Essay on Jeff Bezos and Amazon Ceo

Essay on Jeff Bezos and Amazon Ceo Essay on Jeff Bezos and Amazon Ceo Amazon.com is the leading online book retailer. The company also has an array of products and services available to its customer. So why did Amazon venture into the E- Grocery Market? This paper will address this question, using a peer reviewed article named, â€Å"Amazon’s Foray into the E-Grocery Market,† and the strategic concepts discussed in the assigned weekly reading. According to Devi, six months after opening in July 1995, Amazon.Com offered one-million book titles through its website and posted net sales of $511,000. But, after accounting for operating expenses, it incurred a net loss of $303,000. (Devi, 2008) This loss did not deter Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, who believed that his fledgling business would succeed. Mr. Bezos continue to work diligently to make Amazon better. By 1996 he had hired about 151 employees and had 2.5 million titles online. Although the business had grown, Amazon.com still suffered a net loss of $5.7 million because the company spent more on shipping the books to the customers. (Devi, 2008) Amazon also faced fierce online competition rivalries during the same year. According to Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, competition rivalry, is an ongoing set of competitive action and responses that occurs among firms as they maneuver toward an advantageous market position†( Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2011, p.130). Company li ke BookStacks, BookZone, and Internet Bookshop, were a few of the competitors that made it hard for Amazon.com to gain a competitive advantage. In order to gain a competitive advantage, Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos knew he had to adjust his company operational strategies. According to Devi, Amazon had three operational strategies; cost-leadership, customer differentiation and focus strategy. Cost-leadership; this strategy was employed by Amazon to differentiate itself primarily on the basis of price. The strategy made sure that Amazon offers the same quality products as other companies for a considerably less price. (Devi, 2008) Amazon second strategy was customer differentiation. â€Å"This strategy ensured that Amazon provides current and potential customers, differentiation through design, quality or convenience and Amazon.com always selects a differentiator that is different from other competitors, so that its consumers can recognize and differentiate its product from competitors†(Devi, 2008, p. 64). The last strategy Amazon used was focus strategy. This strategy takes one of the two earlier strategies and applies it t o a niche within the market (Saunders, 2001; pp.122-123). â€Å"Amazon.com focuses on outstanding customer service as a niche but not the whole market because each niche has its own demand and requirement† (Devi, 2008, p. 64). Jeff Bezos knew that he needed to grow his company; therefore, he took advantage of every opportunity to do just that. He teamed his company with Target Corporation, Circuit City, Borders, Walden, Waterstones and CDNOW to sell its books and other products on its behalf online. He also partnered with Toys R Us, expanded its choice of merchandise well beyond its core line of books, music, and videos, and added new technology to improve customer relations. (Devi, 2008) Mr. Bezos wanted Amazon.com to offer customers everything they could dream of online. Although, Amazon offered a variety of merchandise and services, online groceries was something it did not. Amazon CEO saw this as another opportunity for his company to grow by using it to provide something to the customers that the competition could not. This action is also known as Competitive Behavior, â€Å"which is the set of competitive actions and responses the firms takes to build or defend it competitive advantages and improve it marketing position† (Hitt, et al., 2011, p.130). So in 2006, Amazon

Thesis vs. Dissertation. How to Tell One From The Other

Thesis vs. Dissertation. How to Tell One From The Other If youve considered grad school- or simply know someone who has an advanced degree- youve likely heard about theses and dissertations. Both are long research papers that a student submits at the conclusion of his or her studies. Such papers are required in order to earn an advanced degree. But whats the difference between the two? Are the terms interchangeable? Heres the low-down. Are Theses and Dissertations the Same? According to thesaurus.com, thesis and dissertation are synonyms. Either word can be used to refer to a written discourse. Discourse is just a fancy word for a formal discussion (written or oral). Technically, the paper you write during your senior seminar as an undergrad is also a discourse. However, for clarity, people have come to use specific words to refer to papers at each level of education. An undergraduate usually writes a research paper for the senior project. A masters candidate writes a thesis. A doctoral candidate writes a dissertation. An easy way to keep the two graduate papers straight is to remember that both doctorate and dissertation start with a d. The goal of such papers, regardless of your academic level, is to assess what youve learned over the course of your school career. The paper begins with an idea that you have about something in your field. You would then do research on this subject so that you can find supporting literature or otherwise prove your idea. Along the way, your adviser will help you plan your research and guide you through any hurdles you encounter as you work on the paper. Ultimately, youll be judged on your ability to conduct research, your general knowledge of the subject matter, and your writing skills. The Differences Between Theses and Dissertations So are both papers exactly the same? Not really. Or, more accurately, not necessarily. The guidelines for a research paper vary from one educational institution to the next. Because a masters degree is one step below a doctorate, most schools have less stringent guidelines for the thesis, as you might expect. But a thesis at one university might be quite different from the thesis at another. All schools have their own standards and length requirements. Moreover, the requirements for a paper in one discipline of study can be quite different from those for another discipline. For example, an M.S. student may be required to perform some type of experiment or conduct a study that requires human participation, whereas this would be unusual for an M.A. in English or history. What Is a Thesis? In a thesis writing, your basic task is to analyze the previous works of established thinkers in your field. For example, if youre studying psychology, you may posit that an absent or inattentive father has a serious impact on his female children in terms of their ability to form healthy romantic relationships. You would then find existing literature that proves your hypothesis. Once you have finished drafting the paper, you will submit it to your adviser for a preliminary review. After youve made the suggested revisions, you will submit the new draft to a department head or director, who will approve or reject the paper. Keep in mind that most masters candidates who have followed the guidelines and worked diligently are not rejected. Approval is necessary for the awarding of the final degree. Dissertations Defined A dissertation asks a bit more of the student. Instead of focusing on the works of others to back up your idea, you will be presenting your own original ideas. Dissertation writing is more like an expert (you) writing a book. A committee will review your work, and then you will be appointed a time to defend your idea before them. The members of the committee will ask you in-depth questions about what youve written and how you developed your ideas. The panel may request revisions to the dissertation, after which you would go through another defense. Once the paper is approved, you will be qualified to earn your doctorate degree. Heres a simplified way of illustrating the difference between a masters thesis and a doctoral dissertation: A masters candidate could theoretically make his or her case by using the dissertation of another. Now that you know more about theses and dissertations, you can feel more confident about your applications to grad school, knowing what will be expected of you.

SCRUM METHODS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SCRUM METHODS - Assignment Example PMO members frequently view themselves as supporters and protectors of the practice. PMO, therefore, can help spread and implement flexible project management skills across the organization. The Scrum PMO scatters project management functions among team, the product owner, and the Scrum Master. 1a.There is a great deal to implementing Scrum that will be unfamiliar and new to many members of the team. The PMO, thus, can be of great assistance in designing a training program, picking outside instructors to offer the training, or providing the training themselves. Training is facilitated by the Program Officer. 1b.In most corporations with a PMO, there is commonly a weekly report or meeting on each project’s status with the head of department. Where a meeting is held, appropriate project personnel must attend it, for instance, the Scrum Master or product owner. In the case of a weekly, regular status report, the Project Management Office can help in organizing the report. The project manager is responsible for this function. The project manager also assists in controlling the rate upon which new projects stream into the development organization. As custodians of the process, PMO members work closely with the Scrum Masters of the organization to guarantee Scrum is executed over and above it can be. Scrum Master refers to a facilitator and coach for a team utilizing Scrum, helping the Scrum team to stay alert on the goals of the project and removing obstacles along the way. The work of a Scrum Master is to deliver utmost value to the consumer. A highly efficient Scrum Master accomplishes this by ascertaining that all concerned have the necessary resources; are protected from interruptions and distractions, and are communicating well. 2a.Scrum Masters work with Product Owners to provide a balance and check between maintaining efficiency and high quality, and getting more done. The

The Role of Public Opinion in the Downfall of Policies The 1990 Poll Essay

The Role of Public Opinion in the Downfall of Policies The 1990 Poll Tax and the First Employment Contract 2006 - Essay Example The following discussion will explore the theory behind the rights assertion of citizens in reaction to unfair laws and policy reforms of the government, which is becoming very important to the validation of public policy. It is then going to consider the problems that the Conservative Government experienced with the Poll Tax in the 1990s and the French Government in respect to the First Employment Contract 2006. In this section it will illustrate how public opinion doomed these policies to the scrapheap. Carney has proposed that pressure groups have embarked on using the legal system for alternative methods than just setting precedent or using judicial review for ulterior motives than questioning the rule of law. This has occurred because the present legal system does not provide sufficient protection for the environment and he considers three theories of how pressure groups use the legal system which are; as a surrogate political process (Sax); adjunct to the political process; and rights assertion (Dworkin and Rawls). The following section will consider; each of these theories; the application that Carney proposes; and whether the theories of empowerment and grassroots movements provides any insight into providing environmental rights as sufficient access to justice against unfair public policy. The Surrogate Political Process theory argues that courts are completely independent from the political and as Sax argues that it is the only method of social reform that is not possible in the political arena of lobbying and the competing of interests.1 This is the radical form of the argument; however there is a more traditional line of argument as illustrated by Carney: The ability to operate as a surrogate political process the courts must have values which promote a different agenda to that which is being promoted by the traditional political process, and have the ability to ensure that these values are ultimately accepted in the traditional political process.2 The problem with this argument for the political/legal process is that it is not viable in the English Legal System, because of parliamentary sovereignty and the unwritten constitution because the English courts do not have the power to quash laws that are inconsistent with the constitution. In France, however, this is a possibility therefore extreme public reaction as to the First Employment Contract 2006 can result in the laws being quashed by the Courts. Therefore the government before losing in the courts in jurisdictions, such as France, will retract their public policy because of the ultimate failure of the policy due to the unfairness to the public. Adjunct to Political Process: This thesis recognizes the limitations of the court's ability to effect significant social change by itself - rather litigation is seen as another campaign tool - or in the words of David Robinson3 an arrow in the quiver. As a campaign tool litigation can serve a number of purposes. It may if successful legitimize the goal [of the Pressure Group] It may

Father Brown vs Brother Cadfael Essay Example for Free

Father Brown vs Brother Cadfael Essay Father Brown and Brother Cadfael were both men of the church who were put into situations where they needed to solve some sort of crime. Unmistakably the two had similarities in how they solve the crime. Who would have been better to solve a crime than a man of God? They had their differences in how they did their job as well. Most of all, they had the biggest difference, which is the dissimilarity in what they believed. They didn’t solve the same crime, but how they did it was similar in certain ways. Brother Cadfael and Father Brown were both crime-solving men, who had some similarities. They were both behind the scenes doing work, as they tried to find clues in there own way. Ultimately Brown was more observant with his listening, while Cadfael was more observant with his sight and his touch. They were very similar in some ways and both wanted to get the job done. The notably natural detectives both share the want to solve the crime. Although they have many similarities, they also have many differences. Cadfael and Brown undoubtedly had the want to solve the crime, but how they solve it is the difference. Naturally, the two â€Å"detectives† have a lot of differences ranging from a variety of things. Cadfael had to touch the body and had to get into the nitty gritty work, while Brown listened and observed from a distance. Brown could find out who did it and what happened fairly quickly while it took Cadfael much longer to understand what happened and who did it. Cadfael had a rough life in the army and joined ministry because he wanted a quiet life. He did not join in because he wanted to serve the Lord. Brown loves the lord and people and that was a big difference between the two. Brown was very observant and knows different characteristics, such as on page 84 in the story â€Å"the salad of Cornel Cray† Brown says â€Å"real madmen always encourages their own morbidity. They never strive against it. But you are trying to find traces of the burglar; even when there aren’t any. You are struggling against it. You want what no man wants. † This insists that Brown knew far more about people’s habits than Cadfael did. The two of them had a lot of differences and they were as close to opposite as you could get. They had differences of solving the case but also in how they view what was going on. There way of the solving the case was different and so was their world view. Brown wanted to solve the crime and to make the world a better place, while Cadfael just wanted to get it over with so that he can go back to his peaceful life. Specifically, Cadfael was a man from the army before his life in the church. All Cadfael wanted was a life of peace, especially from his service to his country. Cadfael had felt no remorse from the men he had killed. Cadfael wasn’t doing some of the work for God he was doing the work for himself. Brown was doing what he did for God and so that the world would be a better place, and not for his own good. The cautious but completely clever Father Brown had a sense of heart, when a war hero was the bad guy he didn’t do anything because he didn’t want to bring disgrace to a national hero. Cadfael would possibly want the glory to be brought to him, and Brown would want everything be solved, they are very different on their view of how things work. Father Brown and Brother Cadfael were crime solving, God following men. Under one God they serviced. They were alike in some ways. Also they were different in many ways. When it came to their worldview, the two of them were very far apart. When it came to crime solving they had a few similarities. They also had lots of differences and each had their own advantage in that case. When it comes down to the point they get the job done. Altogether they both had their strengths and weaknesses. The aggressive detectives always did get the job done.

evilmac Comparing the Evil of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay -- compa

Comparing the Evil of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth       â€Å"At the heart of William Shakespeare's Macbeth is an examination of the nature of evil and it's many faces and facets†(Cathell 119). The principal evil characters in the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, are both evil, but the manifestation of evil is different in each.    Macbeth's evil is a dynamic character trait. He begins the play as a celebrated hero, loyal to his friends and dedicated to his king. He is strong and noble, a man to be admired by his audience. Macbeth and Banquo are visited by the three witches, who promise him that he will be king. This veiled intimation ignites a secret ambition within Macbeth. Evil has dawned within him, but at this early stage of his transformation Macbeth is ashamed of his evil urges. He says,    Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires; The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (Shakespeare I, iv, 50)    Soon, however, Macbeth is overcome by his ambition and his fall begins. He says,   I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only    Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/ and falls on the other. (Shakespeare I, vii, 25)       As soon as the descision to murder Duncan is made, and until his death, Macbeth is a vessel relentlessly filling with evil. Macbeth is the source of all the dastardly deeds in this play. The witches ignite his evil ambition, Lady Macbeth stokes the fire, but the blame for Duncan's murder rests squarely on the shoulders of Macbeth. Macbeth may not have held the knives that killed Banquo or Macduff's family, but the agression is his.    Lady Macbeth does not descen... ...waits, Macbeth rushes to violence. His evil is brutal and impatient. His weakness is his inability to control his mind.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Cathell, A.L. "The Diabolic Evil in Macbeth" in Shakespeare Survey: Volume 5. Edited by Allardyce Nicoll Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996    Elliot, G.R. "Introduction: On `Macbeth' as Apex of Shakspearean Tragedy" in Shakespearean Criticism, Volume 3. Edited by Laurie Harris (Gale: 1984)    McElroy, Bernard, "`Macbeth': The torture of the Mind" in Shakespearean Criticism, Volume 3. Edited by Laurie Harris (Gale:1984)    Ribner, Irving. "Macbeth: The Pattern of Idea and Action," in Shakespearean Criticism, Volume 3. Edited by Laurie Harris (Gale:1984)    Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by Norman Sanders. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984)   

Imperialism of United States in the Philippines

After its defeat in the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain ceded its longstanding colony of the Philippines to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. On February 4, 1899, just two days before the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, fighting broke out between American forces and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers.The ensuing Philippine-American War lasted three years and resulted in the death of over 4,200 American and over 20,000 Filipino combatants. As many as 200,000 Filipino civilians died from violence, famine, and disease. The decision by U.S. policymakers to annex the Philippines was not without domestic controversy. Americans who advocated annexation evinced a variety of motivations: desire for commercial opportunities in Asia, concern that the Filipinos were incapable of self-rule, and fear that if the United States did not take control of the islands, another power (such as Germany or Japan) might do so.Meanwhile, American opposition to U.S. colonial rule of the Philippines came in many forms, ranging from those who thought it morally wrong for the United States to be engaged in colonialism, to those who feared that annexation might eventually permit the non-white Filipinos to have a role in American national government. Others were wholly unconcerned about the moral or racial implications of imperialism and sought only to oppose the policies of President William McKinley’s administration.After the Spanish-American War, while the American public and politicians debated the annexation question, Filipino revolutionaries under Aguinaldo seized control of most of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and proclaimed the establishment of the independent Philippine Republic. When it became clear that U.S. forces were intent on imposing American colonial control over the islands, the early clashes between the two sides in 1899 swelled into an all-out war. Americans tended to refer to the ensuing conflict as an â€Å"insurrection† rather than acknowledge the Filipinos’ contention that they were fighting to ward off a foreign invader.

Motivating Middle School Boys Essay

Abstract Middle school is a time of physical, emotional and social change for boys. When students hit middle school, academics tend to take a back seat to all of the new activity in their lives. For boys, middle school is increasingly difficult. In addition to the physical and emotional changes, the academic curriculum becomes more challenging and rigid. This does not align with a typical boy’s learning style. Many boys in middle school are struggling through hard times at home. Situations may include challenges such as little to no parental support, poverty, and malnutrition. With all of the possible circumstances disrupting their home lives, it is hard for these boys to concentrate on how to solve an equation in math class. Teachers need to motivate boys by providing relevant, hands-on curriculum. Three ways that teachers can do this is by including family members in the classroom, using friendly competition in the form of games and contests, and by relating mathematical lessons and material to real-life situations and interests that the boys might have. Introduction By seventh grade, most students have had years of poor attendance, little parental support, and many other issues related to poverty. They simply do not see the importance of mathematics in everyday life and how math can lead to better things for them. Males, in particular, want to continue the lifestyle they were raised in; showing little to no effort when it comes to the math classroom. This paper discusses three reasons why mathematics teachers should incorporate meaningful motivation strategies as a tool to motivate middle school males in the mathematics classroom. Including Family in the Classroom. One way that teachers can help to motivate boys in the middle school classroom is to include their families in the classroom. The relationship between family and school influences the academic achievement of middle school students. These family relationships and parental involvement mold students’ educational development drastically. Murdock and Miller (2003) refer to family as a major influence in how middle school boys deal with learning, peers, and motivation. They state â€Å"families play the most important role in students’ lives as they transition from elementary school to middle school†. The absence of a parent can play a very important role in the success of a student, so when the student sees that there is a connection between the classroom and their family, they are motivated to succeed. Middle school math teachers should try their best to create a sense of family cohesion and teamwork in the classroom. Teachers can do this by always making sure parents are aware of what is happening in the classroom, keeping the lines of communication open, and even incorporating projects that might need the student to work with a member of their family to complete it. Haim Ginott’s theory of congruent communication states that teachers should always use communication that is harmonious with students’ feelings about situations (Charles, 2008). This can be applied to idea of including families in the classroom because teachers need to keep the lines of communication open not only with their students, but with their students’ families. By taking the time to talk to students about situations arising in the classroom, it will be easy for teachers to communicate with parents about similar situations and the lack of motivation within the classroom. When students know that their families are involved in their academics, they are more inclined to succeed in the classroom. Introduce Competition Next, a second way that teachers can help to motivate middle school boys while in the classroom is to include the use of different games and contests. Most boys respond well to competition with their peers. They will force one another to greater speeds, improved accuracy and higher achievement in the name of winning. Boys thrive on competition, so any type of game or activity that allows them to go against a peer in a competitive manner will motivate them to perform. In the following quote, Conti explains why he believes that competitions in the math classroom can spark an interest in math for boys. â€Å"Mathematics competitions are probably the extracurricular academic programs with the widest participation. The most immediate value of these math contests is obvious – they pique students’ interest in mathematics and encourage them to value intellectual pursuits. Boys love games, and many will turn just about any activity into a contest, or in other words, something to get good at. Math contests thus inspire them to become good at mathematics just like sports encourage physical fitness. Eventually, students put aside the games. By then, hopefully an interest in the underlying activity has developed† (Conti, 2001). Teachers should create competitions by having students race against one another to solve math problems or turning a test review into a basketball game, allowing students to shoot a basket for every correct answer. The teacher could also place students in groups and award points based on certain behaviors and completed tasks. A prize would be awarded to the group with the highest score at the end of the week. Jacob Kounin would agree with this point based on his theory of lesson momentum and withitness. Kounin believes that classroom teachers should be able to do a multitude of things at one time, including presenting motivating and engaging lessons, managing the class, and being aware of the classroom surroundings (Charles, 2008). He states that good teachers keep students from getting bored or otherwise frustrated with lessons. By including competition in the form of games and contests in the classroom, the teacher is able to keep the boys motivated with a lesson while still controlling the needs of the class. When boys know they have a chance to show off their skills by winning something, they will immediately become engaged and motivated to participate. Provide Connections to Real-Life Therefore, a third way that middle school math teachers can motivate boys within the classroom is to connect the material to real-life applications. Students, particularly those who come from backgrounds that undervalue education, will benefit from this strategy. Stein (1993) expressed his belief in real-world connections revolving around math lessons by stating â€Å"Because students often feel that mathematics is the subject least relevant to their daily lives, it is an important arena in which teachers can attempt to incorporate students’ funds of knowledge in the context of culturally relevant mathematics instruction†. For middle school boys, school itself is often the least important factor in their lives. Teachers can tap into their focus by relating topics to important interests in their lives. One way for teachers to do that is to use democratic teaching; a theory of Rudolf Dreikurs. Democratic teaching occurs in a classroom in which the teacher and students work together to make decisions about how the class will function (Charles, 2008). This applies to the idea of connecting math with real-world situations. Students want to know how what they are learning will benefit them in their future lives. By brainstorming different topics and careers that the students are interested in, the teacher can then develop lessons that explain how those interests or careers are affected by mathematics. Teachers should show boys how math affects their everyday lives in areas such as: household maintenance, calculating car mileage, budgeting, making larger purchases (cars and houses), or solving problems that are important to them. Connecting math to future careers can also help to motivate boys in math class. Many unmotivated boys do not realize the importance of math for success in college or the role that math plays in careers that are not overtly math-oriented. Stein also claimed that by using problems that interest and excite the students’ curiosity, students are keen to develop important problem-solving strategies. These strategies can be applied in everyday situations, not just in the mathematics classroom. Conclusion The use of meaningful and male-related motivational strategies in middle school mathematics classrooms are a great way to motivate and help boys succeed. Most boys are very intelligent when it comes to numbers and math, however it may seem â€Å"too cool† to get good grades and to apply yourself. Middle school is where students generally begin to find themselves, and a determined teacher can help to motivate students to choose the right path. A teacher’s responsibility is to make sure they have done everything in their power to help their students succeed. This means reaching out to parents, changing lessons to fit the needs of the unmotivated students in the classroom, and changing your classroom management strategies to help engage and excite the students. With little to no parental support or guidance for many boys in the classroom, a male math teacher may be exactly what these boys need. But will these same strategies work with a female math teacher? References: Charles, C. M. (2008). Twentieth-Century Pioneers in Classroom Discipline. Building Classroom Discipline (Ninth Edition). Boston: Pearson. Conti, R. , Collins, M. A. , & Picariello, M. L. (2001). The impact of competition on intrinsic motivation and creativity: Considering gender, gender segregation  and gender role orientation. Personality and Individual Differences, 31(8), 1273- 1289 Grossman, H. (2004). Classroom behavior management for diverse and inclusive schools. (3rd edition). Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. Murdock, T. , Miller, A. (2003). Teachers as Sources of Middle School Students’ Motivational Identity: Variable-Centered and Person-Centered Analytic Approaches. The Elementary School Journal, 103(4), 383-399. Stein, S. L. (1993). Young’s vision. The Mathematics Teacher, 86, 330-333.

shakespeare1 essays

shakespeare1 essays How little is the cost I have bestowed in purchasing the semblance of my soul,(3.5.19-20) is where the heart of this play is in my eyes. Portia doing what she can for her one true love, Bassanio. Money is of no importance to her especially when it comes to the happiness or unhappiness of Bassanio. There are many places in the Merchant of Venice that show Portia and Bassanios indifference, and what seems to be apathy toward wealth. Many are hidden and many are as clear as day to the reader. I found that reading into The Merchant of Venice was a fun and interesting experience. The way Shakespeare wrote his plays makes people really think about what they are reading; it reminded me of a maze. Portia, an unspoiled Princess to riches, a Princess that doesnt need to think or worry about money. It is something she has an unimaginable amount of, yet it doesnt change who she is or what her values are. Her father seemed to instill in her that money isnt everything to everybody; how you care ab out people and values are what matter the most in life. When we first see Bassanio, he is telling Antonio of a secret trip he plans to take to win the heart of Portia; yet he has no means to get there due to his extravagant living which has left him in debt to others. At first money seems to be of some importance to Bassanio, but towards the middle of the play his thoughts seem to change. Although Portias father does not have a so-called character in The Merchant of Venice; his presence is definitely felt through Portias character, as well as the scrolls on the caskets. In doing this, Portias father in a way still had a hand helping to choose the right husband for his daughter. When each of the princes come to woo Portia and go into the casket room, they look for what would be the most creative answer in picking out the casket. The gold casket scroll reads Who chooseth me shall gain what many men...

A List of Radioactive Elements

A List of Radioactive Elements This is a list or table of elements that are radioactive. Keep in mind, all elements can have radioactive isotopes. If enough neutrons are added to an atom, it becomes unstable and decays. A good example of this is tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen naturally present at extremely low levels. This table contains the elements that have no stable isotopes. Each element is followed by the most stable known isotope and its half-life. Note increasing atomic number doesnt necessarily make an atom more unstable. Scientists predict there may be islands of stability in the periodic table, where superheavy transuranium elements may be more stable (although still radioactive) than some lighter elements.This list is sorted by increasing atomic number. Radioactive Elements Element Most Stable Isotope Half-lifeof Most Stable Istope Technetium Tc-91 4.21 x 106 years Promethium Pm-145 17.4 years Polonium Po-209 102 years Astatine At-210 8.1 hours Radon Rn-222 3.82 days Francium Fr-223 22 minutes Radium Ra-226 1600 years Actinium Ac-227 21.77 years Thorium Th-229 7.54 x 104 years Protactinium Pa-231 3.28 x 104 years Uranium U-236 2.34 x 107 years Neptunium Np-237 2.14 x 106 years Plutonium Pu-244 8.00 x 107 years Americium Am-243 7370 years Curium Cm-247 1.56 x 107 years Berkelium Bk-247 1380 years Californium Cf-251 898 years Einsteinium Es-252 471.7 days Fermium Fm-257 100.5 days Mendelevium Md-258 51.5 days Nobelium No-259 58 minutes Lawrencium Lr-262 4 hours Rutherfordium Rf-265 13 hours Dubnium Db-268 32 hours Seaborgium Sg-271 2.4 minutes Bohrium Bh-267 17 seconds Hassium Hs-269 9.7 seconds Meitnerium Mt-276 0.72 seconds Darmstadtium Ds-281 11.1 seconds Roentgenium Rg-281 26 seconds Copernicium Cn-285 29 seconds Nihonium Nh-284 0.48 seconds Flerovium Fl-289 2.65 seconds Moscovium Mc-289 87 milliseconds Livermorium Lv-293 61 milliseconds Tennessine Unknown Oganesson Og-294 1.8 milliseconds Where Do Radionuclides Come From? Radioactive elements form naturally, as a result of nuclear fission, and via intentional synthesis in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators. Natural Natural radioisotopes may remain from nucleosynthesis in stars and supernova explosions. Typically these primordial radioisotopes have half-lives so long they are stable for all practical purposes, but when they decay they form what are called secondary radionuclides. For example, primordial isotopes thorium-232, uranium-238, and uranium-235 can decay to form secondary radionuclides of radium and polonium. Carbon-14 is an example of a cosmogenic isotope. This radioactive element is continually formed in the atmosphere due to cosmic radiation. Nuclear Fission Nuclear fission from nuclear power plants and thermonuclear weapons produces radioactive isotopes called fission products. In addition, irradiation of surrounding structures and the nuclear fuel produces isotopes called activation products. A wide range of radioactive elements may result, which is part of why nuclear fallout and nuclear waste are so difficult to deal with. Synthetic The latest element on the periodic table have not been found in nature. These radioactive elements are produced in nuclear reactors and accelerators. There are different strategies used to form new elements. Sometimes elements are placed within a nuclear reactor, where the neutrons from the reaction react with the specimen to form desired products. Iridium-192 is an example of a radioisotope prepared in this manner. In other cases, particle accelerators bombard a target with energetic particles. An example of a radionuclide produced in an accelerator is fluorine-18. Sometimes a specific isotope is prepared in order to gather its decay product. For example, molybdenum-99 is used to produce technetium-99m. Commercially Available Radionuclides Sometimes the longest-lived half-life of a radionuclide is not the most useful or affordable. Certain common isotopes are available even to the general public in small quantities in most countries. Others on this list are available by regulation to professionals in industry, medicine, and science: Gamma Emitters Barium-133Cadmium-109Cobalt-57Cobalt-60Europium-152Manganese-54Sodium-22Zinc-65Technetium-99m Beta Emitters Strontium-90Thallium-204Carbon-14Tritium Alpha Emitters Polonium-210Uranium-238 Multiple Radiation Emitters Cesium-137Americium-241 Effects of Radionuclides on Organisms Radioactivity exists in nature, but radionuclides can cause radioactive contamination and radiation poisonin if find their way into the environment or an organism is over-exposed. The type of potential damage depends on the type and energy of the emitted radiation. Typically, radiation exposure causes burns and cell damage. Radiation can cause cancer, but it might not appear for many years following exposure. Sources International Atomic Energy Agency ENSDF database (2010).Loveland, W.; Morrissey, D.; Seaborg, G.T. (2006). Modern Nuclear Chemistry. Wiley-Interscience. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-471-11532-8.Luig, H.; Kellerer, A. M.; Griebel, J. R. (2011). Radionuclides, 1. Introduction. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. doi:10.1002/14356007.a22_499.pub2 ISBN 978-3527306732.Martin, James (2006). Physics for Radiation Protection: A Handbook. ISBN 978-3527406111.Petrucci, R.H.; Harwood, W.S.; Herring, F.G. (2002). General Chemistry (8th ed.). Prentice-Hall. p.1025–26.

Reasons for the Apparent Rise of New Religious Movements Assignment

Reasons for the Apparent Rise of New Religious Movements - Assignment Example The phenomenon behind new religious movements (NRMs) is, arguably, not new, since NRM is concerned with a groups of religious bodies or movements that entail an isolated and particular set of attributes, that have been assigned to the fringes of the dominant religious culture and by elements within the secular culture, in context of a set of religious movements that exist in a relatively contested society as a whole. It has been observed that "[m]any religious movements were born and prospered, either as the development of well-known religious traditions or as the result of a syncretic approach to different religions. In many cases their doctrines and practices differed widely from those of the mainstream religions: moreover, the "closed" structure of some of these groups, the unconventional behavior of their members, and some tragic events in which they were involved gave rise to considerable social alarm" (Ferrari, 2006, p.2). Thus, the NRMs have in many cases appropriated the anti -systemic feelings in an efficient manner and have successfully channelized into themselves in order to achieve their (un)declared goals vis--vis legitimate social and political institutions. II. When Religion Returns to a Haunted New World Order Interestingly, NRMs are often identified as 'sect' in a number of European languages "("secure" in French, "settle" in Italian, "sea" in Spanish, "Sekte" in German)" (Ferrari, 2006, p.2). Mostly, such sects are formed by a "group of dissenters who separated from a larger religious group" and popularly indicated as a collection of a "narrow-minded and fanatical group of people" (ibid, p.2).