History of the Scientific Revolution

History of the Scientific Revolution Human history is often framed as a series of episodes, representing sudden bursts of knowledge. The Agricultural Revolution, the Renaissance, and the  Industrial Revolution  are just a few examples of historical periods where it is generally thought that innovation moved more rapidly than at other points in history, leading to huge and sudden shake-ups in science, literature, technology, and philosophy.  Among the most notable of these  is the Scientific Revolution, which emerged just as Europe was awakening from an intellectual lull referred to by historians as the dark ages. The Pseudo-Science of the Dark Ages Much of what was considered known about the natural world during the early middle ages in Europe dated back to the teachings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. And for centuries after the downfall of the Roman empire, people still generally didn’t question many of these long-held concepts or ideas, despite the many inherent flaws. The reason for this was because such â€Å"truths† about the universe were widely accepted by the Catholic church, which so happened to be the main entity responsible for the widespread indoctrination of western society at the time. Also, challenging church doctrine was tantamount to heresy back then and thus doing so ran the risk of being trialed and punished for pushing counter ideas.    An example of a popular but unproven doctrine was the Aristotelian laws of physics. Aristotle taught that the rate at which an object fell was determined by its weight since heavier objects fell faster than lighter ones. He also believed that everything beneath the moon was comprised of four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. As for astronomy, Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy’s earth-centric celestial system, in which heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon, planets and various stars all revolved around the earth in perfect circles, served as the adopted model of planetary systems. And for a time, Ptolemy’s model was able to effectively preserve the principle of an earth-centered universe as it was fairly accurate in predicting the motion of the planets. When it came to the inner workings of the human body, the science was just as error-ridden. The ancient Greeks and Romans used a system of medicine called humorism, which held that illnesses were the result of an imbalance of four basic substances or â€Å"humors.† The theory was related to the theory of the four elements. So blood, for instance, would correspond with air and phlegm corresponded with water. Rebirth and Reformation Fortunately, the church would, over time, begin to lose its hegemonic grip on the masses. First, there was the Renaissance, which, along with spearheading a renewed interest in the arts and literature, led to a shift toward more independent thinking. The invention of the printing press also played an important role as it greatly expanded literacy as well as enabled readers to reexamine old ideas and belief systems. And it was around this time, in 1517 to be exact, that Martin Luther, a monk who was outspoken in his criticisms against the Catholic Churchs reforms, authored his famous 95 theses that listed all of his grievances. Luther promoted his 95 theses by printing them out on a pamphlet and distributing them among the crowds. He also encouraged churchgoers to read the bible for themselves and opened the way for other reform-minded theologians such as John Calvin. The Renaissance, along with Luther’s efforts, which led to a movement known as the Protestant Reformation, would both serve to undermine the church’s authority on all matters that were essentially mostly pseudoscience. And in the process, this burgeoning spirit of criticism and reform made it so that the burden of proof became more vital to understanding the natural world, thus setting the stage for the scientific revolution. Nicolaus Copernicus In a way, you can say that the scientific revolution started out as the Copernican Revolution. The man who started it all, Nicolaus Copernicus, was a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who was born and raised in the Polish city of ToruÅ„. He attended the University of Cracow, later continuing his studies in Bologna, Italy. This is where he met astronomer Domenico Maria Novara and the two soon began exchanging scientific ideas that often challenged the long-accepted theories of Claudius Ptolemy. Upon returning to Poland, Copernicus took up a position as a canon. Around 1508, he quietly started developing a heliocentric alternative to Ptolemy’s planetary system. To correct some of the inconsistencies that made it insufficient to predict planetary positions, the system he eventually came up with placed the Sun at the center instead of the Earth. And in Copernicus’ heliocentric solar system, the speed in which Earth and other planets circled the Sun was determined by their distance from it. Interestingly enough, Copernicus wasn’t the first to suggest a heliocentric approach to understanding the heavens. The ancient Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos, who lived in the third century B.C., had proposed a somewhat similar concept much earlier that never quite caught on. The big difference was that Copernicus’ model proved to be more accurate at predicting the movements of the planets.   Ã‚   Copernicus detailed his controversial theories in a 40-page manuscript titled Commentariolus in 1514 and in De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres), which was published right before his death in 1543. Not surprisingly, Copernicus’ hypothesis enraged the Catholic church, which eventually banned De revolutionibus in 1616. Johannes Kepler Despite the Church’s indignation, Copernicus’ heliocentric model generated a lot of intrigue among scientists. One of these people who developed a fervent interest was a young German mathematician named Johannes Kepler. In 1596, Kepler published Mysterium cosmographicum (The Cosmographic Mystery), which served as the first public defense of Copernicus’ theories. The problem, however, was that Copernicus’ model still had its flaws and was not completely accurate in predicting planetary motion. In 1609, Kepler, whose main work was coming up with a way to account for the way Mars’ would periodically move backward, published Astronomia ​nova (New Astronomy). In the book, he theorized that planetary bodies didn’t orbit the Sun in perfect circles as Ptolemy and Copernicus had both assumed, but rather along an elliptical path.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Besides his contributions to astronomy, Kepler made other notable discoveries. He figured out that it was refraction that allows for the eyes’ visual perception and used that knowledge to develop eyeglasses for both nearsightedness and farsightedness. He was also able to describe how a telescope worked. And what’s less known was that Kepler was able to calculate the birth year of Jesus Christ. Galileo Galilei Another contemporary of Kepler’s who also bought into the notion of a heliocentric solar system and was the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei. But unlike Kepler,  Galileo didn’t believe that planets moved in an elliptical orbit and stuck with the perspective that planetary motions were circular in some way. Still, Galileo’s work produced evidence that helped bolster the Copernican view and in the process further undermine the church’s position. In 1610, using a telescope he built himself,  Galileo began fixing its lens on the planets and made a series of important discoveries. He found that the moon was not flat and smooth, but had mountains, craters and valleys. He spotted spots on the sun and saw that Jupiter had moons that orbited it, rather than the Earth. Tracking Venus, he found that it had phases like the Moon, which proved that the planet rotated around the sun. Much of his observations contradicted the established Ptolemic notion that all planetary bodies revolved around the Earth and instead supported the heliocentric model. He published some of these earlier observations in the same year under the title Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger). The book, along with subsequent findings led many astronomers to convert to Copernicus’ school of thought and put Galileo in very hot water with the church. Yet despite this, in the years that followed,  Galileo continued his â€Å"heretical† ways, which would further deepen his conflict with both the Catholic and Lutheran church. In 1612, he refuted the Aristotelian explanation of why objects floated on water by explaining that it was due to the object’s weight relative to the water and not because an object’s flat shape. In 1624,  Galileo got permission to write and publish a description of both the Ptolemic and Copernican systems under the condition that he does not do so in a manner that favors the heliocentric model. The resulting book, â€Å"Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems† was published in 1632 and was interpreted to have violated the agreement. The church quickly launched the inquisition and put  Galileo on trial for heresy. Though he was spared harsh punishment after admitting to have supported Copernican theory, he was put under house arrest for the remainder of his life. Still,  Galileo never stopped his research, publishing several theories until his death in 1642.   Ã‚   Isaac Newton While both Kepler and Galileo’s work helped to make a case for the Copernican heliocentric system, there was still a hole in the theory. Neither can adequately explain what force kept the planets in motion around the sun and why they moved this particular way. It wasn’t until several decades later that the heliocentric model was proven by the English mathematician Isaac Newton. Isaac Newton, whose discoveries in many ways marked the end of the Scientific Revolution, can very well be considered among one of the most important figures of that era. What he achieved during his time has since become the foundation for modern physics and many of his theories detailed in Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) has been called the most influential work on physics. In Principa, published in 1687, Newton described three laws of motion that can be used to help explain the mechanics behind elliptical planetary orbits. The first law postulates that an object that is stationary will remain so unless an external force is applied to it. The second law states that force is equal to mass times acceleration and a change in motion is proportional to the force applied. The third law simply stipulates that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Although it was Newton’s three laws of motion, along with law of universal gravitation, that ultimately made him a star among the scientific community, he also made several other important contributions to the field of optics, such as building he first practical reflecting telescope and developing a theory of color.

Amount vs. Number

Amount vs. Number â€Å"Amount† vs. â€Å"Number† â€Å"Amount† vs. â€Å"Number† By Mark Nichol The frequent confusion between amount and number is based on a misunderstanding of a small, simple distinction that the words themselves indicate. Amount refers to quantities that are measured in bulk or mass considered as a whole while number pertains to things that can be counted individually: â€Å"The amount of square footage in the attached shed is enough for a push lawn mower or a small barbecue,† but â€Å"The total number of square feet includes the attached shed’s square footage.† In reference to amount, use the terms little or less or the phrase â€Å"much more†: â€Å"The amount left is too little to be of any use.† â€Å"The amount is less than I thought.† â€Å"The amount is much more than we expected.† In reference to number, use the words few or fewer or the phrase â€Å"many more†: â€Å"The number of people who have signed up is too few.† â€Å"The number of people here, compared to the number here yesterday, is fewer.† â€Å"The number of people here is many more than we expected.† (Note that more applies to both amount and number.) Either word can be applied to a particular thing as long as the description of the thing is consistent with the distinction between amount and number: One can refer to the amount of fun one has had, but one can also count the number of fun things one has done. Two categories of things that are flexible in terms of these usages are money and time: One can refer to an amount of money or to a number of dollar bills, or to an amount of time or a number of hours: â€Å"The amount of money in the cookie jar has decreased† and â€Å"The number of dollar bills in the cookie jar has decreased† are both correct, as are â€Å"I need to decrease the amount of hours I’m scheduled to work† and â€Å"I need to decrease the number of hours I’m scheduled to work.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsDoes "Mr" Take a Period?Inspiring vs. Inspirational

The Stranger by Albert Camus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Stranger by Albert Camus - Essay Example Meursault's character is a statement about the author's view of the irrationality of the universe and how humans are making it complicated through insisting that life is purposeful. The exposition part of the plot revealed so much about Meursault's concept of the word "emotions." The story began with news that his mother passed away through a telegram. Contrary to the expected reaction of a son who just lost a parent, he did not turn out to be sentimental, or at least sentimental in a masculine way. Instead, he cared more about what day and time his mother died. The diction and tone used by Camus is entirely helpful upon establishing Meursault's persona. To directly say that "Mother died today, or maybe yesterday; I can't be sure" (Camus 4) is a perfect portrayal of being indifference towards the death of a loved one. It is noticeable however, that Meursault is emotionally detached from his own mother, which made sense if he would be the same with the rest of the people around him. T he physical world is more important to him than what really matters according to society's opinion, such as love and the concept of a meaningful life.

Why is the discovery of the Royal Tomb of Tutankhamen important to Essay

Why is the discovery of the Royal Tomb of Tutankhamen important to Archaeologists - Essay Example He was the first to discover materials that led to the tomb’s discovery. The first clue he had was from a royal funeral object referred to as cache that were fro Tell el Amarna. They were brought to Thebes in order to escape destruction. These materials were hidden in a safe tomb that was done by King Tutankhamun himself. This cache is believed to have been stored by tomb robbers who expected to come back for the treasure sometime later. Furniture that was used by Tutankhamun was also found among these treasures (Malek, 2010). Another clue that Davis found helpful was found in 1907 inside a small pit. It provided significant information that contained impressions of Tutankhamun and other materials such as natron, broken pottery and linen bags. Davis took the initiative of taking these items to New York for further examination (Magi & Tenti, 2006). There was also a discovery by Theodore that comprised of a faience cup bearing the name of King Tut. Beside this cup, there were fragments of gold foil with Tutankhamun and his wife inlaid upon it. After a period, an Egyptologist by the name Howard Carter found these items to be interesting for more studies about the Tutankhamun tomb. He believed that these items were enough proof that King Tutankhamun’s tomb was inside the Valley of the Kings. More than five thousand objects were discovered in the tomb that revealed a lot on the ancient life of Egyptians. There were weapons, chariots, clothes, treasured lock and musical instruments. In addition, there wa s the golden burial mask that belonged to Tutankhamun. Carter died after just seven years since his excavation ended in 1939 before he had summarized on his findings. He had no partners who could have continued his work (Malek, 2010). The Tutankhamun tomb lies in an area that where royal burials did not take place in the Valley center hence it was buried beneath the Valley of the Kings surface quickly at Luxor, which was regarded

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Essay Example for Free

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Essay Imagine being not able to move your muscles freely everyday, and that process has to coordinate between the brain and the spinal cord to tell the muscles to move. However, when this coordination is challenged and can not convey signals, the results are no muscle movement. At first, muscles in the hands, arms, and legs feel weak. The hands and feet twitch. Speaking and eventually breathing become difficult, and paralysis occurs in the final stages, although thinking and other cognitive functions remain intact. Death usually occurs within five years of the onset of symptoms. This rare, progressive disorder is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after a famous baseball player whose life was cut short by it. What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis? Nowadays, more and more persons are being detected with a condition that is signified as â€Å"Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis†. In the history, this neurological situation was signified by several as â€Å"Lou Gehrig’s disorder† (Hohnsbeen, 2008). Those that suffer from this medical condition endure great complexities. This is essentially because of the fact that the disorder quickly wages war against some nerve cells in the body. These cells are recognized as neurons by medical experts. The neurons that are alluring to the disorder are the ones that are absolutely liable for the control of muscles that are deemed to be voluntary. The muscles in the upper body as well as those in the lower body are influenced. The influenced neurons are situated in the brain as well as the spinal cord and finally die (Hohnsbeen, 2008). In this direction, one will learn the facts adjacent the neurological state of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. When a person is detected with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the advancement of the disorder may be gradual or it may be rapid. It all depends on the general health of the individual, how long they have had the condition previous to diagnosis, plus any other medical circumstances that they may endure from (Phillies, 1995). Seeing that the reason of this severe neurological condition is unidentified, medical experts often have a hard time deciding the speed in which the condition improvements. Nevertheless, it is a fact that it will improve and signs observed will become more demanding to the functionality of the body. Difficulties that engage the muscles of the body that are utilized for different purposes will be experienced (Phillies, 1995). It is not common for the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sufferer to experience difficulties such as problems in walking, situations in which it is challenging to eat and swallow as suitable, and several may even face severe medical emergencies such as the failure to breathe properly. The cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is not identified, though a significant step toward deciding the cause came in 1993 when scientists found that changes in the gene that generates the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) enzyme were related with some cases (about twenty-percent) of familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This enzyme is an influential antioxidant that defends the body from harm caused by superoxide, a toxic free radical produced in the mitochondria (William, 2000). Free radicals are very reactive molecules made by cells during normal metabolism again mostly by the mitochondria. Free radicals can build up and cause harm to both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and proteins within cells. Proof proposes that inability of defenses against oxidative pressure up-regulates programmed cell death (apoptosis), among several other potential results. Although it is not yet obvious how the SOD1 gene mutation leads to motor neuron degeneration, examiners have theorized that an accumulation of free radicals may consequence from the faulty functioning of this gene. New study, nevertheless, points out that motor neuron death is not probably a consequence of lost or compromised dismutase activity, proposing mutant SOD1 induces toxicity in some other way (William, 2000). Researches engaging transgenic mice have yielded many hypotheses about the role of SOD1 in mutant SOD1 familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mice lacking the SOD1 gene totally do not usually develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, although they do demonstrate an acceleration of age-associated muscle atrophy (sarcopenia) and a shortened lifespan (Wade, 2001). This points out that the toxic properties of the mutant SOD1 are a consequence of a gain in function rather than a loss of normal function. Additionally, aggregation of proteins has been found to be a common pathological aspect of both familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Fascinatingly, in mutant SOD1 mice, totals of mutant SOD1 were discovered only in disordered tissues, and large amounts were detected during motor neuron degeneration. It is observed that whole deposit of mutant SOD1 carries out a role in disturbing cellular functions by harmful mitochondria, proteasomes, protein folding chaperones, or other proteins (Phillies, 1995). Any such trouble, if shown, would lend large credibility to the hypothesis that aggregates are engaged in mutant SOD1 toxicity. Opponents have noted that in humans, SOD1 mutations cause only two-percent or so of general cases and the etiological mechanisms may be different from those liable for the sporadic type of the disorder. To date, the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis SOD1 mice remain the best model of the disorder for preclinical researches but it is expected that more helpful models will be developed (Wade, 2001). There are several signs that are indicated to the situation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In most sufferers, the first sign related with the situation was a weakness in the body. This weakness is generally related with a particular muscle. It may happen in the face. Several have endured from a common weakness in the tongue. It could also happen in other parts of the body, such as the hands or the legs. This is a symptom that the neurons that are liable for motor functions are facing death (Mitsumoto, 2009). In several cases, the weakness will expand to other parts of the body. As the neurons experience death as a consequence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, they are not capable to relay the suitable signals to the brain. As a consequence, the muscles simply do not realize that they are supposed to move in one way or another. Over time, they are employed less and less. Weakness sets in to the muscles, and then they lose their mass. As the neurological situation improvements, other signs will start to happen. Muscle twitching is an ordinary sign. The twitching may be in the type of sore cramps for several, but this is not always the situation. An individual that has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may start to notice that simple tasks engaging the hands may become more challenging. Several may discover that their talking and the capability to use their mouth for eating and swallowing are more complicated. Finally, walking will become problem. Those that are detected with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis will often find that they feel weak and comparatively tired, but they are capable to carry on doing tasks that engage cognitive capability such as concentrating on projects such as reading, memorization and often capable to focus with little to no difficulties at all (Mitsumoto, 2009). Conclusion Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a situation that is deemed to be deadly. Unluckily, there is no treatment for this situation. Once the disorder has started to impact the body, the harm that it produces will extend (Hohnsbeen, 2008). The collapse to the condition is that most of the sufferers that endure it will be influenced with a failure of the respiratory system. The average time span in which this happens is within 3 to 5 years from the onset of the disease. This generally results in death. Nevertheless, there have been several people that have surpassed a lifespan of ten years once diagnosed. If you have currently been examined, keep in mind to work carefully with your physician when it comes to cures. Finding a support group can also show to be extremely helpful when it comes to coping with the progress of the neurological situation.

Accounting Essay -- essays paper

Accounting There are many different types of accounting. I haven’t made the choice of which particular part of the profession I am going to go into. I am going to focus on financial accountant. The decision to become an accountant is usually not made until college. However general accounting and bookkeeping classes can be taken in high school. In college, the student needs to decide on a more specific field of accounting. An accountant has many choices regarding what particular field of accounting to specialize in, depending on the financial information he or she wants to analyze and how it is done. Financial accountants, tax accountants and internal auditors are all accountants in general but require different training and work methods. A financial accountant records economic data and periodically prepares reports that show profit and other financial information of a company using the generally accepted accounting principles. The reports prepared by the accountant are useful for managers, and also for owners, creditors and the public. Based on information in the reports, the public can use the reports to choose a company to invest in. Because a financial accountant is employed by an individual company, he or she is considered a private accountant. Accountants have career choices to make based on more specialized interests in a field, and, as with other careers, a different specialization will have different educational requirements. Different classes will... Accounting Essay -- essays paper Accounting There are many different types of accounting. I haven’t made the choice of which particular part of the profession I am going to go into. I am going to focus on financial accountant. The decision to become an accountant is usually not made until college. However general accounting and bookkeeping classes can be taken in high school. In college, the student needs to decide on a more specific field of accounting. An accountant has many choices regarding what particular field of accounting to specialize in, depending on the financial information he or she wants to analyze and how it is done. Financial accountants, tax accountants and internal auditors are all accountants in general but require different training and work methods. A financial accountant records economic data and periodically prepares reports that show profit and other financial information of a company using the generally accepted accounting principles. The reports prepared by the accountant are useful for managers, and also for owners, creditors and the public. Based on information in the reports, the public can use the reports to choose a company to invest in. Because a financial accountant is employed by an individual company, he or she is considered a private accountant. Accountants have career choices to make based on more specialized interests in a field, and, as with other careers, a different specialization will have different educational requirements. Different classes will...

The Harmful Effects of Video Games

The Harmful Effects of Video Games By: Alan Bruestle I. Introduction: A. Video games, the ability to leave reality via controller, and glowing screen of color and bliss. A escape from life through the form of technological entertainment that has been developed and passed down to generations for decades. So why does society have such a big dispute over the use of video games? B. Many people believe that video games are only a source of fun and entertainment. Although there is truth in that video games give pleasure to the user, not many notice and realize the harmful effects that they have on society.C. Should video games be changed in a manner that the harmful content is removed completely from the entertainment? Should society limit or keep the certain content of video games to a minimum, or should everything be left the same? I believe that video games should be limited and a law should be passed that restricts the use of video games to people who acquire a problem in their life. D . The laws I believe that should be placed would be the results from effects on society, due to video games.The three main points that have really been noticed in society is the increase in physical effects, mental effects, and graphic influence. II. Explanation of Problems/Need A. Definitions 1. Physical – Overall Health, Disorders 2. Mental – Addiction, Social Isolation, Learning 3. Graphic Influence – Drugs, Nudity, Graphic violence B. Background/Causes/Effect 1. Background a. Many years old b. Multi billion dollar industry c. Demand won't collapse d. Technology grows. Demand increase. e. Society always impacted. 2. Causes a. Features become better b. Consumer desire alternate life . Difference 3. Effects a. Alternate life fills boredom. b. Violence increases aggression. c. Might mimic characters. d. Users perspective addiction, forget life. e. Designers satisfy older age group. f. Can influence all age groups. III. Physical A. Overall Health. 1. Obesity 2. S eizures B. Disorders 1. Postural, Muscular, Skeletal 2. Tendonitis, Nerve compression, Carpal tunnel syndrome IV. Mental A. Addiction 1. Lost sense of reality 2. Social Isolation B. Behavior 1. Mimic video games 2. Aggressive behaviors maybe become worse. C. Style of learning 1.Mastery leading to constant play 2. Rewarded for game play. Violence = Reward V. Graphic Influence A. Violence 1. Resolving to aggression. 2. Using violence in real life. B. Influence. 1. In game content. Drugs, violence, nudity, profanity 2. Higher drug and crime rates. Lower school rate. VI. Counter Arguement. A. Health related 1. Some games involve physical movement. 2. Used to practice work. Ex. Doctors 3. Increased brain activity from puzzles 4. Increased Hand eye coordination B. Miscellaneous 1. Multi billion industry 2. Simply entertaining VII. Conclusion A.With the problems that come with most video games, should they be changed to better our society and fix some of the problems? B. The possibility of physical effects, mental effects, and graphic influence caused by video games, make it seem like the risk of playing most of them are not worth the risk to society.Associated Content from Yahoo! – Associatedcontent. om. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"The Good and Bad Effects of Video Games. † Raise Smart Kid. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"The Impact of Video Games on Society – by Tegan Mcrae – Helium. † Helium – Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Teen-Rated Video Games Loaded With Violence – News Room. † Children's Hospital Boston. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Video Game Addiction. † WebMD – Better Information. Better Health. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Violent Video Games – Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects. † American Psychological Association (APA). Web. 24 Nov. 2010. .

The Country Ecuador

Ecuador, a country smaller than the size of Nevada, is located in western South America. It borders the Pacific Ocean at the Equator and is a tropical region. The capital of Ecuador is Quito. Quito is located in Northern Central Ecuador. One interesting fact about Ecuador is that it contains the highest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi. The volcano is located just below the capita, Quito. Due to their new constitution the economic status of Ecuador, a Third World country, is rising. The GDP is $58.7 billion. The GDP per capita is $4,800. Only 35% of the population are below the poverty line. The lowest 10% of income is shared by 2.3% of the population and the highest 10% are 37.6%. The foreign debt is $12.5 billion. 12% of people who live in Ecuador experience wide spread unemployment. Their industrial production growth rate is 2.4%. The budget in Ecuador is $5.1 billion, not including money from private organizations. Ecuador produces a range of products to be exported. They export 30% petroleum, 26% bananas, 16% shrimp, 2% cut flowers, and 1.9% fish. They export to the United States (39%); Latin America (25%); EU countries (22%); and Asia (12%). Ecuador imports $2.9 billion worth of products. These include transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, and chemicals. They import from the United States (32%), EU countries (19%), Latin America (35%), and Asia (11%). Ecuador†s industrial force produces: petroleum, food, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fish, and lumber. Ecuador†s agricultural production includes: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugar cane, cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products, balsa wood, fish and shrimp. Ecuador†s social indicators are really not too disturbing. The infant mortality rate is 30.69 deaths/1,000 live births. This is not a very high rate compared to many other Third World countries. The average life expectancy for an Ecuadorian is 72.16 years. The average for a male is 69.54 years, and for females the life expectancy is 74.9 years. The population growth rate is 1.78%. This is not a great increase. The literacy rate for the total population is 90.1%. This is outstandingly high. The main religion in Ecuador is Roman Catholic, which includes 95% of the population. Petroleum, fish, and timber are Ecuador†s three main natural resources. The climate in Ecuador is mainly tropical along the coast, and as one moves inland it becomes much cooler. Arable land makes up 6% of land, along with permanent crops (5%), permanent pastures (18%), forests and woodland (56%), and other areas (15%). Ecuador faces many natural hazards, which include frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, and periodic droughts. Deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution, and pollution from oil production wastes are some of the environmental issues facing Ecuador. The government of Ecuador is a unitary republic. Their system is set up much like the United States. The government contains three branches- legislative, executive, and judicial. The people elect the president and vice-president by casting only one ballot. In congress, the representatives are limited to four-year terms. Impeachment of a president, would require support of one-fourth of representatives. In order to actually remove him or her from office it would take a vote of two-thirds of the representatives. On August 10 1998, President Jamil Mahuad took his term as Ecuador†s president, and the new government brought forth a new constitution. Primary and secondary education will be free to everyone, in the new constituiton. Universities will not be included in this; students also will be required, much like in the United States, to pass admissions requirements before entering the university. Education is a major factor in helping the poor of Ecuador, by being educated one can start to help themselves by finding better jobs that pay more. Under the new constitution, the state must now try to sustain economic growth. The new constitution stops the state from changing contracts that have been already signed if the law was not enacted previously. Having this will create more private investment, which will help Ecuador obtain foreign capital. Since the establishment of the new government in 1998, the congress has been receiving pressure from citizens to pass a balanced budget and tax reform. Special interest groups and many other interest groups have slowed the progress ofcongress by raising questions about how this is going to happen and disagreeing with congress†s plans. Congress has been threatened by numerous associations to get the budget bill passed. Questions on whether a legislature should remain are arising. Ecuador is also having problems paying their debt. They have defaulted on their interest payments on Brady and Eurobonds. With the already week financial system, some analyst believe this may cause bankruptcy for new institutions. Electricity prices have always been a sore spot in Ecuador. Since the lack of enforcement of the new budget and tax reform, outrage is even more prevalent. CONELEC, the National Electricity Council, has been pressed with the issue of how to implement the higher taxes. Many ideas have been brought to the forefront. One idea is to base the price of electric off the price of the exchange rate of the United States dollar. Another idea is to not enforce the increase until January and then increase the price 34%. After January keep increasing the price monthly until Ecuador breaks even. Ecuador has a new government and with that comes conflicts. They have an excellent government system working for them, but as in every society someone wants to change that. Ecuador is working on convincing some of the old institutions that the government they have now is good. The government is doing good things for the economy by helping reducing the number of the poor. Ecuador†s economy will probable thrive as soon as the bugs are worked out of the system. A volcano threat in Ecuador has forced many individuals to leave their homes. The Tungurahua volcano, located about 120 miles south of Ecuador†s capital Quito, blanketed the area with ash. The Tungurahua volcano is 5,000 meters high and it spews about 10,000 tons of vapor a day. Many experts believe there is an 80% chance that the Tungurahua volcano will erupt. Only minor eye irritations and respiratory problems have been reported as a result of the volcanic gases and activity. Economic development seems to be doing well along with the reduction of poverty since the new constitution was established in 1998. Although I would have liked to have a law that even though primary and secondary education is free-that it is required one attends until a certain age. With a lot of Ecuador†s economy based on agriculture I am concerned that even though education is free, one†s children may not be able to attend due to the need to be on the farm. Education coincides with poverty reduction so I find that the two go hand in hand. Poverty can not be solved in one day, but I do think that education is the right approach. I think there should programs set up to go to the older population and help educate them as well so that they understand why it is important for their children to receive and education. Ecuador is a complicated country with many strong attributes. The country essentially is starting over with a new government, which will take time for everyone to adjust. Ecuador†s economic data and social indicators look good for Ecuador†s future.

Alred Hitchcock essays

Alred Hitchcock essays Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born in London on August 13, 1899. His father, William Hitchcock, a grocer, and his mother, Emma Whelan Hitchcock, brought him up. As a young boy he loved to travel, and by the time he was eight he had ridden every bus line in London and explored all of its docks and shipping terminals. His parents were devoted Catholics and made sure their son had a proper upbringing. He attended St. Ignatius College, a Jesuit preparatory school in London, where he started on a course that would prepare him to become an electrical engineer. He eventually was forced to give up his courses at the University of London to help support his family by working as a technical clerk in a cable-manufacturing company. Not to be deterred, he rose from the lowly job to the advertising department. But Alfred had a love for movies. He set out for a job in the filmmaking industry. In 1920, his first break came. With help from an actor, he was able to get a job as a title designer and before long he became head of the titling section of a newly organized American firm. By 1923, he was a scenario writer for Gainsborough Pictures in Islington, England, and that same year he saw his first credit as art director for a film called Woman to Woman. This came after he had tried his hand at directing a comedy about London low-life called Number Thirteen in 1922. The star of the picture, Clare Greet, put up some of the money for the project. However, it wasnt enough to sustain it and the film was never completed. He later became co-director on the film Always Tell Your Wife after the films original director became ill and could not complete shooting. He then acted as designer, script collaborator, and assistant director for two different films, The White Shadow (1923) and The Passionate Adventure (1924). A year later Hitchcock got his first break. He was asked to direct The Pleasure Garden, which would be his first c...

Executive Orders Definition and Application

Executive Orders Definition and Application A presidential executive order (EO) is a directive issued to federal agencies, department heads, or other federal employees by the President of the United States under his statutory or constitutional powers. In many ways, presidential executive orders are similar to written orders, or instructions issued by the president of a corporation to its department heads or directors. Thirty days after being published in the Federal Register, executive orders take effect. While they do bypass the U.S. Congress and the standard legislative law making process, no part of an executive order may direct the agencies to conduct illegal or unconstitutional activities. Brief History or Executive Orders The first recognized executive order was issued by President George Washington on June 8, 1789, in the form of a letter to the heads of all federal departments instructing them to â€Å"impress me with a full, precise, and distinct general idea of the affairs of the United States.† Since then, all U.S. presidents, with the exception of William Henry Harrison have issued executive orders, ranging from presidents Adams, Madison and Monroe, who issued only one each, to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who issued 3,522 executive orders. The practice of numbering and officially documenting executive orders as such did not begin until 1907 when the Department of State instituted the present-day numbering system. Applying the system retroactively, the agency designated the â€Å"Executive Order Establishing a Provisional Court in Louisiana,† issued by President Abraham Lincoln on October 20, 1862, as â€Å"United States Executive Order 1.† Perhaps the most impactful and certainly most famous executive order was the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, directing all agencies of the federal government to treat the 3.5 million African American slaves being held in the seceded Confederate states as free men and women.   Reasons for Issuing Executive Orders Presidents typically issue executive orders for one of these purposes:1. Operational management of the executive branch2. Operational management of federal agencies or officials3. To carry out statutory or constitutional presidential responsibilities Notable Executive Orders In 1970, President Richard Nixon used this executive order to establish a new federal agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under the Department of Commerce.Shortly after the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, directing the internment of more than 120,000 Japanese-Americans, many of whom were U.S. citizens.In reaction to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush issued this executive order combining over 40 federal law enforcement agencies and creating the Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security.As one of his first official actions, President Obama issued an executive order that some claimed allowed him to hide his personal records - like his birth certificate - from the public. In fact, the order had a very different goal. During his first 100 days in office, 45th President Donald Trump issued more executive orders than any other recent president. Many of President Trump’s early executive orders were intended to fulfill his campaign promises by undoing several policies of his predecessor President Obama. Among the most significant and controversial of these executive orders were: Executive Order Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActEO No. 13765 Signed: Jan. 20, 2017: The order reversed provisions of the Affordable Care Act - Obamacare - which he had promised to â€Å"repeal and replace† during the campaign.Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United StatesEO No. 13768 Signed Jan. 25, 2017: The order, intended to reduce illegal immigration, denied federal grant money to so-called sanctuary cities.Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United StatesEO No. 13769 signed Jan. 27, 2017: The order temporarily suspended immigration from the Muslim-majority countries of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia Can Executive Orders be Overridden or Withdrawn? The president can amend or retract his or her own  executive order at any time. The president may also issue an executive order superseding or nullifying executive orders issued by former presidents. New incoming presidents may choose to retain the executive orders issued by their predecessors, replace them with new ones of their own, or revoke the old ones completely. In extreme cases, Congress may pass a law that alters an executive order, and they can be declared unconstitutional and vacated by the Supreme Court. Executive Orders vs. Proclamations Presidential proclamations differ from executive orders in that they are either ceremonial in nature or deal with issues of trade and may or may not carry legal effect. Executive orders have the legal effect of a law. Constitutional Authority for Executive Orders Article II, section 1 of the U.S. Constitution reads, in part, The executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America. And, Article II, section 3 asserts that  The President shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed... Since the Constitution does not specifically define executive power, critics of executive orders argue that these two passages do not imply constitutional authority. But, presidents of the United States since George Washington have argued that they do and have used them accordingly. Modern Use of Executive Orders Until World War I, executive orders were used for relatively minor, usually unnoticed acts of state. That trend changed drastically with the  passage of the War Powers Act of 1917. This act passed during WWI granted the president temporary powers to immediately enact laws regulating trade, economy, and other aspects of policy as they pertained to enemies of America. A key section of the War Powers act also contained language specifically excluding American citizens from its effects. The War Powers Act remained in effect and unchanged until 1933 when a freshly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt found America in the panic stage of the Great Depression. The first thing FDR did was to convene a special session of Congress where he introduced a bill amending the War Powers Act to remove the clause excluding American citizens from being bound by its effects. This would allow the president to declare national emergencies and unilaterally enact laws to deal with them. This massive amendment was approved by both houses of Congress in less than 40 minutes without debate. Hours later, FDR officially declared the depression a national emergency and started issuing a string of executive orders that effectively created and implemented his famed New Deal policy. While some of FDRs actions were, perhaps, constitutionally questionable, history now acknowledges them as having helped to avert the peoples growing panic and starting our economy on its way to recovery. Presidential Directives and Memorandums Same as Executive Orders Occasionally, presidents issue orders to executive branch agencies through presidential directives or presidential memorandums, instead of executive orders. In January 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement declaring presidential directives (memorandums) to have exactly the same effect as executive orders. A presidential directive has the same substantive legal effect as an executive order. It is the substance of the presidential action that is determinative, not the form of the document conveying that action, wrote acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Randolph D. Moss. Both an executive order and a presidential directive remain effective upon a change in administration unless otherwise specified in the document, and both continue to be effective until subsequent presidential action is taken.

RP 3.2 Online Ethical Business project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

RP 3.2 Online Ethical Business project - Essay Example The particular phone is then shipped to the buyer within 1-5 days depending on their location. The business will be aimed at providing services to customers while not infringing on the customer privacy and the Digital Copyright Act (SBA, 2013). The business will therefor comply with all the legal considerations and requirement for an online business. Some of these requirement include the fact that, the business will be duly registered as an online business by the national and the local authorities for the issues of tax remittance. To our customers, we will comply with the customer privacy regulations of not sharing their vital and personal information with any other entity and we will ensure that the customers’ personal information remains personal and private. Just like in every business, we will be faced with a stiff competition in the market. We’re aware of the already existing well established companies that deal do online cell phone retailing. Some of the major players in this market include Amazon, Mobile city online, OLX and others. However, that will not encourage us from operating and having our own market niche and create our customer base. We will involve in thorough advertisement through social media, television and magazines in order to increase our popularity. We will ensure that we collaborate with phone manufacturers so that we be among the first people to sell the newly released phone models. This way, we will be able to attract more clients who are in the category of those who would want to be the first to use such new models (James, 2012). We will then win our customers through this strategy and ensure we sell online high quality phones in order to stay on top of competition. For the start, the business will only be able to serve the clients in the United Kingdom. Here, it will be able to at least meet the cost of delivering the purchased phones to the

The Relationship Between Business Ethics and Organizational Culture Essay

The Relationship Between Business Ethics and Organizational Culture - Essay Example Research into cultural variables has been carried out and the outcome reveals that the ethical perception of an organization is dependent on its organizational behavior. Other researchers have also revealed that employees’ behavior is hugely influenced by value system organizational culture. It has been discovered that unethical and illegal conduct by corporate agents has a huge capability of creating adverse effects on the immediate stakeholders. Culture is perceived to be just one of the variables that influence an organization as a whole but with very significant effects. The leadership and members of an organization have a big role to play in constructing, enforcing and retaining the culture within their organization since culture can easily be manipulated by these very same people. Organizational culture can be viewed from various approaches. The first approach involves a traditional perspective; this involves objectives matter such as: rituals, symbolism and tales. Secon dly, it can be viewed from an interpretive perspective; this involves the study of how members of a given organization could be having a common subjective meaning towards the organization. Lastly, organizational culture can be viewed from a critical-interpretive perspective; this involves the study of the common subjective meanings within an organization and the possible struggles for power that could be brought about by the competition among the subjective meaning. Although there are a few commonalities, organizational culture widely varies from one organization to another. Enron Corporation was once one of the most successful corporations with almost everything handled in the correct manner. It was known for its comprehensive management control and a proper system of governance which led the corporation to winning several awards in acknowledgement of the same. However things started getting out of hand in the company when unethical organizational culture found its way into the fir m. The poor organizational culture involved emergence of irregularities in the financial statements of the firm and embezzlement of funds in the form of using company working capital for personal purposes that are not included in the company budget. The case of Enron provides a firsthand example of how inadequate attention to alteration in cultural practices and leadership of a firm can results to its downfall despite there being a proper management system in place. This is a clear indication that the effectives of variables such as proper management system control heavily rely on an organization’s leadership and culture. Under the tenure of Richard Kinder as the company chief executive officer, the company incurred bad losses which led to some of the investors withdrawing their investments from the company. However, Richard Kinder was well known for his high levels in discipline in handling matters involving both employees and figures. He kept the business unit leaders on to es with numerous challenges. He also kept a close look on matters pertaining to expenses, cash flows and employee levels. But all this did not yield any positive results in preventing the company from incurring losses. However, things changed drastically with the appointment of Jeffrey Skilling as the new chief executive officer to replace Richard Kinder. The organizational culture of the company was also set to change widely with the introduction of a new chief executi