. Evident is the aspect of powerlessness of the Japanese in this comment. It is practically impossible to bring about Japan based policy within this conflict period and the Americans and their allies are not only prejudiced against the structures that supported the brute Japan but also ready to destroy them. Japan within this context is displayed as a nabbed culprit who has no choice but to tow the line to get any reprieve or empathy but first has to undergo phases of self realism and reconstruction of moral authority over his self. The profoundness of the wining and the success is measurable within this perspective. What Passin implies is that Japan was now a pawn, a completely incapacitated nation. ‘The occupation penetration into even the most intimate of Japanese institutions, the family, parental authority†¦. was no mere exercise of missionary impulse’ H. Passin, The Occupational: Some reflections, in C Gluck and S Graudbard, Showa: the Japan of Hirohito, New York: Norton 1992 pg 117 What would further clarify the porous-ness of the Japanese nation under the American and allied forces? Within this ethical projection of the penetration, Japan is merely under the forces, rule and legislation of the occupier. It is not refutable, it is factual, the truth. Japan was conquered and it surrendered and it then caved in. Its structures were destroyed and the occupier built his within and made them the Japanese institutions which had and still use the same values and ethics to run. Without making the war the basis of success, it’s the objectives of the war that vilify the win. The draconian Japan was contained. The allied forces stopped the emergence of an Asian kingdom led by the Japanese and their ruthlessness. A regional conflict then was ensuing and the Japanese were instrumental in stifling and frustrating efforts of all well wishers. Containing Japan was moral and loosing the war would have led to regional imbalance. The discourse is contextual and this is seen through Robert E Edward variable assertions about American policies or post war Japan and the quite intricate policy administrations to avert shift of Japanese community trust on the new structures of peace, democracy and political inclination and stop possible uprising to oppose these new structures. To justify and prove that the allied forces won the war, Edwards says ‘American victory was a vindication of their own political institutions and ideals’ Ward, Robert E. 1987. Conclusion, in R. E. Ward and Y. Sakamoto (eds), Democratising Japan: the Allied Occupation {pg 397} , it is a case of proving the war was won and that there was escalation in the win and this was incorporation of the American policies into the Japanese system. The perspectives of the Japanese were and have been an Asian economic progress. As seen in the context of, Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. Invisible countries: Japan and the Asian dream {online} Japan sought to have an empire that would make it to the realm of military and economic strength and prowess. However it was the principles and modus that contradicted and dissented with the international community then hence the successful invasion of Japan by the allied forces to stop its escalation in principal. Sources Thomas M. Huber: Pastel: Deception in the Invasion of Japan Command and General staff college, 1988 {www-cgsc. army. mil/carl/resources/csi/huber2/huber2. asp} -Shillony 1981:87

Online Social Networking and Politics Essay -- Facebook, Twitter, Pint

Introduction The internet is one of the most dynamic inventions in the history of mankind. It spreads knowledge and allows for rapid communication amongst untold numbers of people on a scale previously unimaginable. It has revolutionized countless aspects of the modern world, ranging from its effects on business practices and the economy to creating new forms of leisure activities and educational content. The multitude of ways the internet has affected the modern world is truly astonishing. Online social networking is a relatively recent phenomenon of the internet. Online social networks have permeated their ways into millions of peoples’ lives. People create digital identities of themselves, updating and maintaining their online profiles, allowing users to more easily keep in touch with family, friends, and the world around them. Groups and micro-societies are formed when users rally behind a common interest, activity, or goal. This user-managed method of organizing people and information has quickly found its way into varying aspects of our culture. One important area in which the internet and online social networks have found their way is American politics, and they are changing it like it has never been changed before. Howard Dean The rise and fall of former Vermont governor Howard Dean in the 2004 presidential campaign marked the beginning of a new era in American politics. Dean was a game changer. He was the first candidate to utilize the power of the internet and online social networks for campaigning purposes, without which he would have not risen to (at one point) be considered a front-runner for the Democratic ticket. As his campaign manager Joe Trippi notes, the Dean campaign started out small in both the num... ... Vargas, Jose Antonio. 20 November 2008. â€Å"Obama Raised Half a Billion Online.† The Washington Post. sec. Politics http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/11/20/obama_raised_half_a_billion_on.html Walsh, Kenneth T. 17 January 2008. â€Å"The Battle Cry That Backfired on Howard ‘The Scream’ Dean.† U.S. News & World Report http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2008/01/17/the-battle-cry-that-backfired.html Wilgoren, Jodi and Jim Rutenberg. 1 February 2004. â€Å"Missteps Pulled A Surging Dean Back to Earth.† The New York Times sec. 1 p. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/us/2004-campaign-former-governor-missteps-pulled-surging-dean-back-earth.html?pagewanted=1 Willard, Terri. March 2009. "Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development." International Institute for Sustainable Development. http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2009/social_net_gov.pdf

Yahoo and Alibaba

3. How has the strategic value of Yahoo to Alibaba changed over time since 2005? 2005 was a tough year for Alibaba. Because of the US$100 million investment in China by eBay, Alibaba and its subsidiary – Taobao fell into a severe price war against eBay which hindered the profitability of the group and much more capital was needed for operational and technological improvement in order to win the battle. Under this circumstance, Alibaba formed a partnership with Yahoo! Inc. Yahoo invested US$1 billion in Alibaba and transferred the ownership of Yahoo! China to Alibaba.In return, Yahoo got a 40% stake and 35% voting rights in Alibaba. Beside the cash injection, another reason for the initiation of the partnership was that Alibaba valued much on the importance of search engine for its e-commerce work. At that time, owing Yahoo! China was a competitive advantage of Alibaba against eBay. At that time, Yahoo had much strategic value to Alibaba due to its large capital base and techno logy to help Alibaba safeguard its market share under eBay’s attack. However, the operation of Yahoo! China under Alibaba was unsatisfactory.Since 2005, Yahoo! China has been losing its market share and lagging behind its rivals. Although Alibaba tried to re-orientate it as more business-oriented to grasp the market niche, the effort was in vain. The influence of Yahoo! China in the search engine market in China diminished. Hence, it failed to draw attention of potential customers of Alibaba and was not capable to bring enough benefit to Alibaba leading to a fall in strategic value of Yahoo!. Even for the parent of Yahoo! China – Yahoo! Inc. , the story was more or less the same.The net income of Yahoo dropped 78% in the first quarter of 2009 which resulted in a massive layoff. Due to the low profitability, Yahoo formed a 10-year agreement with Microsoft. Under this contract, Yahoo had to adopt Microsoft’s search technology (Bing) instead of its own technology i n all Yahoo’s website. Similarly, Yahoo agreed to use Google’s search engine in Yahoo! Japan (search ads platform). In other words, it surrendered its own searching technology which Alibaba valued most. Search engine is important to e-commerce companies.As many people use search engine like Google, Yahoo, Bing etc. to get appropriate results of their queries, a smart search engine can allocate much traffic to the e-commerce website by placing their website on the top of result pages so that potential customers can be created. Now that Yahoo lost its own search engine, it may only be able to provide support to Alibaba under Microsoft’s constraints which was unlikely to be what Alibaba wants and thus lowering Yahoo’s strategic value. Unlike the poor performance of Yahoo, the profit of Alibaba surged after the partnership.Apart from being the market leader in China, Alibaba started to expand its business overseas in 2008. For instance, it formed a partnershi p with Informedia India Limited; set up Alibaba Japan, a joint venture with Softbank to foray and launched AliExpress in US etc. All these new strategies had no correlation with its partner – Yahoo! Inc. These revealed that Alibaba was keen on developing new relationships with overseas companies to enter foreign markets. Due to the poor relationship with Yahoo, Alibaba no longer seek cooperation with it and the strategic value of Yahoo further diminished.Because of the poor performance of Yahoo! China, Alibaba started to provide Sogou (a local search engine) in addition to Bing for its customers. This probably made Yahoo’s market share further decrease as customers no longer need to choose Yahoo! China’s Etao as the only access to Alibaba and they can opt for Sogou Shopping instead. Even Alibaba loses Yahoo! China, it still has its new channel to reach its potential customers. It seems that Yahoo has lost its role as an exclusive search engine of Alibaba and los t its strategic value meanwhile.

Three Stages of the Child Development

Question 2: What are three stages of child development? Maria Montessory divided the process of child development into tree stages. 1. First stage: Absorbent Mind (0-6 years) This is the period of transformation and the characteristic of this period is known as the Absorbent Mind. The child absorbs environment into himself. The child creates the person she will become once given an appropriate and specially prepared environment to work. Montessori said that during the absorbent mind, the Sensitive Periods are at the strongest and facilitates the child's learning process.This period can be divided into two sub-phases. Unconscious Absorbent Mind (0-3 years). The child cannot be dictated in this period nor can be directly influenced by the adults. The child learns unconsciously from his environment by using his senses of seeing and hearing. No formal schooling is suggested in this period however provision of a suitable environment greatly helps a child in making good early impressions o f the world around him. Children under the age of three, do not need to have lessons in order to learn, they simply absorb everything in the environment by experiencing it, being part of it.It is therefore important that the environment set up is good, nice and positive since this is what the child will absorb whether he chooses to or not. Conscious Absorbent Mind (3-6 years). Child becomes sensitive to adult influence. The period from 3 to 6 years of age is a period of conscious construction when the child takes consciously from the environment. This is the bless time to play. The child realizes the environment by the work of his hands. The child starts building personality basing on the impressions stored during first three years of his life.The sense of touch gets coordinated with the mind. Hands become a prime tool of learning. This is also a time of social development. The child wants to have company of other children and can be separated from mother for short periods of time. Children of this age are also very drawn to activities that engage the five senses. Montessori materials are designed to clearly isolate specific concepts such as length, weight, shape, size and color. Children learn to compare and contrast using their senses of smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing. 2. Second stage: Later Childhood (6-12 years)For many children, these years from six to twelve are the glory years–a time of calm and steady growth and expansion of interests. At approximately six to seven years of age, children experience a major transformation. This transformation leads from the sponge-like absorbent mind of early childhood to the reasoning, thinking adult mind. This is the period when children develop logical thinking skills. They have to think and consciously study in order to learn. During the stage of the absorbent mind, learning happened almost automatically through exposure, but the reasoning mind needs to be consciously engaged in the learning process.T his is a period of uniform growth, an intermediate period or the second stage of childhood. At this stage children are more stable, calm and of great energy. As the child has mastered most of the basic human skills, he no longer has the Absorbent mind but learn through reasoning using his imagination to explore further. It is also a period of self discovery and a period for developing characters, morals and ethics. Montessori offers an exciting idea for guiding education: â€Å"The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination.Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core. † (Montessori, 1967, pg. 15). Maria Montessori identified three primary developmental drives of the elementary years. First, the child develops a voracious appetite for facts. Second, the child enters a period of moral formation and begins to ask questions about right and wrong. Third, his imagination becomes his most powerful learning tool.To feed this hungry mind and active imagination, Maria Montessori suggests that children need a vision of the whole universe starting with the solar system, the history and geography of the earth. Only a vision of the universe offers a framework for understanding all of the component parts. On the moral level, it helps children begin to understand that they are part of an integrated whole. 3. Third stage: Transformation (12-18 years) This is a period of Transformation, both physically and psychologically. Mentally, they have developed logical thinking and do not like to be told or pressure into learning.During this time, age twelve to eighteen years others become more important. Little by little they leave the family, first emotionally then physically. This is hard on parents. Parents are asked to see the adult in the child. Parents need to change how they talk. What was appropriate before is not anymore. They see adulthood coming and are very interested in themselves. All children at this age have an inferiority complex. They are convinced they are being watched. They imagine everyone is looking at them. They don’t have a stable inside or outside anymore. It is also a very idealistic time.They need to be exposed to heroes and idealists. They want to know they have a role to play. They respond to people who make a difference. The hardest part in our society is that they are seen as useless. Society is telling them there is no place for them until they get older. The way out for this is often the arts, music and drama. This is the time that the child develops significant relationships with other adults. There is a decrease in IQ during this period. The child has a decreased interest in academic learning when they are really growing and going through great physical changes.It is a ti me to train for self-sufficiency. Connect lessons with practical, concrete experiences. This is a good time to learn about the independence and interdependence of nature. Like the first stage of development it is also divided again into two sub-phases: Puberty (12-15 years) At this stage the child is like a new born baby. His character is seldom stable and there are signs of indiscipline and rebellion. The advent of puberty indicates the end of childhood. Marked physical changes take place and the child becomes very sensitive of his self.All the confidence and joyfulness of the childhood is suddenly lost. At this stage, the child needs full emotional support of parents and teachers. Adolescence (15-18 years). This period is marked with an attitude of rebellion, discouragement, hesitation, and doubts. There is an unexpected decrease in intellectual capacity as compared to an extrovert of 6-12 years. The creativeness takes charge. The child now transforming into adulthood wants to exp lore the world. Sensitive to criticism and hates to be ridiculed. Parents and teachers need to accommodate mistakes and encourage new ideas.

Free Essays on The Lover Of The Russian Queen

The Imperial Rapist and Lover-RASPUTIN Gregory Rasputin, who received practically little education, came from the rural Russia and achieved great recognition as a holy man in the highest circles of Russian society. Gregory Efimovich was born on January 10, 1869, in Prokovskoe, a small village in Siberia. As a young lad, Rasputin shocked his village by the fact he was developing into a rake, a man with a debauched, and endless, sexual appetite. It was soon thereafter that the debauched, lecherous peasant adopted the robes of a monk, developed his own self-gratifying doctrines, traveled the country as a â€Å"staretz† and sinned to his heart’s content. By the time he reached his early thirties, Rasputin had traveled to the Holy land and back. It was while in Kazan that the mysterious traveling monk made an impression among the local clergy. It was with the recommendations of these fooled priests that Rasputin headed to St. Petersburg for his first visit. While in the Russian capital, Rasputin’s presen ce attracted the attention of many of the country’s leading religious leaders. The staretz’ traveling tales, as well as the stories he told about his religious revival, seemed to capture the attention of the higher clergy of the Russian empire. The year was 1902.The Tsar’s death seemed imminent as his once strong body caved under the strain of his sickness. No one would have thought that Tsar Alexander III, a giant by most accounts, would be dead before his fiftieth year. And no one was more terrified by the events unfolding at the Imperial compound at Livadia, in the Crimea, as the young heir, Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich. At the time of his father’s death in late 1894, Nicholas was an inexperienced youth wholly unprepared for the great task destiny had placed on his shoulders. Nicholas himself was terribly aware of this and upon his father’s death, the new Tsar consoled himself by asking God to give him the guidance... Free Essays on The Lover Of The Russian Queen Free Essays on The Lover Of The Russian Queen The Imperial Rapist and Lover-RASPUTIN Gregory Rasputin, who received practically little education, came from the rural Russia and achieved great recognition as a holy man in the highest circles of Russian society. Gregory Efimovich was born on January 10, 1869, in Prokovskoe, a small village in Siberia. As a young lad, Rasputin shocked his village by the fact he was developing into a rake, a man with a debauched, and endless, sexual appetite. It was soon thereafter that the debauched, lecherous peasant adopted the robes of a monk, developed his own self-gratifying doctrines, traveled the country as a â€Å"staretz† and sinned to his heart’s content. By the time he reached his early thirties, Rasputin had traveled to the Holy land and back. It was while in Kazan that the mysterious traveling monk made an impression among the local clergy. It was with the recommendations of these fooled priests that Rasputin headed to St. Petersburg for his first visit. While in the Russian capital, Rasputin’s presen ce attracted the attention of many of the country’s leading religious leaders. The staretz’ traveling tales, as well as the stories he told about his religious revival, seemed to capture the attention of the higher clergy of the Russian empire. The year was 1902.The Tsar’s death seemed imminent as his once strong body caved under the strain of his sickness. No one would have thought that Tsar Alexander III, a giant by most accounts, would be dead before his fiftieth year. And no one was more terrified by the events unfolding at the Imperial compound at Livadia, in the Crimea, as the young heir, Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich. At the time of his father’s death in late 1894, Nicholas was an inexperienced youth wholly unprepared for the great task destiny had placed on his shoulders. Nicholas himself was terribly aware of this and upon his father’s death, the new Tsar consoled himself by asking God to give him the guidance...

Platypus Facts (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

Platypus Facts (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is an unusual mammal. In fact, when its discovery was first reported in 1798, British scientists thought the creature was a hoax made by stitching together parts of other animals. The platypus has webbed feet, a bill like a duck, lays eggs, and males have venomous spurs. The plural form of platypus is a matter of some dispute. Scientists typically use platypuses or platypus. Many people use platypi. Technically, the proper Greek plural is platypodes. Fast Facts: Platypus Scientific Name: Ornithorhynchus anatinusCommon Names: Platypus, duck-billed platypusBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 17-20 inchesWeight: 1.5-5.3 poundsLifespan: 17 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Eastern Australian including TasmaniaPopulation: ~50,000Conservation Status: Near Threatened Description The platypus has a keratin bill, a broad flattened tail, and webbed feet. Its dense, waterproof fur is dark brown, becoming paler around its eyes and on its belly. The male has one venomous spur on each hind limb. Males are larger than females, but size and weight varies considerably from one individual to another. The average male is 20 inches in length, while females are around 17 inches long. Adults weigh anywhere from 1.5 to 5.3 pounds. The male platypus has a venomous spur on its hind limb. Auscape, Getty Images Habitat and Distribution The platypus lives along streams and rivers in eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is extinct in South Australia, except for an introduced population on Kangaroo Island. Platypuses live in diverse climates, ranging from tropical rainforests to cold mountains. Platypus distribution (red: native; yellow: introduced). Tentotwo, Creative Commons License Diet and Behavior Platypuses are carnivores. They hunt worms, shrimp, insect larvae, and crayfish at dawn, dusk, and night. The platypus closes its eyes, ears, and nose when it dives and moves its bill from side to side, much like a hammerhead shark. It relies on a combination of mechanosensors and electrosensors in its bill to map its surroundings. The mechanosensors detect touch and movement, while the electrosensors sense tiny electrical charges released by muscle contractions in living organisms. The only other mammal to use electroreception to seek prey is a species of dolphin. Reproduction and Offspring Except for the echidna and platypus, mammals give birth to live young. Echidnas and platypuses are monotremes, which lay eggs. The platypus mates once each year during the breeding season, which occurs between June and October. Normally, a platypus lives a solitary life in a burrow above the water level. After mating, the male departs for his own burrow, while the female digs a deeper burrow with plugs to control environmental conditions and protect her eggs and young. She lines her nest with leaves and grass and lays between one and three eggs (usually two). The eggs are small (under half an inch) and leathery. She curls around her eggs to incubate them. The eggs hatch after about 10 days. The hairless, blind young drink milk released by pores in the mothers skin. The offspring nurse for about four months before emerging from the burrow. At birth, both male and female platypuses have spurs and teeth. The teeth drop out when the animals are very young. The females spurs drop off before she is a year old. A platypus reaches sexual maturity in its second year. In the wild, a platypus lives at least 11 years. They have been known to reach 17 years of age in captivity. Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the platypus conservation status as near threatened. Researchers estimate the number of mature animals anywhere between 30,000 and 300,000, usually settling on a number around 50,000. Threats Although protected since 1905, platypus numbers have been decreasing. The species faces habitat disruption from irrigation, dams, and pollution. Disease is a significant factor in Tasmania. However, the most significant threat is reduced water availability from human use and droughts caused by climate change. The Platypus and Humans The platypus is not aggressive. While its sting may be fatal to smaller animals, such as dogs, there has never been a documented human fatality. The animals venom contains defensin-like proteins (DLPs) that cause swelling and excruciating pain. Additionally, a sting results in heightened pain sensitivity that may persist for days or months. If you want to see a living platypus, you have to travel to Australia. As of 2017, only select aquariums in Australia house the animals. The Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria and the Taronga Zoo in Sydney have successfully bred platypuses in captivity. Sources Cromer, Erica. Monotreme Reproductive Biology and Behavior. Iowa State University. April 14, 2004.Grant, Tom. The platypus: a unique mammal. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0-86840-143-0.Groves, C.P. Order Monotremata. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 2, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.Moyal, Ann Mozley. Platypus: The Extraordinary Story of How a Curious Creature Baffled the World. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8018-8052-0.Woinarski, J. A.A Burbidge. Ornithorhynchus anatinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T40488A21964009. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40488A21964009.en

Marketing Spotlight on HSBC Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Spotlight on HSBC - Case Study Example A deeper insight into this strategy reveals that the efforts are directed towards becoming the consumer's expert on cultural knowledge of the nation thus getting deep visibility into financial opportunities in the country hidden in the personality & motivation of the end consumers that is normally invisible to other outsiders (Montgomery. 2008). The localization model of HSBC is supported strongly by their global technology system called Hexagon Infrastructure having foundations laid way back in 1983 and subsequently key enhancements implemented in 1987, 1989, and 1994 (Peffers and Tuunainen. 1999). HSBC owns one of the most sophisticated & efficient banking transactions & customer service management systems of the world. As defined by Hamid and Amin et al. (2007), Internet Banking is a powerful mean of enhancing competitive advantages that should be informative, communicative & transactional as per the local customer needs. As reported by these researchers, HSBC is one of the few foreign banks that are able to compete effectively with the local banks at Malaysia & Thailand pertaining to Internet Banking. Also, this is the only bank in the world that offers secure ID tokens to the customers for Internet Banking (Goodwin. 2006). Another key success factor of HSBC is their focus on some specific customer needs through niche marketing like the example of pet insurance offering in the spotlight document. Lemon and Seiders (2007) presented another niche focus of HSBC servicing fund transfers for immigrants back into their respective countries through HSBC website. This service is specifically very popular in markets like Mexico and Philippines that are not core targets of many multinational banks. As a result of such offerings, HSBC customers perceive the bank to be socially responsible and innovative which adds to the brand equity of the organization. Sirkeci (2008) presented another niche positioning by HSBC whereby they target the needs of ethnic population of developed countries and offer customized products for them. To serve this segment, they have hired frontline staff from the target communities to ensure better customer friendliness. In nutshell the primary competitive advantages of localization competencies and ability to target niche segments has ensured the current global positioning of HSBC as such. Where is HSBC vulnerable and what should they watch for McDonald and Chernatony (2001) reported that while the competency of localization is evident very strongly in the parent brand, the same is not reflected adequately in promotion of individual products like Meridian, Vector, Orchard, etc. Moreover, the benefits of individual products of HSBC are not communicated adequately through product branding exercise. This leads to tight correlation of individual product lines with the parent brand thus risking the HSBC brand equity in a location due to failure of a product line. This is a serious vulnerability that HSBC should watch for. Another vulnerability HSBC might face is pertaining to their sheer size and the