Corporate Finance Essay

1. Set forth and compare the business cases for each of the two projections under consideration by Emily Harris. Which do you regard as more compelling? Productions was New Heritage ´s largest division as measured by total assets, and easily its most asset-Intensive. Approximately 75 % of the division ´s sales were made to the company ´s retailing division, with the remaining 25% comprising private label goods manufactured for other firms. The division revenue figures include approximately $95 million of internal sales within divisions which are eliminated when considering consolidated revenue for the company. We must look closer on the financial projections and the operating details for the two proposals. By looking we can see a big difference in Revenue growth. We realize that Design your own doll can handle much more additional annual revenue according to the resources in the balance sheet. According to the outlays the initial expenditures for Design Your Own Dolls is much higher than Match my Doll Clothing. As with Match my Doll Clothing the required R&D and marketing costs would be tax deductible. EBIT is a good gauge of how well those two companies is being managed. It is watched closely by all stakeholders, because it measures both overall demand for the company ´s products and the company ´s efficiency in delivering those products. The operating projections tell us that Design Your Own Doll has gained more in operating profits. Substantial investment in working capital (primarily work in process inventory of partially manufactured dolls) would be required beginning in 2011 for Match My Doll Clothing to support the forecasted level of sales. The value of a risky alternative to the decision maker may be different than the expected value of the alternative because of the risk that the alternative poses of serious losses. The concept of the certainty equivalent is useful for such situation. Factors considered in the assessment of a project ´s risk for Emily Harris included, for example, whether it required new consumer acceptance or new technology, high levels of fixed costs and hence high breakeven production volumes, the sensitivity of price or volume to macroeconomic recession, the anticipated degree of price competition, and so forth. Given the proven success of Match My Doll Clothing, Harris believed the project entailed moderate risk that is, about the same degree of risk as the production division ´s existing business as a whole. Design Your Own Doll had a relatively long payback period, introduced some untested elements into the manufacturing process, and depended on near-flawless operation of new customer-facing software and user interfaces. If the project stumbled for some reason, New Heritage risked damaging relationships with the best customers. On the other hand, the project had a relatively modest fixed cost ratio, and it played to the company ´s key strength – creating a unique experience for its consumers. The cash flows excluded all financing charges and non-cash items (i.e. depreciation), and were calculated on an after-corporate-tax basis. The New Heritage’s corporate tax rate is 40%. We think that the Design Your Own Doll project is more compelling. 2. Use the operating projections for each project to compute a NPV for each. Which project creates more value? (Please find the calculations in the attachment)  NPV calculations include a terminal value computed as the value of a perpetuity growing at constant rate. We computed Free Cash Flows (FCF) to find out the actual amount of cash from operations that the company could use in developing its new projects. We calculated the terminal value for 2020 as projected FCF in the first year beyond the projection horizon divided by discount rate of 8.4% less the perpetuity growth rate, which in this case was 3%. According to our calculations the MMDM’s terminal value in 2020 is 16,346,000 and DYOD’s is 27,486,000. Based on the our calculation the NPV of the Match My Doll Clothing project is $7,151,000 ( and the NPV of the Design Your Own Doll project is $9,257,000 . In both cases the NPV is greater than zero but NPV of project 2 is greater than NPV of project 1, therefore project number 2 should be selected. | | | | | | | | | | | | NPV calculations for Design Your Own Doll| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2010| 2011| 2012| 2013| 2014| 2015| 2016| 2017| 2018| 2019| 2020| EBIT | -1201,00| 0,00| 550,00| 1794,00| 2724,00| 2779,00| 2946,00| 3123,00| 3310,00| 3509,00| 3719,00| Tax @ 40% | -480,40| 0,00| 220,00| 717,60| 1089,60| 1111,60| 1178,40| 1249,20| 1324,00| 1403,60| 1487,60| | | | | | | | | | | | | Net Income | -720,60| 0,00| 330,00| 1076,40| 1634,40| 1667,40| 1767,60| 1873,80| 1986,00| 2105,40| 2231,40| plus: depreciation | 0,00| 0,00| 310,00| 310,00| 310,00| 436,00| 462,00| 490,00| 520,00| 551,00| 584,00| less: ΔNWC | 0,00| 1000,00| 24,00| 1386,00| 942,00| 202,00| 213,00| 226,00| 240,00| 254,00| 269,00| less: capital expenditures | 4610,00| 0,00| 310,00| 310,00| 2192,00| 826,00| 875,00| 928,00| 983,00| 1043,00| 1105,00| | | | | | | | | | | | | Free Cash Flow (FCF) | -5330,60| -1000,00| 306,00| -309,60| -1189,60| 1075,40| 1141,60| 1209,80| 1283,00| 1359,40| 1441,40| terminal value | 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 27486,00| FCF after terminal value | -5330,60| -1000,00| 306,00| -309,60| -1189,60| 1075,40| 1141,60| 1209,80| 1283,00| 1359,40| 28927,40| | | | | | | | | | | | | Discount factor (DF=8,4%) | 1,00| 0,92| 0,85| 0,79| 0,72| 0,67| 0,62| 0,57| 0,52| 0,48| 0,45| | | | | | | | | | | | | Present Value (PV) | -5330,60| -922,20| 260,41| -243,07| -861,51| 718,47| 703,57| 687,77| 672,93| 657,81| 12913,19| | | | | | | | | | | | | Cumulative Present Value| 14587,38| | | | | | | | | | | Net present value (NPV)| 9256,78| | | | | | | | | | | 3. Compute the IRR and payback period for each project. How should these metrics affect Harris ´s deliberations? How do they compare to NPV as tools for evaluating projects? When and how would you use each? IRR Analysis Table – IRR Sensitivity Analysis | Revenue Change | Match My Doll Clothing Line | Design Your Own Doll (baseline) 3% | 18.24% | 14.68% | 2% | 17.74% | 14.28% | 1% | 17.24% | 13.87% | 0% | 16.74% | 13.46% | -1% | 16.23% | 13.04% | -2% | 15.72% | 12.62% | -3% | 15.21% | 12.19% | -4% | 14.69% | 11.77% | -5% | 14.16% | 11.33% | -6% | 13.63% | 10.90% | The model reflects a change in revenue from +3% to -6%. IRR of NPV is not used because sensitivity is included in the discount rate. Payback Period Analysis Payback period for each of the scenarios: * Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansion (baseline) = 8.43 years * Design Your Own Doll (baseline) = 10.09 years 4. What additional information does Harris need to complete her analyses and compare the two projects? What specific questions should she ask each of the project sponsors? In order to complete her analyses, several questions need to be asked in order for the report to be as fruitful as possible. Thus the questions that could be asked in order for Harris to make good decisions in comparing the two projects, goes as follows. * What changes would be expected in capital expenditures during periods of change? * Are there any hidden labor costs not being considered in the Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansion, similar to the additional labor costs in Design Your Own Doll? * What level of risk does the project Design Your Own Doll pertains? In hand with revenue-analysis, what are the incremental earnings? * In addition to the risk level of Design Your Own Doll, is the project stable enough not to harm customer relationships? * What is the forecast for the whole industry? What will be the future market share since this affects sales outstanding and in hand revenue? * Based on the data, what will the equity of the company and share price be, taking into account the two projects? Historical data for inventory turnover ratios; days sales outstanding and days payable outstanding would also be additional information that Harris could benefit from. 5. If Harris is forced to recommend one project over the other, which should be recommended? Why? To improve the present value for both projects the  management of the company should think of how to improve the projects’ cash flows. Typically, companies aim to increase cash flow from their existing operations by collecting receivables as soon as possible and slowing down their payables without harming their relations with suppliers. The NPV is a forecast, and as with every forecast, the outcome is not given. Typically forecasts for shorter periods are more accurate. The forecast for New Heritage Company is based on a time period of 10 years. I would recommend reducing that time period to provide more accurate cash flow figures. As with all forecasts, the NVP is not free from risks. The management should be aware that risks such as increase in inflation, change in interest rates, and increased competition in the toys business, could have a negative impact on future benefits of selected project. Last, I would recommend for the management to monitor the costs to increase profits. However, the management should weigh the benefits of reducing costs to avoid an adverse effect of diminished profits. If additional cash inflows are achieved, the company should invest a portion of the profits to generate additional money and expand the business through creation of new products and projects.

Cmr Enterprises Essay

CMR, originally Mike’s Cabinets, is an architectural millwork business that competes in two different market segments: commercial and residential. In order to effectively compete in both markets, the nature of CMR’s business varies slightly between them. Commercial business provides two-thirds of the company’s projects as well as 80% of its sales. Due to the higher volume in demand, the commercial sales force is larger than the residential sales team, which relies heavily on CMR’s showroom. The market for commercial business is larger than residential market with projections of its value at upwards of $5 billion. Commercial contracts are also harder to secure than their residential counterparts. They must be bid on and won. Due to the heavy competition for these larger commercial contracts, the â€Å"got rate† for them is around 32%, whereas the residential â€Å"got rate† is around 69%. CMR’s residential department has to operate some what differently than the commercial facet of the company. First of all, project management requires a different degree of flexibility in order to meet ever-changing customer requests. Cash flow cycles are about four to six weeks, which is significantly shorter than the 6 months or more it takes for a commercial cycle. With less indirect labor and lower material costs, residential work actually boasts a higher net margin as well. The main difference between CMR’s nature of business between segments is the customer relationship factor. Residential customers require a softer approach with more face-to-face exposure. Commercial customers are primarily concerned with finding the lowest bid. However, CMR is building relationships with many contractors in attempt to make their jobs easier and potentially work with them in the future. Although CMR treats every customer as equally important, the commercial customers are arguably more valuable. 35 of the top 50 contractor prospects for 1999 were commercial contractors. Furthermore, commercial business typically achieves higher revenues and is likely the only means of meeting CMR’s aggressive growth goals. When Sam Marcus and William Walters bought Mike’s Cabinets in early 1997 they knew they were going to need to change some things abou t the way their business operated. Mike’s Cabinets was running very well as a small town cabinet shop that worked on projects for homeowners as well as large commercial buildings, and had a very good reputation with the people of Lincoln,Nebraska. Although things were running smoothly with the business, Sam and William wanted to produce more profits, and increase cash flows. Blackstone Homes was a homebuilding company that started only two years before Marcus bought Mike’s Cabinets. By the time Marcus was in charge of CMR, Blackstone was one of the largest homebuilders in the area. The president of Blackstone Homes approached Marcus in the fall of 1997, with the idea of starting a partnership. Blackstone was having problems with their current supplier because they couldn’t seem to deliver the cabinets when promised. Marcus was initially intrigued by the sheer volume of work they would be doing with Blackstone, but he thought it would be a great fit with where he was planning for his company to go, and seemed like a great way to make progress towards his profit and cash flow goals. Marcus had to work with his employees and overall business plan, but decided that the residential side of the business was worth expan ding, so he signed a contract with Blackstone Homes. Marcus’s decision to sign with Blackstone Homes was a very good idea for CMR Enterprises. Blackstone had great potential to become one of CMR’s largest accounts, and promised to have continual yearly growth. Blackstone agreed to specify only CMR’s cabinets in all their homes, and CMR assigned a project manager to work exclusively with their new partner. Both companies could see that they would both be benefiting from this partnership from the very beginning, and they were correct. Throughout the first year, Blackstone contributed heavily to CMR’s success, and eventually grew to be about 25% of the residential side of the business. Marcus saw that the residential side of the business had great potential for future growth, and he knew that this was a great way to get his company involved. The additional emphasis on residential work used more of the company’s resources, but it proved to be worth it with the increased revenue and cash flows. CMR Enterprises is confronting an issue with one of its most valuable clients, Blackstone. Blackstone as one of the biggest customers in the area, giving CMR an opportunity for immediate market share and his volume supported its goals to standardize its processes into flexible cells. They approached CMR looking for a new partner to work on a business that represented 25% of CMR’s residential business during the first year of this relationship. Sam Marcus was counting on further growth with his customer to pay his debt and fund expansion efforts. But relationshipswith Blackstone had become increasingly intense on residential construction. Marcus had aggressive goals of reaching $70 million in sales by 2007 by creating a scalable and replicable business model. Moreover, build close relationship with the Blackstone will gave CMR an opportunity to standardize its business processes to be able to benefit from improved operational efficiencies that comes because of scale of operations. However, the relationship between two companies had evolved unpleasantly over time. When Blackstone sells a house, it does come with a pre-finished and installed kitchen, which is included in the price. But if customers want to check CMR’s showroom, they would build these w oodworks according to their new specifications. So the added cost will then be charged to the contractor. After an increase in CMR prices, Blackstone transferred this increase to subcontractors, so impacting considerably their margins and making CMR looked as a too expensive product. This issue to some extent contributed to the clash with Blackstone. Also, internal miscommunication had played a part in this episode. Marcus had implemented a software system for the company, called InfoCentral, and insisted that the residential team use InfoCentral for all internal communications. But it did not work out the way he expected. The system is not frequently updated as required by the employees. The business relations between the two companies started well and was fulfilling for both part. Revenues from Blackstone represent a significant part of revenue growth of the year. However, when the business expended, so did the problems. What was more disappointing was that CMR had shown a weak ma nagement of its relationship with this big client and several operational failures that need to be controlled. Within CMR Enterprises, revenue is generated at different rates in the different segments. Commercial business is responsible for 82% of the revenues generated by the firm, leaving just 18% to residential. Not only do they generate revenue at different rates, but profit is generated at different rates as well. According to the CMR Enterprises Factsheet, SG&A Costs were $2,900,000. If we distribute these costs according to percent of revenue generated across the CMR’s business segments, we see that the commercial segment provided a Net Profit of $1,124,152 for a Net Margin of 15.5%, while the residential segment provided a Net Profit of $87,632 for a Net Margin of 5.4%. Blackstone’s Net margin of 5.7% is actually greater than the Net Margin for the residentialsegment without Blackstone. Net Profit from Blackstone for the year was $17,235. In the second scenario, SG&A costs were assigned in a different way. Indirect labor was assigned to the corresponding segment. SG&A expenses besides indirect labor were then distributed to the segments according to percent of revenue generated. This tells a different story. Whereas in the first scenario the commercial segment was responsible for almost 10% more Net Margin; in the second scenario, residential Net Profit was $274,632 for a Net Margin of 17.2%, while commercial Net Profit was $937,152 for a Net Margin of 13.9%. In this scenario Net Margin from Blackstone is only 13.3% of revenue, which is below the average for residential. The cause of the difference between the scenarios is the high number of administrative personnel assigned to commercial work. From the CMR Enterprises Factsheet, we see that there are 43 administrative personnel, of which only 4 are dedicated to residential work. This leaves 39 employees working on commercial work at an average of $50,000 per year, a total of $1.9 million dollars. Scenario 2 captures this more fully, placing a more realistic percentage of SG&A costs onto the commercial segment. Blackstone’s profitability is slightly less than that of the commercial business, and nearly 4% less than the residential business. Terminating the relationship with Blackstone would be a good choice in the situation for CMR Enterprises. It is obvious that Blackstone provides a significant amount of residential business, which means a substantial cash contribution to support CMR’s other business like commercial work. Especially in the initial partnership, CMR first grabbed residential market share and earned 25% more of its residential business and Blackstone benefited from CMR’s expertise and correction. However, some potential loss shows the general trend that CMR benefit less and less in the partnership with Blackstone. First, CMR acquires more profit per shop hour in commercial business than residential work. According to Exhibit 7b, the highest residential revenue per shop hour of $48.13 is less profitable than the lowest commercial revenue per shop hour. Even though we recommend letting Blackstone go as a client, the residential business on a whole is profitable and should be kept. It is integral to the companies’ core values, and provides a valuable link to the community. Moving forward with franchising efforts, however, we would advise sticking to commercial business. If CMR is to attempt to make headway into new markets, it would be advantageous to proceed with a strategy that is more singular in focus. CMR has had success implementing their InfoCentral tool in their commercial business, and it seems that they have a good business model going forward. Trying to replicate the success that they’ve had with the residential business would add unwanted complexity to their business model. CMR’s current residential customer base is there as a result of years of loyalty and good service from Mike’s Cabinets. This loyalty would not exist in a new market.

Amy Chua

Amy Chua, from the very beginning dives into her thesis, which she argues from the introduction continued all through part one of â€Å" Day of Empire† and without a doubt, throughout the entire book. Chua’s clear, distinctive thesis can be condensed into two main points. To begin with, she explains how for every society that has been allowed to be called a hyperpower have been – at the time, considered to be â€Å"tolerant†. In every instance to achieve supremacy, every hyperpower had to enclose a certain quantity of tolerance, the extent of freedom that an individual has to prosper in all aspects of their life, ranging from religious, cultural, linguistic, to conversing with people of different upbringings. Tolerance is suggested as the prerequisite for global domination. However, conversely she also indicates that intolerance has been shown as the reason for the downfall of a hyperpower or a result of the demise. The second concept she introduces in her thesis is the idea of a great nation to become a hyperpower, they must have â€Å"glue† that binds, and embraces them together. Critics argue that modern America is in the first stages of losing its identity, with nonchalant laws of immigration, granting just about every immigrant into the states. Chua acknowledges to some degree that, hyperpowers that have fallen as a causality of lost identity, however this reverts back to her first notion. When the population succumbs to disjunction, it’s most likely the repercussion of intolerance within the nation. In the case on point, America’s â€Å"glue† problem lies outside of its borders. America is seen across the world as an icon, however it does nothing to enforce its image or bring together the other nations that follow in its footsteps. Amy Chua’s thesis from the get-go helps to depict the tone, and attitude of the rest of this novel.

Operating management 222 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operating management 222 - Assignment Example This is the reason behind the need for a new floor design by the Hubcafe. Introduction This is a critical analysis of requisite operation management aspects that will improve the quality of services, efficiency and overall sales volume of the Hub cafe. It is important to note that operation management is a cardinal tool for overseeing various activities and making informed decisions concerning resources allocation based on priority with the aim of maximizing efficiency and minimizing cost. In this case, the management needs to put several factors into consideration when drawing the best plan that would see the cafe improve its efficiency and meet the high demand of customers (Raturi & Evans,2005). This would include the concept of queuing which significantly affects the rate of service delivery to the customers and overall performance of the staff (Meachem, 2005). It is important to make a good floor plan that would increase the space of service and cut o the cost of maintenance and this explains the need for an efficiency based structural design of the interior part of the Hub cafe (Moe, 2010). Being an eating point, the number of clients arriving will significantly depend on the time of the day such that peak and off-peak will definitely apply. The floor plans are two for kitchen and the shop with an aim of regulating the smooth flow of service delivery, easy accommodation at peak period, efficient management of queues and general visual impression of the interior design of the cafe. Aim of the project The increasing pressure from customer demands and threat of competition from other business operators compels the management to undertake reforms and improve several aspects of the cafe‘s performance. This project is therefore focused on effecting structural changes in terms of interior design of the kitchen and shop so that movement of staff, clients and peak factors are taken into consideration (Baraban & Durocher, 2010). This would work towards attaini ng customer satisfaction and improved quality of the Hubcafe services delivery. This plan will equally set precedence for future changes within the organizational culture of best quality services with highest efficiency by the Hubcafe. Present operations The Hub cafe is a eating point where several foods and snacks are served for 12hours. It offers both take-away products and has a space to accommodate customers who wish to take their meals within. The mode of service is self-service and this means there is queuing and several staff is assigned different counters from cash payment point to actual product delivery counters. There is another group of the kitchen department who has the defining responsibility of ensuring constant production and supply of the various foodstuffs. Another group of staff are on the lookout and stands by to attend the customers in the event of any urgent need or additional purchase. The reception point is located at the entrance for minor enquiries pertaini ng to variety of services and products on offer to reduce the time cost of information search within the cafe. Depending on the time of the day, the number of staff on various service counters is altered to ensure efficiency and cost effectiveness. Challenges The current interior design is in line with a floor plan which is relatively strained to accommodate the larger customer number at the peak hours. This

Negative Effects of Social Networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Negative Effects of Social Networking - Essay Example Social networking sites promote faster and efficient communication with family friends who may be far away. Moreover, these sites give an opportunity to connect and reconnect with close long lost friends and acquaintances. However, issues of privacy and degradation of social values have been raised with the use of social networking sites. Though social networking has enhanced connections that would otherwise be lost, a number of issues arise with the use of these sites such as the negative effects including the death of emotions and empathy, lack of privacy, and false friendships. Â  Social networking sites promote connections and communication among users and thus enhancing lives. According to Dunbar, Facebook allows people to create networks, renew lost friendships, and enhances communication. In the agreement, Lam notes that communication technology such as the networking sites has enhanced humankind in a number of ways. Similarly, Helfand states that social networking sites have allowed people to connect with others and share personal information online that can be viewed by family and friends such as what someone is doing, eating, or even location.

Globalisation and Tourism and the impact on local and indigenous Essay

Globalisation and Tourism and the impact on local and indigenous cultures - Essay Example It is about establishing interconnected relations throughout the world. Through globalization one can eliminate the barriers that persist within nations, develop healthy trade, bridges communication errors and shares resources. One of the disadvantages of globalization is that it has increased crime level interstate. Los Angeles is one of the most densely polluted countries of the world. Pollution has literally damaged the entire city in such a way that its impact is very obvious. Tourism is an essential part of Los Angeles economy. Los Angeles is one of those countries that are a major tourist attraction, Los Angeles has the honour of housing the home of all legendary actors that is Hollywood. From amazing shopping malls to Hollywood and an amazing blend of various restaurants, Los Angeles offers everything that a tourist wants during vacations. While travelling the quality and the atmosphere of the environment go hand in hand. The environment is made up of natural as well as manmad e things which together build up the tourism in a state. The relation between tourism and environment tends to get very tangling at times. The effects of tourism are very controversial. At times they can be helpful in generating revenue for the state resulting in a fruitful economy and on the contrary it can damage and dent the city's environmental condition resulting in a disaster which can damage countries natural resources. Tourism leads to the development of the place with the construction of roads, parks, malls, resorts, restaurants, hotel, golf courses, airports etc. which eventually build up the infrastructure of a place. "The notion of a tourism system is extremely important when we start to consider the notion of impacts. If we are to evaluate the effects of tourism trips, we need not only to examine where in the system immediate impacts occur, but also to consider if there are system-wide effects that contribute to change in the broader environment. In the case of maritime ship emissions, for example, nitrogen oxide( NOx) have both local and global effects on atmospheric pollution. In the Los Angeles – Long Beach area of California, which is both the United States busiest port and the country's most polluted area, oceangoing vessels are among the largest source of NOx, emitting more NOx than all power plants and refineries in the region's air basin combined. This is significant because as well as being a green house gas (GHG) that contribute to global warming and climate change. NOx reacts with other volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere to produce ozone/smog. Particulates from marine vessels also create significant cancer risks, with an estimated more than 700 premature deaths caused in the Los Angeles area annually by these emissions as of 2008. Because of their often localized nature, the effects of NOx are not just felt in ports, but also along shipping transit routes. For example, Santa Barbara county in California, which has no co mmercial port, estimates by 2020, 67 percent of its NOx inventory will come from shipping traffic transiting the Californian coast." (Scott, 45). This particularly deals with the marine emission that has damaged Los Angeles brutally. This text

Consolidation and Reflective Statement on Personal learning preference Coursework

Consolidation and Reflective Statement on Personal learning preference workshop - Coursework Example It is good to balance these styles at times to create a balance for sharpening one’s learning skills (Honey & Mumford, 1992). The reflector and theorist learning styles are worth considering. Reflective learning is an individual style of learning. One needs no guidebook to implement it. Reflection should not be thought of as an essential element of the ‘to do’ list. Rather, reflection should be practiced at any stage. One should underscore the need to be a reflective learner, but not doing reflective learning. The ability to reflect is quite important in the process of learning and self-development (Honey & Mumford, 1992). Reflection could be in the form of thinking with a purpose, questioning, probing, analyzing, being critical, making judgments, and conclusions. A reflective learner should plan and prioritize. The huge number of activities in the study process can overwhelm a learner. One should plan his time and prioritize the learning tasks, knowing well how to execute all other commitments (Contrell, 2010). Precisely, the learner should reflect ahead to know what is required, when and how to do it based on prioritization. Secondly, the learner should set and achieve goals. Motivation can play out when one reflects on the goals of the study while relating the same to life goals. When goals are defined, it is easier to strategize on achieving them (Honey & Mumford, 1992). A reflective learner should know how to deal with anxiety and procrastination (Contrell, 2010). Procrastination can lead to the missing of deadlines or lagging behind in study schedules, a situation that can take away one’s confidence. A learner should recognize why, where and when he or she procrastinates to challenge habits and routines. Essential tools for reflection in reflective learning include diaries, journals, tables, lists, maps, bullet points, videos, digital recorders, diagrams and icons (Contrell, 2010). These can better boost a reflective

Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mythology - Essay Example MYTHOLOGY The world of mythology is interconnected with heroism and supernatural elements. Within this context, the stages of development in a hero’s life (departure, initiation and return), put forth by Joseph Campbell in the work The Hero with A Thousand Faces is noteworthy. One can see that the Godfather films (The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and The Godfather Part III), by Francis Ford Coppola, belong to gangster film genre. The protagonist’s (Michael Corleone) transformation from a young man who hates gangster life to a gangster and later to an elderly individual who seeks redemption is beautifully portrayed by the director. Thesis statement: The portrayal of the character Michael Corleone from The Godfather films by Francis Ford Coppola proves that the same is according to the stages (departure, initiation and return) in the journey of a hero, put forth by Joseph Campbell in the work The Hero with A Thousand Faces (Special references to the films: The Godfat her, The Godfather Part II, and The Godfather Part III). The main stages in Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with A Thousand Faces According to Joseph Campbell, there is number of stages within the hero’s expedition or journey. All the heroes do not undergo all these stages, but the three stages (say, departure (past life), initiation (adventurous life) and return (return to motherland)) are most important. Seaward (2004), states that â€Å"The template of the hero’s journey involves three distinct stages: (1) the departure, (2) initiation, and (3) the return home† (p. 52). The first stage or departure helps the readers to have deep understanding on the hero’s adventurous life because this stage describes the hero’ adventurous in the past life. Moreover, this stage provides ample importance to the concept of heroism which can be generalized to the broader context of mythology. The second stage or initiation portrays the hero’s travel to the unknown world and adventures. This stage is important because it reflects the hero’s growth and development to a fully fledged hero, who is ready to face dangerous situations without fear. This stage is applicable to most of the conventional heroes because adventure is helpful to portray heroism. The problems faced by the hero during his travel to the unknown world are helpful to maintain the suspense of the whole story. The third and final stage is return, which portrays the hero’s return to his motherland. In this stage, the hero returns with immense power gained from the hardships faced during the journey. This stage is helpful for the hero to establish his victory over the evil. All these stages are again divided into sub-stages, but the essence of the hero’s growth and development is limited to the context of the foretold three stages. Michael Corleone and stages put forth by Joseph Campbell The plots of the three Godfather films revolve around Michael Cor leone, the main character. Campbell (2008), states that â€Å"Many tales isolate and greatly enlarge upon one or two of the typical elements of the full cycle (test motif, flight motif,

Whitney Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Whitney - Case Study Example As the discussion highlights more emphasis would be put on client and customer by introducing new program on Social skills. Focus would be on developing skills in social networking and developing constructive human relationship. It is vital as Whitney is in consultation where people are required to interact with diverse population. The new recruits should undergo training as it would help them to understand the organizational culture and facilitate their integration with the system so their competencies can be better exploited to suit the needs of the clients. If and when the employees or executives are required to cater to new requirements of client and if their academic qualifications and experience requirement additional inputs, they must undergo training to upgrade their skills for optimal performance. Whitney must evaluate its programs through performance measurement and feedback from clients and in-house colleagues. This would help to evaluate the effectiveness of programs as and when used with clients. Improvements on social skills could also gauged through feedback from colleagues and satisfaction of clients.

How Does Art and Music Relates to Each Other Essay Example for Free

How Does Art and Music Relates to Each Other Essay Art and music bring many cultures from all around the world together. Both express thoughts, emotions, stories, views, ideas, and opinions of human life. For instance, art is a form of expression as well as music. Moreover, music describe a person’s culture, life, feeling and hobbies as well as art. It is how people liberty to express themselves through music in whichever way they prefer. as well as art and what people confront on a daily basis. Furthermore, art and music has change over time and it has influence in the way we dress and dance. It also reflects on violence and drugs. Finally, have an extremely negative impact on the attitudes and behaviors of American youth. Music affects society now in days by influencing teens in the wrong way. For instance, music videos have made a humongous impact on the behavior of teens. Moreover, teens flaunt their bosoms around just because they see it on the videos so they portray the same image thinking that is the style. For example, Adriana, a cousin she dresses something similar to that and her response is that is what is in. Also, the way teens dance through music. For example, the songs Bring it, Donk, Ass by listening to this type of songs they start twerking dancing. In particular, a dance that teases and inappropriately moves. It consists of how you shake your behind. personality my perspectives about those move dances are inhuman. In addition, this type of songs has made an impact on the dances and it has everybody twerking. A dance that consist of shaking hips and bottom and bouncing up and down motion, causing to shake, wobble and jiggle . Another, huge impact would be the song and dance called The Twist it had have a tremendous impact back in the days. many people were against it but some were not. Foremost, John Johnson Jr. â€Å"The Twist† The Los Angeles Times, 2013) states. â€Å"Soon, the fad hopped generations, sweeping up the â€Å"Mad Men† set of swinging company men and their hip-shaking wives. Therefore, regardless if the song influences in an appropriate dance it is still going to be a big hit and it is going to have everybody dancing. Another, social message that is transmitting through music and art is the violence. For example, some friends would always-encountered dangerous scenes because of the designs imprinted on their clothes gang related as well as the music consisting of disrespecting others. onsequently, they were getting shoot at. In addition, my cousin Arthur was involved in the Mafia. He was kill in Mexico 3 years ago because of the music he used to listing to drugs as well as the clothes he used to were. His clothes had a picture of Mal Verde a major drug dealer. The drug music would inspire him to fight. He had a tragic death that was never solve he was kidnap and torture to death. In addition, many people are being influence in the drug life because of their admiration to those kinds of art as well as the music. On the other hand, it can inspire others to get out of that life style. For example, Biello, Johnson Jr. (â€Å"The Twist† The Los Angeles Times, 2013) states that â€Å"Biello, who hope the Twist would ease his exit from the Mob, never did get out. He was assassinated in 1967, in broad daylight in downtown Miami. The crime was never solved but was likely part of a power struggle in the top ranks of Mafia leadership. † Moreover, music and art is meant for uplifting and encouraging people yet over the years it has become degrading. Finally, the way it influences the teens today. The more aggressive the music, probably the more grumpy and rebellion they tend to get. The beauty of music has exploited into evil things. For instance, the music today such as rap and hip-hop has profanity and that is the type of music that teens listing today. Consequently, can be influential, and they will try to crazy things. In conclusion, art is music it is what gives life a meaning. For example, to share ideas, express feeling, tell a story It is what brings many different cultures together from all over the world. Weather it brings out good or bad messages it is still a form of art.

Church of the Sagrada Familia | Architecture Analysis

Church of the Sagrada Familia | Architecture Analysis Apertures of Ascension: Style and Design in the Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi The church of the Sagrada Familia, perhaps more than any of Gaudi’s earlier works, expresses his belief that a ‘mystic symbolism inhabits the form of architecture.’ (Schmutzler 1962, 212). The church was a lifetime commission and remained uncompleted upon his death in 1926 a reflection of the ambition and scale of the project. It has been described as the most important ecclesiastic building since the late eighteenth century (Schmultzer 1962, 227) with its most poignant features being the rich decoration and towers with their Expressionist shape and form. On the approach the eye is caught by the spindle-shaped towers ascending to differing heights. They were designed to represent the twelve Apostles, the Evangelists, Mary, with the tallest representing Jesus. One is immediately aware of the importance of verticality in Gaudi’s design both in the exterior and interior. The towers are yet to be completed, with work currently underway on constructing the tower of Jesus. However, the finished towers are strikingly tapered, standing proud against the skyline. Gaudi was a great believer in the importance of spiritual meaning in architecture and this is reflected in the placing of a symbol of each apostle on the highest point of each tower on the meeting place between the sky and the extent of the structure. The towers are decorated with Hosanna, Excelsis, and Sanctus, and the doors of the Passion faà §ade reproduce words from the Bible in different languages. Yet the placing of the symbols in such a prominent position is paramount here as it suggests that a language of symbols, without words, is the ultimate form of communication between man and God. In the model of the Sagrada Familia (see below) we see the tower of Jesus bearing the symbol of the cross itself pointed and finite: Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagrada_familia This image of the structure tapering to a single point, with all its supporting towers, illustrates Gaudi’s belief in the human effort to have faith in the single, omnipotent presence of God. This sense is conveyed upon entering the church when one becomes fully aware of the monumental scale of the structure and the diversity of forms which are incorporated into the design. Gaudi wanted to disassociate himself from the Gothic features of existing cathedrals, such as Chartres, where flying buttresses and external buttresses are an expected feature. The interior arches are thus not common in western architectural tradition and use non-circular shapes, called ‘parabolic’ or ‘catenary.’ (Huerta 2006: 324). The arches of the interior and the towers of the exterior both seek the same lines of ascension. Furthermore, there is a twofold sense of the infinite in both the interior and exterior design: firstly, the fact that the plans for both inside and outsid e have still not yet been executed illustrates how Gaudi’s ideas transcended the timeframe in which he had to work and might even exceed the 100th anniversary of his death. Secondly, it is evident that Gaudi wanted the finished Sagrada Familia to be a structure of indefinite permanence this can be seen in his use of weight bearing columns instead of flying buttresses. He refused to use the gothic buttresses, stating that they were akin to the ‘crutches of a cripple.’ http://www.gaudiclub.com/ingles/i_vida/i_sagr2.asp. Furthermore, the fact that his buttresses were inside the building was imperative to him, as they avoided being subjected to the elements, which would have accelerated their deterioration and threatened the building’s permanence. There is perhaps even a symbolic meaning to this inclusion of the buttresses: it might suggest that spiritual strength in a human being as well as a building is internal and people should look within themselves for the way to communicate with God and not to others, or the material world. The Sangara Familia appears from the outside as a slender, insurmountable form, with the towers having an organic texture, like that of a honeycomb or wattle. This might be Gaudi suggesting that the natural world is imbued with spiritual importance with features such as the honeycomb having an intrinsic place within God’s design. As it has been said of Gaudi’s work, ‘artifice is made to resemble nature and nature to resemble artifice; contradictions are harmonized; planes, lines and intersections are constrained; the subtle and the hazy are cast in bronze and set in stone; music is injected into the solid, colour into the air, and even soul into mathematics. (Cassou et al 1962, 23). This tendency of Gaudi’s to decorate and design using natural imagery is continued in the interior with a richness of decoration and the inclusion of spiral staircases in the apse and bell towers. In the windows of the apse there are many features which are inspired from natur e, and are enhanced by light and shade contrasts. http://www.sagradafamilia.org/eng/index.htm. The subtle play on light in the interior is developed more expressively on the extravagant and diverse exterior facades, where the Nativity spires have colourful textured surfaces made of Gaudi’s technique of using mosaic tiles and broken Venetian glass. Figures of an emancipated Christ are juxtaposed against this rich decoration. Indeed, Gaudi has been described as not just an architect, but as a sculptor too, possessing the ‘ability to imbue structures with sculptural qualities, to conceive of architecture as a large shape that can be experienced tactually.’ (Collins 1962, 10). Yet his techniques differ considerably from one part of the church to the next. In the inner faà §ade of the transept we see geometrically pure, rectangular, rectilinear, or cubic forms (Schmutzler1962:,227), radically different to the prismatic external towers. It is as if he wanted his building to be prophetic, to see beyond the time of which it was born to the more dynamic eras ahead. This is reflected in his diverse style and his intention for the building to be illuminated at night to ‘proclaim the Almighty God.’ (Collins et al 1962, 161). He thus gave the spires openings where searchlights were to be installed, focusing on a huge cross on the central cupola and on the street below, reflecting his wish that the building’s presence could be felt and seen by all those in its vicinity, and for a long time to come. Bibliography Cassou, J., Langui, E., Pevsner, N., 1962, Gateway to the Twentieth Century: Art and Culture in a Changing World. New York: McGraw-Hill Crasemann Collins, C, ( transltr), Christiane Crasemann; Conrads, U., and Sperlich, H.G., 1962, The Architecture of Fantasy: Utopian Building and Planning in Modern Times. New York: Frederick A. Praeger Huerta, S., 2006, ‘Structural Design in the Work of Gaudi.’ Architectural Science Review. Volume: 49. Issue: 4. P. 324+. University of Sydney, Faculty of Architecture Schmutzler, R., 1962, Art Nouveau. New York: Harry N. Abrams URL’S Antoni Gaudi Website. Available from:  http://www.gaudiclub.com/ingles/i_vida/i_sagr2.asp  [Accessed 06/03/07] Online Encyclopaedia. Available from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagrada_familia  [Accessed 06/03/07] Sagrada Familia information pages. Available from:  http://www.sagradafamilia.org/eng/index.htm.  [Accessed 06/03/07] Spectroscopy of Salicylates | Lab Report Spectroscopy of Salicylates | Lab Report The scenario is that a woman has been stopped by the police due to the condition of her driving. She tells the police that her driving was erratic due to trying to take the lid of a bottle of aspirin which she required for a severe headache. The police could not find the aspirin bottle within the car and the woman then told the police that it got thrown out of the vehicle. Serums samples were taken from the woman to do alcohol and drug tests. Aspirin is an analgesic drug that provides pain relief without causing unconsciousness and anesthesia. Aspirin is used to help with pain, fever, osteoarthritis, inflammatory conditions, migraine headaches and many other things. Salicylates are the main substance in aspirin and this is what is being tested for. To test for this substance visible spectroscopy will be used. Spectroscopy has a variety of methods that are the interaction between light and matter. For this practical the method used is visible spectroscopy via the use of a spectrophotometer. This equipment measures the amount of light absorbed by passing a beam of light through the sample and the amount of light is measured by a detector. This produces an absorbance value which can be used to calculate concentrations. The aim of this test is to calculate the concentration of the serum samples to find out whether the levels of salicylic acid in these samples are toxic or not. Methods and Materials The materials that were used are 0.2mg/ml Salicylic acid, Ferric Nitrate solution, 0.039M HNO3, water and a sample of the womans serum. The equipment used was a spectrophotometer, a graduated pipette and cuvettes. To be able to find out the salicylic acid concentrations of the serum samples, six standard solutions had to be created first. Each standard solution was composed of a combination of H2O, salicylic acid, Ferric nitrate and HNO3 all totalling up to 2ml in each solution. The components of the solutions seen in table 1 were placed into test tubes using a graduated pipette. The solutions were then mixed thoroughly and left for 5 minutes. After five minutes a sample of each solution was placed into cuvettes using the pipette. The spectrophotometer was then set a 540nm.Using solution 1 as the blank; the spectrophotometer was then set to zero. Every other standard solution was then inserted into the spectrophotometer to obtain absorption measurements using the blank as a zero reference. Three 2ml samples of the womans serum were then created using a combination of the materials seen above. The components of the serum solutions were then placed into test tubes at the volumes shown in table 2. These samples were then mixed thoroughly and left for five minutes. After five minutes the samples were then placed into cuvettes, and then the spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer was again set at 540nm and the serum blank used as the blank. The other two serum samples were then placed into the machine and the absorption results recorded. Results The measurements from the spectrophotometer where recorded and concentrations of Salicylic acid calculated for the standard solution. These concentrations then created a calibration curve to allow the serum sample concentrations to be discovered. The concentrations in table 3 where calculated using C1V1=C2V2. Where C1 is 0.02mg/ml, the original concentration of salicylic acid, V1 is the volume of salicylic acid, C2 is the unknown concentration and V2 is 1ml, the total volume of H2O and Salicylic acid. For example standard 3 has the concentration 0.06mg/ml. From looking at table 1 it is seen that C1 is 0.02mg/ml andV1 is 0.3ml. it is then known that C2 is unknown and V2 is 1ml. The equation is then rearranged to C2 = C1V1/ V2 to produce C2=0.02mg/ml x 0.3ml / 1ml = 0.06mg/ml. The concentration and absorption results are then put into a graph to create a calibration curve. Calibration curve The calibration curve shown in figure 1 was plotted from the results in table 3. This curve was then used to calculate the concentration of the serum solutions. Concentration and absorbance results for the three serum samples The results in table 4 where done as a duplicate to make the results more accurate and reliable but due to an error within the practical. An average was later calculated to correct the inaccuracy created by the error, but ideally the test should have been done with 3 samples. Discussion Using the results from table 4 and the calibration curve from figure one it can be determined if the results agree with the drivers story. The average serum sample had a salicylic acid concentration of 0.116mg/ml. In relation to the standard solutions this result is quite high therefore the results confirm she did in fact take aspirin. From this it cannot be fully determined if the level is toxic or not. Salicylic acid toxicity causes many bio-chemical that target no specific organ. An acute overdose would cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting and tinnitus. If the overdose was chronic there would be symptoms like confusion, fever, hypoxia, dehydration and metabolic acidosis. Other symptoms of toxicity are respiratory alkalosis, alkaline urine and headaches. Comparing the symptoms with the scenario some of the symptoms could explain the reasons for her erratic driving but there still could be other reasons. Serum levels of salicylic acid provide if the ingested amount was therapeutic, toxic or chronic toxicity. A therapeutic level is 15-30mg/ml and a toxic level is 40-50mg/ml. Any serum level above 60mg/ml is a chronic level. To compare the concentration of the serum to toxicity levels the serum concentration must be converted to mg/dl. For this it is need to be known that there are 100 millilitres in 1 decilitre, therefore 0.116mg/ml needs to be multiplied by one hundred. The serum level is then 11.6mg/dl; this level is not a toxic level but does confirm that aspirin was taken at a possible therapeutic level. This confirms that the woman was telling the truth about taking aspirin but does not confirm why her driving was erratic. Other test could also be done to test for salicylic acid, these as urine pH, a bedside ferric chloride test and arterial blood gases. Also high-performance liquid chromatography could be used but this requires time that would not be available in a serious toxicity. Salicylic acid has many related compounds, for example, benzoic acid, phenol, magnesium salicylate and aminosalicylic acid. Test for these could also be done to help determine the source. Conclusion In conclusion the results from the visible spectroscopy show that the woman did not have salicylic acid toxicity even though she did take aspirin. As her levels where not toxic there has to be another reason for her driving. To confirm this more test could be done like the urine pH and the arterial blood gasses. Also test on the related compounds could be carried out to confirm is she did take aspirin or if the levels in of salicylate in her blood are from elsewhere. The next thing to do would be to test for alcohol and other drugs both legal and illegal. Other drugs to test for could be things like cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, marijuana, methadone, tramadol and oxycodone. These could be testing for either through the blood, urine or hair.

australia Essay -- essays research papers

*Geography* Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It lies in the Southern Hemisphere between 11 ° and 44 ° south latitude and 113 ° and 154 ° east longitude. The entire area of land is about the same size as the continental United States, or about one and a half times the size of Europe. The mainland of Australia has an area of 2,967,909 square miles. The country is divided into six states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia. The geological activity that created the country’s mountains, plains, and rivers ceased millions of years ago. Earthquakes are very rare and the last volcanic eruption occurred more than 5,000 years ago. The highest mountain in Australia, Mount Kosciusko, is only 7,310 feet above sea level. *Climate*   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Australia experiences a wide variety of climates. In the north, the continent’s immense interior gives way to hot, wet monsoonal tropical regions. The southeast coast, where most of Australia’s population lives, is cooler and drier. The southwest is very hot and dry in the summer, but milder and wetter in the winter. The climate is very similar to the Mediterranean countries of Europe, or to California. Summer temperatures in Australia can soar over 104 °, but the costal regions are cooler due to offshore breezes. Because of the heat and lack of rain, bushfires rage through the tinder-dry landscape, destroying half a million acres of forest and grassland every year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hot temperatures of the inland coupled with the lack of rain mean that 70% of Australia receives less than 20 inches of rain a year, making it the world’s driest continent. Farming is difficult in these areas, but not impossible, thanks to artesian water and the construction of many irrigation schemes. *People*   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first inhabitants were people belonging to the Australoid group, who probably originated from Southeast Asia. These people traveled to the Australian continent about 40,000 years ago. A short while later, Aborigines landed in canoes and rafts on the north coast of Australia and then moved southward across the rest of the continent. Aborigines were nomads living in family clans, each with its own territory where it could camp, hunt, and fish. The Aborigines brought two useful items from their original homela... ...sp;  Ã‚  Ã‚  The exchange rate of a US dollar to an Australian dollar is as follows: 1 US dollar = 1.94 Australian dollars. *Economy*   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Rich in nature resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increases exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. While Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s and during the recent financial problems in East Asia, the economy had expanded at a solid 4% annual growth pace in the last five years. Growth in 2002 will depend on key international commodity prices, the extent of recovery in nearby Asian economies, and the strength of US and European markets.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Drugs in Our Society Essay -- Drug Drugs Narcotics Essays

Drugs in Our Society With the use of drugs being such a controversial issue in today’s society we felt as a group it was important to further explore this issue. As we possess a high interest in how drugs affect a number of social groups. These groups of course range from young teens to high-class older individuals who will have different reasons and different acceptable standards of behaviour.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question that is being explored in our presentation asks what drugs are doing to our society. This means exploring the various groups that use recreational drugs their reasons for this the effects that drug use has and the methods to help prevent and stop use of drugs. By recreational drugs we mean such substances as marijuana and heavier more addictive drugs as heroin and cocaine. For which the use of these has increased throughout society over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recreational drugs are not limited to any particular group in society meaning that a very wide variety of people choose to use these drugs these of course include teenagers, parents, business people and often very dedicated students for a number of reasons. For a long time the common misconception that only youths use drugs and those who do are disrespectful and dishonest has become out dated and inaccurate. Teenagers can use drugs and there are certainly individuals who do who are disrespectful and dishonest however this is more likely to do with an individual’s personality than their use or experimentation of drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The survey we conducted showed that most people believed it was more common for youths in the 14 to 22 age group to use recreational drugs. This was closely followed by the 23 to 30 age group, while the 13 and under age group was considerably further behind. The survey question that followed indicated that people also believed that drug users were irresponsible and inconsiderate. This slightly supports the misconception that teens are more likely to be involved with recreational drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reasons why people choose to use drugs will differ from group to group. While for many the use of drugs serves as an escape from the stresses of everyday life for others it is exactly used as it is called for recreational purposes. People also take drugs to feel happy and relax. The major reason among is still believed to be that of peer pressure, often teens feel the need t... ...ociety we live in to regards drugs as acceptable but to what extent is this true. Society is not against what it can’t see. When people are dependant on a drug then their behaviour reveals to those around them what they are doing. This makes the world and society assume that all drugs and all drug users fit the typical stereotype. When someone is addicted to drugs society may not be directly affected but are very affected in the long run. The most direct way society is affected by drugs and their users is through the employment and criminal statistics. Employment is very much a problem for an addicted person and statistics show people desperate for drugs can commit crimes in order to get money to support their habit. This disrupts the whole idea of social cohesion only making chaos and producing prejudice attitudes. So just how are drugs affecting society. They affect society by overtaking the users life and the user therefore neglects their responsibilities of the society in which they live and breaching the acceptable standards of behaviours. Recreational drugs are a serious issue that must be dealt with help society progress further for the benefit of the next generation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drugs in Our Society Essay -- Drug Drugs Narcotics Essays Drugs in Our Society With the use of drugs being such a controversial issue in today’s society we felt as a group it was important to further explore this issue. As we possess a high interest in how drugs affect a number of social groups. These groups of course range from young teens to high-class older individuals who will have different reasons and different acceptable standards of behaviour.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question that is being explored in our presentation asks what drugs are doing to our society. This means exploring the various groups that use recreational drugs their reasons for this the effects that drug use has and the methods to help prevent and stop use of drugs. By recreational drugs we mean such substances as marijuana and heavier more addictive drugs as heroin and cocaine. For which the use of these has increased throughout society over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recreational drugs are not limited to any particular group in society meaning that a very wide variety of people choose to use these drugs these of course include teenagers, parents, business people and often very dedicated students for a number of reasons. For a long time the common misconception that only youths use drugs and those who do are disrespectful and dishonest has become out dated and inaccurate. Teenagers can use drugs and there are certainly individuals who do who are disrespectful and dishonest however this is more likely to do with an individual’s personality than their use or experimentation of drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The survey we conducted showed that most people believed it was more common for youths in the 14 to 22 age group to use recreational drugs. This was closely followed by the 23 to 30 age group, while the 13 and under age group was considerably further behind. The survey question that followed indicated that people also believed that drug users were irresponsible and inconsiderate. This slightly supports the misconception that teens are more likely to be involved with recreational drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reasons why people choose to use drugs will differ from group to group. While for many the use of drugs serves as an escape from the stresses of everyday life for others it is exactly used as it is called for recreational purposes. People also take drugs to feel happy and relax. The major reason among is still believed to be that of peer pressure, often teens feel the need t... ...ociety we live in to regards drugs as acceptable but to what extent is this true. Society is not against what it can’t see. When people are dependant on a drug then their behaviour reveals to those around them what they are doing. This makes the world and society assume that all drugs and all drug users fit the typical stereotype. When someone is addicted to drugs society may not be directly affected but are very affected in the long run. The most direct way society is affected by drugs and their users is through the employment and criminal statistics. Employment is very much a problem for an addicted person and statistics show people desperate for drugs can commit crimes in order to get money to support their habit. This disrupts the whole idea of social cohesion only making chaos and producing prejudice attitudes. So just how are drugs affecting society. They affect society by overtaking the users life and the user therefore neglects their responsibilities of the society in which they live and breaching the acceptable standards of behaviours. Recreational drugs are a serious issue that must be dealt with help society progress further for the benefit of the next generation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Vancouver Essay -- British Columbia Canada

Location: Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia and the second largest in the Pacific Northwest region. It is a coastal city and major seaport located in the Lower Mainland of south western British Columbia, Canada. Population: The population of the city of Vancouver is 578,041 and the population of Metro Vancouver is 2,116,581. Vancouver is ethnically diverse, with 52% of city residents and 43% of Metro residents having a first language other than English. With a population of about 600,000 (BC Stats estimate), Vancouver lies in a region of more than 2 million people. Vancouver is the largest city in the province of British Columbia and the third largest in Canada. It covers an area of 114 sq km. History Archaeological evidence shows that coastal Indians had settled the Vancouver area by 500 B.C. British naval captain George Vancouver explored the area in 1792. Vancouver was founded as a sawmill settlement called Granville in the 1870s. The city was incorporated in 1886 and renamed after Captain Vancouver. Vancouver is named after Captain George Vancouver, a British explorer. The name Vancouver itself originates from the Dutch "van Coevorden", Vancouver is also part of the slightly larger Lower Mainland metropolitan area which comprises a total population of 2,285,900. Vancouver was largest urban area. Western Canada was the third largest in the country. denoting somebody from (in Dutch: "van") Coevorden, an old city in The Netherlands. Vancouver was first settled in the 1860s as a result of immigration caused by the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, particularly from the United States, although many immigrants did not remain after the rush. The city developed rapidly from a small lumber mill ... ...Free Zone. Aviation Located in Richmond, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the principal international airport in western Canada and is the second busiest in the nation. As the premier gateway to Asia, it hosts many airlines' regional offices and their flights daily to Asia, Europe, and the United States. Vancouver is the closest air-link to Asia, offering the fastest North American airport with daily flights to the Republic of Korea's Incheon International Airport. Vancouver is also served by the Abbotsford International Airport, fast becoming a reliever to YVR convenient for the eastern suburbs and transborder United States. Operating from Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome on the Downtown waterfront, several floatplane operators support both tourist scenic flights and practical transportation, with extensive operations during daylight hours. Vancouver Essay -- British Columbia Canada Location: Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia and the second largest in the Pacific Northwest region. It is a coastal city and major seaport located in the Lower Mainland of south western British Columbia, Canada. Population: The population of the city of Vancouver is 578,041 and the population of Metro Vancouver is 2,116,581. Vancouver is ethnically diverse, with 52% of city residents and 43% of Metro residents having a first language other than English. With a population of about 600,000 (BC Stats estimate), Vancouver lies in a region of more than 2 million people. Vancouver is the largest city in the province of British Columbia and the third largest in Canada. It covers an area of 114 sq km. History Archaeological evidence shows that coastal Indians had settled the Vancouver area by 500 B.C. British naval captain George Vancouver explored the area in 1792. Vancouver was founded as a sawmill settlement called Granville in the 1870s. The city was incorporated in 1886 and renamed after Captain Vancouver. Vancouver is named after Captain George Vancouver, a British explorer. The name Vancouver itself originates from the Dutch "van Coevorden", Vancouver is also part of the slightly larger Lower Mainland metropolitan area which comprises a total population of 2,285,900. Vancouver was largest urban area. Western Canada was the third largest in the country. denoting somebody from (in Dutch: "van") Coevorden, an old city in The Netherlands. Vancouver was first settled in the 1860s as a result of immigration caused by the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, particularly from the United States, although many immigrants did not remain after the rush. The city developed rapidly from a small lumber mill ... ...Free Zone. Aviation Located in Richmond, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the principal international airport in western Canada and is the second busiest in the nation. As the premier gateway to Asia, it hosts many airlines' regional offices and their flights daily to Asia, Europe, and the United States. Vancouver is the closest air-link to Asia, offering the fastest North American airport with daily flights to the Republic of Korea's Incheon International Airport. Vancouver is also served by the Abbotsford International Airport, fast becoming a reliever to YVR convenient for the eastern suburbs and transborder United States. Operating from Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome on the Downtown waterfront, several floatplane operators support both tourist scenic flights and practical transportation, with extensive operations during daylight hours.

Children with exceptional need Essay

Researches in development reveal that both genetics and environment not only separately influence normal or abnormal functioning of the human psyche, but together and inseparably affect an individual’s manner of operating in his world (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 2008). Environment’s influence can start as early as the nurturer’s bearing, i. e. the moment of conception when the fertilized cell is immersed in the mother’s internal environment. The contention that genetics cannot be downplayed since this fertilized cell contains genetic material that may mean the marked direction of growth towards normality or abnormality has been embraced by biologists and psychologists for many decades until now. Nature and nurture interact to mould a person into what he becomes; hence psychological disorders are regarded both a product of genetics and environment according to many studies. However, the degree of their influence such as at what critical times will the developing child or person succumbs to the effects of environment is observed to be crucial though. This means that the individual who has risks of developing mental illness, depends largely to these â€Å"critical periods† (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 2008). Abnormal psychology or the study of the development of psychological disorders focuses on the interplay of genetics and environment and how most psychologists agree to the notion that though genetics increases the possibility of the development of â€Å"malfunctioning† or disorders; this is generally moderated by environment (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 2008). Learning disorders are also coined as â€Å"language and speech disorders† and academic skills disorders. They are commonly identified when a child enters school-age. the problems related with these disorders generally hamper a particular child’s overall engagement in school activities which may usually have their dire effects on his/her esteem (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 2008). Academic skills disorders have the following subtypes: developmental arithmetic disorder (children who cannot do simple arithmetic equations like addition and subtraction and the recognition of their symbols like a plus + or minus sign -) ; developmental expressive writing (a severe difficulty in the ability to express themselves through writing or composition) , and developmental reading disorders (termed as dyslexia, this disability is characterized by a child’s inability to recognize words or letters and understand the printed material) (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 2008). Language and speech disorders usually are identified with children and are categorized as: developmental articulation disorder (cannot make a sound or speak specific words), developmental expressive language disorder (grammatical errors which are profound) and developmental receptive disorders (children who have the inability to comprehend someone speaking a language) (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 2008). Many problems are faced by students who are highly creative. This includes the need to conform to the majority, seemingly lacking in motivation, lack of insights into their asynchronicity, the parental lack in terms of knowledge or understanding into their child’s dilemmas, underachievement and a host of others. These are further complicated by lack of experts in the local level (Santrock, 2005). Discussion The adolescent who is gifted has different sets of needs and challenges which are indeed complex ones. The bigger bulk of responsibility lies in the hands of the parents and then the school. A lot of studies have been conducted to establish what these needs are, how one gifted child differs from another, and the varying interventions that may be employed to enhance and meet the unique requirements of the gifted child (Santrock, 2005). Giftedness comes in diverse ways, and educators, parents alike follow some hard and fast rules in determining students who fall into specific categories of giftedness. Today, many specialists look into the minds of a gifted student by defining and measuring creativity. This entails that a person possesses the ability to provide a novel idea or solution to a problem, make solutions which others have not discovered before, or finding very unusual solutions. It takes into consideration that high creativity may not be found with the high academic intelligence criterion. Classic researches all reveal the â€Å"modest correlations† linking IQ and creativity (Santrock, 2005). From this development, Guilford proposed the two kinds of thinking: the convergent and divergent. IQ tests measure convergent thinking which looks for accurate and single correct answer or solution. The tests for creativity seek divergent type of thinking ((Santrock, 2005). Programs are varied depending on the institution in which the student/s is enrolled; however, most schools are mandated and are trained to identify or recognize children with gifted or exceptional abilities. The US Department of Education identifies the basic two approaches employed in meeting the complex needs of this oftentimes marginalized segment of students. Enrichment enlarges and intensifies skills and knowledge base by providing the student with additional classroom projects or activities; field trips can be very important to enhancing a student’s creativity and coaching by an expert in the child’s specific talent or interest. Another approach is acceleration which is oftentimes urged by experts and educators. Children skip a grade or take a placement test to be classified in a specific or particular subject or advanced courses (Santrock, 2005). The counseling course then often takes a route along these two approaches. Once the child is identified as possessing some remarkable qualities that are unusual to his age or group, the parents are advised to provide the enrichment the child needs. In whatever the case, teachers often are placed in positions to identify these creative streaks and expected to make the necessary interventions to help the student make use of his talents. In most cases, children suffer some debilitating â€Å"handicaps† due to their unusual creativity; such as a combination of ADHD and the giftedness (they call it â€Å"twice exceptional). This is where parents and especially teachers must be fully trained to spot complications that go with being gifted (Santrock, 2005). Teachers must be made aware that alongside other difficulties, specific manifestations may be evident as symptoms of their difficulties; e. g. , having messy school work because their hands cannot cope with the speed of their minds, or may even be poor spellers and poor performers in rote memorization. In other words, these students with their contrasting difficulties just don’t seem to fit (Santrock, 2005). The goal then for the parents, teacher or school counselor is to magnify on the child becoming an asset rather than emphasizing on such possibilities as pursuing and achieving fame, high economic status or even a Nobel Prize. It is important that the goal for the educational community is for gifted students who will develop into an individual adult who will become comfortable with his innate capabilities and has used them productively (Santrock, 2005). Conclusion The question of whether heredity (nature) or environment (nurture) is more important in determining the course of human development has been debated throughout the centuries (Papalia et al, 2002). The advent of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution (1859), which emphasizes the biological basis of human development, led to a return to the hereditarian point of view. With the rise of behaviorism in the twentieth century, however, the environmentalists’ position once again gained dominance (Atkinson, 1993). Behaviorists such as John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner argued that human nature is completely malleable: early training can turn a child into any kind of adult, regardless of his or her heredity. Watson stated the argument in its most extreme form which is presented the average person’s activity (Atkinson, 1993). Today most psychologists agree not only that both nature and nurture play important roles but that they interact continuously and guide development. For example, the development of many personality traits, such as sociability and emotional stability, appear to be influenced about equally by heredity and environment; similarly, mental disorders can have both genetic and environmental causes (Atkinson, 1993). Behavior geneticists are attempting to sort out the relative importance of nature and nurture influences in the development of various behavior patterns. Psychologists are especially interested in the roles of nature and nurture in intelligence, abnormal behavior patterns such as schizophrenia, and social problems such as sociopathy and aggression (Atkinson, 1993). Non-genetic influence or the environment is perhaps the strongest alibi any person attributes to whenever things turn out not as good as they want them to be. We often make justifications why we tend to be mediocre; â€Å"because my parents did not try their very best to train me and provide for all that I need,† is our typical rejoinder. To what extent is this true, and where does the line end when it comes to personal responsibility, genetic predispositions, or the responsibility and accountability of people who exert immense influence on us? The argument postulated in this paper is not so much as â€Å"drawing the line† in as much as it has evidently proven the great impact of nurture on personality and/or human development in general (Papalia et al, 2002). Parental abuse and neglect have been issues in learning because these are factors that are vital to the child’s overall performance and normal functioning as they operate as kids and later as adults in the real world. This is also true with nutritional status of children in their growing years. Several studies have proven the effects of these factors that they are consciously observed among the educated parents; as much as possible, many actively pursue in avoiding the drastic effects of either deficiency (Papalia et al, 2002). Indeed, the environmental changes that are constantly influencing children in their early stages are established in the scientific disciplines; this despite the many arguments to the contrary. Reference: Atkinson, R. L. , R. C. Atkinson, E. E. Smith, D. J. Bem, and S. Nolen-Hoeksema. 1993. Introduction to psychology. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace and Company. Nevid, Jeffrey, Spencer Rathus, & Beverly Greene (2008). Abnormal Psychology in a Changing World. Pearson Prentice Hall. Santrock, J. W. (2005). Adolescence. (12th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill. Papalia, Diane, Sally W. Olds, Ruth D. Feldman. 2002. Human development 8th Ed. McGraw Hill.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 13

That night I lay in bed, gazing up at the ceiling. The moon shone through the gauzy white curtains, and the house hummed with activity, a melee of footsteps, heartbeats, and mice skittering inside the walls. It felt as though the entire house were alive, with the exception, of course, of myself and Damon. The Sutherlands had no idea, but when they'd opened their home to me, they had invited Death in. I was a cancer on their happy existence, and soon the darkness would spread, eating through their world until there was nothing left. Though I was no willing participant in Damon's twisted plan, it would be no different from how Katherine insinuated herself into my life and decimated the entire Salvatore family. Like it or not, this family's well-being rested squarely on my shoulders. If Damon killed them, their blood would be on my hands, too. But how could I stop him? I was so much weaker than my brother, and I had no plans to begin feeding on humans again for fear that I'd be unable to stop. I rose from bed and pushed the curtains aside with a violent flick. As I stared at the moon, that orb that had witnessed so much of my ill-doing, I replayed the conversation we'd had with Margaret over and over in my head. The firm set of her jaw. The clear tone of her eyes. The way her lucid blue eyes had sized up me and Damon, as though she could see straight through our skin to our unbeating hearts. Winfield was ready to sign his fortune over to Damon, yet his daughter remained immune to my brother's Power. But how? The only protection I knew against vampires was vervain, but I'd not inhaled its cloying scent since arriving in New York. When trying to draw out Katherine, my father had spiked my whiskey with vervain, sending Katherine into a miasmic fit when she drank my blood. If only my father had thought to protect me sooner, he and I might still be in Mystic Falls, poring over accounting books as I studied to take over Veritas. Sliding the window open, I stepped out onto the narrow balcony. The night was eerily still. No wind rustled the trees, and even the pigeons that roosted on the neighbor's roof were quiet. My balcony faced east, toward the muddy East River and the narrow spit of land they called Blackwell's Island, where the city had recently rebuilt the lunatic asylum. A wry smile twisted my lips. If only I could check Damon in there. But then I let out a groan and clutched the wrought-iron rail with my hands. I had to stop wishing and hoping and thinking of millions of if onlys. I could not wish Damon into oblivion and I could not rewrite the past. What was done was done. Even at my peak Power, I could not cause the world to spin backward, could not turn back time and undo what Katherine did to me and my family. But I was not powerless over the future. I had free will, I had experience, and I had the choice to fight. Hoisting myself up on the rail, I leaped to the roof, landing on the tar with a soft thud. New York was a large city, and someone, somewhere, had to grow vervain or at least have dried sprigs. I'd run up and down the streets until I caught the telltale scent of the herb. Spiking Lydia's drinks would be impossible – Damon was feeding from her – but if I could just sprinkle some in Winfield's whiskey†¦ I ran across the roof, preparing to jump to that of the neighbor, before scaling down their fire escape to the street below. â€Å"Where are you going, brother?† The cheery words sliced through the night like gunshot, and I froze on the ledge. Slowly, I turned around to face a smiling Damon. He looked ready for the second part of his evening jaunt, wearing a three-piece suit and twirling a gold cane in his hand. I recognized it immediately – it had belonged to Callie's father, the man who had imprisoned Damon, torturing him and starving him before forcing him to do battle with a mountain lion. Damon must have stolen it after he killed Callie. Unbidden, an image of Callie bloomed in my mind. Her kind green eyes smiling at me, the freckles that dusted every inch of her body, the way she had so bravely given herself to me on the shore of the lake, offering her blood even though she knew what I was and what I could do to her†¦. Her dead, twisted body lying in the grass behind Lexi's house. â€Å"You bastard,† I said in a low, fury-filled voice that I barely recognized as my own. Rage that had been building for weeks with no outlet tore through my veins, and I felt as though my muscles were on fire. With a growl, I threw myself at him. â€Å"Why won't you just let me be?† Our bodies collided, like stone on stone. Startled, Damon fell backward, but instantly he pushed me off and flipped to his feet. He wrapped his arms around my neck with a vise-like grip. â€Å"If you were so desperate to be free of me, you shouldn't have forced me to become a vampire with you,† he hissed, all traces of joviality gone from his demeanor. I struggled to free myself, but his knee pressed more forcefully into my spine, pinning me to the roof. â€Å"You were the one who urged me to become what I am – to see what Katherine gave us as a gift rather than a curse.† â€Å"Trust me,† I gasped, trying to twist from his grip. â€Å"I would take it back if I could.† â€Å"Tsk-tsk,† Damon chided. â€Å"Didn't Father teach you that part of being a man is living with your choices?† He pressed my cheek into the tar roof, scraping open the skin there. â€Å"Then again, you were such a disappointment to him at the end – not wanting to marry Rosalyn, taking up with a vampire, killing him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You were always a disappointment,† I spat. â€Å"I should have killed you when I had the chance.† Damon let out a dry laugh. â€Å"Well, that would have been a shame, because then I couldn't do this.† The pressure on my spine abated as Damon hoisted me up by the back of the shirt. â€Å"What are you – † I started. Before I could finish, Damon launched me forward with the force of a lit cannon. My body careened through the night air, and for a brief, weightless moment, I wondered if I was flying. Then the hard pavement of the alley between the Sutherlands' and their neighbor's home rushed up to greet me, and my bones cracked loudly on the impact. I groaned, pain radiating through my limbs as I rolled to my back, blood dripping down my face. I lay like that for hours, staring at the stars until my Power healed me, resetting my bones and stitching up the gash in my cheek more swiftly than the most skilled medic could. But when I stood, a new pain shot through my chest. Because there on the brick wall of the Sutherlands' home, written in red ink that could only be blood, were three terrifying words: I'm always watching.

Human Senses and Perception: Accuracy and Weaknesses Essay

Can you really trust your senses and the interpretation of sensory data to give you an accurate view of the world? Describe and discuss the accuracy and the weaknesses of the human senses as they pertain to think in general and to your own thinking in particular. What perception means and how is relate to our senses? According to Joe Stratton (1999) on his book Critical Thinking for college students stated that â€Å"perception is the process of selection, organization, and interpretation of the sense-data into mental representation that can be use by the brain and the nerve system to provide content for thought† (p. 17). We can understand as Perception the process by which we receive and interpret information coming from the environment or ourselves. This information is received through the five senses: Sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Sensory perception is not sufficient to identify the outside world, it is necessary also the intervention of other processes such as attention, memory, and imagination. In other words, perception is how we understand and interpret the world. We perceive the world in certain ways depending on our beliefs is like a filter between us and the reality, the memories and experiences that we have stored in our subconscious mind and our capacity of imaginatio n is responsible for how we can perceive the reality. The perception varies from person to person; different people perceive different things in the same situation. â€Å"This sensing-thinking connection is so closely interrelated that our thinking often begins in our senses, progresses through additional sensory input, and shapes itself to our sensing habits; conversely, thinking can shape the way we sense† (Goodpaster & Kirby, 1999, p.44). There are some reasons that help us to believe in the accuracy of the sensory information, this mean that we are aware, dependent of our mind and perceptually seem to us. For example if we approach our arm to the fire we can feel the heat, meaning that the information passes through the touch receptors feeling the heat and sensory information reaches the brain, so next time we experience fire close to our body we will perceive that is hot.

John Wisdom – Gods

Wisdom claims that religions are revealing of the present world, even if they are often referring to what lies beyond this life and our senses. Regardless of the differences a believer and a none believer have, or do not have, towards an afterlife or a life beyond the one they live now, the differences between the beliefs an atheist holds and those that a theist holds are not confined to how they live their lives or face death, for there are also differences in how they view life presently.The truth or falsity of what atheists and theists believe about life has been debated time and time again. John Wisdom is of the belief that religious beliefs are susceptible to factors that rely on how things are in the world, and how one views and interprets these things. This includes a belief in God. Wisdom begins with the claim that the existence of God is no longer an experimental issue as it once was, and he accounts for this with the further claim that this is due to the fact that we now ha ve a better knowledge of why and how things happen as they do.It should be acknowledged, however, that there is, of course, some persistence of this element, which can be demonstrated by the phenomenon of people praying; it is often the case that people pray for others and actually get a sense of helping from this. Wisdom chalks this up to there still being mystery surrounding how humans work. For example, one can never know what another human will do next so expecting a prayer to make a difference [to a person] is not so definite a thing as believing in its mechanical efficiency (185).Despite theists and atheists having difference views as to the facts of the world, this difference is not the kind that can be settled by an experiment. He adds that a belief in God will give a person a different attitude and approach to life and death; it is this belief that can make a person not fearful of death. While atheists and theists have a difference in their expectations of a world to come, an afterlife, their differences are not constrained to only this. They also differ as to the facts of this present life, and the existence (or non-existence) of another world that is now, just beyond our senses.He answers this with an analogy of other minds, which he claims we can reasonably confirm because the existence of other minds explains why certain things behave the way they do, all by themselves. This existence of other minds answers Wisdom’s first question about the reasonableness of belief in divine minds, by giving evidence that there is behaviour which gives reason to believe in any sort of mind. One can then examine if their are other mind-patterns in nature that cannot be explained by human and animal mind-patterns, which we can easily detect empirically, and if these are super-human.Then, one must ask if these things are sufficiently striking to even be called mind-patterns. He states that behaviour similar or superior to human behaviour is considered to be mi nd proving. Wisdom concludes that this distinction seems to be an issue of the application of a name. He attempts to show how the line between a question of fact and the mere application of a name is not so distinct, as the application of a name can be based on many things, such as what we have noticed about or our feelings towards that certain thing. Oftentimes, even when there is agreement on the facts, there is still argument as to the conclusion.Here, Wisdom shows how a claim such as the existence of God can begin as experimental but gradually change completely through the use of his gardener analogy. This analogy goes like this: two people return to their long neglected garden to find that there are plants and flowers growing among the weeds. One believes a gardener has been tending to the plants but the other does not. They inquire around only to discover that no one has seen any gardener come by, so they do a careful re-examination of the garden, at the end of which they stil l disagree.Wisdom claims that, here, the argument is no longer experimental since it is now a matter of their different attitudes towards the garden; they both examined all the same fact, one does not know or expect something the other does not, and yet they still do not come to the same conclusion. But how can there still be a question when all the facts are known? It is now a matter of how each person interprets the facts they have been given. Each person can try to help the other to see what they see by drawing attention to certain patterns in these facts, by drawing attention to features that may have been overlooked or by connecting the facts in pecific ways. The people in the garden analogy must weigh the cumulative effect of many factors. As in the case of settling an argument over whether or not a certain thing is beautiful, it involves a lot of re-examining, re-looking, re-stating and re-describing. This can also be determined through the connecting technique, a technique w hich involves pointing out likenesses and connections a thing has with something else in order to convince another of one’s way of thinking. One can point out things that one is or is not influenced by, or what they should or should not be influences by to demonstrate misconnections in another’s thinking.Wisdom is saying that differences in belief are no more subjective than are differences as to whether a thing is beautiful or not. This explains the essence of religion, according to Wisdom, as some belief as to what the world is like. Thus, he concludes that when a difference in belief in the existence of God is not experimental, it is therefore not based on solid facts, which means that one cannot just assume the right or wrong about it. But now, what should happen when one inquires in this way into the reasonableness of the belief in gods? Wisdom says a â€Å"double and opposite phased change†.The first phase of the change is to show a connection that favours the theist, but the second is to show a connection that favours the atheist. In other words, reveal a source for belief, but then show why that source proves to be an unexpected reason for it. For example, Wisdom uses Freud’s theories as a basis for rejecting God as an subconscious, infantile projection, but then rediscovers God as a presence in that subconscious and the source of such projections. This proves, according to Wisdom, that atheists and theists differ as to the fact of psychoanalysis.However, this seems to a slightly contradictory to Wisdom’s claim that belief in God is not fact based because it is not experimental. It seems that this, in fact, would make it a difference of facts, not just a differences of attitudes, since psychological statements are statements of scientific fact. Psychology is a science, which is based on experiments to reveal truths, so if an atheist and a theist differ as to the fact of psychoanalysis, the reasonableness of the belief of God would not be somewhat subjective, as Wisdom says, but more fact-based.Wisdom believes that religious beliefs are completely susceptible to logical and empirical criticisms. Everything one believes, or does not believe, about the existence of God is attitudinal and experience-based; the way one interprets the things that see, discover, or hear is what leads to their unique beliefs. To discuss the truth or falsity of atheist or theist views is almost as arbitrary and discussing whether or not a certain thing is beautiful, for each person is going to have interpreted that certain thing differently and therefore have a specific attitude toward it. Bibliography Wisdom, John. â€Å"Gods†. 1944.