The Deadly Tangshan Earthquake of 1976

At 3:42 a.m. on July 28, 1976, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the sleeping city of Tangshan, in northeastern China. The very large earthquake, striking an area where it was totally unexpected, obliterated the city of Tangshan and killed more than 240,000 people—making it the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century. Fireballs and Animals Give Warning Though scientific earthquake prediction is in its nascent stages, nature often gives some advance warning of an impending earthquake. In a village outside of Tangshan, well water reportedly rose and fell three times the day before the earthquake. In another village, gas began to spout out the water well on July 12 and then increased on July 25 and 26. Other wells throughout the area showed signs of cracking. Animals also gave a warning that something was about to happen. One thousand chickens in Baiguantuan refused to eat and ran around excitedly chirping. Mice and yellow weasels were seen running around looking for a place to hide. In one household in the city of Tangshan, a goldfish began jumping wildly in its bowl. At 2 a.m. on July 28, shortly before the earthquake struck, the goldfish jumped out of its bowl. Once its owner had returned him to his bowl, the goldfish continued to jump out of its bowl until the earthquake hit. Strange? Indeed. These were isolated incidents, spread across a city of a million people and a countryside scattered with villages. But nature gave additional warnings. During the night preceding the earthquake, many people reported seeing strange lights as well as loud sounds. The lights were seen in a multitude of hues. Some people saw flashes of light; others witnessed fireballs flying across the sky. Loud, roaring noises followed the lights and fireballs. Workers at the Tangshan airport described the noises as louder than that of an airplane. The Earthquake Strikes When the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Tangshan, more than 1 million people were sleeping, unaware of the impending disaster. As the earth began to shake, a few people who were awake had the forethought to dive under a table or other heavy piece of furniture, but most were asleep and did not have time. The entire earthquake lasted approximately 14 to 16 seconds. Once the quake was over, the people who could scrambled out into the open, only to see the entire city leveled. After an initial period of shock, the survivors began to dig through debris to answer the muffled calls for help as well as find loved ones still under rubble. As injured people were saved from under the rubble, they were lain on the side of the road. Many of the medical personnel were also trapped under debris or killed by the earthquake. The medical centers were destroyed, as were the roads to get there. Aftermath Survivors were faced with not having water, food, or electricity. All but one of the roads into Tangshan was impassible. Unfortunately, relief workers accidentally clogged the one remaining road, leaving them and their supplies stuck for hours in the traffic jam. People needed help immediately; survivors could not wait for help to arrive, so they formed groups to dig for others. They set up medical areas where emergency procedures were conducted with the minimum of supplies. They searched for food and set up temporary shelters. Though 80% of the people trapped under rubble were saved, a 7.1 magnitude aftershock that hit on the afternoon of July 28 sealed the fate for many who had been waiting under the rubble for help. After the earthquake hit, 242,419 people lay dead or dying, along with another 164,581 people who were severely injured. In 7,218 households, all members of the family were killed by the earthquake. Many experts have since suggested that the official loss of life was underestimated, that it is likely that closer to 700,000 people died. Corpses were buried quickly, usually close to the residences in which they perished. This later caused health problems, especially after it rained and the bodies were again exposed. Workers had to find these impromptu graves, dig up the bodies, and then move and rebury the corpses outside of the city. Damage and Recovery Before the 1976 earthquake, scientists didnt think Tangshan was susceptible to a large earthquake; thus, the area was zoned an intensity level of VI on the Chinese intensity scale (similar to the Mercalli scale). The 7.8 earthquake that hit Tangshan was given an intensity level of XI (out of XII). The buildings in Tangshan were not built to withstand such a large earthquake. Ninety-three percent of residential buildings and 78% of industrial buildings were completely destroyed. Eighty percent of the water pumping stations were seriously damaged and the water pipes were damaged throughout the city. Fourteen percent of the sewage pipes were severely damaged. The foundations of bridges gave way, causing the bridges to collapse. Railroad lines bent. Roads were covered with debris and were riddled with fissures. With so much damage, recovery was not easy. Food was a high priority. Some food was parachuted in, but the distribution was uneven. Water, even just for drinking, was extremely scarce. Many people drank out of pools or other locations that had become contaminated during the earthquake. Relief workers eventually got water trucks and others to transport clean drinking water into the affected areas. Political Perspective In August 1976, Chinese leader Mao Zedong (1893–1976) was dying and his Cultural Revolution was eroding in power. Some scholars believe that the Tangshan earthquake contributed to its downfall. Although science had taken a backseat in the Cultural Revolution since in its inception in 1966, seismology had become a new focus of research in China out of necessity. Between 1970 and 1976, the Chinese government reported predicting nine earthquakes. There was no such warning for Tangshan. The Mandate of Heaven is a long-established Han tradition that attributes unusual or freakish occurrences in the natural world such as comets, droughts, locusts, and earthquakes to a sign that the (divinely chosen) leadership is incompetent or undeserving. Recognizing that, in the wake of the successful earthquake predictions at Haicheng the previous year, Maos government touted its ability to predict and then respond to natural disasters. Tangshan was not predicted, and the size of the disaster made the response slow and difficult—a process significantly hindered by Maos complete rejection of foreign aid. Rebuild and Recent Research After the emergency care was given, the rebuilding of Tangshan began almost immediately. Though it took time, the entire city was rebuilt and is again home to over 1 million people, earning Tangshan the nickname Brave City of China. In the succeeding decades, the experiences of Tangshan have been used to improve earthquake predicting capabilities and the provision of medical support in major disasters. Additional research has also been focused on anomalous animal behaviors ahead of earthquakes, which have been widely documented. Sources and Further Reading Ash, Russell. The Top 10 of Everything, 1999. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 1998.Jin, Anshu, and Keiiti Aki. Temporal Change in Coda Q before the Tangshan Earthquake of 1976 and the Haicheng Earthquake of 1975. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 91.B1 (1986): 665–73.Palmer, James. Heaven Cracks, Earth Shakes: The Tangshan Earthquake and the Death of Mao. New York: Basic Books, 2012.  Ross, Lester. Earthquake Policy in China. Asian Survey 24.7 (1984): 773-–87.Sheng, Z. Y. Medical Support in the Tangshan Earthquake: A Review of the Management of Mass Casualties and Certain Major Injuries. The Journal of Trauma 27.10 (1987): 1130–35.Wang Jing-Ming and Joe J. Litehiser. The Distribution of Earthquake Damage to Underground Facilities During the 1976 Tang-Shan Earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 1.4 (1985):741–57.Wang, Jun, Juan Yang, and Bo Li. Pain of Disasters: The Educational Cost of Exogenous Shocks Evidence from Tangshan Earthquake in 1976. China E conomic Review 46 (2017): 27–49.Yong, Chen, et al. The Great Tangshan Earthquake of 1976: An Anatomy of Disaster. New York: Pergamon Press, 1988.

My Philosophy on Teaching Literature Essay - 1168 Words

My Philosophy in Teaching Literature I believe all children can learn to read in a classroom that is integrated with differentiated instruction and has a safe and engaging learning environment which is rich with a variety of literature to light that spark in the children to want to learn. I will make an effort to get to know my children in order to be able to provide a classroom library with nonfiction books to inform the inquiring mind, picture books for the artistic mind, and fiction books to entertain. All books will be chosen based on their curiosity, interest, personal connection, and learning profile, in order to attract and enchant the young readers into going back to the book area again and again. I am looking forward to having†¦show more content†¦The poem can be used in a lot of ways to implement other language arts activities but the highlight of this activity is coming up with silly or fun body movements to accompany the choral reading of the poem. Doing the body movements creates lots of laughter and giggling. The fun, being silly, and the laughter, relaxes the children, helping to being more receptive to soaking in new information. This also lights a spark in the students to learn the moves and memorize the poem so that they can share it with the family. I have seen students, who were struggling in memorizing the poem, asking a classmate to help them practice the poem and every day, during recess, the student would practice under the classmate’s watchful eye, making sure the poem was memorized correctly, so that the student can share it with the family. Seeing that, I realized that the poem is not only a wonderful introduction to literature and the language arts, but that it is also a very powerful connection to their parents, strong enough to motivate a child to forego recess and practice memorizing. Another favorite activity is picking a story that the whole class enjoyed very much during shared reading and performing a small part out of that story using very simple props that are easily available in the classroom. We will do this activity every three weeks or so. I will have literature circles, guided reading, and independent reading. We will have discussions as a class,Show MoreRelated My Philosophy of Teaching Essay examples1229 Words   |  5 Pages Philosophy of Education Our convictions border every aspect of our lives from the monumental to the minute; for example, we possess a complex system of thought governing how we function as moral members of an often amoral society, and we utilize an equally complex system concerning our devotion to a favorite television show. However, the process of actualizing a philosophy is daunting. We rarely externalize our beliefs. Why? 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What Is Modern Technology Provide to Us Free Essays

What is Modern Technology Provide to Us? â€Å"Technology begins with human nature,† this is a slogan what I believe. There is one question always appear in my mind, what does modern technology bring us? Since development of modern technology, more and more inventions appear. Modern technology was designed to meet human needs, and for convenience. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is Modern Technology Provide to Us or any similar topic only for you Order Now It cannot be denied that modern technology makes our life more convenient; however, modern technologies still bring greater inconvenience than convenience. Complex method of operation is one of the biggest problems when using the modern technology; for example: a millionaire bought a car from Europe to show his wealth, everyone could drive it easily by pushing several buttons because this car was full automatic with its artificial intelligence. But the system setting was very complicated before you started it. Once, this millionaire pushed the wrong buttons and then the car could not move. Then, he had to invite the professional engineer from Europe to help him solved this problem. After that, he decided not to use those buttons to avoid any problem and troubles. Let’s take the invention of cars as another example, its invention is supposed to enable us to travel faster and is more convenient. But, what happens now? The traffic jams for hours, pollutions appear, every time when I see the traffic jams in any city during the rush hour, I feel that I am so lucky because I don’t have a car. We don’t even know exactly how much time we have to spend or waste on our car. That is the reason why I choose to take populace transportation vehicle. To compare radio and cable, radio can provide news, entertainment or even advertisement as cable does. There is no doubt that cable plays an important role in our lives; however, cable brings numerous negative things as well. Cables transmit more violence and pornography than before. It might affect our new generation. On the other hand, radio still occupies an important role in our life. Most of people don’t really have time to watch the news on television, but they will still listen to the radio have they are driving or so. Modern technologies bring inconvenience because it doesn’t really fit in what we need in our life. Let’s take the most popular invention: cell phone as another example. Nowadays, cell phones become smaller and lighter. Cell phone seems very convenience to us. Nevertheless, this kind of design is not suitable for some of us. Such as the button are too small for senior citizen to click, too expensive to fix. Personally, I am always looking for my cell phone because my cell phone is too small for me. What does modern technology really bring to us? One of my teachers told us that the richest people will get richer and richer. But we are getting poor. It is because those producers are sucking our money because we are buying their new invention. Personally, I strongly believe we should consider if the newest technology can really provide the convenience to us when we try to develop them, or they will only become a trouble for us. Now, I am also thinking about another question: â€Å"If my laptop break down right now and this essay suddenly disappear, how will I feel and what should I do? † How to cite What Is Modern Technology Provide to Us, Essays

Goods and Services Tax

Question: Discuss about theGoods and Services Tax. Answer: Introduction In New Zealand, a VAT type tax was first introduced in the budget of 1984. The legislation of the Goods and Services Tax 1985 got assent and was implemented on 3 December 1985. The section 8-1 of the GSTA 1985 states that GST of 15% is added to the most of goods and services that are supplied in New Zealand by the registered person in ordinary course of their taxable activity. In section 6 of the act, it is that any activity that is carried on continuously and regularly by a person for a payment is known as taxable activities (Kelsey, 2015). The taxable activity do not include working for salary or wages, hobbies, selling private items and making supplies of GST exempted items. The GST charged by the supplier on the goods or services provided is referred to as the output tax. This output tax represents the amount of tax that has been collected on sales and is required with the revenue department. The registered suppliers acquiring the goods or services are eligible for input tax credit on the GST paid as per section 3A of the GSTA 1985 (Thornton, 2013). This input tax represents the amount of tax that has been paid by the supplier for acquiring the goods or services. Therefore, in case of GST registered supplier if the output tax charged exceeds the input tax incurred then in such case the registered person is required to pay the excess to the Inland Revenue department. On the other hand, if the input tax paid is more than the output tax charged then in such cases the tax authority refunds the excess GST paid. The GST is charged on taxable supply and the classifications for the purpose of GST are zero rated supplies, exempted supplies and mixed supply. In case of zero-rated supply, the tax rate for the goods supplied is zero. The zero tax rates are primarily applicable for exported goods and services. The zero rates are also applicable in case of supplies of a going concern. The other classification of GST is exempted supplies and there are two categories of exempted supplies. The first category of exempted supply is financial transactions and the second category for exempted supply is residential accommodation (Claus, 2014). The last classification for GST is mixed supply where there are many supplies that are both taxable and exempted. In this situation tax is charged only to the extent of taxable supply and the input tax credit is allowed only for the portion of taxable supply. In case of mixed supply the input tax claim is required to be apportioned between taxable supply and exempted supply. The apportionment should be made on a basis that is justified and reasonable after considering the expenditure involved. The supplier carrying on taxable activity is required to register for GST as per section 51 of the Goods and services tax act 1986. It is also important to note that if the suppliers are not GST then the supplier is not eligible for input tax credit. If the turnover of the supplier is $60000.00 or more in the last twelve-month or it is expected that turnover will exceed $60000.00 in the next twelve month then in such cases the supplier is required to be registered under GST act (Gupta Sawyer, 2015). If these conditions are fulfilled then the supplier is required to register within 21 days for the GST. If these conditions are not satisfied then the supplier is not required to register for GST. On the other hand, if the turnover does not cross the required limit then the supplier is not required to register for GST but can voluntarily choose to register for GST. In order to register for GST IRD number is required, Business identification code is required, the taxpayer should choose fo r the taxable period and accounting basis. After all this requirements are fulfilled then the supplier can register for GST. The section 52 of the GSTA 1986 deals with the provisions relating to the cancellation of registration (James, 2015). If the suppliers stop the taxable activity and starts another taxable activity then the supplier is required to cancel the registration within 21days. The registration can also be cancelled if the turnover falls below $60000.00. The process of cancellation of registration depends on the number of process of filing return followed by the supplier. If the supplier files return online then the registration can be cancelled by filling a final GST return online. If the GST return is submitted in paper then the registration can be cancelled by sending a letter of cancellation to the department. In order to calculate GST the first step is to calculate sales, income, purchase and expenses. If the payment basis is followed for calculating the sales or income then all the payment received from the customers are added for the purpose of the tax. If the taxpayer follows the hybrid basis then the entire invoice raised during the period is added for calculating the sales or income. Then the GST that has been collected from the sales that is output tax is calculated. The purchase and expenses is also calculated by adding all the payment made during the year if the payment-received method is followed. In case of invoice method, the invoices raised by the suppliers are added to calculate the purchase or expenses. The GST that is paid for this supplies are the input tax. The formula for calculating the GST is relatively simple in New Zealand. The GST calculation is relative to the base and the base is the original figure. In case of adding the GST then the formula is : =Base+ (Base*GST) For example if an item of $100.00 is sold excluding GST then the price of the item including GST is calculated as follows: =100+(100*15%) =$115.00. In case of calculating the GST content of a GST inclusive price the calculation is as follows: = (Base *3)/23 The calculation of GST content for an item $100.00 is calculated as follows = (100*3)/23 =$13.04. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand has issued FRS19 Accounting for goods and service tax. In Para 5.1 of the FRS 19 it is stated that an entity is required to account for by stating the expenses and revenue item net of GST. In case of irrecoverable GST input the Para 5.6 states that GST should be part of the expenses or assets (Sawyer, 2014). In Para 5.9 it is stated that the entity should prepare the cash flow either inclusive or exclusive of GST on a basis that is consistent with the statement of financial performance. GST with a single tax rate is the pure form of VAT that has minimum exemptions. The GST was introduced in New Zealand at a time when the economic activity was at its peak and the public accepted taxation reform (Millar, 2013). The consultation process helped the tax to be easily understandable among the public. The Goods and Services tax continues to be very success from its implementation. Reference Claus, I. (2014). GST Compliance in the New Zealand Property Sector.Fiscal Studies,35(2), 225-240. Gupta, R., Sawyer, A. J. (2015, November). The costs of compliance and associated benefits for small and medium enterprises in New Zealand: Some recent findings. InAustralian Tax Forum(Vol. 30). James, C. (2015).New territory: the transformation of New Zealand, 198492. Bridget Williams Books. Kelsey, J. (2015).Reclaiming the future: New Zealand and the global economy. Bridget Williams Books. Kelsey, J. (2015).The New Zealand experiment: A world model for structural adjustment?. Bridget Williams Books. Millar, R. (2013). Smoke and Mirrors: Applying the Full Taxation Model to Government Under the Australian and New Zealand GST Laws.VAT Exemptions: Consequences and Alternatives, Rita de la Feria, ed., Kluwer Law: The Hague. Sawyer, A. J. (2014). GST Reform: Can New Zealand Offer Constructive Guidance to Inform the Australian Debate?. Thornton, A. (2013). Coin rotation task. The development of norms for New Zealand and the United States.

Annexation of Mexico essays

Annexation of Mexico essays That American annexation of Mexico would be mutually beneficial is nearly beyond dispute. The first is an ever-expanding "Land of Opportunity." The second is a troubled political and economic failure. The former stands as the economic success story capitalism. The latter crawls as a nation either unwilling or unable to utilize its own resources and, thus, languishes in economic collapse. While America sits to a small degree dismayed with the unethical maneuvering of her politicians, Mexico reels from the daily instability of a horrendous government system that bears no responsibility to the people it governs. In short, the bulk of the Mexican Republics major problems would be eliminated or, at least, alleviated by her annexation. With this in view, the most pressing question rears itself out of the mire of international policy: "By which means shall America gain Mexico?" The term "pressing" is used here sarcastically, for-though a few actually do consider this question a pressing on e-the means remain today as patently obvious as they were in the nineteenth century. Quite simply, the best method for the expedient annexation of Mexico-which most everybody deems both imminent and necessary-is that of invasion and subjugation. Please allow for the presentation of a scenario. Thirteen days after the first American battletank rolled across the border south of Santa Fe, Toms and his wife (with five children in tow) proceed to a mandatory convocation in the small towns square. An American announces in unbroken Spanish that Mexico and her states are now America and her states. It is a hot Mexican day. The American representative relates a brief summary of the twelve day incursion and how Mexico gave her rule over to the United States with few casualties (resultant largely from the American show of force). He goes on to explain that the former Mexico will be included in the free states of her captor with full rights and ...

Free Essays on The Various Effects Of Marijuana Upon States Of Consciousness

Marijuana is a substance which is often consumed either by smoking or ingestion, and can produce hallucinogenic effects upon intake. After intake, there are major effects upon ones state of consciousness. These can affect ones vision, hearing, memory, thought, and even dreaming and sleeping patterns. These variable factors should be noted in considering research and investigation of the effects of marijuana (Budney, 2003). A marijuana high lasts around one to two hours, dependent upon the amount of intake, and also the intensity and quality of the marijuana. The most noticeable effect intensification of sensation and increased clarity of perception. Taste and smell are also enhanced under marijuana. The awareness of proprioceptive responses is also enhanced. This means that the subject who is under the influence of marijuana may become aware of small, non-conscious muscle tensions, feedback and control responses, and feelings of physical comfort and discomfort. These effects vary differently from person to person (Solowij, 2002). Under certain environmental settings, either the user will observe what he/she is experiencing in the situation and realizes it is not how he/she usually experiences the stimuli, or the user may function in a straight manner, where none of his/her senses may be heightened. There are two states of awareness which relate to these sensory effects. The first can be called pure awareness. In this state, the user is aware of his/her experience, but there is no evidence of thinking, manipulating, or interpreting going on. The actual â€Å"at hand† experience is conceived, usually as intense and immediate. Pure awareness is experiencing without associations to what is there. The other state of awareness is one which can be called â€Å"conscious awareness,† where the sensory experience is connected to meanings, plans, functions, decision, and possible actions. This is, in fact our normal way of perceiving things. In ... Free Essays on The Various Effects Of Marijuana Upon States Of Consciousness Free Essays on The Various Effects Of Marijuana Upon States Of Consciousness Marijuana is a substance which is often consumed either by smoking or ingestion, and can produce hallucinogenic effects upon intake. After intake, there are major effects upon ones state of consciousness. These can affect ones vision, hearing, memory, thought, and even dreaming and sleeping patterns. These variable factors should be noted in considering research and investigation of the effects of marijuana (Budney, 2003). A marijuana high lasts around one to two hours, dependent upon the amount of intake, and also the intensity and quality of the marijuana. The most noticeable effect intensification of sensation and increased clarity of perception. Taste and smell are also enhanced under marijuana. The awareness of proprioceptive responses is also enhanced. This means that the subject who is under the influence of marijuana may become aware of small, non-conscious muscle tensions, feedback and control responses, and feelings of physical comfort and discomfort. These effects vary differently from person to person (Solowij, 2002). Under certain environmental settings, either the user will observe what he/she is experiencing in the situation and realizes it is not how he/she usually experiences the stimuli, or the user may function in a straight manner, where none of his/her senses may be heightened. There are two states of awareness which relate to these sensory effects. The first can be called pure awareness. In this state, the user is aware of his/her experience, but there is no evidence of thinking, manipulating, or interpreting going on. The actual â€Å"at hand† experience is conceived, usually as intense and immediate. Pure awareness is experiencing without associations to what is there. The other state of awareness is one which can be called â€Å"conscious awareness,† where the sensory experience is connected to meanings, plans, functions, decision, and possible actions. This is, in fact our normal way of perceiving things. In ...

How essential is the measurement of personality for organisations Essay

How essential is the measurement of personality for organisations - Essay Example Development is the growth of the body and the mind; it is the enhancement of the personality in its most fine sense, to its highest degree. Dedication is the blessing of the well disciplined and properly developed personality traits, for a dignified and noble cause. (Aiken, L. R. (2006) Discipline on the other hand, is a negative aspect of the ethics trait, and it sought to control desires, fervor and craving. Sometimes, when describing a famous person or a well-known person, we hear the words â€Å"he has a ‘beautiful personality† When a person is a possessor of such great virtues such as will power, good self confidence, earnestness, integrity, power of discrimination and pleasing manners, he is known to have a good personality. And when that is the case, then no doubt a good personality is attractive to others and that in itself, leads to external beauty. Following the famous saying â€Å"do not judge a book by its cover† we must not take good looks as a sign of a good personality. A good looking face is always deceiving. If we go by the dictionary meaning of personality, it is the incorporated compilation of a person’s psychological, emotional, intellectual, and physical characteristic, as they are shown to other people.(Neukrug, E. S., & Fawcett, R. C. (2010) Large organizations, before hiring employees, put them through tests which are specially designed to measure the different dimensions of a personality and its related characteristics.( Grout, J., & Perrin, S. (2002).   These tests are not conducted to predict the behavior of the employees but to single out individuals, who may have a tendency for troublemaking, or may be frauds or engage in theft. Employers use personality tests to understand the traits of their employee and whether the employee is the best fit for the organizational setting. Unlike normal tests, a personality test require the applicant to answer questions which are both pleasant and unpleasant, and in turn reveal

A report on based on the company Gourmet burger kitchen Essay

A report on based on the company Gourmet burger kitchen - Essay Example Finally in the last section we have suggested Gourmet Burger Kitchen to open its franchise in a new country Switzerland. Gourmet burger kitchen is a casual dining and a high market restaurant chain in United Kingdom. They deal with the wide variety of delicious burgers served with salads, and fresh chips which itself is a complete package. They also deal with vegetarian demand as they deal with delicious side salads and dinner salads. Apart from providing quality food, they are also providing an illustrious and non smoking environment which acts as a perfect blend with their casual eating (Dow, 2006). In 2001, three Kiwis came together and opened their first restaurant in Battersea, London, where they served the best burgers in town. Since last eight years this food chain has expanded to over 50 restaurants alone in UK. In November 2009, the gourmet burger kitchen 50th U.K. restaurant opened at Soho Wharf Clink Street, London (Rose-Day, 2009). But this food chain has not only set its business in the boundaries of U.K. but it has also established internationally and has opened its branches in four main countries; Greece, Ireland, Turkey, Dubai and Oman (Gourmet Burger Kitchen, 2009). Currently there are 5 branches of gourmet burger kitchen in Dubai and 1 branch in Turkey but it plans to operate and expand its operations in further countries. They have boasts its sales but is regarded as the London’s best burger for the last two years, further it is also considered as leader burger themed concepts. Not alone in London but they have spread their charm among the food lovers of Dubai as well (Hassan, 2008). Gourmet kitchen burger provides quality, unique and tasty burgers to its customers. They have specialized themselves in mainly burgers and due to this today they have 28 different yet delicious burgers on their menu card (Rose-day, 2009). Gourmet burger kitchen is operating successfully in all the countries from UK to other

The Hours-Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Hours-Critique - Essay Example What colors the whole film is the knowledge that Virginia Woolf will take her own life at the end of the story due to her mental illness (Ehlen 45). These ideas and many others warrant a closer examination and clarification of the thoughts present in the film. As such, this paper will seek to identify and focus on the ideas of the film â€Å"The Hours†. To begin with, as the three main characters continue to search for a meaning in their lives, they evaluate suicide to be a means of avoiding the problems they encounter. Laura, Clarissa, and Virginia have a high credibility towards their perceptions and sensitivity with regard to the world around them. Every moment of their lives, traverses with their evaluation of how they feel about living. Thus, they from time to time see death as a solution to their problems that is why they constantly think of committing suicide (59). Given her mental illness, Virginia considers death as the only way out of her oppressive aspects in her li fe. As we analyze the film, we find that she finally ends her life towards the end of the story. Now that we know Virginia took her own life, it is understandable that her deliberations concerning Clarissa are partly a reflection of her own individual struggle and strive with the idea of suicide. Additionally, while in the same universal exploration of the literary work of Cunningham, the idea of humans fascinating with the idea of mortality revolves around the three main characters. Virginia ends her own life due to her aspects of oppressions following her mental illness. Laura Brown on the other hand, experiences feelings that makes see her trapped by the constraints of her function as a suburban homemaker. Due to these feelings, she considers suicide as the only possible escape. At this instant, the idea of shutting the clamor and chatter of living seduces this character. However, since she is an intellectual, at first, she finds her fascination with committing suicide is an inte rest, which has an academic objective. As a result, the thought of not being able to proceed with the killing crosses her mind constantly (66). Regardless of her thought and visions, the feeling of constraints befalls her more and she starts evaluating the idea of killing herself with a serious note. The idea of Laura’s suicide plan is no longer hypothetical when she stands at the mirror while staring at the sleeping pills. The indebtedness of Michael Cunningham to Virginia is too obvious. Consequently, some critics resolved to use the term pastiche with the view of describing his novel. For instance, as Mrs. Dalloway opens and as Clarissa prepares for a party in one fine morning in June, she departs from home to buy some flowers. This description finds its echo when the second chapter of The Hours opens. Intense clarification of this film points out that, a description that shows and describes what the audience already expects is too obvious. Nevertheless, we see the women w ithin this film trying to define the state of their lives within the roles that society set for them without sacrificing their individual identities (81). Occasionally, women such as Clarissa thinks that she is too domestic and Laura feels trapped within the life she finds herself living. This is a clear indication depicting that women of The Hours have varying degrees comforting their respective roles. Analysis of this situation brings about the idea of constrain of societal roles where trappings and domesticity of women illustrates its

Philosophy And Development Of Greek And Chinese Mathematics Philosophy Essay

Philosophy And Development Of Greek And Chinese Mathematics Philosophy Essay At a glance, Greek mathematics would appear to possess the most influence on modern mathematics from methods of integration (developed from Eudoxus method of exhaustion) to the rigid logic adhered to in modern mathematics and would thus explain this thesis choice of comparing Greek mathematics. On the other hand, ancient Chinese mathematics appears to have differed largely from Greek mathematics in terms of development and for that reason was chosen for comparison in order to explore the possibilities of philosophical influence in mathematical development. Not only will this thesis explore the differences in the development of the respective mathematics and the factors involved in these differences, it will also explore the possible relevance of such findings to mathematicians in the further development of modern mathematics. However, given the rich history of each respective cultures mathematics, it would be next to impossible to explore their developments in vivid detail and as a result, only a basic overview of the characteristics of the mathematics prior to their interaction (when Matteo Ricci western missionary began introducing western concepts of mathematics to the Chinese) would be explored. Greek Mathematics? Easily identified by its focus on generalized mathematical theories and proofs, the Greeks seemed to have an idealized perception towards mathematics where instead of grounding them in reality, it was a goal to make mathematical concepts even more abstract. At the foundation of Greek mathematics were basic assumptions known as axioms. These axioms could neither be proven correct or wrong, and are considered self-evident. New theorems were derived from these axioms, and this happened in a process where conclusions were drawn from premises through the use of logic, otherwise known as deductive reasoning. An example of such use of deductive reasoning would be the 10 postulates (similar to axioms) seen in Euclids Elements which were used by Euclid to prove his various geometric theorems. Such a method of proving and deriving theorems deductively could be effectively seen as a form of abstraction, where abstracted theorems could be applied in any case related to the theorem. For instance, (Pythagorean Theorem) would be true for all cases of right angled triangles regardless of the numbers substituted into the theorem. Pythagoras was thus attributed to be one of the first men to grasp numbers as abstract entities.  [1]   With the prevalence of the use of deductive reasoning in the ancient mathematical schools of thought from the Sophist School to the Platonic School, it could be generalized that ancient Greek mathematics was characterized by abstract theories and generalized proofs. Chinese mathematics? The concept that the Chinese had of mathematics was radically different from the way the Greeks handled math. Instead of an axiomatic approach to mathematics (developing mathematics based on assumed axioms), the Chinese developed a far more practical approach. Science was valued for its many practical applications and astronomers in ancient China were also mathematicians who calculated planetary movements through the applied use of mathematics. Applying mathematics was seen even in the Jiuzhang Suanshu (considered one of the most important mathematical manuals in China to be written) which was in essence a collection of problems and rules that was applied practically. For instance the second chapter (Su Mi) of the book dealt with percentages and proportions for exchange of cereals, millet, or rice and helped in the production and management of grain. Chapter 6 (Jun Shu) allowed the calculation of proper distribution of grain and labour and dealt mainly with the problems of taxation of the people.  [2]   This problem-based approach revolved around the idea of applying the solutions of one problem to another in such a manner that would allow the other problem to be solved. For instance, the Jiuzhang Suanshu or Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art is in reality a collection of mathematical problems and their solutions. Mathematicians were then expected to extrapolate from these solutions other solutions to other problems. In the words of the Zhoubi Suanjing (one of the oldest complete mathematical manuals found in China), a person gains knowledge by analogy, that is, after understanding a particular line of argument they can infer various kinds of similar reasoning.  [3]   Given that the majority of the mathematical manuals discovered in China possessed the attribute of problem-based approaches (Jiuzhang Suanshu, Xu Shang Suanshu, Suan shu shu) are just some examples), we can easily conclude that the ways in which the Chinese approached mathematics was radically different from that of the Greeks. Greek and Chinese Philosophies Having understood the differences between the mathematics of both cultures, we must now begin to explore the possible causes of such a difference, and we first take a look at the philosophy that has guided the respective cultures. Greek Philosophy? Although it is commonly agreed that Socrates, Aristotle and Plato were one of the few greatest philosophers originating from the Greeks, the father of deductive mathematics Thales, contributed to ancient Greek philosophy even before the great philosophers and with his close association with the origins of Greek mathematics, it would be a mistake not to consider Thales contributions to the philosophy. Thales belonged to a school of thought called the Milesian school and these philosophers believed that all things were defined by their quintessential substance, which Thales thought was water.  [4]   Regardless of what Thales or any other philosophers from the pre-Socrates period of philosophy thought, it was clear that from the beginning the Greeks had already begun to seek out a basic form or substance that all things would be defined by. We thus begin to see similarities between their goals of having a unifying substance that would define all things in philosophy and in mathematics, where they sought abstracted theorems and mathematical proofs that would have applied to all cases of any related problems. Even Plato, in Book VII of The Republic, argued for the existence of Forms in his allegory of the caves. He believed that what we thought to be real were simply shadows cast by actual Forms that we could not really see. Plato argued that these non-material abstract Forms did not exist in time and space, and were not the material world that we perceived with our senses. Plato even suggested that only through the study of these Forms were we able to attain genuine knowledge. Through these ideas of abstract forms and substances that Greek philosophy seemed to follow, we begin to see that there is a general direction in which both philosophy and mathematics went: abstraction. Chinese Philosophy? When compared, it is clear that the philosophies of the Chinese differed greatly from that of the Greeks. Where the Greeks asked questions about the possible existence of a monotheistic deity, the Chinese were more concerned about the development of philosophy as an ethical and practical guide. Confucius was a philosopher who taught the importance of virtue and moral perfection. He explored ideas of humanity, loyalty, piety and the characteristics of a gentleman (a perfect man) in his teachings. The most fundamental of which, humanity and righteousness have since been argued to form the basis of morality.  [5]  In the Analects of Confucius, he explores these concepts of moral perfection and explains the importance of individuals of authority possessing these attributes. Confuciuss philosophy possessed dimensions of practicality which was seen from that fact that his teachings about piety were essentially descriptions of specific duties that an individual had according to his relationship with another. For instance, Confucius believed that a child should have respect for his parents and that parents should in turn love and care for their children. Being one of the main schools of thought in Chinese philosophy, Confucianism is thought to have had tremendous influence on the culture and history of China.  [6]  Additionally, in other Chinese philosophies such as Buddhism and Taoism teachings we see a form of instruction on a practical level (Buddhism instructed on how one should live in order to attain enlightenment). Although a lack of credible literature fails to either prove or disprove the influences of Chinese philosophy on their mathematics, one might argue that the general direction in which Chinese philosophy has taken appears to be similar to that of their mathematics. Other factors influencing mathematics? Although little is found regarding the history of the Greeks that could have affected the development of Greek mathematics, aspects of Chinese history might suggest the problem-based approach towards mathematics that was developed. Plato believed and explained in Book VII of The Republic that mathematics was important in understanding and attaining the idea of good which is the ultimate objective of philosophy. Plato believed that arithmetic and geometry allowed the mind to reflect and thus come closer to the truth, and also that the true use of arithmetic is in compelling the soul to reason about abstract number and repelling against the introduction of visible or tangible objects into the argument.  [7]  It has thus been argued that Plato believed that the ultimate aim of philosophy was to help the mind to understand and acquire the idea of good and that mathematics was a tool that helped to achieve that end. On the other hand, the Chinese clearly believed in the practical value of mathematics and a quick study of Chinese history revealed that mathematics was developed with practicality in mind. One clear example would be the earlier mentioned chapters of the Jiuzhang Suanshu on grain growing and taxation with the Chinese placing great emphasis on the importance of proper governance, mathematics was developed in order to calculate optimal methods of fair governance. The fact that the Chinese wrote mathematics with characters instead of alphabets would have also explained the need for them to discover the decimal system before other civilizations.  [8]  As mathematics was written with characters, the decimal system was invented to prevent the memorization of countless characters in order to recognize large numbers such as the date. With a decimal system, Chinese mathematics was thus able to gain an advantage over other civilizations in terms of the development of mathematics. Furthermore, during the period of Chinese mathematical development before 100 BC, the Chinese were interested in the areas of astrology and had a need to construct the calendar. As a result, many of the works produced in that time were related to astrology such as the Zhoubi Suanjing which provided instructions on measuring the positions of heavenly bodies using shadow gauges termed gnomons.  [9]  With the need to measure heights and distances that could not be measured directly (heights of structures or the distance of an island away from the mainland), the Chinese also developed their own variation of the Pythagoras theorem, which Liu Hui demonstrated in his Haidao Suanjing. As a result of some of the problems that the Chinese faced, we see the development of mathematics in China as a solution to some of these problems. Taking into consideration these other factors, there is clearly a relationship between the physical and cultural factors affecting China and their development of mathematics. On the other hand, while geometry had its practical uses for the Greeks, their main purpose for the study of mathematics was for instruction and loftier ideals of perfecting their souls. Concluding on the Extent of Influence on Mathematics Having considered the factors both philosophical and practical that might have affected the development of mathematics, one can see the distinct similarities between the cultures respective philosophy and how it has caused mathematics to develop. Ancient Greek mathematics developed in a manner that sought to separate concept from object, as could be inferred from their development of generalized mathematical theories in geometry (concept) discerned from postulates (object) since these postulates were observable truths such as All right angles are congruent. At the same time, the philosophy of the Greeks had similar objectives as could be seen from the above mentioned Forms and quintessential substances that the Greeks believed in. On the other hand, Chinese mathematics followed similar trends to that of their philosophy. With a focus on concrete examples and using analogies to solve other problems, the Chinese were clearly more concerned with matters of reality and had a pragmatic approach towards mathematics. Philosophically, there is a similar trend of practicality with the Chinese exploring the duties and proper etiquette of what they believed to be the perfect man. Again, the lack of credible literature seemingly undermines the entire relationship, yet it would be foolish to simply discount the fact that both philosophy and mathematics take on a similar direction in terms of development. Thus in conclusion, one could easily argue that the method by which philosophy was approached has been similar to that of the way mathematics was developed. Relevance to Modern Mathematicians? Truth and Mathematical Certainty? Having affirmed the relationship between philosophy and mathematics, we begin to question the relevance of such a relationship to modern mathematicians. One of the greatest questions of mathematics is its relevance to truth, and how mathematical inquiry may lead to certainty and truth. Before we begin to explore the question of which mathematics (Greek or Chinese) was closer to mathematical certainty and thus truth, we must keep in mind that Greek and Chinese mathematics were radically different in terms of method as was previously shown. Based on those methods, we can categorize the mathematics according to the theories of truth that they appear to abide by. The Chinese appeared to base their system on the modern theory of truth that is pragmatism. According to the theory in a simplified form, a concept may be considered true if it is directly relevant to reality. This meant that a concept would be true if it had any practical consequence and was thus judged based on its practical value. Pragmatism is thus highly pertinent to the method of Chinese mathematics, which was in essence a study of the practical effects of theories of mathematics. On the other hand, the Greek method appears to follow the theory of coherentism, which in simple terms was the theory that the truth of a system of beliefs could be determined based on how well it coheres with other systems of belief. This seems to be applicable to the Greek method of approaching mathematics, where axioms were the basic beliefs and entire systems (theorems) would be developed from these axioms. The truth of these systems would then be appraised according to how well they cohered with the basic sets of beliefs. One might argue that foundationalism would have been a more applicable theory to the Greek method, yet the Greeks did not simply base their theorems on noninferential knowledge such as axioms, and instead used postulates (inferential knowledge) in geometry. As a result, the axiomatic method of the Greeks would have appertained to the theory of coherentism. It is important to note that despite these theories of truth being modern, the concept behind method of mathematics and theory of truth appear to be similar, and would thus be applicable in the exploration of mathematical certainty. Who was more Certain? Having ascribed to Greek and Chinese mathematics coherentism and pragmatism respectively, the question of who was closer to mathematical certainty becomes apparent. Both schools clearly had their strengths and weaknesses in such a comparison, with the Chinese being directly relevant to reality and thus closer to certainty in terms of practicality. On the other hand, the Greeks would have believed that they were aspiring towards certainty through the separation of concept from object (abstraction), where truth in the complete discovery of all Forms would have been certainty. Given the extent of influence on modern mathematics that Greek mathematics has, one would easily consider the adopted Greek mathematics as more certain. Yet the idea of complete mathematical certainty seems to be impossible, as proved by Kurt Godel with his theorems that a system is either complete or consistent and thus impossibleto fully prove any proposition.  [10]  The ramifications thus being that certainty is impossible to achieve, and that in terms of the axiomatic method, mathematical certainty can never be fully arrived at. Furthermore, the existence of various theories of truth might already suggest that there is a lack of existence of complete certainty, and this thus suggests the probability of the quest for mathematical certainty being futile.

North and South :: essays papers

North and South The first two reading selections for Economics 344 make some notable observations about the growth and development of budding economies. In Engerman and Sokoloff’s chapter entitled â€Å"Factor Endowments, Institutions, and Differential Paths of Growth Among New World Economies,† the authors compare the economic growth levels of the North American colonies to those of Latin American colonies. Then, in â€Å"Tracking the Economic Divergence of the North and the South,† Peter Coclanis notes the different economic paths taken by these two distinct regions of the United States. Overall, these two essays are similar in nature – they make similar comparisons across two regions using similar criteria. The readings, however, differ drastically in their subject matter and in the scope of the comparisons. In the first reading, Stanley Engerman and Kenneth Sokoloff attempt to explain what factors contributed to the different levels of economic development between the North American colonies and the Latin American colonies. They hypothesize that the United States and Canada were able to sustain economic growth due to factor endowments that were superior to those of Central and South America. Endowments such as climate, soil, and density of the native population, they say, predisposed certain colonies to accomplishing economic growth. Institutions and government policies such as land policies and trade regulations were also significant determining factors, but less so than factor endowments. After comparing the prosperous colonies to the less prosperous, the authors then briefly state differences within the United States colonies as far as economic growth is concerned. Numerous differences in the economic patterns of the North and the South are pointed out – indeed, in many ways the South resembled those colonies that became less successful. Despite these distinctions, in the end, the authors conclude that overall, â€Å"the South’s economy was a unique case and ultimately realized a record of growth more like those of the northern United States or Canada.† The second piece compares the patterns of economic growth experienced by the North and the South. Coclanis points out numerous variations in the economies of the two regions from the seventeenth century and forward two hundred years. The factor endowments are noted here as well, while political factors play less of a role. Overall, the author concludes that the economic divergence of the North and South was quite large, and the differences most definitely outweigh the similarities. The two readings share both remarkable similarities as well as sharp differences.