The Role Of The Geisha In Japanese Culture Essays - Japanese Culture

The Role of the Geisha in Japanese Culture Japan, located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Asian Continent, is a nation composed of almost 7,000 islands, many are small. The four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Japan has the seventh largest population in the world. With approximately 125 million inhabitants, the only countries with a higher population are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. The population which is about half of the United States, lives on only 1/25 as much total land mass, this computes to being one of the highest population densities in the world. These conditions reflect in the Japanese cultural values and their desire for being a collective society.1 The Japanese style of conducting business differs greatly from the western model. It has grown out of the nation's unique history cultured philosophy. The Japanese people are isolated in an island nation's unique history, culture, and philosophy. The island nation is under constant bombardment by the harsh forces of nature, have traditionally placed a strong emphasis on working together as a group in order to survive. Their culture is deeply influenced by Confucianism, with its rigid rules governing conduct and its emphasis on trust, consensus, and hierarchy. These ancient roots have influenced every aspect of Japanese business; from the way formal meetings are conducted to the importance placed on after-hours socializing. It has shaped a business culture in which long-term, mutually beneficial relationships are of paramount importance. By understanding and adapting to this business culture, Western executives eager to do business in Japan will be able to be enlightened to be more productive associations with their Japanese colleagues and will increase the probability of achieving the goals of their meetings there. It is important to understand the role of the female entertainer in Japanese culture. That is why the Geisha has a specific role.2 The geisha is described as a ?century old professional entertainer? the geisha is an important part of traditional Japanese social life. Geisha are masters in the arts, trained in music, calligraphy, Sado (tea ceremony) poetry, conversation and social graces as well as three stringed instruments called Shamisen. They dress in traditional kimonos, stunning in their elegance. Basic wooden geta clogs are worn for footwear, and hair is up in bun type coiffures trimmed with metallic accessories. Geisha literally translated means ?beauty person? or ?person who lives by the arts.?3 The geisha emerged around the mid-Edo period (1600- 1868). The first geisha appeared at parties in the 1600's. Surprisingly, they were men. Beating drums and making jokes, they entertained the guests and warriors. As time passed this type of entertaining became a female occupation. By the 1780's female geisha out numbered men and inspired artists, writers, and musicians with their majestic lives in the flower and willow setting. From the end of the Edo period to the present geisha have had connections with businessmen and even with government officials. They were not only revered in Japan, but also fascinated most of western culture. Their fees are rather exorbitantly expensive so they are primarily reserved for the elite. Instead of being calculated by the hour it is referred to in units of sticks, since the fee was formally figured by the lengths of time it took a stick of incense to burn down. One hour generally consists of ?four sticks,? which is the minimum amount of payment.4 Most people hear about Geisha and believe that they are all prostitutes. Geisha is an art.5 The geisha is not a prostitute, but an entertainer trying to make a living.6 The mystic geisha, at one time admired for purity in keeping with men, is inevitably still a source of desire.7A Geisha is a high-class professional who exists on the same continuum as a prostitute. These women who become geisha's not out of love but because opportunity affords them this life. Men hire women to entertain them, and the principal role of a geisha is to provide female companionship. At times that entails just being arm candy, and unfortunately at other times it also involves sex.8 These women are professional hostesses in a variation. The geisha primarily entertain the higher class. These women are extensively trained in many of the traditional Japanese arts.9 Men have sought women of another type (instead of their wives) to entertain them in public, to break the ice of social convention-thicker in Japan than elsewhere, to pour sake, to sing, dance, play the

the use of violet by monet essays

the use of violet by monet essays They (the impressionists) have tried to render the walk, the movement, the tremor, the intermingling of passersby......and the vibration of air inundated with light, and just as in the case of the rainbow colourings of the solar rays, they have been able to capture the soft ambiance of a grey day. Indeed the impressionists did focus on the ability to capture an event and much attention was given to the way in which the light constituted the scene. So much so that this investigation into painting light drew to it much controversy in all aspects of the work, one particular aspect of the works that was given a lot of criticism was the fond use of violet and blue hues. The understanding of the impressionist taste for these hues, and the critics dislike in impressionists use is found in understanding the artistic and social climate of the time, by which we shall find that much has to do with the science of colour and perception. The first impressionist exhibition of 1874 is a signpost for the changing ways in which paintings were being bought and sold. The tradition of the salon shows dominance was now being challenged, as the artists found dismay both in the selection process and the overcrowded nature of the display. The artists struggle to gain selection into the salon was made more difficult by the lack of evolution in the style of the selected works, the tradition of the highly polished workman that left no trace of where they had been was the usual choice. These strict definitions of what was acceptable led to the first impressionists being met with much disgust by the critics and general public of the time. Why, was the word on every bodys lips, why did they paint like this? Why did they exhibit what looked much like sketches or studies? Why did they use these colours? It is when we try to answer these questions that we find that much of what the impressionists were trying to achieve was to be fou nd in the sci...

Professional statement Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Professional - Personal Statement Example During my third year in nursing school, in 2007, I became a patient care associate at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on ACE Unit. After graduating from nursing school, I was employed as a Registered Nurse in 2008 on the same unit. I worked hard to become a charge nurse, a preceptor and later attained an ACLS certification on my Unit. I am an active member of the cultural diversity committee and an active member of the ambulation program initiation on my Unit. According to Barker (45), a nurse has to acquire knowledge through continuous learning. I took the Basic Arrhythmia Course, the Medical, Surgical nurse certification review course, and I am a board certified gerontological registered nurse. I have completed 34 credits at graduate level in my Adult Nurse Practitioner program at La sale University. In addition, I completed 250 hours clinical orientation as a NP student at three different sites: Einstein Medical Center, Park pleasant with the ACE Unit attending medical doctor and Philadelphia Prison system. I have worked with UPHS, which values patient safety. Patient safety goals are studies by safety officers within an organization and throughout the world. I plan to suggest to the patient safety committee to make it compulsory that pharmacists evaluate a patient’s

Frist quality management assays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Frist quality management assays - Essay Example Many a times people fail to realise that what they are doing is ultimately for the client and it is because the client pays that the company is running. Some companies were so surprised initially by the sudden ‘quality movement’ of the 1990’s that Cant (1992, p. 1) commented that Businesses generally have a lethargic approach towards any kind of change. When TQM was still a newbie, some people thought that it could rescue businesses from ‘flabby management techniques’ and ‘shoddy products’, while others thought it to be ‘too perfect’ and that such management techniques cost more than they are worth. American firms could not truly embrace ‘Quality Management’ until they thought it made their shareholders more money than it did the seminar organizers, consultants and book publishers, who again, they thought, reaped the biggest quality rewards of the 1980s. Only those who had the patience and stuck to it reaped the rewards. Many, who did not, were wiped out in the competition. Virtually every business depends on repeat business for survival. It’s a common sense answer that for customers to come back they should be happy with what they got before. Earlier, professionals could count on their reputations and work contacts to provide a steady stream of work; however, as a result of de-regulation, an over-supply of professionals in many disciplines and a declining public image, this is no longer guaranteed. A research study done on legal advisors, where the sample consisted of 600 commercial business organizations drawn from ‘Key British Enterprises’ 1989 proved that â€Å"Clients with higher perceptions of service quality are likely to consider changing their legal advisers less often and expect to enjoy longer working relationships with their corporate legal advisers.† (Morgan 2007, p. 38) Though we know that the relation between ‘customer satisfaction’ and ‘profits’ is quite obvious, there are 3 problems,

Why do you find the Sumerian culture interesting Give at least three Essay

Why do you find the Sumerian culture interesting Give at least three reasons with specific examples - Essay Example The most interesting aspect about Sumerian culture is the profound levels of writing technique. Sumerians are credited with being the first people to demonstrate writing skills. Whereas all the others cultures adopted writing from other precedent cultures, Sumerians developed writing skills by themselves. The Sumerian writing system is argued to have come from the financial transactions between the Sumerians as a way of keeping track of financial transactions. Since there were no books to write on, Sumerians made clay tablets where they would engrave using sharp objects. Although they began engraving images of the actual objects they wanted to preserve, they soon developed a means of writing syllables. More interestingly, the writing culture later developed into a school system that has the same characteristics with the modern system of learning in that only the rich were allowed to take their children to school. Additionally, the schools were initially tailored for men (Glassner 118 -120). Sumerian culture was characterized by characteristic cities. Indeed, most of the modern cities are a reflection of Sumerian cities. Interestingly, the Sumerians made cities on raised grounds to protect the cities from floods. The cities were characterized by small sturdy houses that were clustered together. These cities share similar characteristics with modern cities, which have clustered buildings and an elaborated drainage system. What I find most interesting is the fact that the cities had slums too. Poor people lived in grass houses outside the cities (Moffett et al 42-47). Sumerians are some of the earliest farmers known to man. The most interesting thing about Sumerian farming was the tools they used for farming. Some of the hoes they used for farming were made of copper metal. They did extensive farming outside the cities but more advanced farming was done inside the cities. I find this interesting

Human Growth Behaviour And Development Social Work Essay

Human Growth Behaviour And Development Social Work Essay Attachment theory derives from psychoanalyic psychology, however it is used in social work to attempt to understand behaviour in infancy and childhood to show the way in which children develop emotionally WALKER 2009 This theory centres on the idea that children need to form secure relationships with other people, such as parents or guardians, as it is a significant contributer to their emotional development. Social bonds and relationships that are made in early childhood are believed to influence an individuals life and can impact upon their well-being to determine their emotional and social stability later in life. Consequently, attachment is seen as an integral component within infants and young childrens lives, as these experiences can shape a persons personality and identity in future years. (WALKER, J and K, CRAWFORD 2010). If these experiences of attachment are negative, and the child does not develop adequate relationships with their caregivers, then this can have detremental consequences on their psychological and emotional development. (WALKER, J 2009). The Attachment theory originates from the ideas of John Bowlby who believes that humans are biological predispositioned to seek attachment from others. He proposes that survival is closely related to the ability to possess emotional bonds with other individuals (GREEN 2003). This is because by forming an attachment with an authority figure who is seen as the stronger of the species, this reduces the vulnerability of the individual as it provides increased security and protection from harm posed by potential predators (BOWLBY 1958, cited in LISHMAN 2007). The theory looks at the way that attachment relationships are formed, and the reasons behind their manifestation. Children are seen to form these relationships for reasons such as safety, comfort and to provide guidence. These attachment behaviours, according to learning theorists, are displayed in infancy through talking, laughing and crying. This enables them to persue their basic needs for survival, such as food for nurishment, by their attachment to their mother who is able to support them in fulfilling their needs (WALKER, J and K, CRAWFORD 2010). This initial attachment to caregivers also guides the individuals thoughts, feelings and expectations as they become aware of peoples responses towards them which help them recognise how to behave (WALKER 2009). There are four assumptions of Bowlbys attachment theory which attempt to explain his beliefs. The first, is that infants and young children develop emotional ties with individuals early in life, which acts as a biological function and plays an integral part to their survival. The second assumption is that the way a child is treated early in life has a major contributing factor to their future relationships and the way their personality is formed. The third assumption is that attachment behaviour can form an internal working model which guide the childs thoughts, feelings and expectations as a result of the reactions of others towards their behaviour. The final assumption of Bowlbys attachment theory is that although it is difficult to alter attachment behaviour, it is not impossible, thereofre there is the possibility of alteration at any point in life, both in a positive and negative way (GREEN 2003). Although infants and young children are able to have more than one attachment figure, they are still affected when they are exposed to seperation from their primary attachment figure. This can happen for many reasons, such as a child being removed from a family home and placed into care, or perhaps death. This can be a very distressing and confusing time for a child as they are unsure of who to turn to for security and protection. This is evident in social work practice in instances where an abused child wants to remain with its parents, even though it is not a stable or supportive attachment (LISHMAN 2006). Bowlby proposed that children who have experienced seperation from their main attachment figure will suffer in a process involving protest, dispair and detachment, in an attempt to overcome their loss (BOWLBY 1958, cited in LISHMAN 2006). However, although Bowlby provided an important contribution to the idea of attachment, his research can be criticised in many ways. This is because Bowlby tends to focus his ideas on one primary figure of attachment, often the mother, when it is possible for children to form attachments with other people within their lives such as their father. Also, developing relationships with other people alongside the attachment figure is also important, this is because having to rely on the caregiving relationship of one person can be detrimental due to the fact it often results in dependency and does not allow other relationships to be formed with others, which can the hinder the social and emotional development of the child (WALKER, J and K, CRAWFORD 2010). According to Lishman (2007), the attachment theory believes that when a child is stressed or afraid, they exhibit particular behaviour and emotions which can be perceived as attachment. This is because they seek protection from harm through the help and security of an adult who they see as stronger than themselves. This is closly linked to two types of behavioural systems: the exploratory behavioural system and the fear behavioural system. The exploratory behavioural system is based of the belief that when an infant or young child feels comfortable and safe, the attachment behaviour remains dormant and therefore the child will be willing to explore the people around them and their surroundings. However, if a child feels threatened or vulnerable, the fear behavioural system will become active, where the child will no longer seek exploration and instead they will seek protection from their attachment figure and exhibit behaviour related to that attachment. However, the behaviour that they display is not intended to provoke affection from the attachment figure, instead it is to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“regain a state of equilibriumà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p59). This means that infants and young children are not dependent upon the caregiving nature of the attachment figure, instead their aim is to diminish their fears. There is a classification of attachment patterns which identifies four different types of attachment, which attempts to enanble professionals to assess young childrens behaviour and emotions (secure, ambivalent, avoident and disorganised). Secure attachment is based of the belief that children depend upon their caregiver as a base for exploration. The caregiver is available to the child and responds to the childs needs, therefore the child behaves in a positive manner. Ambivalent attachment looks at how children are unwilling to explore their surroundings as the caregiver is not consistent in their support. This can leave the child distressed, clingy and dependent. The third category is avoident patterns of attachment, and features an unresponsive caregiver, therefore the child feels rejected and they view themelves as dependent whilst actively avoiding or ignoring the caregivers presence. And finally, disorganised attachment is where children are fearful of their caregivers, and the y themselves may feel confused or depressed. This type of attachment is most often seen in children who have suffered abuse (HOWE 2001, cited in LISHMAN 2007). How a critical understanding of Attachment Theory can contribute to Social Work Practice. Social workers are seen to have three roles to play when working within an attachment perspective: assessment, planning and direct work with children, parents and carers. Assessment looks at areas within attachment such as the needs of a child, the parenting that they receive, their emotional and behavioural development and the relationships which they have formed. There are also tests created specifically for measuring attachment, such as Ainsworths stranger test which provide an indication of the pattern and quality of their attachments. The second role, planning, looks at how planning for new attachments when placing children with new families needs to be approached carefully. This is because they need finding the most suitable parenting figures where new attachments can be made. The third role is direct work with children, parents and carers. This is because direct contact and communication is necessary to achieve the best possible outcome when working with children and families. For example, when a child has been removed from their home and is being placed with new carers, direct work can provide support to the child to prepare them for change. It can also be useful with the adoptive or foster family to provide guidence and support towards what to expect and to help with any problems they face (LISHMAN 2007) Attachment theory has been used within social work practice as the basis for many child care policies. This is because the idea of a infant or child being attached to their family, which can influence their development in many ways, has been used as the basis for many legislation (LISHMAN 2007). For example, Sure Start Childrens Centres have been introduced in response to the importancy of family support to enable them to build and maintain positive family relationships (LAMING REPORT 2009, cited in BRAMMER 2010). Attachment theory had also contributed to policies such as shared parental responsibility, as it has emhasised the need for emotional and social relationships with caregivers, whilst also suggesting possible consequences to a childs development and the negative impact later in life if these needs were not met effectively. (LISHMAN 2007). Attachment theory also provides guidence to enable social workers to judge the quality of a relationship between a child and its parents. This can enable them to gain an understanding of at what point, if at any, intervention is necessary as it gives them the ability to evaluate the attachment that is present within the relationship. The attachment theory also gives a more comprehensive understanding of the loss experienced by an infant or child when they lose their main attachment figure. This means that people working within social work practice are aware of the common and typical behaviours of a child who is going through this process and can therefore support them to overcome it. A further way the attachment theory is used to benefit social work practice is that as it is known that attachment figures are necessary for children to develop adequately, individuals such as adoptive parents can be taught to exhibit behaviour which will encourage new attachmentment from the child which is needed for personal growth (WALKER, J and K, CRAWFORD 2010). However , care needs to be taken when placing a child with a new family as to prevent a repeating loss of attachment figures which can cause them to blame themeselves and produce feelings of worthlessness. This can mean ensuring that the child is appropriatly prepared and ready to form new bonds of attachment and that the new carers of the child receive sufficient support within their role. (LISHMAN 2007). Attachment theory can also be linked to the way in which a mother bonds with her new born baby. However, these early bonds are not solely restricted to mothers, it is also possible for fathers. Although, this bond is typically formed within the first few hours after birth as the mother and baby connect both physically and emotionally. The initial bond that is made is thought to have a significant effect on their future relationship as it is the beginning of their attachment. This knowledge enables social workers to support mothers who are particularly vulnerable to poor parenting, although this is only effective if the support continues throughout the first few months after the baby is born.. However, it is important to note that just because a mother fails to achieve an initial bond with her baby, this does not mean that abuse is inevitable. How are issues of diversity relevant to human growth, behaviour and development? GREEN, V. 2003. Emotional development in Psychoanalysis, Attachment Theory and Neuroscience: Creating Connections. East Sussex: Brunner-Routledge LISHMAN, J. 2007. Handbook for Practice and Learning in Social Work and Social Care: Knowledge and Theory. London: Jessica Kingsley WALKER, J and K, CRAWFORD. 2010. Social Work and Human Development. Exeter: Learning Matters WALKER, J. 2008. Studying for Your Social Work Degree. Exeter: Learning Matters BRAMMER, 2010. Social Work Law. London: Longman

coaching tips :: essays research papers

The Coaching Tip WHO doesn't want to accomplish more in life? Don't most of us want more time? More money? More love? More satisfaction? Yet, isn't our tendency to go for it rather than simply having it all come to us? A strong personal foundation includes 10 distinct stepping stones which, when linked together, provide a solid yet personalized base on which to build one's life. And, in a world which sometimes appears to be built on quicksand, we all need a personal foundation on which to depend. These 10 stepping stones of a Personal Foundation are: A past which you have fully completed. A life which is based fully on integrity. Needs which have been identified and fully met. Boundaries which are ample and automatic. Standards which bring out your best. An absence of tolerations. Choosing to come from a positive place. A family which nurtures you. A community which develops you. A life fully oriented around your true values. Anyone who is living a meaningful life must have a strong personal foundation so they can afford to look up at the stars instead of down at their feet. Having a strong personal foundation allows a person to fully use their skills and resources, because instead of constantly worrying about the fundamentals of their life, they are free to focus on the task at hand. The process of building a personal foundation also teaches a person how to eliminate and prevent many common problems that are usually thought of as an expected part of life." Where can you go for help in this area? A Master Coach is uniquely trained to help clients strengthen their own foundation, and is a model of how well the process works.

Health Care System Evolution

This paper is an overview about the evolution of the US health care system from the Great Depression to the current Health Reform Bill. I will give an understanding to Medicare and Medicaid program, which also will include a history of these two programs. Even though these two programs are a very complex in helping many poor, elderly, people with certain disabilities, and as well as low income pregnant women they are getting the care that they need as well as what they deserve. Health Care System Evolution, Medicare/Medicaid. Without the introduction of Medicare/Medicaid in July 1965 there would be many problems in the United States today. We would probably have disease outbreaks, and a large population without any health cost coverage. I believe that many people would not go to see a doctor because the cost of private medical care would be too expensive. I also believe that if Medicare and Medicaid did not come into existence that there would be mast amount of death in this country. Between the Great Depression through July 1965 health care had numerous debates in this country. In the 1930s a third-party payer health insurance was introduced including Blue Cross and Blue Shield and others to cover the cost of care in the event of illness or accidents. This only helped the people who could afford private insurance. The United States still was in need of helping the poor and uninsured. In the 1930s the Social Security Act supported public health care for just mothers and children. There was still a great demand to help all other uninsured people. After World War II the government supported and idea for public financed health insurance. In 1959 the Department of Health and Human Services helped in providing hospital insurance to Social Security beneficiaries. In the early 1960s Congress passed the Kerr-Mills bill, which helped the elderly that weren’t the poorest but who still needed assistance with medical expenses. President John F. Kennedy helped in the start of the 1965 bill for Medicare and Medicaid. This bill was known as the King-Anderson bill. This amended the Social Security Act and this covered hospital and nursing home costs for people over the age of 65. In July 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Social Security Amendment into law. With that signing of this law came the introduction of Medicare and Medicaid. Today Medicare/Medicaid has helped millions of elderly, low-income people, people with certain disabilities, and low-income pregnant women have health care because of this law. This program helps pay for services such as hospitals, physician visits, and preventive benefits. Medicaid and Medicare are two of the most enduring social programs in the US, providing different services to different groups of people. †1 Medicaid is a state administrated program, so each state varies in there program. Medicaid is also based on their income. Unfortunately, if their income is too high they will not be eligible for Medicaid. In 1990 the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act that requires state Medicaid care program s to cover the premiums for children ages six to eighteen whose family’s income is between 100-120% the federal poverty level. In 1997 the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was introduced. This program helps states to receive federal money for uninsured children whose families are not eligible for Medicaid due to their income exceeds the limit for Medicaid. In 1976 formed the Health Care Financing Administration which is a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, then in 2001 the name was changed to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare is a social insurance program that provides health coverage to individuals, without regard to their income or health status. †3 Medicare provides health insurance to people over the age of 65, people with certain types of disabilities and people of all ages with kidney failure. The Medicare program is funded two ways, one by people that paid into most of their working lives by payroll tax revenues, and secondly premiums paid by beneficiaries of the Medicare program. â€Å"Medicare has been one of the fastest growing federal programs. 2 Medicare is broken down to four parts, Part A is the hospital insurance and with this part of insurance all persons aged 65 and older are automatically entitled to this benefit. Part A is broken down to inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, home health agency and hospice care. Part B is a supplementary medical insurance, which is available to people over the age of 65, which people must paid for through monthly premiums. Part C is the Medicare Advantage that is a set of options for health care under a managed care plan. Then in 2006 Medicare put into law a plan for prescription drugs which is Part D. With these two programs in the United States today helps the poor, elderly, people with certain disabilities get the care that they need and deserve. Today with unemployment at all time high and many baby boomers that will be in need of some type of health insurance; the inception of a new health plan became law. In the year 2010, President Obama signed into law the Health Reform Bill. This will give health insurance to all people. This reform will strengthen Medicare benefits by providing lower prescription drug costs and this will also give a chance to the people who didn’t qualify for Medicaid received the care they need. The reform law will help with Medicare/Medicaid fraud as well as stopping the abuse of Medicare/Medicaid to save taxpayers money. Medicare and Medicaid have come a long way from the Great Depression. I know that there are many abuses within the system and with this new reform bill I do hope that this system will change, because everyone deserves that right health care and to be a healthy person.

Synthesis of Aspirin Essays

Synthesis of Aspirin Essays Synthesis of Aspirin Essay Synthesis of Aspirin Essay Essay Topic: Synthesis Sypnopsis In this experiment, acetylsalicylic acid was synthesized from the acidification of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride. The objective was to convert a specific amount of salicylic acid into the same amount of aspirin that was high in purity. Furthermore, the other objectives were to enable students to conduct the synthesis of aspirin, reinforce skills or recrystallisation and the technique of melting point determination. The amount of each compound should be the same because there is a 1:1 ratio between them. The purity of the synthesized aspirin was measured by determining its melting point and percent yield. Soluble impurities increase the range over which a compound melts and often decreases its overall melting point temperature1. If the experiment went as expected, a pure sample of aspirin with a high percent yield would have been obtained. The percent yield obtained was 56. 1% and the melting point was 134. 7- 136. 8. Introduction Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is a versatile drug that is consumed in huge quantities worldwide. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with a wide range of physiological effects. The first discovery of aspirin occurred in England, in 1963, believing that the bark of willow trees with a beneficial effect in alleviating distress due to fevers, aches, and pains2. Salicylic acid was later extracted from the willow bark and it proved to be an active ingredient. Salicylic acid was synthesized from basic starting materials by 1860 which was helpful to the medicinal field but there were some problems2. Salicylic acid turned out to be irritating to the membranes of the throat, mouth, and stomach. The product had a high acidity of the compound but fortunately, successful amendments were done, namely, the replacement of the acidic phenolic hydrogen atom with an acetyl group. In 1893, a effective synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid was created, patented in 1899, commercialized under the trade name of ‘aspirin’ by the Bayer Company in Germany3. The name ‘aspirin’ was invented by the chemist, Felix Hoffman, who originally synthesized acetylsalicylic acid for Bayer3. At very low doses, aspirin is used to treat and prevent heart attacks and blood clots. At higher doses, it is used as an analgesic to reduce pain and as an antipyretic to reduce fever. At very high doses, it is an effective anti-inflammatory agent used to treat rheumatic fever, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also an anticoagulant, it dissolves corns and calluses, and it provokes loss of uric acid (a toxin) but promotes retention of fluids in the kidneys. It kills bacteria and induces peptic ulcers. When ingested, acetylsalicylic acid remains intact in the acidic stomach, but in the basic medium of the upper intestinal tract, it hydrolyzes forming the salicylate and acetate ions. When ingested, acetylsalicylic acid remains intact in the acidic stomach, but in the basic medium of the upper intestinal tract, it hydrolyzes forming the salicylate and acetate ions. The exact mechanisms of its pharmacological actions are still under study. In many plants, salicylate can induce flowering. However, aspirin may cause side effects for example, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and heartburn. Theory Aspirin is prepared from salicylic acid and acetic anhydride with the help of an acid catalyst. Concentrated sulphuric acid acts as a catalyst. After preparation, the product is purified. This is especially important for chemicals that are used as food additives and pharmaceuticals. The most common method of purifying solid organic compounds is by recrystallization. When an impure solid compound is dissolved in a solvent, it is then allowed to slowly crystallize out as the solution cools. As the compound crystallizes from the solution, the molecules of the other compounds dissolved in solution are excluded from the growing crystal lattice, giving a pure solid. Crystallization of a solid is different from a precipitation of a solid. In crystallization, there is a slow, selective formation of the crystal framework resulting in a pure compound. In precipitation, there is a rapid formation of a solid from a solution that usually produces an formless solid containing many trapped impurities within the solids crystal framework. For this reason, experimental procedures that produce a solid product by precipitation always include a final recrystallization step to give the pure compound. Figure: The esterification of salicylic acid by acetic anhydride5. The -OH group of salicylic acid that reacts with acetic anhydride to form an ester-like product. The carboxylic acid group of salicylic acid remains unchanged. Acetic anhydride is used because it is cheap and forms a by-product, acetic acid. Acetic acid is non corrosive and can be recovered to produce more acetic anhydride. Procedure 2. 4g of salicylic acid was weighed and poured into a 100ml conical flask. The actual weight was then recorded. In the fume hood, 6ml of acetic anhydride was added to the salicylic acid in the flask. To this mixture, 3 to 4 drops of sulphuric acid was added, swirled to mix and then heated in a water bath for 10-15 minutes to complete the reaction. The mixture was removed from the water bath while it was still hot and then 1ml of distilled water was added from a dropper carefully to decompose the excess acetic anhydride. An additional 40ml of cold water was added and stirred with a stirring rod to induce crystallisation. The crude product was collected by suction filtration and washed with a little cold water. The crude product is relatively impure; hence it was needed to be purified by recrystallisation. A solvent suitable for this recrystallization process would be a mixture of ethanol and water. The crude product was dissolved in approximately 5ml of ethanol in a 100ml conical flask and heated on a hot plate. To the solution, 30ml of hot distilled water was added in. The solution was then warmed till all solid has dissolved. The solution was allowed to cool. A clean, dry watch glass together with a filter paper was weighed and the weight was recorded. The recrystallised product was obtained by suction filtration using the weighed filter paper. The crystals and filter paper was transferred onto the weighed watch glass and dried in to the oven (100Â °C) for 15 to 20 minutes. The crystals, filter paper and watch glass are then placed in desiccators for 5 to 10 minutes. The dried crystals, together with the filter paper and watch glass were weighed. The weight was recorded and the weight of dried, recrystallised aspirin was calculated. The expected yield of aspirin was calculated from the amount of salicylic acid used. The percentage yield of dried, recrystallised aspirin was also calculated. The melting point of aspirin was determined. Results Mass of salicylic acid Mass of filter paper and watch glass Mass of dried, recrystallised aspirin, filter paper and watch glass Mass of dried, recrystallised aspirinMass of dried, recrystallized aspirin, filter paper and watch glass Mass of filter paper and watch glass Percent yield Number of moles of salicylic acid used (mol wt of salicylic acid = 138) Expected number of moles of aspirin Expected mass of aspirin Percent yield Melting point Temperature Range134. 7 – 136. 8 Appearance The crystals are white and shiny, shaped needle-like. The crystals resemble glass wool. Discussion The results and calculations shows how much acetylsalicylic acid was synthesized compared to how much salicylic acid was used. Since there is a 1:1 ratio between the two, then the amount of salicylic acid used should be equal to the amount of acetylsalicylic acid recovered at the end of the experiment. As the result shows, this is not the case, for 1. 83g of acetylsalicylic acid was harvested when 2. 40g of salicylic acid was used. This could have some effect on the purity; for the melting point of the harvested acetylsalicylic acid which is 134. 7 – 136. 8 was not very close to the theoretical melting point. The percentage yield is only 56. 1%. Since the final product was determined not to be very pure, it is highly likely that less than 1. 83g of the product was acetylsalicylic acid. Further analysis of the product will have to be done to determine exactly how pure the product actually was. There were several problems that could have contributed to the low purity or mediocre percent yield. When dissolving the initial amount of salicylic acid in the solution of acetic anhydride and concentrated sulphuric acid, it did not completely dissolve into the solution, even when it was heated. There could also be loss of product on the filter paper. Some crystals would be stuck onto the filter paper and this might have affected the mass of the crystals. The sample may not have been completely dried out before weighing. This could have a slight impact on the results of the overall yield of aspirin because it was possible that not all of the salicylic acid was synthesized. To determine if this affected the synthesis of aspirin at all, the experiment should have been ran a second time to see if the same thing occurred. Conclusion The experiment did not go completely as expected. The reaction yielded only 56. 1% of its expected product. The purity of the aspirin was not very high, because there might be impurities in the acid used. Reference 1. Henry, Dr. Geneive. 2004. Susquehanna University. Synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). 2. The history of Aspirin, accessed 25th May 2009, 3. History of Aspirin, viewed on 13th Dec 2010, ; http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/blaspirin. htm; 4. Theory, accessed 15th Dec 2010, 5. Dr. Carman. 2002. University of Nevada, accessed, 15 Dec 2010, ; http://tooldoc. wncc. nevada. edu/aspirin. htm; 6. Synthesis of Aspirin, accessed 13th Dec 2010, 7. Aspirin, accessed 14th Dec 2010,

The Hun-Driven Barbarian Invaders of the Roman Empire

The Hun-Driven Barbarian Invaders of the Roman Empire The Mongol Great Khan Genghis ancient precursor, Attila,  was the devastating fifth-century Hun warrior  who terrified all in his path, before dying suddenly, under mysterious circumstances, on his wedding night, in 453. We know only limited, specific details about his people, the Huns- armed, mounted archers, illiterate, nomadic Steppe people from Central Asia, perhaps of Turkic rather than Mongolian origin and responsible for the collapse of Asian empires. We do know, however, that their actions induced waves of migrations into Roman territory. Later, the recent immigrants, including Huns, fought on the Roman side against other movements of people considered- by the proud Romans- barbarian invaders. [T]he status quo of the period was disturbed not only by their direct action but even more by their being instrumental in setting into motion the great upheaval of peoples commonly known as the Và ¶lkerwanderung.~ The Hun Period, by Denis Sinor; The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia 1990 The Huns, who appeared on the borders of eastern Europe, after A.D. 350, continued to migrate in a generally westward direction, pushing the peoples they encountered further west into the path of Roman citizens. Some of these, mainly Germanic, tribes eventually set out from Europe into northern Roman-controlled Africa. The Goths and Huns Agriculturist Goths from the lower Vistula (the longest river in modern Poland) began attacking areas of the Roman Empire in the third century, attacking along the Black Sea and Aegean regions, including northern Greece. The Romans settled them in Dacia where they stayed until the Huns pushed them. Tribes of Goths, the Tervingi (at the time, under Athanaric) and Greuthungi, asked for help in 376 and settled. Then they moved further into Roman territory, attacked Greece, defeated Valens at the Battle of Adrianople, in 378. In 382 a treaty with them put them inland in Thrace and Dacia, but the treaty ended with the death of Theodosius (395). Emperor Arcadius offered them territory in 397 and may have extended a military post to Alaric. Soon they were on the move again, into the western empire. After they sacked Rome in 410, they moved over the Alps into Southwest Gaul and became foederati in Aquitaine. The sixth-century historian Jordanes relates an early connection between the Huns and Goths, a story that Gothic witches producing the Huns: XXIV (121) But after a short space of time, as Orosius relates, the race of the Huns, fiercer than ferocity itself, flamed forth against the Goths. We learn from old traditions that their origin was as follows: Filimer, king of the Goths, son of Gadaric the Great, who was the fifth in succession to hold the rule of the Getae after their departure from the island of Scandza,and who, as we have said, entered the land of Scythia with his tribe,found among his people certain witches, whom he called in his native tongue Haliurunnae. Suspecting these women, he expelled them from the midst of his race and compelled them to wander in solitary exile afar from his army. (122) There the unclean spirits, who beheld them as they wandered through the wilderness, bestowed their embraces upon them and begat this savage race, which dwelt at first in the swamps,a stunted, foul and puny tribe, scarcely human, and having no language save one which bore but slight resemblance to human speech. Such was th e descent of the Huns who came to the country of the Goths.Jordanes The Origin and Deeds of the Goths, translated by Charles C. Mierow Vandals, Alans, and Sueves Alans were Sarmatian pastoral nomads; the Vandals and Sueves (Suevi or Suebes), Germanic. They were allies from around 400. Huns attacked the Vandals in the 370s. The Vandals and company crossed the icy Rhine at Mainz into Gaul, on the last night of 406, reaching an area that the Roman government had largely abandoned. Later, they pushed on across the Pyrenees into Spain where they drove out Roman landowners in the south and west. The allies divided the territory, supposedly by lot, initially so that Baetica (including Cadiz and Cordoba) went to a branch of the Vandals known as Siling; Lusitania and Cathaginiensis, to the Alans; Gallaecia, to the Suevi and Adsing Vandals. In 429 they crossed the Straits of Gibraltar into northern Africa where they took St. Augustines city of Hippo and Carthage, which they established as their capital. By 477 they also had the Balearic Islands, and the islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. The Burgundians and Franks The Burgundians were another Germanic group probably living along the Vistula and part of the group whom the Huns drove across the Rhine at the end of 406. In 436, at Worms, they almost came to an end, at Roman and Hunnish hands, but some survived. Under the Roman general Aetius, they became Roman hospites, in Savoy, in 443. Their descendants still live in the Rhà ´ne Valley. These Germanic people lived along the lower and middle Rhine by the third century. They made forays into Roman territory in Gaul and Spain, without the incentive of the Huns, but later, when the Huns invaded Gaul in 451, they joined forces with the Romans to repel the invaders. The famous Merovingian king Clovis was a Frank. Sources Ancient Rome - William E. Dunstan 2010.The Early Germans, by Malcolm Todd; John Wiley Sons, Feb 4, 2009Wood, I. N. The barbarian invasions and first settlements. Cambridge Ancient History: The Late Empire, A.D. 337-425. Eds. Averil Cameron and Peter Garnsey. Cambridge University Press, 1998.Huns, Vandals, by Matthew Bennett. The Oxford Companion to Military History, Edited by Richard Holmes; Oxford University Press: 2001The Huns and the End of the Roman Empire in Western Europe, by Peter Heather; The English Historical Review, Vol. 110, No. 435 (Feb. 1995), pp. 4-41.On Foederati, Hospitalitas, and the Settlement of the Goths in A.D. 418, by Hagith Sivan: The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 108, No. 4 (Winter, 1987), pp. 759-772The Settlement of the Barbarians in Southern Gaul, by E. A. Thompson; The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 46, Parts 1 and 2 (1956), pp. 65-75 * See: Archaeology And The Arian Controversy in the Fourth Century, by David M. Gwynn, in Religious Diversity in Late Antiquity, edited by David M. Gwynn, Susanne Bangert, and Luke Lavan; Brill Academic Publishers. Leiden; Boston: Brill 2010

The competitive structure of British airports with reference to BAA Essay

The competitive structure of British airports with reference to BAA - Essay Example More particularly, the Competition Commission has made are geared its findings towards making the BAA to be more competitive. Background BAA was privatized in 1980. This was in response to proposals by the Governments Review of Economic Regulations that sought to bring changes to operations of UK Civil Aviation Authority. Furthermore, the proposed amendments have been for the sake of widening the scope of competition at the airport as well as making the ground be more even. In the recent past, due to these proposals, the sector has seen major changes in terms of structure and becoming more flexible to respond to market demands and competition. Competition has also been necessitated by BAA’s disposal of Gatwick airport to Global Infrastructure Partners. Besides, there is a wider legal framework that is being applied in all other sectors to encourage free hand in business. For instance, the Competition Act 1998, Utilities Act of 2000 and the Communications Act of 2003 have creat ed a platform that promotes fair competition.. This has further gone a long way to diminish its share of passengers and airlines in the South East. To make the market perform optimally, there is more need for BAA to divest some of its holding in other air business corporations so as to completely free up the market. Nevertheless, the future of airports business is likely to be better due to the changing market environment (Doganis, 1992). The present competitive structure of British airports Since the process of liberalization of the air industry gained progress, the sector has witnessed tremendous rise in domestic flights as well as demand for flights for European and intercontinental routes. Despite this space of freedom, there still exists some of form of regulation. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to establish the level of competition that truly exists as well as explore the precise consequences to the current and future air market. Types of markets Theoretically, there are three types of market as far as competition is concerned. Firstly, there is monopoly. This is one of the oldest forms of market where there is only one seller or buyer who has power to control the prices of commodities. In this market, he is the price setter and shall invariably do that to his advantage. This market is characterized by a number of imperfections that typically result in to negative social costs to consumers. It is also a common feature for traders in this market to report abnormal profits. Due to liberalization, in UK there is a limited number of industries that have monopolistic tendencies. According to Competitions Commission, there is need for economic regulation in such conditions so as to reduce the economic excesses that result from monopoly. Secondly, there is an oligopolistic market, that is a market that is controlled by a few market players (sellers or buyers), who habitually, agree on the price to charge for their goods and services. Just like monopol y, this market system can be quite oppressive. The British airports market can aptly fall under this category. Scholars and policy formulators do converge to a verity that in this condition, there is need for regulator intervention to make the ground fairer. Finally, there is a perfect competition that, incidentally, has dominated the majority of UK

International Business issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Business issues - Essay Example It is evident from the study that the success of multinational firms in the global market is influenced by a series of factors; the ability of these firms to adopt foreign practices, which have been proved effective in the context of the host country, is often limited. However, in order for MNEs to secure their position internationally, it is necessary to develop flexible plans, which would be easily alternated, if necessary. In accordance with Rugman and Collinson, three different integration strategies, as related to organization structure, are available to MNEs in the context of the modern market: the backward integration, meaning the acquisition ‘of equity assets used earlier in the production process’, the forward integration through which the company ‘comes closer to its customers’, as for instance in the case that a firm which is well known in the television industry acquires a series of well known retail stores, aiming to use these stores for promoti ng its products. Also, there is the horizontal integration, i.e. the acquisition of a competitor; the above form of integration aims to increase the firm’s market share so that its profits are improved. All these forms of integration can result to critical changes on the organizational structure, at the level that after promoting one of these forms of integration a firm needs to align its structure accordingly so that the activities of the acquired firm are effectively monitored and supported. From another point of view, Aliber (1993) notes that the challenges of the global market are many; even MNEs that are well established in the international market face difficulties in competing their rivals. At this point, coalitions have been proved to be quite a valuable strategy for responding to the demands of the global market (Aliber 1993). Establishing teams with other firms allows MNEs to secure their position internationally controlling the risks related to their activities in host countries that are quite far from the home country (Aliber 1993). On the other hand, the design that a firm chooses when operating globally is not standardized (Neelankavil and Rai 2009). In most cases, it seems that factors such as ‘the industry in which a firm operates or the size of the firm’ (Neelankavil and Rai 2009, p. 315