Nikola Tesla Essay -- essays research papers

Nikola Tesla Few people recognize his name today, and even among those who do, the words Nikola Tesla are likly to summon up the image of a crackpot rather than an authentic scientist. Nikola Tesla was possibly the greatest inventor the world has ever known. He was, without doubt, a genius who is not only credited with many devices we use today, but is also credited with astonishing, sometimes world-transforming, devices that are even simply amazing by todays scientific standards. Tesla was born at precisely midnight between July 9th and 10th, 1856, in a small Hungarien village. He was born to his father, a priest, and his mother, an unschooled but extremely intelligent women. Training for an engineering career, he attendedthe Technical University of Graz, Austria and was shortly employed in a government telegraph engineering office in Budapest, where he made his first invention, a telephone repeater. Tesla sailed to America in 1884, arriving in New York City with four cents in his pocket, and many great ideas in his head. He first found employment with a young Thomas Edison in New Jersey, but the two inventors, were far apart in background and methods. But, because of there differences, Tesla soon left the employment of Edison, and in May 1885, George Westinghouse, head of the Westinghouse Electric Company in Pittsburgh, bought the patent rights to many of Tesla's inventions. After a difficult period, during which Tesla invented but lost his rights to many inventions, he established his own laboratory in New York City in 1887, where his inventive mind could be free. In 1895, Tesla discovered X-rays after hours upon hours of experimentation. Tesla's countless experiments included work on different power sources and various types of lightning. The Tesla coil, which he invented in 1891, is widely used today in radio and television sets and other electronic equipment for wireless communication. That year also marked the date of Tesla's United States citizenship. Brilliant and eccentric, Tesla was then at the peak of his inventive powers. He managed to produce new forms of generators, transformers, he invented the fluorescent light, and he became extremely involved with the wireless transmission of power. During the 1880a and 1890's Tesla and Edison became rivals, fighting to develop there inventions as quickly as possible. In 1915 he was severely disappoin... ...ever existed and declared others as "lost". Was he working on particle weapons and cloaking devices for the United States Government when he died? Was Reagan's Strategic Defense program known as "starwars" the result of secret research based on Tesla's discoveries half a century before? Nikola Tesla allowed himself only a few close friends. Among them were the writers Robert Underwood Johnson, Mark Twain, and Francis Marion Crawford. In his later years, Tesla was alone with only his inventions and calculations, although he did bred pigeons later in life, who he gave all the affection to that he was unable to give human beings. Telsa's name holds over 700 patents. Tesla died privately and peacefully at 87 on January 7, 1943 New York hotel room from no apparent cause in particular. Hundreds filed into New York City's Cathedral of St.John for his funeral services, and a flood of messages acknowledged the loss of a great genius. Three Nobel Prize winners in physics (Millikan, Compton, and W.H. Barton) addressed their tributes. One of the outstanding intellects of the world who paved the way for many of the technological developments of modern times, Nikola Tesla.

China and Globalization Essay

China’s rapid ascent as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies (Adornino & Wilcox, 96) has triggered enormous attention among scholars interested not only in the political, economic and social underpinnings of its continued growth but also in the implications of its increased integration with the global economy. Indeed, an examination of the unique characteristic of China’s development and transition from a planned, centralized economy based on the socialist ideology to the liberal, open-market economy it is today strengthens the arguments in support of globalization. On the other hand, the impact of its liberalization and democratization on China’s poor also presents a critical view on the trade-offs of global integration. The stage for China’s entry into the global economy was clearly set by the transition from a closed, relatively self-sufficient economy which was crystallized in the post-Mao era under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership in the Chinese Communist Party. In the late 1970s, the Party began instituting domestic economic and social reforms mirroring its abandonment of the socialist economy and ideology in favor of neoliberal economics. (Adormino & Wilcox 96) Among the major reforms undertaken was the development and democratization of trade and markets, effectively allowing uncontrolled private ownership to the means of production, heretofore owned publicly, and the shift from a planned economy to a â€Å"market-oriented free trading system. † (Guan, 2001:118) Likewise, the Chinese government reduced state control and intervention in economic activities as it began to adopt an Open Door policy to attract foreign direct investment and facilitate the growth of China’s international trade. Thus, China became part of the global economy after economic liberalization and democratization. On the other hand, the country’s integration into the neoliberal world economic order has also been the subject of much criticism. Guan (2000) notes that the implementation of market reforms and China’s consequent integration drastically changed not only the country’s economic system but also important aspects of its social policy. (119) As a result of the shift to a free market economy, the State’s role in the provision of welfare and security for its citizens significantly diminished. For instance, food and price subsidies have been stopped and the poor are faced with the risks of unemployment. Likewise, Guan (2001) asserts that widening social inequality has also characterized modern China despite sustained economic growth and efforts at reforming social policy to provide safety nets for labor, agriculture, and other poor sectors. (243) Undoubtedly, knowledge of both the negative and positive aspects of liberalization informs the Chinese government’s attitude toward global economic integration. This is evident in the manner by which the state has controlled the pace of China’s integration with the international economy in order to preserve social stability. (Adornino & Wilcox, 97; Yong & Moore, 117) However, Yong and Moore (2004) attribute the State’s waryness of completely and totally embracing globalization to its fear of the inherent weaknesses and vulnerabilities of a globalized system that could jeopardize China’s â€Å"strategic outlook as an aspiring great power. † (117) China is thus effectively hindered from fully associating itself with the global economy due to its political identity as a socialist country and to the fact that the market reform has resulted into the further fragmentation of interests in Chinese society. Thus, it is in the most ironic sense that, as Adornino and Wilcox (2006) observe, the Chinese Communist Party legitimizes its rule and power through a flourishing capitalist economy. (100) The State is therefore careful of rushing headlong into a fully open, liberalized country since this would entail the further erosion of its power as â€Å"market reforms have increasingly devolved decision-making powers to producers and enterprise managers. † (Adornino & Wilcox, 100) The further diffussion and decentralization of power threatens not only the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party but also endangers the country to social instability as the needs of its citizens become increasingly diverse and at the same time polarized between those benefitting from the market reform and those who have lost much because of it. (Adornino & Wilcox, 100) China’s experience in globalization is arguably unique due to the government’s ambivalence in adopting a clearly Capitalist stance and ideology and the pressure created by the need for social equality. China’s integration to the global market is hampered by internal difficulties in aligning various political and economic interests. On the one hand, China’s economic restructuring has created a rapidly growing and expanding market and trading system integrated with the international economy. On the other hand, its government has to precariously balance competing interests in social and domestic policy, resolve the problems in social inequality, and at the same time reduce its involvement in economic activities as demanded by the free market economy. Thus, while the benefits of China’s rapidly growing economy is obvious for the elite, the host of political and social problems created in its wake also makes the majority of the Chinese people bear the brunt of the development from a clearly socialist path into an ambivalent capitalist society. Works Cited: Adormino, Giovanni and Wilcox, Russel G. â€Å"China: Between Social Stability and Market Integration. † China & World Economy 14. 3(2006):95-108. Guan, Xin Ping. â€Å"China’s Social Policy: Reform and Development in the Context of Marketization and Globalization. † Social Policy and Administration 34. 1(2000):115-130. Guan, Xinping. â€Å"Globalization, Inequality, and Social Policy: China on the Treshold of Entry into the World Trade Organization. † Social Policy and Administration 35. 3(2001):242-257. Yong, Deng and Moore, Thomas G. â€Å"China Views Globalization: Toward a New Great Power Politics? † The Washington Quarterly 27. 3(2004):117-136.

Essay on The Success of the New Deal - 811 Words

The Success of the New Deal Was the New Deal a success? The new deal was a success felt by many Americans, there was prosperity and for the first time hope for a better future. There were a lot of successes in the new deal, unemployment being one of the biggest, was brought down from nearly 13 million to just under 8 million. Millions of long-term jobs were created using alphabet agencies. For the first time in American history a welfare state was introduced, millions of people received relief, often food, shelter and clothing. Emergency relief certainly stopped people from starving. The government created social security and welfare schemes for the benefit of the many ordinary people†¦show more content†¦This was a success only to the workers. Farmers had been hit a lot harder than most in the 20s and past the Wall Street crash, the new deal did much to improve the lives of American farmers, especially those with large farms. By the mid-1930s farmers incomes were rising, this was mainly thanks to Federal government created alphabet agencies. The new deal did much to raise the morale and confidence of many Americans. Many began to believe in themselves again. Few turned to extreme Communist or Fascist groups. Roosevelt had increased the role of the federal government in America. It became much more involved in peoples lives. Most Americans now accepted that the federal government had a role to play in making sure the weaker sections of society - the unemployed, the homeless, the old and the poor - were looked after. Roosevelts own background of disability meant that he could sympathise with the disadvantaged in American society. He was determined to help the unemployed, the disabled and the elderly in his policies. However, there were still a number of people who werent enjoying the excitement on the road to recovery. Unemployment was reduced by a considerable amount but was not ended. The various schemes had limited impact. Some said they did not provide real jobs and the moment government ceased to pay, the jobs wouldShow MoreRelatedThe Success of the New Deal Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe Success of the New Deal In 1932 the citizens of the USA were eager to see Herbert Hoover out of office. From the start of The Wall Street crash (1929), President Hoover had done next to nothing to try and counter the Depression following. He and the republicans argued that Economy went in cycles of bust and boom. He kept insisting, Prosperity is just around the corner. This gave the Democratic Party, led by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a great chance to attackRead MoreSuccess of the New Deal Essay1267 Words   |  6 PagesSuccess of the New Deal During 1929 many people invested in the stock market, this led to the stock becoming less and less valuable, this eventually led to the Wall Street Crash. The current Republican President, Herbert Clark Hoover was not seen to be doing enough so he was succeeded By President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) , who would end the depression with his New Deal. Roosevelt holds the unique distinction of being elected four times by the people of AmericaRead MoreEssay on The Success and Failure of the New Deal747 Words   |  3 PagesThe New Deal The United States encountered many ordeals during the Great Depression (1929-1939). Poverty, unemployment and despair clouded the â€Å"American Dream† and intensified the urgency for solutions to address and control the nationwide damage. President Franklin Roosevelt proposed the New Deal to detoxify the nation of its suffering. It can be argued that the New Deal was ineffective due to the inability to end the Great Depression with its short-term solutions and created more problems, however;Read MoreThe Success of Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal718 Words   |  3 PagesFranklin D. Roosevelt’s â€Å"New Deal† package of legislation set a new precedent for United States involvement in cultural development. The New Deal was characterized by liberal use of government resources to provide relief, recovery, and reform to a nation that had been reeling from the aftermath of the Great Depression. While the immediate success of Roosevelt’s New Deal in mitigating the effects of the Great Depression is debatable, it’s long lasting impact on American government is still felt todayRead MoreThe Success of the New Deal in Solving the Problems Caused by the Great Depression724 Words   |  3 PagesThe Success of the New Deal in Solving the Problems Caused by the Great Depression Introduction- In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s the whole of America was in a deep depression and was in desperate need of help. When Franklin D Roosevelt was elected president of USA he came up with the plan of â€Å"the new deal† this was a planned guideline to regenerate money and the high standards of living the Americans once had not so long ago. He introduced 5 major organisations toRead MoreTo What Extent Was The New Deal A Success? What Were Its Successes And Failures?1682 Words   |  7 PagesSmitkumar Patel US History – 2 Professor Ojserkis 1 May 2017 To what extent was the New Deal a success? What were its successes and failures? The new deal was many programs issued by the US government to help the economy after the stock market crash of 1929. The new deal was issued because of the great depression and the new deal was a way to get out of the great depression. The great depression began in August 1929 and it lasted for about 10 years. â€Å"The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to 1939Read MoreThe New Deal : A Success At Tackling The American Economic And Social Problems During The 1930 S1226 Words   |  5 Pages1939, America was set with new government programs established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Within Roosevelt’s first Hundred Days, he established a plan that would bring America out of crisis. This program was called, The New Deal, and had three goals: relief, recovery, and reform. This goals, the 3 R’s were short-ran goals for relief and immediate recovery, as well as, long-term goals for permanent recovery and reform. Ultimately, the main goal of the New Deal was to br ing America out ofRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The United States1299 Words   |  6 PagesBecause of this, he created the New Deal, which was when lots of laws and programs were passed in order to help reform, relief, and recover from the Depression. The New Deal in America was a success because of FDR’s efforts.. The New Deal was a success in America because it brought relief to many Americans. An example of relief is shown in Document 1, a quote about how the NYA helped boost family incomes and allowed children to stay in school. Document 1 supports success because children could attendRead MoreThe New Deal Essay1253 Words   |  6 PagesThe New Deal The New Deal had three aims Relief, which was to help with unemployment, Recovery to rebuild the economy and to return USA to the 1920s economic boom. The New Deal was not a complete success, but it did prevent things from getting worse, it dealt with unemployment in a way. One of the aims of the New Deal was to provide Relief; I am going to assess the successes and failures of this aim. The role of the FERA, they were kind of a success because theyRead MorePresident Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal and Unemployment1355 Words   |  6 Pages The New Deal was President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s legislative agenda for rescuing the United States from the Great Depression. The Great depression is widely believed to have been caused by the instability of the stock market in the 1920’s, due to a rising number of ‘speculators’. On October 29, 1929, the crash of the U.S. stock market triggered a worldwide financial crisis. In 1929-1933, unemployment in the U.S. soared from 3 percent of the workforce to 25 percent,

Racism The United States Of America - 885 Words

Racism in The United States of America Racism has been part of American History since the beginning of the Countries origin. This issue includes the mistreatment of The Native Americans that were forced out of their lands and placed on reservations to black slaves being brought here from Africa. Throughout the history of this great nation people of the U.S. have moved away from these racist beliefs, yet, it is still a relevant issue in today’s society. Today slavery is no longer an institution, and discrimination is not accepted by society. There still remains an underlying separation between people of different races in this country. Those in positions of power have not made attempts to fix the issue but to use the racial divide to their advantage. These people do not make this country better but they help take part in the downward spiral that this great country is headed in. An analysis of discrimination in the United States presents one challenge facing Americans: unifying the country or continuing to separate i t through racial divide. The tension level between races in the United States is on the verge of exploding. The issue of racism is very relevant in today’s society. Similarly, subjects such as political correctness make the tension level even higher. If someone does not stay within the accepted vocabulary pertaining to the color of peoples skin someone can be considered a racist. Police shootings have now become a major issue that has caused riots in communitiesShow MoreRelatedExposing Racism During The United States Of America3091 Words   |  13 PagesExposing Racism in American The United States of America is a melting pot of diverse ethnicities, races, and cultures. Our country has no official language, religious faith, or skin color. It is simply a country that believes all men were created equal under Lady Liberty’s embrace. Furthermore, with the vast mix of people and differing beliefs, issues on race can easily arise. Racism in America has a long and complicated history. It started as an ideology, but now can be expressed in â€Å"institutionalRead MoreRacism Is A Major Issue And Problem That Has Plagued The United States Of America1551 Words   |  7 PagesRacism is a major issue and problem that has plagued the United States of America for years. Racism has been around in our country since well before the Civil war and even today we still have people who are prejudice towards other races, but discrimination and other major issues had finally become illegal in the end of the 1960’s with the civil rights movement. During the civil righ ts movement we had many African American leaders and people who were fighting for civil rights within American. OneRead MoreRacism : A World Without Racism1013 Words   |  5 Pagesor arguments’ and some people might say ‘’ A world where there is no crime and pollution† however nobody says ‘’ A world without racism â€Å". In the United States many Americans do not face racism. However, for many African Americans it is something they have to go through everyday. Immigrants who comes to USA from Africa will face difficulties in United States. People simply call them African Americans. However, African American communities won’t accept them as African Americans. I thinkRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Dimensions Of Racism In Advertising864 Words   |  4 PagesIn Chapter 4 of Dimensions of Racism in Advertising: From Slavery to the Twenty-first Century, Kieh discusses how racism and stereotypes influence politics in America. He states that racism influences all elections in America, no matter what level the election is on. The author states that the purpose of the particular chapter. He states that the chapter â€Å"examines the racism-political advertisement nexus, especially its use as an instrument for priming and conditioning white voting behavior in presidentialRead MoreChristopher Columbus Persuasive Essay726 Words   |  3 Pages America. The â€Å"Land of the Free† and the â€Å"Home of the Brave.† Yet, is this country truly one where all can live freely? Free for the poor? Free for immigrants? Free for religious minorities? Free for people of color? The United States of America is a country that was created to allow for certain freedoms for all people, yet within its rich history and today’s world, our country has become a melting pot for prejudice, racism, and ignorance. As our world progresses further, it may seem as if thereRead MoreEssay On Problems Facing America973 Words   |  4 PagesProblems Facing America in Today’s Age According to the article â€Å"Immigration Statistics Fast Facts† in 2013 11.5 illegal immigrants came into the United States. 59% of those immigrants coming from Mexico alone! Three issues Americans face in 2017 are NFL Players kneeling for National Anthem , Racism, and Illegal Immigration. NFL players are kneeling for the anthem because they believe that they have a voice in the larger spectrum of racism and violence in America today. Racism in America never fullyRead MoreRacism : Racism And It Is Fair For Label A Country Racist?1648 Words   |  7 Pages In the recent years, racism has been at its highest, so the media reports to the public. Through sports, policing, and schooling, some story of racism is written up by a major news organization and society goes into disbelief. In any community, racist people exist, but with all the recent stories written by major and minor news organizations, it raises the underlined theme that America is racist. But, it is fair to label a country racist? In order to answer the question, there needs to be a setRead MoreEssay on Racism In America1586 Words   |  7 PagesRacism In America Racism (n): the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other race (Wordnet search, 1), a controversial topic in today’s society, a subject that many people try to sweep under the rug, but yet a detrimental problem that has been present in America since the colonial era. Will this dilemma come to a halt? Can all Americans see each other as equals despite their skin color and nationality; and what role has it played in past generations versusRead MoreFallacies : Fallacies Of Racism1303 Words   |  6 Pages7th, 2017 Fallacies of racism in present America Humans who share a common ancestry, genetics, physical traits, relationships and social relations form a race. Racism on the other hand is the belief that one race is superior to the other. Racism results in prejudice and discrimination of the inferior race. Eventually, this leads to resentment and hatred on the superior race. A fallacy on the other hand is simply an error in argument or reasoning. Racism fallacies in America are to this point theRead MoreIndifference Essay761 Words   |  4 Pagesinjustices that are happening in front of them. The United States of America is one of the main offenders of indifference occurring in their society and government. The U.S. continually shows indifference in the way the people treat others, both in their own country and foreign ones. The states show indifference by acting and showing racism, intolerance, and discrimination to those that are different from them. Even after everything the United States has been through, they still contin ue doing what

The Theory Of Human Intelligence And Its Development Essay

Introduction According to the proposed theory of human intelligence and its development (Sternberg, 1999a), a common set of processes underlies all aspects of intelligence. These processes are hypothesized to be universal. These processes are applied to different kinds of tasks and situations depending on whether a given problem requires practical skills and creative skills. Practical skills used to implement, apply, or put into practice ideas in real-world contexts. It involves individuals applying their abilities to the kinds of daily problems they confront on the job or at home. Practical intelligence is the application of the components of intelligence to experience to: adapt to, (b) shape, and (c) select environments. In contrast with practical skills, creative skills used to create, invent, discover, imagine, suppose, or hypothesize. Tests of creative intelligence go beyond tests of analytical intelligence in measuring performance on tasks that require individuals to deal with relatively novel situations. Sternberg has shown that assessing a range of abilities beyond that assessed by conventional tests of intelligence allows one to tap sources of individual differences measured little or not at all by these tests (Sternberg, 1985). It is also true that people are either practically or creatively skilful or they have these both skills innate with them. But in consideration to its value in day to day life, practical skill can be considered more important than creativeShow MoreRelatedTheories Of Development And Development Influence Human Intelligence1676 Words   |  7 Pageslearning and development. Some major theorists that are incorporated with theories of development include Jean Piaget, Lev V ygotsky, and Erik Erikson. Along with the theories of development, there are theories of learning. The four main theories include cognitive, constructivism, social cognitive, and situative. First and foremost, Jean Piaget can be considered a pioneer in psychology. His theory is considered one of the most influential and comprehensive theories of cognitive development. This theoryRead MoreDevelopmental Psychology Essay1110 Words   |  5 PagesDevelopment Psychology Development psychology refers to the scientific study of the systematic psychological changes that normally occur to human beings throughout their growth period from birth to old age. It was originally concerned with children and infants, but it has since expanded to include the entire life span of mankind including adolescence and adulthood. Development psychology covers the extent to which human development occurs through gradual accumulation of knowledge, and the extentRead MoreHoward Gardner and Project Zero1231 Words   |  5 PagesUniversity School of Medicine, and Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero† (Gardner bio, Multiple Intelligences and Education, MI Theory, and Project Zero). As director of Project Zero, it provided and environment that Gardner could begin the exploration of human cognition (Multiple Intelligences and Education). Project Zero colleagues have been designing assessment and the use of multiple intelligences (MI) to realize more personalized curr iculum, instruction, and teaching methods; and the qualityRead MoreEssay What is Intelligence?1100 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is Intelligence? Intelligence can be defined in many different ways since there are a variety of individual differences. Intelligence to me is the ability to reason and respond quickly yet accurately in all aspects of life, such as physically, emotionally, and mentally. Anyone can define intelligence because it is an open-ended word that has much room for interpretation. Thus my paper is an attempt to find the meaning of human intelligence. There are a couple of scientists who have triedRead MoreThe Theory Of Measuring Intelligence1613 Words   |  7 Pagestoday’s society. Although research and new learning strategies have been in development since the 1980s, much of society still sees intelligence in this limited manner. Though the course of this paper we will look at theories for measuring intelligence. We will also explore how memory plays a major role in developing intelligence and the effect these factors have on learning. Intellectual Development Intellectual development can best be described as a child’s ability to think about and understandRead MoreDevelopment Across the Life Span: Nature Versus Nurture Essay examples1666 Words   |  7 PagesDevelopment Across the Life Span: Nature versus Nurture Barry University What is Nature versus Nurture? Development across the lifespan is one of the most interesting areas of psychology. The word development refers to human development which can be defined as â€Å"the scientific study of changes that occur in people as they age from conception until death.† (Ciccarelli, amp; White, 2009)Psychologists study this developmental change over time through several different methods. The book highlightsRead MoreThe Theory Of Intelligence As Inherently Born With The Individual940 Words   |  4 PagesMy opinion relating to the debate on intelligence. The concept of intelligence has originated innumerous discussions in the field of psychology and pedagogy, and it is also marked by controversy among scholars. One can say that many of these disagreements are generated from the lack of consensus on the definition and conceptualization of intelligence with regard to their nature, source and development. Generally, the theories that defends intelligence as inherently born with the individual, explainRead MoreHoward Gardner s Theory Of Multiple Intelligences1466 Words   |  6 PagesGardner’s research and theories embody Estrada’s quote. Gardner’s works as a developmental and cognitive psychologist have impacted the way children are taught in their early childhood. His findings are focused on how humans think and how they learn in different ways. Howard Gardner is considered one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th and 21st centuries because of his cognitive and developmental research, most particularl y his theory of Multiple Intelligences. Howard Gardner was bornRead MoreCognitive Development: Multiple Intelligences1536 Words   |  7 Pagesoverview of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI). I will also discuss the merits and critiques of the theory in the field of cognitive development. I will also discuss the applicability of Gardner’s theory to my personal development. The final section will cover the application of the theory in a counselling framework. This will be supported by discussing theoretical orientations that would best adopt application of Gardner’s theory. Theoretical Overview Gardner’s theory of MI offers an alternativeRead MoreAnalysis Of Howard Gardner s Theory Of Intelligence900 Words   |  4 PagesIntoduction It was previously believed that intelligence was a single thing that was inherited; and that human beings, initially a blank state, could be trained to learn anything, provided that it was presented in an appropriate way. (infed.org) According to the originator of multiple intelligences theory, Howard Gardner, however, intelligence can be defined in three ways, namely a property of all human beings; a dimension on which human beings differ; and the ways in which one carries out a task

The genesis of secrecy by Frank Kermode Free Essays

Biblical scholarship and the gospels can be useful examples for Kermode because these provide scholarly quality and discipline of the best biblical study and can set a high enough standard that can be exemplary to all. An indispensable instrument of survival in this world is the power to make interpretations. According to Kermode, in all the works of interpretation, there are insiders and outsiders, the former having or professing to have, immediate access to the mystery, the latter randomly scattered across space and time and excluded from the elect who mistrust or despise their unauthorized divinations, which may indeed, for all the delight they give, without absolute value. We will write a custom essay sample on The genesis of secrecy by Frank Kermode or any similar topic only for you Order Now From my understanding, he deems this important since much of what is written is susceptible to many interpretations. Thus the power to make interpretations has been dubbed by the author as an indispensable instrument of survival. Hermes is the patron of thieves, merchants and travelers, of heralds and their kerygma. He has been described as cunning and occasionally violent. He is also the patron of interpreters and since Kermode is an interpreter himself, Hermes is important in his profession. Hermes is, after all, considered as the god of going between –between the dead and the living, between the latent and the manifest. Hermeneutics is thus described as the rules of the art of interpretation and its philosophy. It has been thought by some as the most serious of philosophical inquiry; as a means whereby they effect a necessary subversion of the old metaphysics. It covers a range of activity from plain proclamation of sense to oracular intimations. The biblical passage quoted by the author is from the Gospel of Mark (4:11-12) to wit: Jesus said, â€Å"To you has been given the secret of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; so that they may indeed see but no perceive, and may indeed hear but no understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven.† This passage was included by the author because he needed to point out that a written work is susceptible to various interpretations. He wanted to point out that it is only those who already know the mysteries – what the stories really mean – can discover what the stories really mean. Carnal reading is that which is based on simple primary senses. These are readers who try to take the literary piece in their literal concept. In the story of Party going, the author wanted to stress the need to rely more on spiritual reading rather than carnal reading. He wanted to emphasize that we need to perceive and understand the story before us to achieve full comprehension. Hina was used by Mark to refer to â€Å"so that† while hoti was used by Matthew as â€Å"because†. The change by Matthew involved a different grammar where Matthew replaces Marks’ subjective into an indicative. The parable of the Good Samaritan has been interpreted in many ways –the most common of which is to showcase who or what a real neighbor is. And by the standards of the parable, it is that person who helps those in need. It was also referred to the fall of man whereby Adam is the traveler who has decided to leave Paradise and the Good Samaritan is Christ who saved him. Narratives are obscure because it allows us to interpret these in a manner we see fit. The parables are a perfect example in the sense that they allow us to learn something based on our own understanding or perception of a story vis-à  -vis the real interpretation of the text. How to cite The genesis of secrecy by Frank Kermode, Essay examples

Rfid at the Metro Group free essay sample

The market is mature and continually seeks innovative ideas to enhance competitive advantage -Highly capital intensive -Low to moderate labor intensiveness -Low margin; high volume – they take advantage of economies of scale -Characterized by high volume holding capacity controlled through Information Technology Company Facts Metro Group was Germany’s biggest retailer (250 stores, 10 warehouses, 100 suppliers) that operates globally in 6 divisions: Metro Cash Carry (wholesale), Retail (hypermarkets), Extra (supermarkets), Media Market and Saturn (consumer electronics), Praktiker (building materials), Galeria Kaufhof (department stores) -Metro Group (hereafter, Metro) is the world’s 3rd-largest retailer -Having the capacity to carry large volumes of inventory and have it adequately controlled and managed by cost efficient Information Technology resources Increased company international expansion overseas -Metro is seeking to improve product accessibility: Having products consumers want in locations consumers can find them easily oReducing shrink in the Supply chain oHaving little to no Out of Stock occurrences -Launched the Future Store Initiative in September 2002 to test different initiative aimed at improving all aspects of the customer experience Competitive Environment -Porter’s Five Forces o Supplier Power- Relatively low; products can be procured from many different places at low price. Companies are investigating new way to improve product availability and cut costs Strategic Fit or Alignment -Metro’s supplier have not been implementing RFID as Metro would like. Misplaced, low quality tags are a major issue -Metro’s IT subsidiary has aided in improving fit across the 6 independent sale divisions -There is a lack of fit between employees’ training and the mission of management to implement the RFID -Lack of alignment existent within Metro’s leadership as to whether or not RFID should be applied company-wide as the solvent for Metro’s supply chain issues -Hard Conclusions: Metro should develop an even more strategic relationship with its suppliers so that they are cognizant of how to implement RFID and that they maintain a certain level of quality; Metro should also train its employees on how to apply RFID within their tasks; Metro’s highest management should continue to utilize RFID but should also seek to improve its supply chain in the areas suggested by opponents of RFID RFID Facts -RFID contains at least two parts oIntegrated circuit- storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radi o frequency and other specialized functions oAntenna- receiving and transmitting the signal Used in enterprise supply chain management to improve the efficiency of inventory tracking and management -Limited growth and adoption in enterprise supply chain markets due to advanced technology needed to implement it Metro’s Competitive Strategy -Metro is a leader in supply chain innovation through the use of the RFID system -Metro does not want to sacrifice quality over costs for RFID which: oReduces shrink because of great accuracy in inventory location oImproves on-shelf availability and reduces substitute purchases oReduces out-of-stocks by reducing poor store execution oImproves productivity and labor efficiencies by eliminating manual entries and barcode scanning Strengths (Metro) oMore economies of scale oGlobal recognition and success Moving in a positive direction with innovative technologies oSubstantial financial resources, can create leverage oWorks well with other companies in implementing new technology oCan create serious investments to pioneer new technological infrastructure and processes -Weaknesses (Metro) oMargins may be lowered due to competitive giants such as Wal Mart oThe cost advantages that METRO will possess with RFID will soon be gone due to competitors utilizing the same technology oVirtually no places to expand without confronting competition head on oLimits of low cost sales oRivalry with other Retailers causes unnecessary contention -Opportunities (Metro) Competitive advantage if they are first to successfully implement the RFID system at the case level -Threats (Metro) oWal-Mart has already begun to implement the RFID system with a high degree of success Supply Chain Analysis Qualitative -Potential RFID benefits in METRO’s supply chain -Improved inventory data accuracy oReduction in reverse logistics/returns oReduction in inventory (backroom, lower obsolescence) oReduction in obsolescence oImproved on-shelf availability oReduction of out-of-stock items, o9% to 14% reduction in stock outs due to products being in the backroom and not on the selling floor oImproved replenishment oStore labor productivity improvement Reduced substitute purchases from consumers due to improved on shelf and previously out of stock merchandise, leading to increased sales for companies -Implementing RFID will increase Metro’s responsiveness to both its suppliers and customers. However, this responsiveness will also cost Metro a great deal of money. -Firms on the cost responsiveness efficient frontier are continuously improving their processes and changing technology to shift the efficient frontier itself The development of the RFID process shifted the efficient frontier to the right (increased costs for increased responsiveness) -Therefore, if Metro would like to remain on the efficient frontier they must pay less attention to the implementation cost and more attention to how RFID could improve its responsiveness -Potential RFID weaknesses in METRO’s supply chain Must convince suppliers to use because it is a long term investment oAdds another process to manufacturer supply chain operations oAdditional costs will be incurred by the manufacturers oMETRO and its suppliers must spend time to train their workers in the new system oTraining incurs extra costs oMistakes with tags will be made such as placement of the tag, human error oTags of low quality or a different frequency caused problems in reading them oProblem with middlewear servers, bad connection, note too early or late for shipment, and note might contain the wrong information on the shipment. -RFID tagging on the palle t level oManufacturer Changes ?EPC tag on pallet is read in order to identify pallet EPC number is associated with content of pallet ?EPC tag at shipping area is read to identify in order to verify location ? Orders are assembled dynamically when trucks arrive and EPC tag on pallet is read when pallet is moved onto truck oRetailer Changes ?EPC tag on pallet are automatically read when pallet is unloaded; the EPC number is used to track the pallet in the DC ? EPC tag on pallet is automatically read when forklift arrives to identify pallet ? Location is verified by EPC tags on pallets ?EPC tag on pallet is read and verifies delivery -RFID tagging on the case level oManufacturer Changes ?Serial numbers of cases are registered when put onto pallets ? Based on tracking of serial numbers for cases, manufacturers can inform retailers which specific cases need to be returned/ are recalled; cases returned can be identified via EPC numbers and registered automatically oRetailer Changes ?EPC tags of cases that are on pallet are read when pallet is unloaded; information on cases in delivery is used to automatically compare the physical delivery with a n electronic delivery note ? EPC tags on cases are read in order to record and verify the number of cases picked ? No more sample counting, RFID assures accuracy ?Based on the tracking of serial numbers for cases, DC can determine which stores have received products to be returned or recalled and inform these stores. Shrink Improvement: -Improving shrinkage by 25% will increase Metro’s gross margin by . 5% Stock-Out Improvement -Improving the amount of stock-outs will increase Metro’s gross margin by . 05% Hard Conclusion: Given the shift of the efficient cost responsiveness frontier, Metro pays less attention to the initial costs and choose the option that yields the greatest benefit. Pallet level tagging does benefit Metro’s supply chain. However, those benefits may not outweigh the costs. Since case-level tagging benefits the organization significantly more, Metro should strongly consider switching to pallet-level tagging. Problem Statement/Key decisions Metro Group must decide whether the RFID system will be implemented at the case level or at the pallet level and the scale of implementation amongst suppliers -Metro must develop a means for its suppliers to employ the RFID system on inventory should the company chose to continue implementation Alternatives and Evaluation of Alternatives -Do nothing. o Advantages: No more costs will be incurred for training of employees, technology, etc. oDisadvantages: Metro will incur some sunk costs from investing in this new technology; the company may lose its competitive advantage when other competitors begin to use RFID which may drive margins down due to competitive pressures -Implement RFID at the case level to all suppliers. oAdvantages: Cost savings of â‚ ¬0. 2 per case in labor and other costs; improves accuracy of shipments which reduces stockouts, decreases inventory returned or thrown away and increases accuracy of inventory data; employees more able to determine when shelf replenishment needed which increases profits. oDisadvantages: more expensive than pallet-level implementation; serious development would be needed to prepare suppliers to make the change; Metro will incur upfront costs of investment and extensive employee training will be needed -Utilize RFID at the pallet level to all suppliers. oAdvantages: Cheaper than case-level implem entation; cost savings of â‚ ¬16,000 per year in labor. Disadvantages: Less accuracy than case-level implementation; Metro will incur upfront costs of investment and extensive employee training will be needed -Invest more in store and DC processes and in human resource management practices oAdvantages: More cost effective; could improve employee morale oDisadvantages: Metro will be at a disadvantage technologically in relation to its competitor i. e. Wal-Mart Recommendation -Metro should initiate full use of case-level tagging with the RFID system amongst all suppliers Plan of Action -Implement case-level tagging the same 33 suppliers, 9 Metro DCs, and 13 Metro stores that started pallet level tagging -Evaluate the progress in of the project in 8-12 months to ensure major problems are resolved -Start a major roll out of RFID at the case-level with the 250 stores, 10 warehouses and 100 suppliers that Metro had planned to implement pallet-level tagging with -Implement at existing store in batches of 300 and all new stores every six months for approximately 3 years