Where Is Cathay and What Is Its History

Around the year 1300, a book took Europe by storm. It was Marco Polos account of his travels to a fabulous country called Cathay, and all of the wonders he had seen there. He described black stones that burned like wood (coal), saffron-robed Buddhist monks, and money made out of paper. Of course, Cathay was actually China, which at that time was under Mongol rule. Marco Polo served in the court of Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty, and grandson of Genghis Khan. Khitai and the Mongols The name Cathay is a European variation of Khitai, which Central Asian tribes used to describe parts of northern China once dominated by the Khitan people. The Mongols had since crushed the Khitan clans and absorbed their people, erasing them as a separate ethnic identity, but their name lived on as a geographical designation. Since Marco Polo and his party approached China via Central Asia, along the Silk Road, they naturally heard the name Khitai used for the empire they sought. The southern part of China, which had not yet capitulated to Mongol rule, was known at that time as Manzi, which is Mongol for the recalcitrant ones. Parallels Between Polo and Riccis Observations It would take Europe almost 300 years to put two and two together, and realize that Cathay and China were one and the same. Between about 1583 and 1598, the Jesuit missionary to China, Matteo Ricci, developed the theory that China was actually Cathay. He was well acquainted with Marco Polos account  and noticed striking similarities between Polos observations of Cathay and his own of China. For one thing, Marco Polo had noted that Cathay was directly south of Tartary, or Mongolia, and Ricci knew that Mongolia lay on the northern border of China. Marco Polo also described the empire as being divided by the Yangtze River, with six provinces to the north of the river and nine to the south. Ricci knew that this description matched China. Ricci observed many of the same phenomena that Polo had noted, as well, such as people burning coal for fuel and using paper as money. The final straw, for Ricci, was when he met Muslim traders from the west in Beijing in 1598. They assured him that he was indeed living in the fabled country of Cathay. Holding on to the Idea of Cathay Although the Jesuits publicized this discovery widely in Europe, some skeptical mapmakers believed that Cathay still existed somewhere, perhaps northeast of China, and drew it onto their maps in what is now southeastern Siberia. As late as 1667, John Milton refused to give up on Cathay, naming it as a separate place from China in Paradise Lost.

Similarities And Weaknesses Of The Civil War - 945 Words

The Civil War The North and South had many different weaknesses and strengths at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861. This essay will compare the political, economic, social and military strengths and weaknesses of the North and South at the beginning of the Civil War. There were many reasons for the War of the States to be fought including, but not limited to slavery, separation of states, the Constitution, and the way of life. The North and South had many political strengths and weaknesses. The South had an amazing fighting spirit because they were fighting to preserve their way of life. They were also defending their home against the northern invaders. While the North was just fighting to continue the Union, and were not as inspired. Furthermore the North had the advantage of President Lincoln being from the North, when the South did not. The South had less states in its Confederacy with only a mere fifteen states, versus the North who had nineteen states in their Union. Lincol n believed that secession was illegal under the law of the Constitution and he would declare war against the rebelling states if necessary. For the first time in American history, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus, the right of prisoners to a trial, ergo the Union could arrest citizens who might have been southern sympathizers. The North and South had many economic strengths and weaknesses. The South had many plantations of rice, cotton, tobacco and other cash crops, which producedShow MoreRelatedHobbes And Rousseau On The Social Contract Theory1625 Words   |  7 Pagessome extent, to be based on the disquisitions of Hobbes. Conversely, Locke and Rousseau have transformed the concept of Hobbes to align with their perspectives on society and human nature. Hobbes and Rousseau have significant similarities and differences in their similarities conceptions regarding the social contract theory. Hobbes argues that man naturally desires security and order. 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Quality Management Worldwide Total Quality Management free essay sample

For more than four decades after independence the companies in India enjoyed a protected market with virtually no competition, and some of them even monopolised the market, with customers having little or no choice. As a result complacency set in, and no pressure existed for improvement or change. However, the policy of globalization and liberalization adopted by the Indian Government five years ago, has hrown open new avenues and challenges to companies in India. The new policy has resulted in open doors through which global corporate players have entered the Indian markets, and are threatening the domestic manufacturers and suppliers, using quality as a weapon. This has compelled the managers of local companies to look for those tools and techniques, proven and tested, which would help them to maintain and improve their strategies and positions in the market. One such policy or philosophy that has captured the attention of industry and the business community is TQM. Particularly, in the recent years TQM is even regarded as bsolutely essential for growth, stability, and prosperity. This paper has the main intention of presenting an overview of TQMs progress in the country, starting from its initiation to its current status. Besides, the paper also describes how the organizational attempts by various agencies enabled the establishment of a TQM culture. Further, these attempts are presented in a chronological order, to appreciate the role played by various agencies, which resulted in growth and propagation of TQM in India. Towards the end, the gaps that still exist and hence the efforts that eed to be channeled are pointed out, so as to result in appropriate guidelines about the work to be done. The author R. Jagadeesh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, S. J. College of Engineering, Mysore, India. Keywords TQM, India, Quality Abstract Total quality management (TQM) has spread its wings in every sphere of the global corporate world and Indian companies are no exception. In this paper, first the growth and spread ofTQM in India is traced from its initiation to current status. Further, the paper has tried to identify the causes for poor quality of products and ervice, and the gaps that exist between the expectations and the outcome after adopting the TQM practices. Later a critical view of the quality scene in India is presented, and finally, based on these observations suitable guidelines and recommendations are made to bridge this gap. It is concluded that there is still a long way to go for Indian companies to receive the stamp of acceptance for their products at international level. Electronic access The current issue and full text archive of this Journal is available at http://www. emerald-library. com are synonymous with high quality products and trust worthiness. However, the post- independent era did not witness any spectacular improvement regarding the quality of goods and services produced in the country. According to Agrawal (1993) due to protected business environment many positive attributes of the Indian industry have been lost and weaknesses have surfaced. These weaknesses based on the study are: lack of trust and credibility in the working system, lack of clarity/seriousness for achieving target, lack of precise observance of rules and norms, low quality of supplies and components, lack of consciousness of time as money, viewing only short term benefits ahead of long term oals, politicalization of labor unions, lack of accountability for actions, lack of management commitment, lack of national quality policy, inadequate economic resources, lack of indigenous technology, inadequate infrastructure, preferring quantity to quality, lack of team spirit, cartel formation, and sellers market. Besides, lack of consumerism, Government control on everything, bureaucratic delays, quick profit making attitudes by the companies, all resulted in quality getting a low priority and consequently Indian products were constrained to serve only the domestic market being not able to compete in the international markets. Further, the factors mentioned before, clearly proved to be obstacles in the path to progress, and India in spite of possessing good resources and rich scientific and technical manpower, could not produce world-class products acceptable in the international markets. The TQM movement in India The TQM initiatives were first set by the Confederation of Indian Industries (Cll) in the early 1980s, in its pioneering effort in promoting awareness about quality among Indian industries. The work done by Cll in this direction is well documented in Deccan Herald Advertising Feature (1993) and also in The Standards Engineer (1996). In 1982, quality circles took birth in India, and some of the companies to launch quality circles first were Bharat Electronics Limited, Bangalore, and Bharat Heavvy Electricals Limited, Trichy. In 1986 the Cll then known as CEI (Confederation of Engineering Industries), invited Professor Ishikawa to India, to address industry people about quality. Later in 1987, a TQM division was set up by the Cll. This division owes its foundation to 21 companies who agreed to support the cause by pooling resources and pledging to start the Journey to TQM. Chief executives of these companies formed the National Committee on Quality, 22 Total quality management in India Ð’Â ± perspective and analysis R. Jagadeesh The TQM Magazine Volume 1 1 . Number 5. 1999 . 321Ð’Â ±327 newsletter on quality. In 1987 and 1988, the Cll invited the Juran Institute to India to conduct three training workshops, and then in 1989 a team from India attended the Deming Seminar in London. Study teams organized by the Cll were taken to Japan and the USA to study quality practices. During 1990, the Cll consolidated and focused on training, and in February 1991, an Indian company with the assistance of the Cll, obtained the first ISO 9000 certification in India. The Cll organized the launch of the National Quality Campaign led by the Prime Minister of India in May 1992. It is around this time, the process of globalization and liberalization was started in the country, bringing a new dimension to the business and industrial sectors. From then on, a new line of thinking in terms of quality, productivity, and competitiveness has begun. Since 1993, the Cll has been organizing The Quality Summit every year. This provides an opportunity for all business leaders, and higher level managers of member and non-member organizations of the Cll to network, learn, and contribute hrough experience sharing, and listening to the experts who gather there. The National Productivity Council (NPC) has set up a TQM and Benchmarking Division in New Delhi, and offers TQM implementation services, which include modular training programs and consultancy services. In 1996, the Government of India announced the setting up of the Quality Council of India, (QCI) with the Industry Ministry bringing in half the seed capital of Rs. 1. 5 crores. The rest of the seed capital will be contributed by the corporate sector. The setting up of a national agency for quality certification is art of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements, under which member countries will not trade in non-certified products two years down the line. The corporate sector too was demanding the setting up of an internationally recognized quality council as it found the certification process from foreign agencies too expensive. Besides, it would save vital foreign exchange for the country. The QCI will be entrusted with monitoring and administering of the National Quality Campaign and will also oversee the effective functioning of the National Information and Enquiry Services. Post-liberalization scene Ð’Â ± improvement in quality The economic reforms that started in 1992 have ushered in a new era of progress and prosperity in the country. According to a report published in YoJana (1997), the real gross domestic product (GDP) recorded a growth rate of 6. 8 per cent in agriculture and allied sectors, 7. 0 per cent in industry, and 7. 4 per cent in services. The Eighth Five Year Plan (EFYP) (1992-97) which ended with an average growth rate of 6. 5 per cent per annum, compares well with the target rate of 5. 6 per cent for the EFYP, and actual achievement of 6. 0 per cent in the Seventh Five Year Plan. In fact his is the highest average growth rate achieved in the planning period since 1951. The sectoral average growth rates for the period 1992-97 are: Agriculture and allied sectors Ð’Â ± 4. 0 per cent, Industry Ð’Â ± 7. 8 per cent and, Services Ð’Â ± 9. 2 per cent. Further, exports during 1996-97 registered a growth rate of 4. 1 per cent. For eign direct investment amounted to US $2,696 million during 1996-97. These facts clearly indicate that the economic reforms brought through globalization and liberalization have yielded rich dividends, and hold a lot of promise for the coming years. While all ndividually to improve their product quality, besides overall performance through TQM practices. For example, Gupta and Sagar (1993) describe a case of total quality control in an engineering company through the extensive use of personal computers, and state that the Indian company was able to overcome many quality related problems which included: high rejection levels, slow inspection rates, frequent errors in measurement, inconsistency in interpreting inspection data, time consuming data storage and retrieval, rigid inspection schedules, not responding to changing environment, and quality plans not adjusted to varying batch sizes. The company improved the problem solving capacity through quality circles, and quality database at each stage. Comprehensive information systems enabled the personnel to obtain better guidance leading to improved decision making. Thus the success is attributed to systematic application of TQM. 323 The TQM Magazine volume 11 . Number 5 . 1999 . 321Ð’Â ±327 Business Today (1995) in an exclusive coverage on status of quality of India, presents a detailed report on companies which are market leaders and corporate giants. The cases covered include reports on leading Indian companies like Mukand, BPL, Arvind, IFB, ABB, HDFC, Amex, Hidustan Lever, Ranbaxy, Indal, Gujarat AmbuJa, Wsya Bank, Oberoi Hotels, and Thermax. It is emphasized that these companies carved a niche for themselves by focusing on quality in their planning, operations, and marketing strategies. Awareness of quality Ð’Â ± a positive change Pati and Reis (1996) state that India is emerging as a leading economy in the new world economic order. The phenomenal increase in Indias export earnings, which rose to IJS$ 26. 2 billion in the 1994-95 fiscal year showed an increase of 18. 27 per cent over its 1993-94 export earnings of IJS$22. 7 billion. This is said to be an indicator of how its products and services are perceived by its global customers. It is further stated that the thrust has been shifted from import substitution to development of an export-oriented economy. Other pertinent observations made are: . Indian businesses are pursuing paths of superior quality and high productivity; . quality conscious consumerism; . increasing competition; . industries expanding their domestic share and venturing into global markets; . significant rise in the ISO 9000 certified companies. The survey conducted by Pati and Reis (1996) has further revealed many interesting aspects bout quality practices in India. The survey questionnaire has used a five-point Likert interval to capture the strength of perception, where points 1 (very high), 2 (high), 3 (medium), 4 (low), and 5 (very low) indicate the degree of current practice related to quality. The critical success factors contributing to quality and overall average scores (3. 43); . role of quality department/personnel (3. 14); . training (3. 69); . product/service design (2. 91); . supplier quality management (2. 6); process management and operating procedures (2. 74); quality data reporting (2. 72); employee relations (2. 2). It is concluded from the survey that the manufacturing sector in India is well aware of importance of quality, and efforts have been channeled to improve product quality. However, the service sector mostly Government owned and operated, lags behind the manufacturing sector in all aspects that i mply quality. TQM Ð’Â ± success stories of Indian companies Many Indian companies are beginning to realize that customer focus is an absolute requirement of TQM. Jain (1996), while writing on TQM in India, states that companies are paying closer attention to consumer feedback in order to tailor roducts to meet customer needs and are using a wide variety of methods that include benchmarking with rival products, regular customer meetings, and even engaging market research companies to collect consumer feedback on their product range and after sales service. Two specific cases are worth mentioning. Escorts Limited, an automobile manufacturing company, based on the feedback from customers and dealers, changed the delivery route to ensure safe and quick delivery. Similarly, J. K. Synthetics, based on feed back from customer meetings, focused on standardization of quality parameters, and started after-sales service. This resulted in the sales rise from 220 tonnes in first quarter of 1995 to 632 tonnes in the last quarter of the same year, an impressive growth in the sales by three times the previous value. According to a report published in Business Today (1998), some Indian companies are being guided by Yoshikazu Tsuda, a counselor at JUSE (Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers) in their quest for total quality. Some of these companies are Sona Steering, Jai Bharat Maruti, GKN Invel, Asahi Float Glass, Brakes India, Lucas TVS, India Pistons, and India Piston Rings. Further, as stated in The Economic Times (1998), sixsigma technique, which is considered to be a classic TQM technique, is being practiced by several Indian companies notable among 324 significant achievement by an Indian company due to its practicing TQM principles is reported by Sridharan (1998a). The Indian company Sundaram Fasteners located near Chennai, India, has received the Best of Best Vendors Award consecutively for two years during 1996 and 1997, for its supply of metal radiator caps to General Motors, USA. The award was given to the company for its consistent zero defects rate, 100 percent reliability in delivery schedules, and lowest price. The company is the only supplier to General Motors, USA from India out of its 3,000 supplier companies scattered all over the globe. In an exclusive interview covered by Premchander (1996), the managing director of Asea Brown Boveri Ltd (a partly owned subsidiary of Asea Brown Boveri Limited, Zurich) one of the very successfully operating multi-national companies in India, has stated that the managers have to spend time and resources on TQM. A historical achievement by an Indian company winning the coveted Deming Prize for Overseas Companies, for successful implementation of TQM, is reported by Sridharan (1998b). The Indian company Sundaram Clayton, has successfully turned its people into quality practitioners by the actual deployment of TQM tools, techniques, and systems. 38 Ð’Â ± time to market; 22 Ð’Â ± corporate credibility. Indian quality scene Ð’Â ± a critical view The developments related to Indian companies, concerning quality of products and services, need to be examined on a comparative global scale. This would enable judgement of the progress made in improving quality. A survey made in 1994 in which products and services from 41 countries were ranked by World Competitiveness Report indicates that the quality of Indian products and services is isappointing. According to the summary of results given in Skaria (1995), Indias rank based on different quality parameters is as follows (the rank out of 41 is given followed by the parameter): . 39Ð’Â ± price to quality; . 38 Ð’Â ± practice ofTQM; . 40Ð’Â ± customer orientation; . 28 Ð’Â ± product liability; . 39 Ð’Â ± time to innovate; The report clearly suggested that on a global scale, Indian products and services are far from satisfactory, and have a poor image. This is a major cause of worry for the corporate managers particularly for those looking for new markets, and ventures with oreign collaborators. One commonly quoted reason for getting away with low quality in India, is lack of pressure from consumers. Many managers are of the opinion that unless the customers are aware of their right to demand high quality, and insist on companies to invest in quality, they continue to receive poor quality products. While the growth and spread of quality practices are slow in India, TQM has firmly seated itself in other Asiatic countries. In a cover feature on Quality in Asia reported in World Executive Digest (1996), it is stated that as Asia grapples with the challenge of lobalization, more and more companies seek ISO 9000 certification and adopt TQM. Companies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and China are overtly involved in embracing practices of total quality to march ahead in global markets. According to The Economic Intelligence Unit (1996), which surveyed companies in Hong Kong on issues in the region. The growth of TQM across Asia however means that new approaches are being developed in the region. These observations clearly suggest that India has to carefully watch the developments in the Asiatic region, as TQM principles have been successfully applied by several countries improving their utput quality, attracting more foreign investment, and hence capable of restricting Indias share in the global market. What the quality experts say In spite of the hype created by the ISO 9000 bandwagon, which today has more than 1,500 companies certified as such, quality is yet to emerge as a major strength of Indian products. Managers of Indian companies have still a lot to learn and implement in the image building process based on quality. This is perhaps aptly summarized by a statement made by Philip Crosby as reported in The Times of India (1997). While addressing a 325 ews conference at the end of his weeklong visit to India, Crosby has said that complacency is a major problem with the Indian management system. The managers of Indian industries should take this seriously. In an interview published in Business India (1997-98) James Harrington, a leading authority in the field of quality, has stated that India still has four types of companies: those with poor performance, with good performance, with better performance, and with outstanding performance. Harrington remarks that companies with poor performance went bankrupt in other parts of the world, while those with good performance would follow them. But those with better performance will survive and those with outstanding performance would explode into the twentyflrst century. This indicates that India still has scope for bad products, and bad performance, which need to be immediately curbed. It is pointed out by Sukumar (1998) that TQM continues to baffle corporate India, as evident by the different interpretations made by each person in the industry about what is TQM. It was observed during the Sixth Quality Summit organized by the Cll in New Delhi, that TQM means anything and everything depending on the individuals perspective, politics, and paradigms. During the summit as many as nine different definitions were presented by the speakers about what constitutes TQM. This means people in the corporate sector have no consensus about the concept of TQM and it could be a deterrent in its implementation. In another survey conducted by Arun et al. (1998) with regard to ISO certified companies interesting observations were made about implementing TQM in a company. Out of 17 companies that were surveyed, managers in seven companies said that though they believe in TQM they do not know how to implement it. The survey further revealed that the long term supplier elationship, an essential ingredient for successful implementation of TQM, has not the implementation of TQM were found to be: continued dependence on traditional incentive schemes, numerical targets, performance rating, slogans for improving productivity, and not identifying and providing the right type of training for each and everyone as demanded for every Job. The survey concludes that if all these factors are not mitigated a company may continue as ISO certified but not be recognized as a TQM company. Comments and conclusion The various surveys independently conducted by researchers and business ublications have revealed that awareness on quality of products and services has picked up in India. With quality based competition intensifying, Indian industries and business people are showing keen interest in improving the quality of products through TQM. A number of organizations, private and Government are actively propagating TQM through a variety of training and educational programs. TQM has proved to be a vital ingredient for success, and now has its permanent roots in the mission and vision of the Indian corporate sector. However, based on common observations the requirements for quality to succeed in India can be summarized as ollows: . a strong consumer movement; . a sincere and committed drive by the corporate sector to keep quality as the main focus; . trict enforcement of standards by the regulatory bodies and authorities; . avoidance of multiple grading of quality in products, like export quality, first grade, seconds, import rejects, etc. ; . setting an example in adhering to high quality performance and output, before pointing to others. While TQM no doubt has enabled the Indian companies to improve the quality of products and services, the international market demands still higher uality levels to give due recognition a nd acceptance.

The clat of a great achievement Essay Example For Students

The clat of a great achievement Essay Joanne had a serious decision to make now that she was once again settled down in a two-room apartment. She wanted to continue Harry Potter, but she needed money to support her child. To her dismay Rowling ended up living entirely on public assistance (welfare). Rowling abhorred the idea of being forced to live on charity. As Rowling visited her friend who had just had a baby, she couldnt help but cry as she noticed that her friends child had a large room full of toys, while her daughters playthings were snugly fit within a single shoebox. We will write a custom essay on The clat of a great achievement specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Writing Sorcerers Stone was tough with a baby, and whenever Rowling could get Jessica to sleep, she would rush to a nearby cafi , and hurriedly write a few chapters, often rewriting the same chapters until she decided she had to move on. The cafi employees and manager did not take kindly to Rowlings intrusion in their coffee shop, for she would buy a single cup of tea as she longhand wrote her novel for hours. Luckily, with the opening her brother-in-laws cafi , Rowling was able to write in peace and in 1995, finished the first copy of her novel. After the completion of her manuscript she began to type it on an inexpensive manual typewriter. She struggled to finish typing and even wrote her novel in the computer labs at the college where she was taking her teaching classes. In the end, she worriedly noted that her novel was twice the length of a regular childrens novel. She set off to find a job now that she once again had free-time on her hands, and soon began teaching French. She sent two copies of her manuscript to various researched publishers but was rejected by all of them. She tried again, this time sending her manuscript to an agent by the name of Christopher Little. However, her copy instead reached Bryony Evans, the office manager. After reviewing the first three chapters, the company agreed to represent Rowling. Right away they sent copies of the book to twelve various publishing houses, all of which rejected it. They continued to try and find a publisher and a year later success was at hand. Rowling received a letter of acceptance from editor Barry Cunningham from the small publisher Bloomsbury. The decision to take Rowling on was due to the eight year old daughter of the companys chairman who insisted on reading the rest of the book after receiving the first chapter. Rowling was immensely satisfied at finally getting published and did not care that writing childrens books would not be a very profitable career. After the publication Rowling received an i 8000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council to enable her to continue writing. In June 1997, Bloomsbury published merely five thousand copies of Philosophers Stone, and most of them were sent to libraries, however, those first copies are now prized greatly by collectors around the world, and are valued over fifteen thousand dollars. In America, the rights to publish the novel were being auctioned and Scholastic Inc. came out the winner, buying the right to the novel for over one hundred thousand dollars. News which blew Rowlings mind. In October of 1998 Scholastic published Rowlings novel under the new title; Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. Soon news of Rowlings fantasy novel spread throughout the world and with it Rowlings fame. Rowling won numerous prizes and honorary awards from her series including: Nestli Smarties Book Prize; British Book Award for Childrens Book of the Year; Childrens Book Award. In December of 1999, Rowling having finished the second book, published the third, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and once more won the Smarties Prize, making Rowling the first person to ever be awarded the Smarties Prize three times in a row. Her fame reached such a height that she felt it would only be right to withdraw her fourth novel, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from the running to give other authors a chance. Rowlings awards did not end there however, in January 2000, Prisoner of Azkaban won the first Whitbread Childrens Book of the Year award ever given out. .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a , .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .postImageUrl , .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a , .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:hover , .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:visited , .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:active { border:0!important; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:active , .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u167ddedfb8eccb163129164edfc75e7a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Contemporary American Poetry is Representative EssayRowling did lose the Book of the Year prize to Seamus Heaneys translation of Beowulf. That same year, in June, the Queen of England honored Rowling by dawning her as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Rowlings novels have broken sales records, even being noted as the fastest selling books in history. The speed and amount of money at which Rowlings books sold is greater than that of any blockbuster film. A Guinness World Records Award was given to Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for being the fastest selling book ever. Despite her great wealth Rowling constantly cares for those in desperate need for aid and help. She has contributed greatly to society through various charitable causes. A popular charity being Comic Relief in which she wrote two catalogues relating to the Wizarding world in her novels: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, both of these books were mentioned in the Harry Potter series and so she even went as far as to write under the names of Newt Scamander and Kennilworthy Whisp each being the author of one of the catalogues. The books grossed over fifty million dollars and she even contributed a separate twenty-two million to the organization as well. J. K. Rowling is currently married to Neil Murray, an anesthetist, and lives in an estate in Perth and Kinross, Scotland with their three children: their daughter Jessica, their son David and Rowlings youngest child, Mackenzie. Rowling has lived in many different places, suffered tragedy and experienced success. As we look closer at her works we see how her life has been exemplified by her works. Rowling draws her readers through ha fascinating storyline, through the world she created. True, the Harry Potter series may not be noted as a great lyrical work, such as Tolkeins fantasy, Lord of the Rings; however, what Rowling lacks in her style she indisputably makes up with her content. The twists near the end of every chapter, ever book, keep the reader on an edge. The witty humor is cleverly placed to break the gloom and darker moments of the series. Rowling is unquestionably a master storyteller, and though some may compare her works to others and decide them to be a poor display of literature; must an author create a flawless epic to be noted as a worthy read? Works Cited Gray, Paul. The Magic of Potter. Time. com, 17 December 2000 http://www. time. com/time/poy2000/mag/rowling. html. Fialkoff, Francine. Potter for Parents. Library Journal 15 October 1999: Contemporary Literary Criticism. Literary Resource Center, East Islip High School, Islip Terrace, NY. 12 January 2007 http://www. esboces. org/SLS/vrc. cfm. Kakutani, Michiko. Harry Potter Works His Magic Again in a Far Darker Tale New York Times 16 July 2005: Contemporary Literary Criticism. Literary Resource Center, East Islip High School, Islip Terrace, NY. 12 January 2007 http://www. esboces. org/SLS/vrc. cfm. Rowling Kathleen, Joanne. J. K. Rowling Official Site. Lightmaker. 15 January 2007 http://www. jkrowling. com/textonly/en/biography. cfm. Fraser, Lindsey. Conversations With J. K. Rowling. London: Scholastic Inc. , 2000. Ward, S. Meet J. K. Rowling. New York: PowerKids Press, 2001. Chippendale, Lisa A. Triumph of the Imagination : the Story of Writer J. K. Rowling. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2002. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. New York: Scholastic Publishing Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic Publishing Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic Publishing Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic Publishing Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic Publishing Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. New York: Scholastic Publishing J. K. Rowling. Wikipedia. 10 February 2007. 15 January 2007 ;http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/J. _K. _Rowling; .

Solar System Planets Essays - Planetary Science, Terrestrial Planets

Solar System Planets The earth is only one small planet in an extremely large system of planets, satellites, asteroids, meteors and comets that revolve around the sun. This system is referred to as the solar system. A planet is defined as a "celestial body that revolves around a central star and does not shine by its own light " (Grolier,1992). The only planetary system known to our civilization is our solar system. It is made up of nine planets that differ greatly size and physical characteristics. The nine major planets in our solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. There are also many other minor planets which are also in our solar system, but they are unimportant compared to the nine major planets. Following are descriptions of the differences that each of the nine planets have. The first planet to be discussed is Mercury. Mercury is the planet that is closest to the sun at an average distance of about 58 million km, or about 36 million miles. It takes 58.7 days for Mercury to rotate. The planet rotates one and one half times during each revolution. Mercury has a density and composition close to that of Earth and, like Earth has a magnetic field. This magnetic field is produced from the planet's outer core, which is said to be liquid iron. This liquid iron generates a magnetic field with its movement. The atmosphere is extremely thin and contains sodium and potassium. The photographs that have been taken of Mercury's surface show the planet having craters and steep cliffs. The temperatures on Mercury reach amazingly high levels of about 430? C, which is about 810? F on the side facing the sun and about -180? C, or about 290? F on the side facing away from the sun. It is speculated that these high temperatures, resulting from the planet's proximity to the sun made it impossible for the gases present to become part of the planetary formation or for Mercury to have any type of atmosphere. Venus is the second closest planet to the sun and is said to most closely resemble Earth in size, density, and distance from the sun. Venus is known as the sister planet to the Earth. One differences is that Venus is shrouded in thick clouds that completely hide the surface of the planet. The surface temperature is also much warmer than that of Earth. Venus completes one revolution around the sun in 224.7 days. This makes the a day on Venus equal to 117 earth days. It is thought that this slow rotation may be the reason why Venus has no magnetic field. The atmosphere of Venus made up of 98% carbon dioxide and 2% Nitrogen. This atmosphere also has the presence of helium, neon, and argon. The surface of Venus is quite a bit like that of the Earth. Cloud particles on Venus are mostly concentrated sulfuric acid. Water and water vapor are very uncommon on Venus. Many scientists hold the opinion that Venus, being close to the sun, was subjected to a kind of extreme greenhouse effect. This effect caused any oceans to evaporate into the atmosphere. Another viewpoint that is held is that Venus had very little water to begin with. The surface has volcanoes and smooth plains. Much of the volcanic activity on Venus takes the form of Basaltic eruptions that inundate large areas, much as the mare volcanism flooded the impacted basins on the near side of the moon. Because of the distances of the orbits of Venus and Earth from the sun, Venus can never be seen for than three hours before sunrise or three hours after sunset. When Venus is viewed through a telescope, it shows phases like the moon. Venus rotates very slowly on its axis, in a direction that is opposite to that of Earth. Cloud particles on Venus are mostly concentrated sulfuric acid. Water and water vapor are very uncommon on Venus. Many scientists hold the opinion that Venus, being close to the sun, was subjected to a kind of extreme greenhouse effect. This effect caused any oceans to evaporate into the atmosphere. Another viewpoint that is held is that Venus had very little water to begin with. Higher-level winds circle the entire planet at 360 km/hr., or 225 mph. However, even with these high velocity winds, near the planet's surface more than half of Venus's tremendously dense atmosphere is practically still. From the surface up to 10 km, or 6 mi. altitude, wind speeds

DESTINATION APPEAL; Essays - Geography Of California, California

DESTINATION APPEAL; Essays - Geography Of California, California DESTINATION APPEAL; Town, City, Country left204338 29688123536 Town: a thickly populated area, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village, having fixed boundaries and certain local powers of government. Sonoma, North California, USA - Wine Destination - tagline Its geographic and aesthetic appeal are as follows: Its rolling hills, which rise into the Sonoma Mountains and descend to the Pacific shore, also contain a cache of small cities that are worth a visit F or an urban escape, complete with museums and buzzy restaurants Laid-back introduction to stellar vintages and gorgeous properties Its provides a number of activities : Sonoma Plaza, a National Historic Monument - plaza's atmosphere is both charming and family-friendly, and they suggested visiting on a Tuesday morning to take advantage of the weekly farmers market. Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Safari West Cline Cellars Catering : T he region is known for its wines, especially its zinfandels at places like Ravenswood. But the region is also known for its dozens of breweries, such as Republic Brewing Co. Sunflower Cafe Espresso and Wine Picazo Cafe and Deli (for Pizza and Burger) V i si tors should also sample the locally made cheeses, olive oils and honeys Hotel Accommodation : Farmhouse Inn - 4 stars Mac Arthur Place - 4 stars Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn Spa - 4 stars City : A metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as a metro area . In defining a metropolitan area, it is sufficient that a city or cities form a nucleus that other areas have a high degree of integration with.

Law abstracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law abstracts - Essay Example The resulting document was described on its face as a bill of lading and consisted of three documents. The form was partially consistent with a traditional bill of lading, but was essentially a straight bill of lading. In an action for damages for the printing equipment, the plaintiff sought to rely on the Hague/Visy Rules. Outcome: In the hearing of first instance, an arbitral panel ruled that since the agreement for shipment was concluded by virtue of a straight bill of lading, the Hague Visby Rules were inapplicable. This decision was upheld the Commercial Court upon appeal. The Commercial Court ruled that the straight bill of lading was not within the parameters of Article 1(b) of the Hague/Visby Rules. The Court of Appeal reversed the Commercial Courts ruling and the defendant appealed to the House of Lords. In a unanimous decision, the House of Lords confirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal. The House of Lords ruled that, at the time of drafting and implementing the Hague/ Visby Rules, straight bills of lading were in widespread use among carriers and consignees. Had the drafters of the Hague/Visby Rules intended to exclude the Rules applicability to straight bills of lading, it would have specifically said so. ... In this regard, a straight bill of lading was covered by the Rules if it was either a bill of lading or some other document of title revealing the rights and duties of the parties. Commentary on the Case: Schmitz argues that the straight bill of lading is usually rejected as a formal bill of lading because it is usually non-transferrable. However, the House of Lords ruling in the Rafaela demonstrates the need for flexibility as technological advancements have changed the character and form of traditional bills of lading and it is now necessary to analyse content as opposed to form to determine whether or not a document can be regarded as a bill of lading or a similar document of title.1 Dockray also argues that the Raefela also cleared up â€Å"longstanding doubts† that a straight bill of lading was a bill of lading under the Hague/Visby Rules.2 The meaning of Seaworthiness pursuant to Article 3(1) Hague/Visby Rules Actis Co. Ltd. v Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. (The Aquacharm) [19 82] 1 WLR 119. Plaintiff: Actis Co. Ltd. Defendant: Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. (The Aquacharm) Facts: In 1971, the defendant deployed the Sanko on a time charter to transport a shipment of coal to Japan from the US. The charterers required that the ship be loaded to the draught which was permitted by the Panama Canal Company. The ship’s master permitted 43,000 tonnes of coal but failed to take into account the fact that the ship’s bow had a tendency to lean when passing out of salt water into fresh water during its journey through the Panama Canal while transporting the coal. As a result, the plaintiff’s cargo was delivered later than the time stipulated for delivery. Therefore the plaintiff sought damages for expenses