First-person Narrative and Destroying Avalon

Tuesday, 5 March 2013 Themes in Destroying Avalon 1. Define the term ‘theme. ’ * Underlying message portrayed/explored by the composer in any body of work. * Composer’s intended message. Theme| Elaboration| Evidence (technique)| Explanation| Link to social issue| The negative influence of social hierarchy | Unequal distribution of power determines status, whether it be in a group or society. (Pg 48)â€Å"Alice and the bitches rule the school †¦ [A group]†¦ B group †¦ relatively friendly bunch†¦ considered cool†¦ C groups †¦ freaks and retards †¦[Z group] â€Å"weirdos and queeros† (pg 40)- Accumulation (listing)-Connotations | In the novel Destroying Avalon, McCaffrey positions Westerley High as a microcosm for greater social inequality within society.This is clearly evident in the opening sequence of the novel when Marshall, through accumulation of groups and sub groups poignantly outlines the existing social hierarchy à ¢â‚¬Å"Alice and the bitches rule the school †¦ [A group]†¦ B group †¦ relatively friendly bunch†¦ considered cool†¦ C groups †¦ freaks and retards †¦[Z group] â€Å"weirdos and queeros. † Here, McCaffrey’s careful use of diction highlights how language stigmatizes individuals. A key example is the connotations of the word â€Å"queeros† which affects both Marshall and Tamara, though Marshall more drastically, who eventually falls into depression followed by suicide. Youth depression Bullying| Isolation and alienation | Those who are viewed as different by their peers are ostracised and excluded from their social groups. | (pg 53)â€Å"Well our team is really good. And Alice is the captain, so if you know what’s good for you, you might want to leave now. †-threatening tone(pg 45)A: â€Å"What position do you play? † †¦ Av: â€Å"Anywhere †¦ goal attack †¦ shooter, centre, whatever† â₠¬ ¦ A: â€Å"you can be the wing defence† †¦ Av: â€Å"I might as well have sat on the bench†¦ no one passed me the ball†-dialogue/direct speech-Tone-Connotation(pg 44)â€Å"It really worried me I wasn’t sure what reason anyone would have not to like me.I hadn’t done anything wrong- though it felt everything I did was wrong. Why don’t they like me? †Use of first-person| The novel demonstrates the isolation and alienation of several characters. Many people are ostracised by their peers and usually this leads to sever depression. McCaffrey uses this isolation of the protagonist, Avalon to give a first person point of view on what really happens to someone when they are alienated from a group or bullied by others. â€Å"It really worried me I wasn’t sure what reason anyone would have not to like me.I hadn’t done anything wrong- though it felt everything I did was wrong. Why don’t they like me? † The continu ous use of the first person language is to make the responder realise the different thoughts that the character is going through and how the issue of depression begins to kick in. The tone of the antagonists really highlights the way they incessantly condemn and undermine others. During their hockey tryouts the threatening tone of Courtney is shown when she tells Avalon that â€Å"our team is really good, and Alice is captain, so if you know what's good for you, you might want to leave now. The use of â€Å"if you know what's good for you† in reality is telling her that she is positioned under Alice and the bitches in terms of a hierarchical system. It then goes on to say â€Å"you might want to leave now† indicating that no matter how hard she tries to fit in Avalon will always be harassed and discriminated against. This build up of thoughts, anger and depression is a toxic mix as we see eventually Avalon snaps and she loses Marshall who is one of her most dearest fr iends to suicide. Discrimination Bullying Harassment | The misuse of technology Importance of friends and family| Technology is used for malevolent and devious acts that have fatal consequences. The influence of family and friends can often provide people with helpful information. | (117)†If only I had done more†Marshall's mother â€Å"But he did find comfort in his friend's†| The use of technology hinders the reality of many characters in the novel. McCaffrey demonstrates how the internet is a place that can change a person's real personalities into a disturbing contradiction.Throughout the novel the victims who suffer from bullying constantly are to be comforted by friends, who play an integral part in their fight against bullying. Once the loss of Marshall became evident his mother depressingly said â€Å"if only I had done more† not only did Marshall's mother know about what was going on, she did not what do inflict damage on Marshall by telling teacher s. Later at Marshall's funeral we learn the importance and comfort friends give to him † but he found comfort in his friends† shows how important his friends were during his time of despair. | |

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Although I do believe that the acting and performance style of the two different actors is very important, I would argue Tim Burtons remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory represents in the truest form the differences in family and how parents and children's relationship to one another. I would argue that even though I personal like Stewart original film of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory I believe that it's a great film but doesn't convey family relationships as well as Tim Burtons interpretation.In comparing the two different movies we can see that Tim Burton seed to show the deferent parent-child relationships by using proximity patterns and camera lighting to represent the relationships. In the 1971 version Mel Stuart shows the differences In the relationship not by camera lighting and proximity patterns but by relying on acting and sound to convey the same message. In the beginning of the film, Tim Burton sets the movie talking about Charlie's father and the family's rela tionship with each other. In the first few scenes, we learn a lot about Charlie and the Bucket family. We can analyze the proteomics patterns and compare it toCharlie's relationship with Mr.. Bucket. When Mr.. Bucket comes home from the toothpaste factory screwing caps all day he sits right next to Charlie. In our text box, Understanding movies, Edward Hall talked about the proteomics patterns which is the relationship between characters or things within a given space. By Edward Hall's definition, when Mr.. Bucket sat down next to Charlie to give him defective toothpaste caps, that space would be labeled as intimate distance between them. Gantlet stated that, â€Å"this is the distance of physical Involvement-of love, comfort, and endorsers between Individuals† (85).When looking at that scene, you can right away tell that the relationship between the two characters Is the Ideal that every parent and child wants with their parent or child. After working a long and hard day, al l Mr.. Bucket wants to do is go and spend time with Charlie. This intimate distance between Charlie and his father also shows that his father cares about Charlie. When Mr.. Bucket and Charlie are sitting together we know that they have a father son bond, but then when Mr.. Bucket says I have a surprise for you, and gives Charlie the effective caps one can tell that this bond is bigger. Mr..Bucket cares about Charlie and his interests and hobbies. Mr.. Bucket steals the defective caps because it's something that interests and would make Charlie happy. No matter what kind of hobby or Interest Charlie Is into, Mr.. Bucket would support his son. {Quote} Another interesting family to look at Is Wily Wonk and Dry. Wilbur Woman's relationship with respects to proteomics patterns we see a different father-son relationship. In the scene where Wily Wonk had the first flashback when Charlie asked him If he embedded the very first chocolate he ever had, Wily Wonk remembers the time when en came none rater trick-or-treating. Mm Burton doesn't snow you ten money greeting like the greeting you get when Mr.. Bucket comes home, instead the first shot you see when Wily Wonk comes home is Dry. Wilbur Wonk. And instead of him saying Hello son, the first words are, â€Å"Well let's see what the damage is this year. † After that line as the audience you get a full shot of Wily Wonk and Dry. Wilbur Wonk and the prolific patterns is not an intimate distance which is normal for Emily members or loved ones, instead its personal distance which Genetic stated is roughly from eighteen inches away to about four feet away.He also goes and mentions that these distances tend to be reserved for friends and acquaintances rather than members of the family. This is important because this represents the relationship that Wily and his father have. Julie Taylor and Brigit Daniel state, â€Å"Parents who can only give their children negative attention, and who do not give children a sense of positive status in the family, are grossly neglecting them in an motional sense. The relationship is distant and as a little kid that is brought up in this kind of environment believes possible that is contact between his father and himself is normal and that every kid as the same relationship as he has. In addition to the proximity distances that we discussed to show the differences between the relationships of Charlie and Mr.. Bucket with Wily and Dry. Wonk, we also can see these differences in the camera lighting in the same scene to show this distinction. Tim Burton used low key lighting in Wily Woman's and Dry.Woman's scene because he anted his audience to portray and get this feeling that the father neglected Wily. We also get a sense that Dry. Wonk is portrayed as very sinister and very mysterious and absent in Wily Woman's life. This is important because it shows and confirms our assumption of Wily Woman's and Dry. Woman's relationship. In contract, if we compare the Lightin g that Tim Burton used in the same shot as we analyzed for proximity patterns we see that the lighting that was used was different. Tim Burton used high key lighting.Even though Genetic describes high key lighting being used or comedies and musical because they are bright, I believe that Tim Burton used this lighting on Mr.. Bucket when he sat down to talk to Charlie and give him a surprise. The reason why Tim Burton used high key lighting in that particular scene was to show what an important person Mr.. Bucket was to Charlie. The bright light on Mr.. Bucket's face was to represent what Charlie looked up to and who Charlie's role model was, and that was his dad. No matter what Charlie's father's occupation was, Charlie only saw him as his role model. In the 1971 film, Mel

Transport Demand Management in National Parks Dissertation

Transport Demand Management in National Parks - Dissertation Example Lyndhurst is a civil parish and village located at England’s new Forest in Hampshire. The village forms the administrative center of the New Forest, which bears the district council. It is a popular tourist attraction center and has numerous independent shops, cafes, hotels, restaurants, pubs, art galleries and an 18-hole golf course. These facilities cater for the demands of local population and the tourists. According to the Census data of 2001, Lyndhurst had a population of 2,973 of which, 37% were economically active, 20% are the retired and only 2% are not employed. The average age is 47 years. 77% of the property is owner occupied while 23% is rented (COUNCIL FOR THE PROTECTION OF RURAL ENGLAND, 1988). Lyndhurst is 14 kilometers away from Southampton city to the North-east. Geographically, Lyndhurst village forms the meeting point on the route A35 which runs from the Southampton City to the northeast to Lymington town, situated on the south coast. This link creates a very large volume of traffic, which prompts the usage of one way. Most of the motorists miss parking spaces while seeking for refreshments, meals or even when making stopovers. During season of summer, the traffic swells because of the tourist inflow in to the region. As a result, there is limited space for parking. Transport Demand Management is a strategy that applies programs, policies, products and services to trim down the travel order especially among the private vehicle users or restructure the travel demand in to time and space. Actually, the Transport Demand management deals with Transit improvements, Transit incentives, Pay-as-drive insurance, Parking management/pricing and Road pricing. Several studies points out to the growth of economy as the primary reason behind establishing a good parking management, organization, supervision and parking pricing without incorporating other factors like the repercussions on health, time spending and emotional frustrations that come up with limited parking space. According to Fischer (2009),  the Transport Demand Management strategy controls the parking prices and the amount of parking available in all the public places across the UK. Transport Demand Management benefits the local communities by lowering their healthcare costs, reducing traffic congestion, increasing their return from investments on transit, carpooling, cycling and public transport systems (Black & Schreffler, 2010). The employers may get low parking rates and better employee retention where as the individuals gain by saving time and costs of delay, convenience and good health (Black, 1997). This collateral research paper explores the proposition of Transport Demand Management is to push for best option available towards solving problems related to the limited parking space in Lyndhurst. Policies on Parking Management The developers should provide the localities with the minimum space for every type of development depending on the magnitude of the development. The costs of developments determines the pricing for parking spaces, as such, parking seem to be offered

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 38

Writer's choice - Essay Example LVHM also has retail stores all over the world. This international supply chain system is similar to Sushi: The Global Catch (2012), directed by Mark Hall, which Theodore C. Bestor (2000) further describes in â€Å"How Sushi Went Global.† Clearly, the modern-day multinational company no longer relies on local workers and local natural resources to create, deliver, and sell its products, but on an extensive, interconnected worldwide sourcing, production, distribution, and marketing systems. As for labor practices, it cannot be easily verified if the company has fair labor practices, although in France and other developed nations, LVHM is inferred to have fair labor practices. Because LVHM uses traditional methods in making its products as part of its prestige, it has skilled workers who perform several tasks. These workers in these developed nations are considered highly-skilled and well-paid because they are making handmade bags for a luxury firm like LVHM. In addition, I read before that the company only made some changes in its production system in 2005, in alignment with its new kaizen philosophy, which means constant improvement. An example of a change in the production floor is when one person did the gluing and stitching instead of two to three people. The increase in production efficiency from kaizen reduced the workforce demand of the company, which raised concerns about job security for some employees. Those who feel this may think that there is a form of inj ustice because they cannot have the same job security they used to have in the past. I think that these production changes that have labor effects can be connected to the experiences of Malay factory workers in Aihwa Ong’s â€Å"Japanese Factories, Malay Workers: Class and Sexual Metaphors in West Malaysia.† Ong (1990: 400) talks about the â€Å"structure of the industrial system†

Larry King - a King of the American TV and Radio Broadcasting Research Paper

Larry King - a King of the American TV and Radio Broadcasting - Research Paper Example Larry King’s first show with CNN was initiated in June 1985. He hosted a number of controversial personalities on his shows which essentially made the Larry King Live a unique show in its own right. As far as his conducting of the show was concerned, he had a very direct and non-confrontational approach. He allowed the guests to speak their mind and thus allow them to get their message to their intended audience without any hindrances whatsoever. The guests felt special being on his show, which is indeed a positive if seen within the related settings of the Larry King Live show. He asked easy, open-ended questions which made him an instant hit with his guests. Also, the audience enjoyed the cozy dialogue between Larry King himself and the guests present on the show (Farha 2001). As far as his interview style is concerned, frankness is one word that comes to mind. He was vivid and very clear on his topic, and thus the reason why he was always prepared on his show. He had the exact idea as to how to prepare himself for the show and what kind of subject he was studying before sitting in front of the guest. There were occasional bursts of humor embedded in his conversation with the guests. His approach was very welcoming for those guests who usually avoided any interviews. Even though he was known for his lack of pre-preparation of the interview, he had solid knowledge at hand. Much appreciation goes on his shoulders because people appreciate him for what he did and what kind of atmosphere he created in the studios. A number of guests felt emotional within his show and started to weep. There seems to be an emotional bonding of Larry King with his guests and thus the reason why his guests understood that Larry King is one man who can be considerate enough and can understand what they are saying. CNN’s online biography suggests that Larry King conducted nearly 40,000 interviews during his career.  

Leadership and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership and Management - Essay Example The company’s name is Sweet Nature Limited. Besides the Marketing department, the company had three other major departments: Finance department, Purchasing and Supply Chain department, and Human Resource department. In the department, I was a member of a certain group charged with the responsibility of making important decisions concerning sales and marketing. The group was under Bill, who was the Vice President, Mary, the Manager, Stella, Frank and I who were market researchers whereas Peter and Jane were public relation assistants. The table below delineates the responsibilities and attributes of each of the people in the group. ... ws with the media Chatty Experiences Friendly sociable Name :Peter Sex : Male Age :30 years Public relations Chooses the right form of advertising Media spokesman of the company Conduct interviews with the media Friendly Introverted Table 1: A table showing the names, age, exposition, duties and the basic attributes of each of the members in the Sales and Marketing decision making group At one instance, the company was contemplating introducing a new line of products. We held a meeting in the company’s boardroom for several hours to discuss on various matters concerning the new product, with regard to sales and marketing. The company’s top management needed to seek our opinion as to whether the new product would be lucrative to the company. As the marketing department, we had extensive knowledge about the target market of the new product and the strategies required to successful introduce the product. However, during the meeting, there arose various disagreements among the group members basing on a variety of issues. Some members could not agree about the market entry strategy, the initial pricing of the product, the means of advertisements to be used to promote the product, matters to do with market segmentation, among many others. Thus, in the meeting, there was increased communication breakdown. Bill, the Vice President in sales and marketing department, chaired the meeting. He veneered a rough time controling the group as there was heated debate in various aspects. An eminent example which depicts how the group could not come to consensus so easily involves the pricing strategy to be adopted during the introduction of the new product. The table below depicts what transpired during the discussion regarding price strategy Member View on pricing strategy Bill He

Argumentative Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argumentative Synthesis - Essay Example This is because, the unemployment of women does not only affect the individual women who are unemployed, but the future generations, since women bear the big burden in the upbringing of children and when they cannot be able to bring them up well due to poverty and other social constraints, there is no doubt that such children will turn out to be a disaster for the society in the future. Nevertheless, the unemployment for women has continued to be a major impediment to the advancement of equality in the society. The income inequality between the rich and the poor continues to increase, despite the measures that have been put in place to address poverty and unemployment in the society (Krugman, n.p.). Despite the seemingly advancement in narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor in the 1920s in America, the situation has now changed, and the gap between the rich and the poor is now wider than ever. However, at the center of the social inequality, is the concept of women unemploym ent, which leaves women to take care of domestic chores, a scenario faced by a high population of women, summarized well by Diaz in the statement â€Å"She didn’t have a regular job outside of caring for us five kids† (Diaz, n.p.). In this respect, it is conclusive to argue that women unemployment is in the core of social inequality in the society. Gender discrimination is a social evil that has seen all manner of legislations, campaigns and advocacy targeting to empower women so they can be in the same position as men, when it comes to issues of accessing education, employment, political positions and any other social roles that were traditionally the preserve of men. However, all these attempts have not made the situation any better, since even though women can now access education and employment like men do; there is one major issue that acts as an impediment to the total liberation of women; family responsibilities (Woolf, n.p). Additionally, even

Impact of Technology in War Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Impact of Technology in War - Term Paper Example Historical findings denoted that ancient mechanisms of handling war and the materials derived complications deterred the desired prompt confrontation, aggression, and combating of enemies in the battlefields. However, the advancement in technology led to the development of machineries that eased transportation of military equipment and personnel with increased convenience and accessibility to the war fields. The development of the wheel marked the advent ease in logistics. Since then, human societies developed engines and which further symbolized their application in locomotives to the currently used trucks, jetfighters, and military helicopters among others. Through the development of the engine, militarization advanced accordingly as nations converted the technology to power sophisticated weapons such as long-range missiles, atomic bombs, and rockets launchers in warships (Thompson 48). Similarly, technology poses as the origin of increased rate intelligence among nations, and comm unication among allied and enemy nations in their militaries. The history of plane carriers and airships dates back to the 1880s. However, research establishes that the First World War implemented a new outlook on improvisation of war machineries to confront enemies at a large scale as global powers engaged into war. The 1914-1918 war involved European nations, which varied and disagreed on policies and their overseas interests. These factors resulted to increased tensions among the nations, and experts subsequently engaged in innovation and development of weapons to ensure defensive against their unprecedented enemies who also indulged in production of weapons. Eventually, the nations entered... Adolf Hitler, one of the world’s ruthless dictators from Germany devised a technological aircraft with the ideology that he could suppress the advancing eastern allies. This was in 1944 during the Second World War when the European allied nations of capitalists strategized and engaged on a retaliatory battle the German soldiers drive out of their territories and possibly disintegrate the country’s power to a nutshell. German engaged on unprecedented aggression in the European nations and had won incredibly over the unpreparedness of the preys thus weakening confrontation and broadening its boundaries. The battle advanced to France, Belgium, and Spain and with such success, Hitler perceived that he could possibly suppress and bring the United Kingdom under his dictatorial regime. The desired plans hit an end after the toppled powers reorganized their armies and allied with the UK and U.S.A to attack the German side.The allied troops of the capitalist European nations man aged to engage in a successful battle that suppressed the German troops to Rome, the city of Italy. During this time, Hitler engaged on an alternative approach to tackle the aggressing allied troops who fought on land and simultaneously conducted air strikes to diminish the power of the Germany completely. Mainly, the airstrikes conducted by the eastern frontier targeted weaponry manufacturing industries in German as it was the only way the countries could diminish the level at which the Nazis could retaliate during the rebellious retreat.

Population Distributions - statistics lab report Essay

Population Distributions - statistics lab report - Essay Example This theory is based on the concept that a heart with small size will have smaller cardiac output as compared to the larger heart. Hence, this scientific theory proposes that the heart beat of the larger individual will beat slowly to meet the metabolic requirements. The above hypothesis will be examined by collecting a sample of short and tall individuals and identify whether there are significant differences in their heart beat rates. To prove this, an experiment will be conducted which will find out whether there are considerable differences in the heart rate of tall and short subjects. The experts in the field8 as have also emphasized that individuals who are physically fit have a higher stroke volume as compared to inactive individuals. This means that individuals having a poor physical condition will reach their maximum heart beat rate at a lower work level than individuals who are physically fit. Based on the above belief, a theory has been put forward that since physically fi t individuals have a higher aerobic capacity before reaching maximum heart rate therefore they will have a slower rate of increase in heart beat and a faster return to the resting return after the exercise. For the verification of aforementioned hypothesis, a controlled experiment will be conducted in which the subject’s heart rate before exercise and 15 minutes after exercise and then 30 minutes after exercise will be measured to know whether there are significant differences in the heart rate of individuals in the group. Null Hypothesis 1: Measurement of heart rate. Analysis of the data: a) Number of Subjects in each class Range Frequency 40-50 0 50-60 3 60-70 10 70-80 19 80-90 8 90-100 2 >100 0 b) Histogram Figure 1: Histogram of Heart Beats per Minute Median = 76 Mode = 80 Both the median and mode lie in the 70-80 subject group of the variable. c) The data for the given variable is spread symmetrically around the central location. It has a modal class. I expect the data t o be modal since most of the individuals will have a common heart beat rate with few exceptional cases. My expectations are supported by the graph of histogram as majority of the frequency of the data lies in the middle of set. d) Null Hypothesis: (There is no difference in the mean heart rate of the tall and short subjects) Alternative Hypothesis: (There is a difference in the mean heart rate of the tall and short subjects) Significance Level The hypothesis is to be performed at 5% significance level or 95% confidence level, so Critical Value The critical values for the two tailed test for with confidence level of are If the value of the t test statistic is lesser than -2.02 or greater than 2.02 than reject; otherwise do not reject. T-test Value: The data values for the small subject group and tall subject group are attached in the appendix (Table 1 and Table 2) Where By using formulas we calculate that (All the calculations are given in appendix) Where The value of t-test statisti c is -0.339 and it does not fall in the rejection region thus we do not reject the null hypothesis. The test results are not statistically significant at the 5% level; that is, at the 5% significance level, the data do not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that there is difference in the mean heart rate of the tall and short individuals. Null Hypothesis 2 and 3: Heart rate and recovery after exercise. a) Mean heart rate These are the class mean heart rates (beats per minute) Before Exercise 75.2 Directly After Exercise 124.8 After 1 Minute 105.9 After 5 Minutes

Hawaiin Punch Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hawaiin Punch - Case Study Example The marketing division plans on using social media so as to change from child centered focus to the actual purchaser (mothers). The company plans to reach to the Hispanic mothers, African American mothers as well as the multicultural and urban children. Through social media, the company can market its innovated brands. The new brands developed by the company were inspired by Hispanic flavors which also attracted the non Hispanic households. Since the new flavors were solely sold through the finished goods network, social media can be employed to increase their awareness on the end users as well as well as the indirect users. Currently the Company’s sales stand at $66, 262,410 realized through analog and print media. Through employment of social media, the soft drink company can later on evaluate the impact of social media from its sales volume. Social media advertising has the advantage of causing longer shelf time effect at lower costs. The company incurs extra allowances on payment of shelf space on new flavors with varied package sizes to the retailers. The allowance prices for the juice drink aisle and juice ranged from $15,000 to $250,000 per SKU for supermarket space. The amounts rise to $2.8 million allowance-cost per SKU for a national supermarket distribution shelf space. Based on the U.S per capita beverage consumption, the carbonated soft drinks consumption in 2004 were a solid 52.3 gallons which constitutes 28.7% market share. In 2004, the Hawaiian Punch producing Company made a profit of $66,262,410 which was majorly realized through analog and print advertising. Currently the product has a 94% brand recognition in the USA which is an exemplary figure in reference to its market share. In 2004, the company incurred 78% expense in cost of goods sold which was significantly contributed by its huge advertisement costs. The company has bears an enormous task in evaluating its brand equity, its direct consumers and trade consumers.

1981 Springbok Tour Essay Example for Free

1981 Springbok Tour Essay Focus Question: What was the background to the 1981 Springbok Tour of New Zealand? For 56 days in July, August and September 1981, New Zealanders were divided against each other in the largest civil disturbance seen since the 1951 waterfront dispute. More than 150,000 people took part in over 200 demonstrations in 28 centres, and 1500 were charged with offences stemming from these protests. To some observers it might seem inconceivable that the cause of this unrest was the visit to New Zealand of the South African rugby team (the Springboks). Although not a major sport on a global scale, rugby has established itself not only as New Zealand’s number one sport but as a vital component in this country’s national identity. In many ways the playing of rugby took a back seat in 1981, and the sport suffered in the following years as players and supporters came to terms with the fallout from the tour. Some commentators have described this event as the moment when New Zealand lost its innocence as a country and as being a watershed in our view of ourselves as a country and people. See more: Distinguish between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping Essay Usefulness of evidence to focusing question: This is useful because it shows me evidence on what New Zealanders thought on about rugby. It shows that rugby sport is a background to New Zealanders because it’s their number 1 sport. This is part of a useful website, www.nzhistory.net.nz. Source reliability: This source is reliable because this source is that its not something someone has said or someone has typed that was from the 1981 springbok tour. It is basic facts.

Managerial Research In Decision Making Processes

Managerial Research In Decision Making Processes Managerial research is a broad topic that covers a range of aspects, whether these are strategic, tactical or technical. People often confuse Managerial research with other research forms, but in fact managerial research differs to a great extent from social and other research types. Managerial research is different in such a way because it explores about the core elements that are needed to make prosper the business instead of searching such information that are not productive or result oriented. The managerial research is important because managers at all stages require timely and exact information for decision making. Whatever the decision making stage is, whether it is of tactical, operational or strategic level, the accurate information are required to for better decision making. At managerial level gathering of information is done through a sound and scientific research process. Each year organizations spend enormous amounts of money for research and development in order to mai ntain their competitive edge. Accurate information obtained through research leads to enormous benefits. In short, Managerial research is practical and finds its application in many places to identify the various characteristics and key factors responsible for the success of the firm and the products it develops. This research paper shows detailed and at length description of managerial research to describe that this type of research is different from other research methods. Definition of Research Research is the procedure of carefully studying and evaluating the situational elements surrounding an issue in order to search for solutions to it. A systematic thorough inquiry or inspection to find new information or correlations and to expand/verify current knowledge for some particular purpose. Why We Do Research? Exploration: Discovering problems of concern, growing understanding of the issue Description: Finding out, defining what is, what is the condition? Where are we now? Explanation: Explaining how or why things are as they are (and utilizing this to predict), Answering questions, resolving issues, testing hypotheses, assessment research evaluation of strategies, policies, plans and practices Difference between Managerial Research Other Research Artistic Research One of the attributes of Artistic Research is that it must take subjectivity as opposite to the classical scientific techniques. As such, it is parallel to the social sciences in utilizing quantitative research and intersubjectivity as tools to apply measurement and critical analysis Historical Method The historical technique comprises the methods and strategies by which historians utilize historical sources and other proof to research and then to write history. There are different history rules generally utilized by historians in their work, under the headings of external criticism, internal criticism, and synthesis. This contains higher criticism and textual criticism. Though items may vary depending on the subject matter and examiners, the subsequent concepts are generally part of most formal historical study: Managerial Research Managerial research is practical and finds its application in several places to recognize the different characteristics and major factors accountable for the success of the company and the goods it develops. It usually looks into future trend rather that wasting time in some art or thinking in past. Usually, firms would like to know the level of consumer satisfaction of the companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s product and here managerial research will be helpful. Managerial research is also helpful for doing a pilot study to introduce a new product and the different applications and guidelines of managerial research in business decision making. The firms take decision even before introducing new products through managerial research. Managerial research supports them to recognize that whether the product will be viable in firmà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s interest or not. For this purpose different techniques have been utilizing to gather relevant data for better decision making through various paradigms e.g. competitive intelligence, SWOT analysis, financial analysis, Ansoff situation analysis, etc. Managerial research can be utilized to gather data about markets, rivals, and consumers that the other two techniques cannot do so. For instance, managerial research can help identify the most favorable business location and the size of marketplaces. It can also be utilized to monitor competitive actions. Consumer research decides customer loyalty, client satisfaction, and client preferences. In this way a managers job is different and difficult. Managers need some expertise to perform the responsibilities and activities related with being a manager. What kind of expertise does a manager require? Research by Robert L. Katz discovered that managers required three basic expertises. These are technical, human and conceptual expertise. Technical skills contain information of and excellence in a certain specialized domain, for example engineering, computers, financial and managerial accounting, or production. These expertises are more significant at lower levels of administration since these supervisors are coping directly with workers doing the companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s work. Human skills engage the capability to work well with other individuals both separately and in a group. Because managers cope directly with individuals, this skill is essential! Managers with good human skills are capable to get the best out of their individuals. They recognize how to int eract, stimulate, lead, and inspire enthusiasm and confidence. These expertises are equally significant at all levels of administration. Eventually conceptual skills are the skills managers must have to consider and conceptualize about abstract and difficult situations. Utilizing these skills managers must be capable to see the company as an entity, understand the correlation among different subunits, and visualize how the company fits into its wider setting. Need of Managerial Research Producers need managerial research because they need to convince people to expand their business span through purchasing their products. In order to capture target audience they introduce new Managerial research with new trends and technologies, these trends persuade people to buy the product which actually increases the sales of company and reduces cost per unit. On the other side economic scale of company boost up and give a major rise to profit of company. As things happen very rapid in the technology world and if companies want to stay competitive they need to move up with the latest Managerial research. It is chiefly factual for the managerial research. There exist many ways of Managerial research so a company need to keep abreast of the new Managerial research in business if a company wants to be thrived. As compare to the physical markets there exist lessen barriers in internet managerial research. The reason is the reduction of overhead and it shows that there are so many com petitors in the business field. The main phenomenon to be thrived in t he market by following managerial research in order to assure that the business will be conspicuous. By following the latest trend of managerial research the company will put themselves on the cutting edge. A lot of the managerial research is seemed nice and once it is implemented they serve to make the business stand out. It helps business users and producers to expand their business. If firm is following all managerial research standards then it will be able to diversified advertisement so it will be able to compete in market. More attractive and impressive advertisement will not only increase sales but also will help in capturing market. Managerial Research Role in Decision Making At the beginning, it may be stated that business research or for that matter any research does not provide an exact answer to any issue but only help in making a good choice. Research is one of the four elements for making suitable and enduring decisions leading to interests of the business and ultimately its owners. A good place to begin is with some standard descriptions of decision making. Decision making is the research of recognizing and selecting options based on the values and priorities of the decision taker. Making a decision implies that there are substitute options to be measured, and in such a situation we want not only to recognize as several of these substitutes as feasible but to select the one that (1) has the utmost probability of achievement or success and (2) best fits with our objectives, desires, way of life, values, and so on. Decision making is the procedure of sufficiently decreasing insecurity and uncertainty about substitutes to permit a reasonable selection to be made from among them. This description stresses the information-collecting process of decision making. It should be eminent here that doubt is decreased rather than removed. Very few choices are made with exact certainty because total understanding about all the substitutes is seldom potential. Thus, every deci sion engages a certain amount of threat. If there is no doubt, you do not have a choice; you have an algorithma set of steps or a recipe that is pursued to bring about a set result. Managerial research for marketing is use for evaluating process, evaluating actual customer need, and for complete decision making. Decision making is quite difficult process and put the decision taker at a ground where he starts comparing hid decision options. The first problem he face is he wont be able to finalize the actual demand of result fir the decision has been taken. Managerial research helps identifying policy alternatives. Much work on knowledge exchange has concentrated on helping observers present their work into the decision-making procedure. Equally essential is the need for decision-making companies to be able of utilizing research in their decision-making. This ability engages a company having the capability to find the research proof it requires, judge its dependability, quality, significance, and applicability, adapt it into a possible format, and implement it. Problem solving and decision-making are important managerial expertise for business and life. Issue-resolving often engages decision-making and that is particularly essential for administration and management. There are procedures and methods to enhance decision-making and the quality of choices. Decision-making is more ordinary to certain traits, so these individuals should concentrate more on enhancing the quality of their choices. Individuals that are less normal decision-makers are often capable to make quality evaluations, but then require being more strong-minded in acting upon the evaluations made. Issue-resolving and decision-making are intimately connected, and each needs creativity in recognizing and developing choices, for which the brainstorming method is specifically helpful. SWOT analysis helps evaluate the power of a firm, a business proposal or idea; PEST analysis helps to evaluate the possible and appropriateness of a market. Good decision-making needs a mixture of e xpertise: creative progress and identification of choices, lucidity of judgment, determination of decision, and successful implementation. For group issue-resolving and decision-making, or when a harmony is needed, workshops support, within which you can include these tools and procedures as suitable. Here are some helpful techniques for successful decision-making and issue-resolving: First a simple step-by-step procedure for successful decision-making and issue-resolving. Conclusion Managerial research is the process that facilitates an organization to focus its target audience on the greatest opportunities for increasing the sales and achieve a stay over Managerial research competition. Mainly it cater its key concept that to make a sustainable competitive advantage. Managerial research is introduced by focusing on organization sales and cost per unit. It helps company to figure out the consumption of resources and energies that lead towards the increasing in sale and dominate in the competitive world of managerial research.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Inventory Management Systems

Advantages and Disadvantages of Inventory Management Systems INVENTORY The term inventory derives from the French word inventaire and the Latin word inventariom which simply means a list of things which are found. The term inventory includes materials which are in raw form, or are in process, in the finished packaging, spares and the others which are stocked in order to meet all the unexpected demands or distribution in the future. This term usually refers to the stock at hand at a particular period of time of all those materials which are in raw form, those goods which are in progress of manufacture, all the finished products, merchandise purchased products for resale of those products, tangible products which can be seen, touched, measured or are countable. In a connection with the financial statements and records of accounting, the reference may be to the amount assigned to the stock or the pile of goods owned by an enterprise at a particular period of time. Inventory controls transit and handling. The raw materials may be transported thousands of ki lometers before they are converted into an end product. At the same time, materials which are in transit, may take a period of several days or months. During this process of transit, materials carry someone’s inventory. These Inventories serve to isolate the supplier, the producer and the consumer. Inventories permit the acquirement of raw materials in economic lot sizes as well as processing of these raw materials into finished goods in the most economical quantities. Raw material inventories distinguish the supplier of raw materials from the user of these raw materials. Finished goods inventories distinguish the user of the final goods from the producer of the goods. Inventories are held to facilitate product display and service to customers, batching in production in order to take advantage of longer production runs and provide flexibility in production scheduling. There are four types of inventories: Production inventories MRO inventories In process inventories Finished goods inventories Objectives of inventory management To ensure a continuous supply of raw materials and supplies to facilitate unhandled production. To maintain required quantity of finished goods for smooth sales operation and efficient customer service. It permits the acquirement of raw materials in economic lot sizes as well as processing of these raw materials into finished goods is the most economical quantity known as economic lot size. It reduces the dependencies of one another and enables the organizations to schedule their operations without getting dependent on each other. It helps to reduce those costs which have been occurred during the material handling. It helps to utilize people and materials reasonably. It controls display of the products and services provided to the corresponding customers. INVENTORY SYSTEM An inventory system facilitates the organizational structure and the operating policies for maintaining and controlling materials to be inventoried. This system is responsible for ordering and receipt of materials, timing the order placement and keeping record of what has been ordered, how much ordered and from whom the order placement has been done. There are two models of inventory system:- The fixed order quantity system The fixed order periodic system FIXED ORDER QUANTITY SYSTEM The fixed order quantity system is also known as the Q system. In this system, whenever the stock on hand reaches the reorder point, a fixed quantity of materials is ordered. The fixed quantity of material ordered each time is actually the economic order quantity. Whenever a new consignment arrives, the total stock is maintained within the maximum and the minimum limits. The fixed order quantity method is a method that facilitates for a predetermined amount of a given material to be ordered at a particular period of time. This method helps to limit reorder mistakes, conserve space for the storage of the finished goods, and block those unnecessary expenditures that would tie up funds that could be better utilized elsewhere. The fixed order quantity may be bridged to an automatic reorder point where a particular quantity of a good is ordered when stock at hand reaches a level which is already determined.   Advantages: Each material can be procured in the most economical quantity. Purchasing and inventory control people automatically gives their attention to those items which are required only when are needed. Positive control can easily be handled to maintain the inventory investment at the desired level only by calculating the predetermined maximum and minimum values. Disadvantages: Sometimes, the orders are placed at the irregular time periods which may not be convenient to the producers or the suppliers of the materials. The items cannot be grouped and ordered at a time since the reorder points occur irregularly. If there is a case when the order placement time is very high, there would be two to three orders pending with the supplier each time and there is likelihood that he may supply all orders at a time. EOQ may give an order quantity which is much lower than the supplier minimum and there is always a probability that the order placement level for a material has been reached but not noticed in which case a stock out may occur. The system assumes stable usage and definite lead time. When these change significantly, a new order quantity and a new order point should be fixed, which is quite cumbersome. FIXED ORDER PERIOD SYSTEM In this system, the stock position of each material of a product is checked at regular intervals of time period. When the stock level of a given product is not sufficient to sustain the operation of production until the next scheduled tested, an order is placed destroying the supply. The frequency of reviews varies from organization to organization. It also varies among products within the same organization, depending upon the importance of the product, predetermined production schedules, market conditions and so forth. The order quantities vary for different materials. Every order quantity in their method is obtained by the following formula. Advantages: The ordering and inventory costs are low. The ordering cost is considerably reduced though follow up work for each delivery may be necessary. The suppliers will also offer attractive discounts as sales are guaranteed. The system works well for those products which exhibit an irregular or seasonal usage and whose purchases must be planned in advance on the basis of sales estimates. Dis advantages: The periodic testing system tends to peak the purchasing work around the review dates. The system demands the establishment of rather inflexible order quantities in the interest of administrative efficiency. It compels a periodic review of all items; this itself makes the system somewhat inefficient. Distinction between Q system and P system Point of difference Q system P system Initiation of order Stock on hand reaches to reorder point Based on fixed review period and not stock level Period of order Any time when stock level reaches to reorder point Only after the predetermined period Record keeping Continuously each time a withdrawal or addition is made Only at the review period Order quantity Constant the same quantity ordered each time Quantity of order varies each time order is placed Size of inventory less than the P system Larger than the Q system Time to maintain Higher due to perpetual record keeping Less than due to only at the review period Examples Fixed order quantity system A painter can order 200 gallons or more for $4.75 per gallon, with all other factors in the computation remaining the same. He must compare the total costs of taking this approach to the total costs under the EOQ. Using the total cost formula, the painter would find TC = PD + HQ/2 + SD/Q = (5 Ãâ€" 3,500) + (3 Ãâ€" 187)/2 + (15 Ãâ€" 3,500)/187 = $18,061 for the EOQ. Ordering the higher quantity and receiving the price discount would yield a total cost of (4.75 Ãâ€" 3,500) + (3 Ãâ€" 200)/2 + (15 Ãâ€" 3,500)/200 = $17,187. In other words, the painter can save $875 per year by taking advantage of the price break and making 17.5 orders per year of 200 units each. Fixed order period system Daily demand for a product is 10 units with a standard deviation of 3 units. The review period is 30 days, and lead time is 14 days. At the moment of the review time, there are 150 units in inventory. For a 98% service level, how many units should be ordered? Solution = 10 units = 3 units T= 30 days L= 14 days z= 2.05 units.

The American Dream in John Steinbecks East of Eden :: East of Eden Essays

The American Dream in East of Eden It is what every American strives for in life, but no one ever seems to achieve fully; it is the hopes and aspirations of every American, yet rarely are these goals ever met. It is the American Dream. In East of Eden, John Steinbeck displays different aspects of the American Dream through the desires and wishes of each character. Though each character in East of Eden may have a slightly different idea of what the American Dream is, becoming rich and wanting a better life for one's children seem to be a common thread in the lives of Faye and Cathy, Adam, and Cyrus. Becoming rich and financially stable is arguably the most important part of the American Dream. Every character seems to think it important, even those who do not have a lot of money. Faye obtains her wealth by running a successful whore house. When adopting Cathy as her daughter, Faye tells her, "I--no, we--have cash and securities in excess of sixty thousand dollars. In my desk are notations of accounts and safe-deposit boxes. I sold the place in Sacramento for a very good price" (233). Upon hearing this news, Cathy knows that her act of being daughterly has worked and she will inherit a lot of money. Being financially secure is important to both of them and they think it is the only way for them to enjoy the pleasures of life. Adam Trask is also a strong believer that money is the only way for one to live a life of luxury. When inheriting the money form his father, Cyrus, Adam is anxious to spend the money to build a better life for his brother and himself. While his brother is skeptical, Adam decides that he should move west in order to buy a nice farm to raise a family on. Upon his arrival at Salinas, Adam is willing to pay whatever it takes to buy the best plot of land. Only with money would this have been possible and would he be happy. Cyrus Trask believes that money makes a better life, too. If he did not think this, he would not have thought it important to leave his

explication of cummings poem since feeling is first Essay -- since fe

explication of e. e. cummings' poem since feeling is first      Ã‚  Ã‚   e. e. cummings' "since feeling is first" is about feeling (802).   This is immediately evident from the title and first line, which emphasize the word "feeling" in several different ways.   The stresses on "feel-" and "first," as well as the alliteration between those two words, make explicit their connection and importance, and the repetition of the same line in both title and first line serves to enhance the effect.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The meaning of the first line is clear, but because of cummings' characteristic absence of punctuation and capitalization as well as sentence structure, the next few lines are more ambiguous.   The first three lines together could be paraphrased as, "Because feeling comes first, who cares about the rules?"   Feeling is first in order of importance, and the rest does not matter.   "Who pays attention" is a rhetorical question meaning that no one pays any attention.   However, the ambiguousness of sentence structure means that the last two lines of the first stanza, "the syntax of things / will never wholly kiss you," can also be read together.   Linked together in such a way, this clause means that structure, such as grammar, is not engaging; it does not seize the imagination or emotions the way feeling does.      Ã‚  Ã‚   This thought is continued in the next stanza, with the repeated word "wholly" linking back to the previous line.   Spring is a time of year known for giddy foolishness, and cummings plays off this idea.   The use of the word "fool" implies that there is a lack of intelligence, therefore that intelligence is important; however, in the next stanza, the speaker lets go of intellect entirely, declaring, "kisses are a better fa... ...Even though during the height of life we may be able to do whatever we want, eventually we will have to follow the rules, so we should make the most of it while we still can.   Because it uses the threat of death to urge the addressee to hurry up and live life to the fullest, especially through love, e. e. cummings' "since feeling is first" is essentially a carpe diem poem.    Works Cited cummings, e. e.   "since feeling is first."   The Norton Anthology of Poetry.   Ed. Margaret Ferguson et al.   5th ed., shorter.   New York: W. W. Norton, 1997.    Professor's Comments: Very well done indeed.   Two thoughts: 1) you might emphasize the paradox involved--even in trying to throw out "syntax," he can't get away from its terms and metaphors; 2) maybe try to get a bit of a smile into your own tone--a touch of wit to match his. But as a whole, fine work.

Introduction to Debt Policy Essay -- essays research papers

When a firm grows, it needs capital, and that capital can come from debt or equity. Debt has two important advantages. First, interest paid on Debt is tax deductible to the corporation. This effectively reduces the debt’s effective cost. Second, debt holders get a fixed return so stockholders do not have to share their profits if the business is extremely successful. Debt has disadvantages as well, the higher the debt ratio, the riskier the company, hence higher the cost of debt as well as equity. If the company suffers financial hardships and the operating income is not sufficient to cover interest charges, its stockholders will have to make up for the shortfall and if they cannot, bankruptcy will result. Debt can be an obstacle that blocks a company from seeing better times even if they are a couple of quarters away. Capital structure policy is a trade-off between risk and return:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using debt raises the risk borne by stock holders  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using more debt generally leads to a higher expected rate on equity. There are four primary factors influence capital structure decisions:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business risk, or the riskiness inherent in the firm’s operations, if it uses no debt. The greater the firm’s business risk, the lower its optimal debt ratio.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The firm’s tax position. A major reason for using debt is that interest is tax deductible, which lowers the effective cost of debt. However if most of a firm’s income is already sheltered from taxes by depreciation tax shields, by interest on currently outstanding debt, or by tax loss carry forwards, its tax rate will already be low, so additional debt will not be as advantageous as it would be to a firm with a higher effective tax rate.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Financial flexibility or the ability to raise capital on reasonable terms under adverse conditions. Corporate treasurers know that a steady supply of capital is necessary for stable operations, which is vital for long-run success. They also know that when money is tight in the economy, or when a firm is experiencing operating difficulties, suppliers of capital prefer to provide funds to companies with strong balance sheets. Therefore, both the potential future need for funds and the consequences of a funds shortage influence the target capital struct... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  1,701,744  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  668,391 Total Value  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1,701,744  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2,234,077 Total per share = (Total Value)/(No. of Shares)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  60.50  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  79.43   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before re-capitalization, the weight of debt of the Kopper’s firm is around 9.1% (172,409 / 1,889,153) and the share price is $60.50. Issuing a debt of $1,738,095,000 has changed the capital structure of the firm and the new weight of Debt is 71.8% (1,738,095 / 2,421,486). Though, the share price has decreased to $23.76 after re-capitalization, shareholders have a cash flow of $79.43 due to the dividend of $55.67 (79.43 - 23.76) paid out. Share Price before Re-capitalization  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $60.50 New Share Price after Re-capitalization (SP)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $23.76 Number of Shares (N)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28,128 Value of Dividend Paid Out (D)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $1,565,686 Dividend Distributed per share (Div/share = D/N)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $55.67 Total Value to Shareholder (SP + Div/Share)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $79.43 Introduction to Debt Policy Essay -- essays research papers When a firm grows, it needs capital, and that capital can come from debt or equity. Debt has two important advantages. First, interest paid on Debt is tax deductible to the corporation. This effectively reduces the debt’s effective cost. Second, debt holders get a fixed return so stockholders do not have to share their profits if the business is extremely successful. Debt has disadvantages as well, the higher the debt ratio, the riskier the company, hence higher the cost of debt as well as equity. If the company suffers financial hardships and the operating income is not sufficient to cover interest charges, its stockholders will have to make up for the shortfall and if they cannot, bankruptcy will result. Debt can be an obstacle that blocks a company from seeing better times even if they are a couple of quarters away. Capital structure policy is a trade-off between risk and return:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using debt raises the risk borne by stock holders  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using more debt generally leads to a higher expected rate on equity. There are four primary factors influence capital structure decisions:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business risk, or the riskiness inherent in the firm’s operations, if it uses no debt. The greater the firm’s business risk, the lower its optimal debt ratio.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The firm’s tax position. A major reason for using debt is that interest is tax deductible, which lowers the effective cost of debt. However if most of a firm’s income is already sheltered from taxes by depreciation tax shields, by interest on currently outstanding debt, or by tax loss carry forwards, its tax rate will already be low, so additional debt will not be as advantageous as it would be to a firm with a higher effective tax rate.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Financial flexibility or the ability to raise capital on reasonable terms under adverse conditions. Corporate treasurers know that a steady supply of capital is necessary for stable operations, which is vital for long-run success. They also know that when money is tight in the economy, or when a firm is experiencing operating difficulties, suppliers of capital prefer to provide funds to companies with strong balance sheets. Therefore, both the potential future need for funds and the consequences of a funds shortage influence the target capital struct... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  1,701,744  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  668,391 Total Value  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1,701,744  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2,234,077 Total per share = (Total Value)/(No. of Shares)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  60.50  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  79.43   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before re-capitalization, the weight of debt of the Kopper’s firm is around 9.1% (172,409 / 1,889,153) and the share price is $60.50. Issuing a debt of $1,738,095,000 has changed the capital structure of the firm and the new weight of Debt is 71.8% (1,738,095 / 2,421,486). Though, the share price has decreased to $23.76 after re-capitalization, shareholders have a cash flow of $79.43 due to the dividend of $55.67 (79.43 - 23.76) paid out. Share Price before Re-capitalization  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $60.50 New Share Price after Re-capitalization (SP)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $23.76 Number of Shares (N)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28,128 Value of Dividend Paid Out (D)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $1,565,686 Dividend Distributed per share (Div/share = D/N)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $55.67 Total Value to Shareholder (SP + Div/Share)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $79.43

The Blue Sword CHAPTER EIGHT

On the seventh day they left their valley. Harry felt a little sad, although she thought a bit of her nostalgia was apprehension for the future. Just before they mounted, Mathin came and stood before her, with a long piece of maroon silk in his hand. Harry was wearing a long side-slashed red tunic over long full trousers of the same color, and a dark blue surcoat; she was accustomed to Hill dress now, and comfortable in it, unlike her first evening in the king's camp. â€Å"Put this on, so,† said Mathin. He gestured to his own waist; he wore a dark green sash. She looked down at herself. Mathin tossed the maroon strip over his shoulder, and pushed her hands away from her sides. He untied the brown cord she had used as a belt and dropped it as if it were trash, and wound the maroon silk twice around her waist, and tucked the ends of it away in some invisible fashion. She looked up: Mathin was wearing the fierce grin she was accustomed to seeing when they crossed swords. â€Å"One of the Hills must have a sash when she goes to the laprun trials, where it will be proved that she deserves to wear it.† He turned away to mount Windrider. Harry stood where she was a moment longer, feeling where the sash seized her lower ribs as she breathed. Then she put her hands on the pommel and cantle of the saddle and vaulted onto Sungold's back as she could now do easily; she had begun to consider if she could learn Corlath's way of mounting, which did not seem to require the use of the hands. They jogged along steadily all that day, although the pack horse was inclined to complain. It had had a soft six weeks and was not entirely equal – even with its burdens much lighter than they had been six weeks before – to keeping pace with the flint-hard war-horses. Narknon loped along beside them, dashing off into the bushes occasionally on her private business, reappearing silently ahead of them, waiting by the trail for them to catch her up. They paused for lunch and a cold supper; but they continued on in the twilight. After the sunset was gone, Harry could see a glow in the northeast. â€Å"It is a great bonfire on the plain before the City, to mark the opening of the trials tomorrow at dawn,† Mathin told her. Harry wondered if any of the other trials riders were seeing things in the flames. Her mind wanted to feel nervous and restless that night, but her well-trained body and that extra whatever-it-was sent her off to sleep before she had time to argue. At dawn when the trials were beginning, they were in the saddle again, riding easily and listening to the breeze, Harry half expecting to hear the distant clash and yell of combat. Slowly they rode all that day, that they might not arrive tired. The pack horse had given up complaining, and marched on resignedly. They rode around the edge of a gaunt grey rockface at sunset and suddenly before her was a vast field, the Hills rising sharply at its perimeter. The plain was speckled with fires, and in the swiftly falling shadows she could make out the many-legged shapes of huddled horses and huddled men, and the angular silhouettes of tents. There were too many of them; her heart jumped out of its usual location and began beating frantically against the base of her throat. She raised her eyes to the watching Hills again: surely this great flat plain was not a natural phenomenon in this rugged land? And yet what labor could have flattened the Hills so? Mathin was staring across the fires as if he would recognize the owners of the dark featureless tents even from here. She thought with his long eyes he might succeed. â€Å"Mathin, do you know how this plain came to be – has it always been here?† Mathin, still looking out over the plain, said, â€Å"There is a story that Tor met the Northerners on this plain, and held them away from the City for nine days, and the heat of that battle melted the rocks of the Hills, which made a pool; and when the pool became hard again, it was this plain.† â€Å"What happened on the tenth day?† asked Harry. But Mathin put Windrider into a trot without answering. Sungold trotted obediently behind her, his ears pricked stiffly at the scene before him. He was ready for anything Harry might ask him to do; he gave her a little confidence. But the other riders here had known of the laprun trials perhaps all their lives; perhaps they had been training for them nearly as long. Mathin glanced back at her. â€Å"We are opposite the gate to the City; you cannot see it from here. You will see it after the trials.† â€Å"Mathin.† His head turned warily back to her, anticipating a question he would not wish to answer. She saw his eyes glint in a yellow gleam of firelight. â€Å"Are there other women at the trials?† He grunted; she recognized it as relief that she wasn't going to nag him further about Tor the Just, who probably wasn't that boring if he could hold off the Northerners for nine days and melt a hole in the Hills, and Aerin and her dragons. He said gruffly, â€Å"A few. There are always a few. Once there were more.† He put Windrider forward again, and in the click of hooves she had to strain to catch his last words: â€Å"It would be a great thing for us, and for our daughters – a damalur-sol.† Damalur-sol. Lady Hero. They set up their own small and travel-stained tents not far in from the ring of Hills they had just left. She felt the drifting shadows of other Hillfolk as she rubbed Tsornin down, and when she came back to the firelight of the small blaze she had – rather efficiently, she thought, with the first of Mathin's three methods of fire-making, which simply involved the correct application of a tinder-box – started in front of their tari, there were four such shadows sitting on their heels around it. Mathin came into the light as she did, carrying his saddle. He joined the four, and after a moment's hesitation, so did she. She walked, pretending to be bold, toward a gap between elbows; and the owners of the elbows made room for her as they would for a comrade. â€Å"How goes it, my brothers?† Mathin said, and she was startled by his voice speaking to someone other than herself. One shadow shrugged. â€Å"As well as a first day ever does.† Mathin had told her that the first day was reserved for those less highly trained, who did not seek to win their sashes; she had sighed. Mathin told her, â€Å"You would find it dull work, the first day. Believe me.† Harry, after a moment, recognized the shadow as Innath, and relaxed slightly. â€Å"And how does our prodigy?† Harry blinked. It had taken her a second to remember the word prodigy, and then she was alarmed and heartened simultaneously by the our. â€Å"Prodigiously,† said Mathin, and he grinned at her. She smiled faintly back. The shadows nodded and stood up; but each one touched her shoulder and then her head as he passed behind her. The last was Innath, and his hand lingered just long enough on her hair for him to have time to murmur, â€Å"Be of good courage, prodigy,† and he too was gone. The camp awoke before dawn; the tents were pulled down, and the fires, after heating the malak and the porridge, and singeing the breakfast bread – Someday, she thought, I will teach these people about toast – were tramped out. She gave Narknon less than her usual percentage of porridge, because she would doubtless need all of her strength, unenthusiastic as her appetite was at present. She mounted and waited to be sent to her fate. All over again she missed bridle and reins, and the scabbard of her sword looked strange to her, slung on the saddle, and the small shield banged awkwardly against her thigh. Mathin, with the pack horse reluctantly following, rode up beside her. â€Å"Your way lies there,† he said, nodding in the direction of the invisible City gate. â€Å"You will find a man dressed all in red, a kysin, riding a black horse with a red saddle. Tell him your name – Harimad-sol,† he added, as if she might need prompting. Maybe she did. â⠂¬Å"He'll know who you are.† She surreptitiously hitched the shield an inch or so forward, and wiped her hands on her thighs. The leather felt clammy. Who would the kysin think she was? She couldn't even tie her own sash without help. Mathin reached out to her, pulled her face toward him, and kissed her on the forehead. â€Å"The kiss of luck,† he said. â€Å"You have no sash-bearing father or mother to give it you. Go as the Daughter of the Riders. Go.† She turned away. Innath was sitting his big grey stallion just behind her. He smiled at her, a friend's smile. â€Å"Be of good courage, Daughter of the Riders.† The morning was already hot, and the plain offered no shade; the ring of Hills seemed to hold the heat like water in a bowl. Harry found the man in red, and gave him her name; she thought he looked at her sharply, but perhaps he looked at all the laprun candidates sharply. He nodded and gave her a white rag to tie around her arm, and sent her off toward a milling mob of nervous horseflesh and even more nervous riders. She looked at them critically; there were some fine horses here, but none could outmatch her own mount, and very few could come near him. There was one big dark bay that caught her eye; she was ridden by a boy in blue who carried his shoulders and head well. Harry wondered what the other riders thought of the one in the maroon sash on the big golden chestnut. There was little conversation. There were those who gave their names to the red man and joined the ever-increasing throng here at the City end of the plain; the rest – the audience, she supposed – crowded behind barriers she could not see, that stretched from the feet of the red man's horse to the far side of the plain. Around Harry, some of the trials riders moved their horses in fidgety circles, just to avoid standing still; some looked down at themselves often, as if checking to make sure they were all still there. Harry twisted strands of Sungold's mane between her damp fingers and tried to keep her teeth from chattering. There was the dull murmur of horses' hooves, and the rush of their breathing, and the squeak of leather, the hush of cloth; and the sun overhead gazing down. To try to take her mind off the trials for a minute, she looked up, searching for some sign of the City, some path to its gate, and saw nothing but rock. It's right before my eyes and I can't see it, she thought, and had a moment of panic. Tsornin, who could read many of her thoughts by this time, flicked one ear back at her: Stop that. She stopped. Shortly before midmorning the trials began. First their weapons were taken away from them and replaced with flat wooden swords; and Harry discovered that she was much fonder of her own sword than she had previously supposed. Everyone else was settling helms on heads, so she fumbled hers loose from its straps and tied it on. It felt heavier than usual, and she didn't seem able to see around its cheek pieces clearly. Then the riders were divided into twos, threes, fives, eights. In these little groups they galloped hard to the end of that highway between spectators, wheeled, and came back. They met twos, threes, fives, eights rushing to meet them, swerved and collided; riders rolled in the dust, and horses bolted. She was not one of the former, nor Tsornin the latter. Neither was the young man in blue on the bay mare. She had a little trouble holding Tsornin back to the pace of the others; he was not over-pleased with crowds, but he did as she asked since she asked it. Those that remai ned mounted at each sweep galloped down and back again and again; and with each charge another obstacle had appeared along the highway that must be leaped or climbed over: a wall of rolled-up tents, stacked together; a fence of tentpoles; a banked heap of small stones with scrub piled on top. The first flecks of sweat broke out on Tsornin's shoulders as he gave her the slight heave she needed to hook a boot around a neighboring ankle and toss a rider to the ground. There was a little troop of twenty left mounted when the last charge ended. Harry looked around her, wondering how many had been thrown or hurt; she guessed there had been several times twenty in the beginning. A few minutes passed while the uneasy twenty walked their horses, and breathed deep, and waited. Then it was the spectators who came toward them, huddled once again at the City end of the plain; some of them were mounted, and all were carrying long wooden poles. What? thought Harry; and then a pole descended on her helmeted head, and the horse in front of her stumbled and fell at Sungold's feet. Sungold leaped over the thrashing legs as carelessly as if they were blades of grass. Harry began laying about with her wooden sword. A pole thrust itself under her knee and attempted to remove her from her saddle. Sungold switched around on his forehand, giving her her balance, and she broke the offending pole with the hilt of her mock sword. She began to feel hot and annoyed. Sweat m atted her tunic to her body, and her leather vest squeaked with it. The burning sunlight tried to push her out of the saddle even as the poles in human hands did. What is this nonsense? She used the flat and butt of her silly wooden stick and Tsornin reared and stamped and hurled himself forward. She broke a few more poles. She felt Mathin's grin pulling at her own lips. Someone thumped her sharply in the shoulder with a pole, but once again, as she lurched, Sungold slid sideways to stay under her; and she gave that pole a back-handed chop and saw it spin away from its wielder. Tsornin leaped over another fallen horse. She saw abruptly that the audience hemmed the trials riders in; if one of them pushed too near the edge of the crush, he was set on with particular ferocity and turned back. She noticed this with interest, and began determinedly to get out; but there were several hundreds to twenty – and only a few of the original twenty were still mounted. She began to feel that tide of anger she remembered from the day she had unseated Mathin – she caught somebody by the collarbone and knocked him off his horse with his own pole – and she felt that she would escape. Tsornin was backing up, mostly on his hind legs. Then he spun round, came down – one more whack with her wretched wooden blade; the hilt gave an ominous creak, but it didn't matter; she was †¦ out. The red man gave a shout. It was over. The crowd dispersed instantly, as if the red man's shout had broken a cord that tied them all together. There were several loose horses standing clear, looking embarrassed for having behaved so poorly as to lose their riders; and several limping figures separated themselves from the others and went toward them. Harry sat where she was, the hot tide ebbing, leaving just a trace of headache behind, watching the others pass around her like grains of sand sifting around a boulder. She saw Mathin from a distance; he carried a pole across Windrider's withers and there was a shallow cut over one eye that had bled down his cheek. She saw none of the other Riders. She squinted up at the sky. The Hills were black with shadows, but the sky was hard blue and she could feel the heat beating up again from underfoot. In the quiet – for, as it had been this morning, no one spoke and even the horses seemed to step softly – the heat seemed almost audible. She set Tsornin to walk himself as cool as possible. She patted his neck and dismounted, that they might walk together; he was sweating but not distressed, and he shook his head at her. She reclaimed her sword from the kysin, who saluted her. He had not saluted the laprun rider just before her. Mathin reappeared and told her she could rest awhile. His cheek was washed clean and a bit of white cloth bound over his eyebrow. â€Å"The individual matches will go on all afternoon; you will be called late.† They found a spot of shade at the edge of the plain and pulled the saddles off the horses. Mathin gave her some bread and some wet white tasteless cheese. She sucked it slowly and let it trickle down her dry throat. She felt quite calm, and wondered what was the matter with her. â€Å"Mathin, are all the trials the same? Did you gallop and bash people with a wooden stick at your trials?† â€Å"No and yes. They test your horsemanship in different ways; those who watch always have some chance to help – or hinder; and weapons of wood are safer. But the afternoon's matches are always the same, one rider against another, each with his own sword. If a kysin declares that a trials rider did badly in the general trials, he will not be permitted to ride in the individual sets.† They watched the dust clouds from the matches and the bright notches of color spinning in them; but Mathin made no move to return to that end of the plain, and Harry waited beside him, leaning on her elbows in spite of her sore shoulder. The sun was halfway down the sky when they mounted again. Sungold, for the first time since she'd known him, refused to walk, and jigged along sideways, tossing his head. â€Å"Stop that, idiot,† she hissed at him in Homelander, and he halted in surprise. Mathin turned his head and looked at her impassively. They stood at the edge of the crowd now, and watched the combatants. There were five pairs, each the center of a private war; the red man had divided into ten red men on grey or black horses. There were two red men for each pair of fighters, and one man of each pair carried a small brass bell; when the bell rang out, that conflict was ended, and the horses fell apart, and riders and mounts panted the hot air. All the laprun riders were dressed in bright colors; there was very little white and no dreary dun or grey; with the scarlet kysin, it was a very vivid scene. A bell sang out, a long gay peal, and she looked over at the finished pair. One of the riders held his sword up and shook it so the sunlight nickered on it. The other rider sat quietly, his sword on the ground at his horse's forefeet and, she noticed with a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, his sash neatly sliced from around his waist and lying, part on his horse's croup and part on the ground. Mathin said: â€Å"It is best to take your opponent's sash. The kysin mark each blow dealt, but to cut off the other rider's sash is best. This you will do.† â€Å"Oh,† said Harry. â€Å"You may, if you wish, unhorse him first,† Mathin added as an afterthought. â€Å"Thanks,† said Harry. â€Å"But you must not draw blood, for this is a sign of clumsiness. Baga, we call one who cuts his opponent during the laprun – baga, butcher. It is skill we look for. This is why no armor is allowed in the individual matches.† â€Å"Of course,† said Harry. Mathin grinned at her. â€Å"Of course. Is this not what I have been teaching you?† He watched the next pair of riders salute each other; and another bell from another pair rang; each of the five bells spoke a different note. â€Å"The trials go back many generations – once they were held every year, but there are no longer enough of us in the Hills to make up the number; we have them every three years now, since Corlath's father's day. â€Å"The sash-cutting – churakak – is a duel of honor that is as old as Damar; far older than the laprun trials themselves, although few meet the churakak outside the trials any more. â€Å"Aerin,† he added thoughtfully, â€Å"met the churakak several times. Her red hair no doubt made her quick-tempered.† â€Å"Harimad,† barked a kysin; and Tsornin jolted forward before Harry had registered her name. She was set facing a boy in a green robe and yellow sash; the kysin said, â€Å"Begin,† and Harry feinted Tsornin to the left, back, forward, and the boy's sword fell to the ground, and his yellow sash fluttered down to cover it. A bell rang. Harry was a bit taken aback. The kysin waved her aside. Tsornin flattened his ears; he was not interested in boys who did not know what they were doing. Next Harry removed a dark orange sash from around a sky-blue robe; and then a white sash from a purple robe. Harry began to feel as irritable as her horse, and with each cry of â€Å"Harimad† the two of them turned and stood and attacked and wondered when the real thing would begin. Harry began unhorsing her opponents before lopping off their sashes just to give herself something to do. The Hills' shadows began to creep toward the feet of the charging dancing horses, and the lowering sun flicked dangerous gleams from the shining sides of swords and into opponents' eyes. Tsornin was dark with sweat, and foam streaked his sides, but he slowed not a whit, and it seemed to Harry that they were galloping down a long hall of statues with swords held stiffly in raised hands, waiting for her to lean languidly over Sungold's neck and knock their loose sashes off. All five bells rang at once as the green sash fell off the point of Harry's sword to the ground, and she looked around and realized that she and her latest opponent were the last to finish. It was nearly twilight, and she was surprised that they had gone on so long. Now that she stopped to think about it, it was rather hard to see; it was as though dusk had fallen on them as soon as they stood still. Tsornin's nostrils were wide and red as he turned his head. She looked where he was looking. A big dark horse stood as if waiting for them. Harry blinked and stared; the other horse tossed its head. Was he bay or black? There seemed to be something wrong with her eyes; she raised one arm and rubbed them against her grimy sleeve, and looked again, but the horse and rider still shimmered in her sight, a shimmer of darkness instead of light. The tall rider was muffled in a shadowy cloak that fell over his mount's shoulders and past his boot tops; he shrugged it back to show a white tunic an d a red sash. The horse fidgeted sideways, and a bay glint showed along its dark flank. The lapruni and the audience moved to form a ring around them, the shadowy bay and Tsornin. The silence after the pounding hooves, the grunts and thumps and crashes, was unearthly; and the sun sank farther behind the Hills. The first breath of the evening wind crept out of the Hills; its cool finger tapped Harry's cheek, and it felt like fear. A torch appeared, held aloft by one of the ring, someone on horseback. Then another torch burst into fire, and another, and another. The beaten ground between Harry and the silent rider at the other end of the circle swam in the flickering light. Then the brass bells rang again, like the sound of Outlander cannon in Harry's ears, and Sungold came to life, and neighed, and the bay answered. Harry did not know if the match lasted a long time or a short time. She knew at once that this swordsman, behind the scarf wrapped around his head and face so that only his eyes showed, could have dismembered her whenever he liked. Instead he drew her to attack him, opening his defense to attract each of the many moves Mathin had taught her, as if he were a schoolmaster hearing her lessons. It was so easy for him that Harry began to feel angry, began to clear a tiny space in her mind to think of some plan of her own; and her anger rose, and gave her a headache till the torchlight was red with it, but she did not care, for she knew by now that it gave her strength. Strength she needed, for she was tired, and her horse was tired, and she could see that the bay was fresh, and could feel up her arm as the swords met that the rider did not exert himself to resist her. But her rising anger lifted her and invigorated Sungold, and she began to harass the bay stallion's rider – if only a little, still a little. She pressed forward and the bay gave way a step or two, and the crowd gasped; and with a quick and merry slash the tip of her sword caught the scarf bound round the rider's face and tore it up from the chin. She misjudged by the fraction of a hair; a single drop of blood welled up from the corner of his mouth. She stared at it, fascinated, as she felt her sash slip down her legs in two pieces and lie huddled on the ground, for the face belonged to Corlath.

Greek and Roman Contributions to Modern Society

Both Greece and Rome made significant contributions to Western civilization. Greek knowledge was ascendant in philosophy, physics, chemistry, medicine, and mathematics for nearly two thousand years. The Romans did not have the Greek temperament for philosophy and science, but they had a genius for law and civil administration. The Romans were also great engineers and builders. They invented concrete, perfected the arch, and constructed roads and bridges that remain in use today. But neither the Greeks nor the Romans had much appreciation for technology.The technological society that transformed the world was conceived by Europeans during the Middle Ages. Greeks and Romans were notorious in their disdain for technology. Aristotle noted that to be engaged in the mechanical arts was â€Å"illiberal and irksome. † Seneca infamously characterized invention as something fit only for â€Å"the meanest slaves. † The Roman Emperor Vespasian rejected technological innovation for fear that it would lead to unemployment. Greek and Roman economies were built on slavery. Strabo described the slave market at Delos as capable of handling the sale of 10,000 slaves a day.With an abundant supply of manual labor, the Romans had little incentive to develop artificial or mechanical power sources. Technical occupations such as blacksmithing came to be associated with the lower classes. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century AD, a Dark Age in philosophy and science descended upon the Mediterranean region. But the unwritten history of technological progress continued. In northern and western Europe, there was never a period of regression. As early as 370 AD, an unknown author noted the â€Å"mechanical inventiveness† of the â€Å"barbarian peoples† of northern Europe.The Christian ethic of universal brotherhood slowly spread through Europe, and slavery began to disappear. Tribes and peoples became united under a common creed. Euro peans not only embraced technology, but they also developed the idea of a universal society based upon respect for the dignity and worth of the individual human being. From the sixth through the ninth centuries AD, Europeans adopted new agricultural technologies that dramatically increased productivity. One of these innovations was a heavy wheeled plow that broke up the soil more efficiently than the Roman â€Å"scratch† plow.Formerly unproductive lands were transformed into arable cropland. The Greeks and Romans had harnessed horses with a throat-and-girth harness that consisted of a strap placed across the animal's neck. As soon as the horse began to pull, he would choke himself. In the ninth century, Europeans began to use a padded horse collar that transferred the load of a draught animal to its shoulders. Horses harnessed with collars were able to pull four to five times more weight than those with throat-and-girth harnesses. Horse power was also facilitated by the intro duction of the iron shoe.With fast-moving horses harnessed efficiently, it became possible to transport goods up to 35 kilometers in one day if a sufficiently good road was available. There was now a way to dispose of agricultural surpluses and create wealth that could be used for investment in technology and infrastructure. Thus, the introduction of the lowly horseshoe and collar fostered commerce, civilization, and the growth of towns. Under the Roman system of two-field crop rotation, half the land was left fallow and unproductive at any given time. In the eighth century, Europeans began to practice three-field crop rotation.Fields lay fallow for only a third of the year, and grains were alternated with legumes that enriched the soil with nitrogen. The cultivation of legumes such as peas and beans added valuable protein to European diets. In the tenth century, the climate began to warm, and Europe entered the High Middle Ages. By the thirteenth century, the new agricultural techn ologies had doubled per acre yields. Population surged; architecture and commerce flourished. Europeans began a program of aggressive territorial expansion. They reclaimed Sicily in 1090 and systematically drove Muslims out of Spain.The First Crusade was launched in 1095, and Jerusalem was captured from the Seljukian Turks in 1099. The prosperity created by the new agricultural technologies subsidized education and the growth of knowledge. In the late eighth century, Charlemagne had revived education in Europe by setting up a general system of schools. For the first time, not just monks, but also the general public were educated. As the European economy prospered, students multiplied and traveled, seeking the best education they could find. Christian Cathedral Schools evolved into the first universities.The Universities of Paris and Oxford were founded c. 1170, Cambridge in 1209 AD. The harnessing of water power began around 200 BC with the invention of the quern, a primitive grain mill consisting of two rotating stones. The Romans had been aware of water power but made little use of water wheels and mills. In contrast, by the tenth century, Europeans had begun a wholesale conversion of their civilization from human and animal power to water power. The water-mill came to be viewed not just as a grain mill, but as a generalized source of power that could be adopted for many uses.This new approach was to fundamentally alter the fabric of human civilization. By the thirteenth century, water power was being utilized in sawmills, tanning mills, and iron forges. Mechanical power derived from moving water was used to process beer mash, to turn wood lathes and grinding stones, to power bellows, to drive forge hammers, and to manufacture paper. Because water power was available only where streams were located, Europeans developed other sources of mechanical power. Tidal power was used in Dover and Venice in the eleventh century. The first windmill in Europe appeared in 1085 AD.Over the next hundred years, windmill technology spread rapidly over the plains of northern Europe. Windmills provided power in the cold of winter, when water mills were shut down by frozen streams. The utilization of mechanical power in these many forms required that Europeans develop methods for transferring and redirecting power, crucial technologies for the Industrial Revolution of the late eighteenth century. Most important of these was the crank. The crank is a device that allows rotary motion to be converted into reciprocal motion, or vice-versa.For an industrial or technological civilization, the importance of the crank is second only to that of the wheel itself. Without the crank, â€Å"machine civilization is inconceivable. † Water clocks had been known since ancient times, but they were notoriously inaccurate and inconvenient. Near the end of the thirteenth century, it became possible to construct the first mechanical clock when some unknown genius invente d a device known as the verge escapement. The verge escapement enabled the power delivered by a falling weight to be modulated and delivered evenly at a constant rate.The techniques developed in clockwork for regulating and transferring power were essential for the complex machinery of the Industrial Revolution. The introduction of mechanical clocks also made it feasible to adopt standardized timekeeping. This was a necessary step for the eventual development of a technological civilization that needs to coordinate complex administrative and commercial interactions. Modern science traces its roots to the natural philosophy of the ancient Greeks and the pre-Socratic enlightenment c. 600-400 BC.The Greeks began the evolution of what became modern science by introducing naturalism and rejecting supernatural explanations. Describing epilepsy, a Hippocratic author noted that the disease was â€Å"no more divine nor more sacred than other diseases, but has a natural cause from which it o riginates like other affections. † But neither the Greeks nor the Romans ever hit upon the experimental method. Greek philosophers favored the deductive logic used in geometry. They had several reasons for being skeptical of a science based on observation.The world was in state of continual flux, different people observed things differently, and the only data available to them were anecdotal. Modern science began in the thirteenth century when Christian theologians such as Robert Grossesteste became seduced by Aristotelian logic and the Greek principle of demonstrative proof. But when Grossesteste and his student Roger Bacon contemplated the mysterious properties of the magnet, they were forced to conclude that logic alone could never uncover the secrets of the cosmos.Magnetism was a phenomenon that could never be predicted by logical reasoning. It could only be observed. Thus the need for a systematic experimental method. Gunpowder originated in China, but firearms were a Eur opean invention. Cannon date from the first part of the fourteenth century in Europe, and they were common by 1350. The use of cannon in particular helped break up feudalism, as it made central fortifications obsolete. Even the strongest structures were now vulnerable. The protection offered by a stone castle was eviscerated.The possession of personal firearms gave individuals more political power and was an engine for social and political change. The firearm was also the first internal combustion engine and demonstrated the enormous potential power that lay in confined and controlled combustion. Like gunpowder, many of the technologies developed and utilized by Europeans originated in China. But the Chinese were never able to fully develop the promise of these inventions because their economic development was strangled by a â€Å"bureaucratic, state controlled economy. â€Å"In Europe, the leaders in developing medieval technology were not philosophers, but craftsmen, merchants, and businessmen — in a word, entrepreneurs. There were profits to be derived from the new technologies. A water-powered mill required a considerable capital investment, but the investment was likely to return a significant profit. Inventive, free people looked for ways to improve their productivity. Individuals profited, and society prospered. Thus, the Industrial Revolution that began in England c. 1760 was the inevitable outcome of a thousand years of European technological progress fostered by economic freedom.During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the technological innovations pioneered in Europe began to spread throughout the world. This process continues today, most notably with the transformation of the world's most populous countries, China and India. The most undeniable benefit of the technology that Europeans bequeathed to the world was a dramatic increase in life expectancy. Before the Industrial Revolution, average life expectancy at birth was only 25 year s, no higher than it had been in Roman times.But as of 2009, life expectancy in the world had reached 69 years. And Japanese women now enjoy a record life expectancy at birth of 86 years. Thus the world was transformed — not by philosophers, scientists, or politicians, but by engineers, craftsmen, and entrepreneurs. Writing in 1768, Joseph Priestley predicted that â€Å"whatever was the beginning of this world, the end will be glorious and paradisaical, beyond what our imaginations can now conceive. † Thanks to European inventors, Priestley's prediction was fulfilled.