Free sample - Review Of Hitlers Germany. translation missing

Review Of Hitlers Germany. Review Of Hitler's GermanyIn April 1933, during the early months after the Nazis ascended to power in Germany, a law which commonly came to be termed as the Aryanan Paragraph came into effect. It outlawed any person of Jewish descent from government employment. This was the first piece of legislature to be effected in a then heightening assault on Jews led by the Third Reich Hitler and evidently expressed in his toxic rhetoric and ideological imperatives. This placed German Churches at a focal point: They either had to resist these attacks on Jews or dismiss all Jewish preachers and employees so as to preserve their subsidies. Most of the churches publicly or silently fell in line with Hitler’s demands. These in effect became the onset of the world’s bloodiest World War II and the context of Roderick Stackelberg’s book on Hitler’s Germany: Origins, Interpretations and Legacies which provide an interesting read and meets its chief objective of introducing a ny reader to the history and the atrocities committed in the Nazi Germany. The book extends from the abortive 1923 Beer Hall Putsch to the World War II and the aftermath in the 1940’s. This therefore gives Stackelberg’s novel a wide coverage while ensuring the reader is totally engrossed in the narrative as the story unfolds. Stackelberg , a humanities professor at Gonzaga University in Spokane, he cogently sets out to argue out that the Nazi Regime was supported and maintained through a mass consensus by the majority of the German citizens rather than the implied coercion by most authors. He is hence in agreement with Daniel Goldhagen and his views as phrased in his narrative, Hitler's Willing Executioners of which he has recognized and praised. He points out that Germans expressed conviction and expediency in their support and collaboration with the Nazi regime. He endeavors to balance ‘intentionalist’ versus ‘functionalist’ approaches to th e Holocaust committed against Jews so as to amply show the Nazi’s adherence to the fatal eugenic belief of exterminating all those deemed to be "life unworthy of life". This resulted in the death of two-thirds of the Jews in Europe at the time. Stackelberg successfully combines dramatic writing with a dispassionate analysis so as to aptly provide a rich historical context the barbaric behavior and actions of the Third Reich by boldly depicting a pre-history of Nazism such as the absolutist rule put forward by his predecessor Otto Van Bismarck, the 19th-century nationalist propagandistsand the Free Corps hooligan squads who not only crushed the 1919 Spartacist revolt but also murdered Rosa Luxemburg. He further covers the Nuremberg trials, the German denazification and the modern-day resurgence of militant neo-Nazi extremists. Although the work presented herein has already been documented in other books, he manages to author an interesting and engrossing superb read on the Naz i Germany history. The book first provides a detailed coverage of the roots of fascist ideologies, its constituency and the conditions that facilitated its growth in Germany. It then reflects on the key problems facing German unity which Stackelberg clearly and comprehensively covers as absolutism and particularism. This serves as a basis as to why the German Empire changed from a democratic state to social imperialism and finally landed on the path to war. Stackelberg clinically examines the Germanic ideology that was instituted into the masses by the political class so as to influence support. He finds that the politicians managed to drive the cause for nationalism towards fanatism while coupling this with vulgarized idealism and anti-Semitism.   Stackelberg has also provided a rich context for German’s history and involvement in the First World War and the resultant crisis in imperial Germany under Bismarck. He goes on further to examine the Weimar Republic through a well-documented study a nd the weakness of liberal democracy in Germany. This led to the consequent fall of the Weimar republic and the rise of Nazism further facilitated by the Great Depression. The Nazis managed to consolidate power in the 1933-1934 under the Third Reich Hitler whose governance in the 1933-1939 period has been fully analyzed under the aspects of politics, society and culture hence providing a rich and diverse read. Further, Stackelberg manages to depict hideous details of the persecution of the Jews and the Holocaust in this period. The origins of the Second World War, its spread from a European to a global war and its ensuing transformation from triumph to defeat in 1942-1945 have been elaborately covered while providing ample contextual information that leaves a clear imaginative image in the readers’ minds. Finally, the book evaluates the aftermath of the war and Germany’s National Socialism. The last chapter examines Hitler’s place in history and memory and the v ital lessons learnt from the ordeal. In the introduction, Stackelberg clarifies why he wrote the book despite a myriad number of historical books in the market dealing with a similar subject matter. He feels there is a need to write a book that not only covers the Nazi regime but also the 19th century background and the aftermath. Despite the book’s title, only seven out of sixteen chapters are dedicated to the Nazi regime. It provides a rich and essential understanding of the Hitler-led Nazi regime. This was a decision he reached at after having taught the subject matter for over twenty years. Stackelberg feels that the book approaches the Nazi regime under a two dimension: He provides an accurate and complete account of Nazi rule and goes further to provide an interpretive framework that endeavors to explore the reasons as to the extraordinary occurrence in German history. The book provides a clear guideline to the reader whereas incorporating the complex and vast complexities of historical causation as experie nced by the contemporary figures that lived in that turbulent and violent era. In creating a rich analysis and reconstruction of the Nazi regime in 1933 to 1945, the author places the period in a larger context which enables him to ably provide a sufficient background of the regime while ensuring various critical arguments are brought forward. First, Stackelberg feels that history is inseparable from its interpretative analysis. No author, in Stackelberg’s view should present the bare facts of a historical occurrence without endeavoring to provide a parallel interpretive theory as to why the historical phenomenon took place. Historical books and journals have always depicted the Nazi era under a barbaric and destructive scope and it is almost viewed entirely as the world’s greatest battle of evil versus good. This approach is rather heightened by the atrocities committed such as the irrational racial obsessions and the Holocaust with an aim to wipe out all Jews. Any other approach, such as a metaphysical approach, would definitely not successfully account for the success and popularity of Nazism in Germany. However, rather than approach the Nazi era under a moral and evil conception as multiple authors’ have, Stackelberg endeavors to define the rise of the Nazi regime under a political analysis. Stacke lberg feels it is essential to establish why the Germans at the time felt that Nazism was a reconstructive force in the quest for National Socialism that would utterly propel them into a superpower state. He critically notes in a catchy headline that history is past politics, hence, even the atrocities committed under the anti-Semitism derive must have a cognitive understanding. Unlike facts which if in dispute can easily be ratified among historians, an analysis of the reasons as to why German Nazism was widely popular can only be perceived under the analysts own political and societal values. These are highly diverse among historians and are therefore bound to bring forth a degree of controversy. In a review of egalitarian governments, Stackelberg depicts how left-wing movements can easily gain popularity through â€Å"championing for emancipation from oppressive governments whereas the right-wing lobbyists defend traditional and hierarchical governments.† The left extremists can effortlessly apply authority in the running of governments so as to create egalitarian societies as depicted by the 21st century communist governments. The conservatives in the right wing endeavor to create liberal societies through curtailing government power and promotion of individual freedom. In this book, Stackelberg addresses this contemporary left-right spectacle in their respective egalitarian perspectives by a case scenario of American politics. American conservatives have been documented as in opposition of powerful governments bringing them closer to the left’s camp but with absolutely diverse goals which are the key to any government. In their campaign against the powerful g overnment and their defense for laissez-faire, American conservatives have been found to depict similar traits to those of 19th century conservatives in continental Europe and the Nazis’ fascism. In America, the highly liberal society either leans on personal freedom or social equality. The leftists rather lean on social equality while the right conservatives opt for freedom. Stackelberg further provides a distinction between moderates and extremists in which extremists are rather authoritative, prejudiced and inclined towards violence, deception and collectivism across the left-right extremists. They are intolerant of any opposition or deviations from the ideal entailed by freedom and seek to forcefully impose these ideals on individuals. Communism bordered on the left while fascism was composed of right extremist. However, most authors, with the exception of the well-sourced Stackelberg’s book, feel that communism and fascism are inherently related which a critical e valuation in Hitler’s Germany depicts that they are fundamental opposites. While communism mainly appealed to workers who owned minimal properties due to its enhancement of a greater degree of equality, fascism mainly appealed to the middle class and propertied workers who felt that they would in essence lose from the implementation of egalitarian principles. Therefore, proponents of each group were arch enemies since communism maltreated the higher and mighty classes while fascism greatly victimized the â€Å"lower races† and poor classes of humanity. In exploring the causative force behind the Fascism variant Nazism, Stackelberg examines counter-revolutionary concepts in contrast to revolutionary concepts in his apt and wide description of the Hitler Regime. He feels that in contrast to neo-conservatism in the United States, fascism in Germany is much related to the traditional continental Europe conservatism though it has some anti-conservative features. Multiple radical methods were adopted into German Nazism from the practices of its arch foe, communism such as mass mobilization techniques, violence and propaganda. This was a highly critical countermeasure identified by Stackelberg in which the Nazis used the tactics employed by the left against the left. Counter-revolutionary concepts however did not characterize the left-right distinction as much as the core goal of preventing equality much agitated for by the left by a vehement denial of its existence through the structure governing various races and their coexistence. In t his book therefore, Stackelberg finds it crucial that most historians have neglected the fact that these ruthless and radical measures were put in place to counter socialism by purported National Socialists through the eradication of the significant proportion of production contributed by private property. Stackelberg therefore feels that the term socialist has been misused since the party was not true to the doctrines it purported to support and further. Hence, he feels that the Nazis were counter-revolutionary since it endeavored to curb developments in the transformation of the property sector while upholding the Puritist nature of the fascist regime. This book also makes a very interesting and engrossing read since it answers the contentious question on the relationship between fascism and Nazism and their relation to other political movements of the past centuries. It further answers the crucial questions on how Nazism managed to ascend to power in such a civilized, industrialized and urbanized context. In a well-analyzed and well-sourced background study, Stackelberg examines the rise in popularity of Nazism by interpreting it basing heavily on the Sonderweg thesis. This is categorically analyzed in chapter 2 whereby the variation in the development of democracy in Germany was remarkably different from other European nations. Most authors have neglected to write a detailed account of the pre-Hitler administrations which would otherwise provide vital historical clues to the rise of Nazism. This is utterly reflected in the book. However, Stackelberg expresses caution that a study to chiefly analyze pre-Nazi Germany in the 19th ce ntury as a pure preliminary stage to the Nazi regime and its aftermath would not only be a narrow-minded approach but also historically inadequate and unjustifiable. Although Stackelberg feels that greater and much more vital events such as Russian Bolshevik Revolution, the defeat in the First World War and the conflict of political interests in the Weimar Republic provide a crucial basis for evaluation of Nazism, the lack of the development of democracy can partially be attributed to Nazism. Finally, Stackelberg furthers debate as to whether Nazism is a modernizing or anti-modern debate. At the time, Germany’s economy was at its peak but the inability of political liberalization and democracy to keep pace with the advances in technology led to a flaw in its development hence depicting a rejection of modernity. This point of analysis as put forward by Stackelberg is further supported by the Sonderweg thesis whereby major evidence of anti-modernity such as â€Å"blood and soil† ideology that depicts a German-only agrarian culture under threat of urbanization and the resultant industrialization. This was in effect promoting capitalism whereby the Jews were viewed as the major beneficiaries at the expense of the former chief producers, the Mittelstand. However, Stackelberg also evaluates Nazism as a facilitator of modernity through the implementation of advanced technology in the military during World War II. Though this is highly complemented by pioneer studie s in space technology, the rejection of Jewry physics in the development of nuclear weapons further served as a major factor in deterring modernism. Stackelberg has used a wide variety of sources that span from The German Empire, ideologies, the First World War, the Weimar Republic and its collapse, the Nazi consolidation of power, the society, culture and politics during Hitler’s rule, the Holocaust and the anti-Semitism, the Second World War, the Aftermath and the modernity debate. For instance, it is crucial to note on Stackelberg’s reference to Taylor’s famous and controversial book, The origins of the Second World War in which he strongly criticizes The failure of the British to conclusively put in place a pact with the then Soviet Union so as to put an end to the war. The sources used herein in this book are highly relevant and serve in meeting the objective of the book. It gives this work a high credential. Further, Stackelberg has written the sources in a well-organized and presentable manner depicting that the book was written after a conducting a research for a period of twenty years during which he was teaching a similar course. This therefore enables Stackelberg to write an objective, chronological account and a must-read book that not only expands on Hitler’s Germany, but also on the 19th century pre-Nazi period and the 20th Century post-war period and the aftermath. This serves to give the book an edge over other historical books written at the time. (Stackelberg, 1999) Reference Stackelberg, R. (1999). Hitler's Germany: origins, interpretations, legacies. Routledge Press.

Pro Forma Definition - Economics

Pro Forma Definition - Economics Pro forma, originates as a Latin phrase which, literally translated, means something like for the sake of form. It is often used for specific purposes in economics and finance.   Our Ambivalence About the Phrase in Finance The briefest perusal of some dictionary definitions begins to express our ambivalence about the use of the term in economics and especially in finance. Some online dictionaries give relatively neutral definitions that adhere closely to the phrases Latin origins, such as according to form, as a matter of form, and for the sake of form. Other dictionary definitions begin to express more complex assessments of the meaning of the phrase, Merriam-Websters, for example: done or existing as something that is usual or required but that has little true meaning or importance  (emphasis added). Its not a far reach from little true meaning to not meaningful at all and potentially deceptive. Legitimate Instances of Pro Forma In reality, the greater number of uses of pro forma documents in finance are not deceptive at all; they serve a valuable purpose.  One such use, one that occurs frequently, has to do with financial statements. In most circumstances, a financial statement  reflects reality. In some circumstances, a financial statement that does not do so could be considered (in ascending order of wrongness): valueless, misleading or evidence of criminal misrepresentation. But a pro forma financial statement is (usually) a legitimate exception to that rule. Instead of answering the question What is the state of the balance sheet? or how much money did the enterprise earn in a given time period, a question answered by the income  statement, a pro forma balance sheet and income statement answers the question What would happen if...? Heres a good example: The corporation has earnings for the past year of $10M, with expenses of $7.5M. These are figures you might find in the income statement. But, executives wonder, what would be the effect of introducing a new product line (which would sharply ramp up expenses)? You would expect that in the shortest term, before the revenues from the new product line were realized, that profits would diminish considerably and that  revenues would go up very little. Youd also expect that over time the additional revenue from the new product line would more than pay for the increased expenses, and that the business would be more profitable. But, is that really true? At the point of youd expect... this is just a guess. How can you know, if not for sure, but at least with some   increased confidence that increased profitability will result?  Thats where pro forma financial documents come into play. A pro forma set of financial documents will refer to past performance as a guide to project would would likely happen in the future if we make a similar introduction. It answers the question What if...   When the company introduced a past product, the MicroWidget, operating costs rose X percent in the following three quarters, but in the fourth quarter increased revenue from the MicroWidget more than made up for the increased operating cost expense and net profit actually rose 14 percent year over year.   The pro forma balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flows show what might happen if a new MacroWidget product is introduced, based on the data available. Pro Forma Statements vs. Certainty Note that a pro forma financial statement does not express certainty. It expresses what, with the data available, business leadership and accountancy professionals believe  is likely to happen. Often it does, and sometimes it does not. Nevertheless, pro forma statements serve a valuable purpose by introducing data that supports (or does not support) the original intuition that, for example, adding a MacroWidget to the product line is a good idea. It does so by quantifying the probable results based on past performance. The pro forma balance sheets, income statements  and, importantly, statements of cash flows give business executives a better idea of what will happen if.... The Downside of Pro Forma Statements The general intent of pro forma financial statements, to answer the question what will happen if... can be abused. In the notorious Enron collapse,  pro forma statements played an important part. Arthur Andersen Enrons auditors, it became clear in retrospect, were too close to the company to deliver reliable financial statements to financial markets. This was particularly true of the pro forma statements that projected a rosy future for Enron and purportedly were based on reasonable assumptions.    They utterly failed to predict what became instead a total collapse that sent Enron executives  to jail, ended the Arthur Andersen company and culminated in a prolonged and messy Enron bankruptcy in which stockholders and others lost hundreds of millions of dollars. Absent criminal intent, data that already exist are reliably what they propose. Data that are projections based on assumptions which is the essence of a pro forma statement are inevitably and categorically more subjective. In short, they are useful financial tools that are particularly easy to abuse. You shouldnt avoid using them, but you need to exercise caution. Books on Pro Forma Profits You Can Trust: Spotting and Surviving Accounting LandminesHow Companies Lie: Why Enron Is Just the Tip of the IcebergThe Valuation of Technology: Business and Financial Issues in RD Journal Articles on Pro Forma Assessing the relative informativeness and permanence of pro forma earnings and GAAP operating earningsThe Predictive Value of Expenses Excluded from Pro Forma EarningsAre Investors Misled by Pro Forma Earnings?

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS-Triad unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS-Triad unions - Essay Example In addition, some unionized workers tend to view the employer in bad light, while others adopt more critical tendencies of management strategies and processes. These issues normally impede their chances of being responsible; gaining experience within the organization; and being productive in the workplace for mutual benefit. Research shows that companies with unionized employees incur up to 40% more in terms of running costs than for non-unionized organizations (Sengupta, 2008). This cost may not encompass additional expenditures arising from subsequently negotiated terms in unionized worker reimbursements or benefits. According to OLeary (2013), the running costs of unionized organizations are far greater due to the necessity of more workers to needed to handle different job designations to conform to regulatory systems requiring specialization, for instance. As Thornthwaite and Sheldon (2012) have noted, unfair labour practice cases brought about by trade unions injure the employer’s image and erode the organization’s good will. For instance, immediately a case is filed, responsible trade unions dispatch their representatives to the employer to carry out investigations. At this level, the whole workforce will be aware of the supposedly wrong practices that have taken place within their workplace or organization (Ross, 2013). Then, in the event that the case is not resolved, the union will engage the employer in long-drawn legal battles. Making arrangements for and carrying out a court process will cost the organization tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees, plus the lost resources of gathering the evidence. Unionization of employees disenfranchises organizations of their right to managerial control (Sengupta, 2008). This is especially true considering that unionized organizations grapple with the problem of political and legal interference from the government. Government agents will carry out excessive monitoring of

Spouse Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Spouse Abuse - Essay Example Definition. Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) is a variation of the self-defense claim in assault and murder cases where a woman asserts an affirmative defense based on her psychological state as the result of a pattern of abuse by her batterer. BWS seeks to justify a woman's criminal conduct as excusable due to a diminished mental capacity combined with an understandably urgent need to end the abuse. Standard Self-Defense Claim. In a traditional self-defense claim, the accused has the burden to show that they were in fear for their life, in imminent danger of physical harm, and had no recourse but to respond with reasonable, even deadly, force. This differs from BWS in that the former is based upon the facts surrounding a single event and the latter is predicated upon a psychological condition caused by extended abuse. In BWS, the accused is not required to demonstrate that, at the moment of the criminal activity, she was in immediate danger. Her proactive violence against her batterer, which would otherwise be inconsistent with the perilous situation-derived self-defense claim, does not have to be undertaken at the moment of suffering actual harm. Argument for BWS. A victim of habitual assaults over the course of time is viewed in a sympathetic light by a judge or jury. While her actions may not be within the letter of the law, they are understandable when presented as the result of a diminished psychological state brought on by repeated abuse. Any human being, be they judge or juror, can identify with the drive to commit a violent act to escape an abusive situation. No reasonable person wants to punish a woman who has endured physical abuse over the course of months or years just because she chose to end that abuse by assaulting her attacker when he was asleep, for example, and not posing an immediate danger to her at the moment. Surely, if given the chance, he would likely pose a threat in the future and her actions seem appropriate. Argument against BWS. Where BWS is flawed as a legal defense is within the scope of its analysis and the absence of empirical diagnosis. A BWS defense focuses solely on the state of mind of the abuse victim where she, while not in imminent danger, chooses to engage in an otherwise criminal act. This requires a judge or jury to suspend consideration of all the facts of the matter, as well as any available non-violent remedies to an abused woman, and accept that her state of mind would not permit her to escape the situation while it simultaneously allowed her to attack her attacker when he wasn't being abusive. Further, there is no definitive medical or psychological protocol to determine BWS, especially in self-reporters of abuse, making it impossible to obtain a sure diagnosis of the condition that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. My Position. I believe the BWS is a valid defense. Even though it may be hard to diagnose as a psychological impairment, the fact is that any woman who has endured sustained physical abuse could exercise a traditional self-defense claim if she acted in the moment. The fact that she chose to wait until she was not being attacked before taking action does not mitigate the obvious; she would be battered again and the state of mind created by continued abuse should be considered when she comes before a court of law.

Principle of Account Essay Example for Free

Principle of Account Essay A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy. Microscopic means invisible to the eye unless aided by a microscope. There are many types of microscopes, the most common and first to be invented is theoptical microscope which uses light to image the sample. Other major types of microscopes are the electron microscope (both the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope) and the various types of scanning probe microscope. Microscope 1. An optical instrument, consisting of a lens, or combination of lenses, for making an enlarged image of an object which is too minute to be viewed by the naked eye. Parts and Specifications Historians credit the invention of the compound microscope to the Dutch spectacle maker, Zacharias Janssen, around the year 1590. The compound microscope uses lenses and light to enlarge the image and is also called an optical or light microscope (vs. an electron microscope). The simplest optical microscope is the magnifying glass and is good to about ten times (10X) magnification. The compound microscope has two systems of lenses for greater magnification, 1) the ocular, or eyepiece lens that one looks into and 2) the objective lens, or the lens closest to the object. Before purchasing or using a microscope, it is important to know the functions of each part. Eyepiece Lens: the lens at the top that you look through. They are usually 10X or 15X power. Tube: Connects the eyepiece to the objective lenses Arm: Supports the tube and connects it to the base Base: The bottom of the microscope, used for support Illuminator: A steady light source (110 volts) used in place of a mirror. If your microscope has a mirror, it is used to reflect light from an external light source up through the bottom of the stage. Stage: The flat platform where you place your slides. Stage clips hold the slides in place. If your microscope has a mechanical stage, you will be able to move the slide around by turning two knobs. One moves it left and right, the other moves it up and down. Revolving Nosepiece or Turret: This is the part that holds two or more objective lenses and can be rotated to easily change power. Objective Lenses: Usually you will find 3 or 4 objective lenses on a microscope. They almost always consist of 4X, 10X, 40X and 100X powers. When coupled with a 10X (most common) eyepiece lens, we get total magnifications of 40X (4X times 10X), 100X , 400X and 1000X. To have good resolution at 1000X, you will need a relatively sophisticated microscope with an Abbe condenser. The shortest lens is the lowest power, the longest one is the lens with the greatest power. Lenses are color coded and if built to DIN standards are interchangeable between microscopes. The high power objective lenses are retractable (i. . 40XR). This means that if they hit a slide, the end of the lens will push in (spring loaded) thereby protecting the lens and the slide. All quality microscopes have achromatic, parcentered, parfocal lenses. Rack Stop: This is an adjustment that determines how close the objective lens can get to the slide. It is set at the factory and keeps students from cranking the high power objective lens down into the slide and breaking things. You would only need to adjust this if you were using very thin slides and you werent able to focus on the specimen at high power. Tip: If you are using thin slides and cant focus, rather than adjust the rack stop, place a clear glass slide under the original slide to raise it a bit higher) Condenser Lens: The purpose of the condenser lens is to focus the light onto the specimen. Condenser lenses are most useful at the highest powers (400X and above). Microscopes with in stage condenser lenses render a sharper image than those with no lens (at 400X). If your microscope has a maximum power of 400X, you will get the maximum benefit by using a condenser lenses rated at 0. 5 NA or greater. 0. 65 NA condenser lenses may be mounted in the stage and work quite well. A big advantage to a stage mounted lens is that there is one less focusing item to deal with. If you go to 1000X then you should have a focusable condenser lens with an N. A. of 1. 25 or greater. Most 1000X microscopes use 1. 25 Abbe condenser lens systems. The Abbe condenser lens can be moved up and down. It is set very close to the slide at 1000X and moved further away at the lower powers. Diaphragm or Iris: Many microscopes have a rotating disk under the stage. This diaphragm has different sized holes and is used to vary the intensity and size of the cone of light that is projected upward into the slide. There is no set rule regarding which setting to use for a particular power. Rather, the setting is a function of the transparency of the specimen, the degree of contrast you desire and the particular objective lens in use. How to Focus Your Microscope: The proper way to focus a microscope is to start with the lowest power objective lens first and while looking from the side, crank the lens down as close to the specimen as possible without touching it. Now, look through the eyepiece lens and focus upward only until the image is sharp. If you cant get it in focus, repeat the process again. Once the image is sharp with the low power lens, you should be able to simply click in the next power lens and do minor adjustments with the focus knob. If your microscope has a fine focus adjustment, turning it a bit should be all thats necessary. Continue with subsequent objective lenses and fine focus each time. What to look for when purchasing a microscope. If you want a real microscope that provides sharp crisp images then stay away from the toy stores and the plastic instruments that claim to go up to 600X or more. There are many high quality student grade microscopes on the market today. They have a metal body and all glass lenses. One of the most important considerations is to purchase your instrument from a reputable source. Although a dealer may give you a great price, they may not be around next year to help you with a problem. One dealer that we can highly recommend is Microscope World. They offer a wide variety of instruments at very competitive prices.

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The 14th Vienna Secessionist exhibition (1902) was dedicated to the appreciation and celebration of Ludwin van Beethoven. The famous and renowned German composer that had influenced thousands with his music. Gustav Klimt created his Beethoven frieze for this exhibition. The work of art was originally intended to be destroyed after the exhibition. It was applied directly to the walls with light materials so that its removal would be quick and easy. The Beethoven frieze is painted along the upper half of three walls. The paintings of the walls tell a story with the left wall being the beginning and the right wall being the end. The work of art was a 34 meter long frieze and was applied onto the wall with casein paint, gold paint, chalk, and graphite on plaster. The Frieze survived because it was bought by a collector before the exhibition came to a close. The collector had it cut into 8 pieces for transportation and the Frieze was not seen for another 80 years. Later, in 1973 the Austr ian Republic bought and restored it and placed it on permanent display in the Vienna Secession Building. The first long wall of the Beethoven frieze marks the beginning of a story. It begins with a series of elongated female figures that seem to flow along the top of an empty space. Their eyes are closed and some have their arms extended in from of them as if they were trying to reach out to something. They almost seem to represent the soul’s longing for peace and tranquility. Flowing into the background of the first predominant painting. This part of the Frieze shows, a family praying or begging to a noble knight. The family is completely naked with an overlying sense of poverty and suffering. It shows the father and mother figure on their knees wit... ...e frieze find their place when they come upon a woman playing a lyre. The lyre signifies poetry and music while the woman is a muse to for the human soul. The Last portion of the frieze shows the female figures once again but their arms are no longer reaching out and their faces have a sense of satisfaction. Their bodies are curved as if dancing to the sound of music. To the right of them there is a choir of women that seem to be singing. Since the Frieze was painting for the celebration of Beethoven it is believed that the choir is singing ode to joy. In between the choir there is what seems to be an altar where a man and a woman are holding each other tightly. The sun and the moon hang on either side of the man and woman. This portion of the frieze has been titled â€Å"A kiss to the world†. Neither of their heads are visible and their feet are bound together by water

Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses Essay

Analyze funding opportunities for small businesses, including the role of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Then, evaluate the effectiveness of these funding opportunities in light of the current economy. In this time of economic challenges, suggest two ways that the SBA might be of assistance to your small business. Explain how you would request this assistance. Small businesses are leaders in innovation and drivers of the economy. Small businesses hold more patents than all of the nation’s universities and largest corporations combined, and create two thirds of all private sector jobs, employing half of all working Americans. The Federal government is the largest buyer in the world, spending over $500 billion each year. For the Federal government, contracting with small businesses is common sense. Small businesses get the revenue they need to create jobs and drive the economy forward, and federal agencies get the creativity, innovation, and technical expertise of small businesses to help accomplish their mission. When small businesses are excluded from federal contracts, the Federal government, American taxpayers and the nation’s economy lose out. Over 30 years ago, Congress set a goal of having a certain portion of all federal contracting dollars go to small businesses and established sub-goals for small businesses owned by women, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans of the Armed Forces, and for small businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones). The current government-wide goal for small businesses’ share of contracting dollars is 23%. Every year since 2006, the Federal government has missed the 23% small business goal and all but one of the sub-goals; the 2009 shortfall was greater than $4 billion. Removing barriers to federal contracting and increasing access for small businesses will go a long way in closing this gap. Over the past 18 months, the Federal government has taken important steps to increase opportunities for small businesses, from creating new online training for small businesses to issuing a proposed rule to create set-asides for women-owned small businesses in industries in which women are underrepresented. Last summer, the Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration (SBA) co-led a government-wide effort that involved over 300 matchmaking and training events across the country to ensure American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) contracts were awarded to a broad array of small businesses. With over 31% of Recovery Act contracting dollars going to small businesses, this initiative 2 Report on Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunities proved that, with committed leadership and the right tools, the government has the ability to meet – and exceed – the 23% small business contracting goal. Stronger rules. Insufficient guidance and gaps in current policy hamper the use of tools that provide contracting opportunities for small businesses. The Task Force recommends actions to strengthen and update policies where they are weak or outdated and develop policies where they are lacking. A better equipped, more informed and more accountable acquisition workforce. A lack of knowledge and agency accountability inhibits the government’s ability to meet and exceed small business procurement goals on an ongoing basis. The Task Force recommends increasing the knowledge base and efficiency level of the procurement workforce and providing appropriate incentives and accountability for agencies to meet small business goals. Improved outreach and better use of technology and data. The current data systems in the federal acquisition environment are cumbersome and not user friendly for many small businesses, especially for those who are new to the systems and trying to â€Å"get the ir foot in the door.† The Task Force recommends a one-stop shop for easier access to procurement information, as well as greater focus on the accuracy of procurement data. In the following report, the Task Force outlines the key recommendations and actions needed to meet these priority objectives. The Task Force will report to the President by December 30, 2010, on progress in the implementation of the recommendations in this report. SBA, Commerce, OMB, and the other members of the Task Force are committed to increasing opportunities for small businesses. Small businesses, including businesses owned by women, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans of our Armed Forces, must be able to participate in the Nation’s economic recovery. They must be able to compete effectively for federal contracts so our agencies, taxpayers, and the broader economy can reap the full benefit of their talents and services. 3 Report on Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunit ies REPORT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON FEDERAL CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Small businesses are leaders in innovation and the drivers of the economy– holding more patents than all of America’s universities and largest corporations combined, creating two thirds of all private sector jobs and employing half of all working Americans. The Federal government is the largest buyer in the world, spending over $500 billion each year. For the Federal government, contracting with small businesses is common sense. Small businesses get the revenue they need to create jobs and drive the economy forward, and federal agencies get the creativity, innovation, and technical expertise of small businesses to help accomplish their mission. When small businesses are excluded from federal contracts, agencies, small businesses, taxpayers and the broader economy lose out. For more than half a century, it has been the policy of the Federal government to provide â€Å"maximum practicable opportunity† for small businesses to participate in federal contracts. To achieve this objective, Congress established an aspirational goal in 1978 for the percentage of annual prime contract spending that should be awarded to small businesses each year. Congress later set the government-wide goal at 23% and created a set of sub-goals to support the participation of special segments of the small business community: small disadvantaged businesses (5%), women-owned small businesses (5%), service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses (3%), and small businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) (3%). These goals help ensure that a diverse set of small businesses share in the jobs and opportunities created by federal contracting. Since 2006, the Federal government has missed the 23% small business contracting goal and all but one of the sub-goals; the 2009 shortfall for the small business goal was more than $4 billion. This gap must be closed. The barriers to entry for small businesses are numerous: weak policies and rules that limit the effectiveness of tools that are supposed to facilitate contracting opportunities; inadequate workforce training to help contracting officers, small business advocates, and program offices understand how to successfully use contracting tools; and a lack of coordination among and accessibility to agency training and outreach events designed to help small businesses navigate the contracting system. Action must be taken to remove these barriers and ensure small businesses get access to federal contracts. A number of important steps have been taken or are underway to remove barriers and open more doors for small businesses in the federal marketplace. †¢ Later this year, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will implement a new rule on contracting with women-owned small businesses. For the first time, contracting officers will have a tool to set aside contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses in 4 Report on Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunities industries where women are under-represented. This is a critical step toward increasing opportunities for women-owned small businesses. †¢ This year SBA conducted the first comprehensive review of regulations in ten years governing its 8(a) business development program for disadvantaged small businesses to ensure the program’s effectiveness and increase 8(a) firms’ capacity to obtain contracts. †¢ A series of new online training courses have been rolled out (www.sba.gov/training) to walk small business owners through the steps involved in becoming a government contractor. These tools help small businesses navigate the process. †¢ SBA is conducting a comprehensive review of its size standards for small businesses – the first in 25 years – to ensure they accurately reflect the state of each industry. †¢ SBA is working actively to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in its business programs through a strengthened certification, eligibility and enforcement process.

Memory Keepers Daughter Essay

Truth be told nobody is normal or perfect each and every one of us have our flaws, insecurities and concerns. In The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards argues that . In life, there are many things that we can neither cure nor accept nor overcome; sometimes all it takes is one choice to determine the rest of our lives. One winter night in 1964, a Dr. David Henry makes a decision that will haunt his life forever. On a winter night in 1964, an unusual Kentucky blizzard forces Dr. Henry and his nurse Caroline Gill to deliver his own twins for his wife, Norah. First born is the boy, Paul, who is a visibly perfect baby. Shortly after, the baby girl Phoebe is born and is noticed to have symptoms of Down Syndrome. David cannot accept his baby girl because he does not want his wife to go through the same trauma his mother went through with the death of his little sister due to a heart defect. In a split second, David decides that the girl should be placed in an institution to spare Norah the suffering, and he asks the Caroline, the nurse, to take Phoebe to the institution. After Caroline left the Henry’s house, and seeing the horrible conditions of the institution, Caroline decides to keep the baby and raise Phoebe herself. David then lies to his wife and says that their daughter died at birth. This quick lie David Henry tells his family changes their life forever. The â€Å"death† in the family immediately causes a distance between David and Norah; David becomes infatuated with a camera that Norah bought for him while Norah turns to drinking. The distance between the Henry’s continues to grow even further while David and Norah aspire to do totally different things with their lives. David wants to become a photographer and tries to immerse himself in his work, he tries to ignore the resulting toll it takes on his family by viewing everything through a camera lens, almost†¦ We as people are in general very bias even if you don’t mean to be, you can be bias to the types of foods that you prefer, or to people who may or may not have mental illnesses. Life is filled with things beyond our control, and we must rely on ourselves to discover the link between suffering, joy and acceptance. There will always be thing that we can neither cure nor accept nor overcome; sometimes all it is going to take is one choice to determine the rest of our lives and The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards proves this.

Free Essays on Precis

Precis #3 The utterance of untruth is not justified through suppression of doubts on the subject or ignorance of the truth. Taking a statement for what it’s worth, without any further inquiry, is not only doing one’s self harm but also doing harm to anyone who one retells that statement and to society as a whole. In the case of the ship owner, burying his uncertainties about the integrity of his vessel, regardless of its journey’s success, was a wrong. It is also faulty to believe on insufficient evidence or by purposely avoiding investigation. It is asserted that humankind believes blindly because it is afraid of doubt and unmotivated to investigate. One’s beliefs make one strong if one has strong convictions. If these convictions are untrue, however, that strength is stolen and unreal. By this process, it is possible that society could become totally complacent, accepting everything that it is told by whom ever tells it. The process starts at childhood; a mother telling her child what she knows of the world with the child believing everything on the basis of authority. The child has no reason to ask questions of what it is told because it has no reason to first question the validity of its parents. It also has no knowledge of the rules of authority. Some things may be discounted because they cannot be known by a human or by a human of the nature to which one is speaking. If a mother tells her child that its dead dog didn’t feel a thing when it died and that it went up to puppy heaven to be with all its doggie friends, there is immediate cause for the child to discount its mothers story. Children cannot understand this however. As the child grows it becomes aware that it should begin to question things which it has held to be true. It is easier to be skeptical of things one is learning than things one ahs held true for a lifetime. People believe falsehoods from their youth to keep peac ! e of... Free Essays on Precis Free Essays on Precis Precis #3 The utterance of untruth is not justified through suppression of doubts on the subject or ignorance of the truth. Taking a statement for what it’s worth, without any further inquiry, is not only doing one’s self harm but also doing harm to anyone who one retells that statement and to society as a whole. In the case of the ship owner, burying his uncertainties about the integrity of his vessel, regardless of its journey’s success, was a wrong. It is also faulty to believe on insufficient evidence or by purposely avoiding investigation. It is asserted that humankind believes blindly because it is afraid of doubt and unmotivated to investigate. One’s beliefs make one strong if one has strong convictions. If these convictions are untrue, however, that strength is stolen and unreal. By this process, it is possible that society could become totally complacent, accepting everything that it is told by whom ever tells it. The process starts at childhood; a mother telling her child what she knows of the world with the child believing everything on the basis of authority. The child has no reason to ask questions of what it is told because it has no reason to first question the validity of its parents. It also has no knowledge of the rules of authority. Some things may be discounted because they cannot be known by a human or by a human of the nature to which one is speaking. If a mother tells her child that its dead dog didn’t feel a thing when it died and that it went up to puppy heaven to be with all its doggie friends, there is immediate cause for the child to discount its mothers story. Children cannot understand this however. As the child grows it becomes aware that it should begin to question things which it has held to be true. It is easier to be skeptical of things one is learning than things one ahs held true for a lifetime. People believe falsehoods from their youth to keep peac ! e of...

How to transform your teams communication skills

How to transform your teams communication skills A catalogue for transforming communication skills Writing is one of those work activities that we just assume we can do. So much so that its not even something we tend to give much thought to. Yet in the last decade or two, its silently taken over our working lives. Email alone accounts for a staggering four hours of an average workers day, according to a recent survey by Adobe of more than 4,000 workers across Europe and the US. And thats before theyve even begun to include bids, slide decks, reports, letters, procedures or policies. But how many of those communications engage their audience and get results? And how many damage relationships that then take months to repair (if they ever are)? It only takes a moments thought to realise that few skills are more important today than the ability to communicate well. We’re here to help You may know us from our regular business-writing tips and blog posts. You might have already been on an Emphasis business-writing course, either as an individual or with your company. Or maybe you’ve downloaded a copy of The Write Stuff: our free, comprehensive guide to business writing. However, you might not be aware of the full range of training services we offer that can bridge this critical skill gap. This includes our unique, pre-course writing analysis, which shines a spotlight on the documents you or your team produce, and reveals which areas are the priorities to improve. We have just the course for you To help you, we’ve created an interactive PDF guide to our services, which includes not just business writing but also communication skills courses. For example, we have created a new and innovative presentation skills course, The reluctant presenter. Its aimed at people who have a deep fear of presenting, and is delivered by trainers who have overcome their own fears and can share their secrets. We’ve also developed the worlds most comprehensive online business-writing course, called Emphasis 360. To learn more about any of our programmes, and how they can help transform your teams (or your own) communication skills, download a copy of our course catalogue now. You can also call us on +44 (0)1273 732 888 for a chat with one of our friendly team. Image credit: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

Targeting Voters in the Digital Age Research Paper

Targeting Voters in the Digital Age - Research Paper Example Both Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012 are mirrored images of how voters are targeted in the digital age through social media. A popular opinion is that while the Obama campaign lead because of high interaction with the public and through extensive incorporation of social media and other creative applications, others candidates did not quite manage to adequately engage in dialogue with their voters. The candidates usually go all the way through to make use of the communications technology in the present age to get in the good books of the voters they target which is different from how they used to seek votes in the past age when communications technology and social media were not as powerful as they are now. This research paper basically attempts to scrutinize with the help of research literature how the voters are reached in the digital age, how this digital mania influences campaigns, why the Obama campaigns led over others when delivering their message, and how this whole process i s different from the way campaigns operated some decades before. Like other daily tasks of life are positively influenced by digital technology for example, the ease of depositing bills with our smartphones and listening to the candidates’ speeches online whenever feasible, the political process has also tasted the exciting taste of the digital technology. Both elections of 2008 and 2012 mad extensive use of social media and while â€Å"in 2008, there were about 1.5 million election-related tweets, in 2012 there were 31 million† (Jeffers). It is worth appreciating how through different riveting digital applications the political process is brought into the 21st century and made all the more exciting and comfortable at the same time. The electoral process is made modernized by the digital age and both digital technology companies and political candidates are set out to further modernize this process through employment of latest technologies available. There are many vot ing applications out there in the market presently which allow voters to find the required information about their voters and cast their donations directly to their favorite candidates with one single tap on the touchscreen. According to NYC Votes, voting is a very important ritual and it is their responsibility to bring all facets of the electoral process into the digital age by introducing new applications (Vanhemert). NYC Votes for this purpose has introduced two new applications, mobile web app which is a contribution tool and allows the voters to cast their donations to the candidates and lets the latter collect all donations on their smartphones and Voter Engagement tool which enables voters to find all they want to about the candidates, make donations, and much more. These kinds of things make the political process of elections seem very different to how the candidates reached voters in the past age when nothing was so modernized and all tasks of the electoral process were pa infully time-consuming. Research shows that one of the main reasons Obama presidential campaigns led over those run by Mitt Romney was that people behind the Obama campaigns took the power of digital applications like Facebook and Twitter really seriously and used them to their advantage in any way they could. Social media should not only be considered a change in technology as it is really a change in the public’s tendency to communicate (Jeffers). Research claims that social media was a sure