Artist statement-lost wax casting Personal Statement

Artist -lost wax casting - Personal Statement Example For a top quality casting, one must use the finest materials in the market (Fred 11). The contrast of the poodle curving determination can be guaranteed by the carver’s skills (Richards 16). The poodles contrast should be appealing to everyone, and so it matters a lot. Careful and skilled curving will enhance the outcomes (Richards 18). The body posture in lost wax casting is supremely crucial because it also what determines of the poodles final looks (Richards 22). This simply means would you like the poodle to be in a standing, or lying flat position (Richards 22). The most challenging part in casting will occur in balancing, especially if the casting of the poodle is to occur in an upright position (Slobodkin 4). The reason behind this is that the feet are the one to hold all the body weight of the poodle reasoning that the feet are smaller compared to the body (Slobodkin 4). The feet base should be flat so as to enhance an upright position of a casted poodle (Slobodkin

Consumer Purchase Decision Essay Example for Free

Consumer Purchase Decision Essay There are many reasons that a consumer chooses a certain product. It may be that it is environmentally friendly, a great design or it might be as simple as the price of the product. As a business organization we must be able to conduct our research and decipher what is most important to our target market. The consumer buying decision process is a systematic way of looking at how a consumer makes the decision to purchase a product (any product) in a product category. In our restaurant we will determine what products they want and develop a successful strategy on how to market our products and services. As a customer in our restaurant we will have many choices available to them at a low cost. There are five steps in the consumer purchase decision that I’ll explain. Step one is need recognition which simply means that we identify what the potential customers need in our market. What kind of foods do they like and what kind of experience do they want when they go to a restaurant? Step two is searching for the product that the customer wants. We will have many avenues, such as print ads and our website, in which to market our product and inform the public of our food and services. The third step is product evaluation where the consumer gathers information on our products and services. We will have the best menu and service in our market to gain a larger market share in our area. The fourth step is product choice and purchase so it is vital that we successfully advertise and market our restaurant. We will have the best menu, greatest service and the most updated restaurant within a hundred mile radius. The fifth step is the post purchase and evaluation step where the consumer will decide whether our food and  service is worth a return visit. We will make a great impression on our customers through our delicious menu and excellent dining experience. A consumer’s buyer behaviour is influenced by four major factors: 1) Cultural, 2) Social, 3) Personal and 4) Psychological. Cultural factors include a consumer’s culture, subculture and social class. These factors are often  inherent in our values and decision processes. Our target customers are mostly young families and lower to upper middle class. Social factors include groups (reference groups and member groups), family, roles and status. This explains the outside influences of others on our purchase decisions either directly or indirectly. Personal factors include such variables as age and lifecycle stage, occupation, economic circumstances, lifestyle (activities, interests, opinions and demographics), personality and self concept. These may explain why our preferences often change as our `situation changes. Psychological factors affecting our purchase decision include motivation (Maslows hierarchy of needs), perception, learning, beliefs and attitudes. Other peop le often influence a consumer’s purchase decision. Word of mouth can be one of our biggest allies or our greatest threat in the marketing of our restaurant. We will make sure that every customer will enjoy their experience from the moment that they walk through our doors. They will be greeted when they enter and when they exit and our servers will be courteous and knowledgeable. We need to know which people are involved in the buying decision and what role each person plays, so that marketing strategies can also be aimed at these people. Understanding these behaviours as they pertain to our restaurant will help us gain a competitive advantage against all competitors in our area. Market segment is defined as the process of defining and subdividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments having similar needs, wants, or demand characteristics. Its objective is to design a marketing mix that precisely matches the expectations of customers in the targeted segment. We have effectively indentified our market segment as having fewer than ten thousand potential customers in our area with an additional five thousand from outside our area such as truck drivers and customers passing through. Our town has consistently been moving to a younger crowd (Generation X) so our fresh new look and our website should appeal to this younger generation. This market also values environmentally friendly products so we will utilize environmentally safe products in our restaurant. The majority of our market are family oriented so our family style menu and restaurant will be very appealing to our customers. We understand that the  customer has a process that they u se to determine where they want to dine. With our excellent customer service, great new menu and low prices we will gain their loyalty and get them back through our doors. Our customers are always number one and our customer service will be second to none. There are many options to dine in our area but we will set ourselves apart from the competition.

Malicious Code :: Essays Papers

Malicious Code Introduction "The wind of change came on 26th March in the form of an email cyclone called Melissa. Moreover, during 1999 numerous changes in the level of computer virus technology were seen," Armstrong (May 2000, p1). From an organisational point of view, societies around the world are just learning about the level of importance that computer security against virus attacks and the critical significance of cybercrime. Companies around the world lost vast amounts of time, money and resources due to the lack of defense systems and lack of knowledge. Companies must ensure that the all data processing equipment like computers, routers and networks are robust and secure to withstand any type of malicious attack. The following report details some of the more common malicious code specifically viruses, explaining some of the damage, which these very powerful viruses can inflict on to any computer that it is not well prepared for this kinds of attacks. Armstrong (July 2000, p1), states that: ‘February's big story for the information security marketplace was the distributed denial-of-service attacks, which rendered the likes of Yahoo!, eBay, and E*Trade helpless. Most recently, news of the LoveBug hit. While statisticians still grapple with the costs associated with recuperating from this newest bug's sting, the latest reports indicate that approximately 90 per cent of networks worldwide were affected. Recovery costs associated with the LoveBug are estimated to range from about $600 million upwards to a big $10 billion. Along with all these woes, companies also have to fend off attacks - not only from the outside, but more importantly from inside. Malicious Code - A Virus According to Pfleeger (1997, p179) A virus is a program that can pass on malicious code to other nonmalicious programs by modifying them. The term virus arises because the affected program acts like a biological virus: modification of good programs is like a virus that infects other healthy subjects. In Australia damaging data in a computer carries heavy penalties, according to Carroll (1997, p33) in New South Wales, section 310 of the Crimes Act as amended in 1989 states that a person intentionally and without authority or lawful excuse destroys, alters or erases data, or inserts data, or interrupts or obstructs the lawful use of a computer is liable to ten years of penal servitude or a fine of $100,000 or both . According to Fites, Kratz & Brebner (1989) viruses or worms , program contructions which can degrade an operating system, destroy data files, and do much damage to the information a computer works with.

Major issues in second language classroom research Essay

Chapter one is all about the major issues in second language instruction that arose during classroom research. There are four general issues concerning the effectiveness of the classroom instruction that was mentioned. The first issue is entitled â€Å"Learning from instruction† which concerns Krashen’s extensive analysis of the role of instruction within his framework of interpreting L2 acquisition, wherein he views the effects of instruction as limited, however: the classroom should function to provide the learner with comprehensible target language (TL) input in an affectively supportive climate. The second issue is entitled â€Å"Teacher talk† the main goal of this research has been to determine what makes teacher talk an aid to learning, the initial approach of this research has been to describe the features of L2 teacher talk which distinguish it from speech to L2 learners in non instructional settings. The third issue is entitled â€Å"learner behavior†, both the teacher and the learners have been investigated not only their linguistic behavior but their learning strategies and social interactions with other learners have been the target of research. Some researchers have placed great emphasis on finding out whether the learners are viewed as being in control of their own learning. The last issue is entitled †Interaction in the classroom †, interaction is viewed as significant because it is argued that 1) only through interaction can the learner decompose the TL structures and derive meaning from classroom events, 2) interaction gives learners the opportunities to incorporate TL structures into their own speech. In chapter one the four major issues were introduced, because in the chapters that will follow, each chapter will treat the issues just outlined in greater detail. Chapter 2: Classroom research methods. Chapter two presents the principal studies and concepts that have elaborated the methodology for observing and analyzing classroom instruction and interaction. Several approaches were mentioned in this chapter, majority of it is the methodological approaches. Methodological approaches to the study of L2 classrooms are extremely varied, reflecting both a great diversity of research questions and purposes, and a range of theoretical perspectives on the conduct of research. There is a continuous give-and-take between the success and failures of quantitative and qualitative approaches to portray and explain precisely the processes and products of classroom interactions. These approaches have followed methods adopted by researchers in native language schooling or other sociological and sociolinguistic studies of communicative interaction. In this chapter these methods were described with regard to their capacity to extract and validate generalizations about social and linguistic processes occurring in L2 classrooms. Chapter 3: Teacher talk in second language classrooms Chapter three surveys research on the linguistic and discourse characteristics of teacher speech to L2 learners. This chapter reviews research that has investigated second language classrooms in terms of teacher’s language use in the classroom, especially the characteristic features that differentiate speech to nonnative speakers from that to native speakers. It was also mentioned here the four modifications in teacher speech which are: first is the modifications of speech rate, prosody, phonology, wherein the researchers that were involved , found teacher’s speech to second language learners to be slower, in comparison with other contexts and conditions. Second is the modifications of vocabulary, where they claim that both non teachers and teachers tend to use a more basic set of vocabulary items in their narratives told to L2 learners. Third is the modifications of syntax, it is by far one of the most investigated and quantified characteristics of teacher talk has been teacher’s syntactic modifications. These can be grouped into five types: measures of length of utterances, measures of subordination, measures of markedness, measures of grammaticality, and measures of distribution of sentence types. And the last one is the modification of discourse, which has two categories: the framing moves, where the only significant difference in framing moves was that visiting teachers used more, compared with the regular teachers. The second category is the self-repetition, where on the assumption that repetitions may provide the learner with more opportunities to process information or follow the teacher’s model. In this review, a variety of teacher behaviors have been described and compared across different contexts. Chapter 4: Learner behavior in second language classrooms Chapter four reviews research on the characteristics of learner behavior- participation and speech. They consider research on the contribution of the learner acquisition of a second language. Classroom researchers have focused on learner’s verbal and social interactions and have inferred learning strategies from learner’s behavior in such interactions. There were also hypotheses in the data and tentative conclusions about relationships to learning that are described in this chapter. These hypotheses will form the basis for organizing the results of studies on learner behavior. Research on learner’s classroom behaviors addressed several major hypotheses. In addition, a final section of this chapter examines studies of learner’s learning strategies, a relatively recent area of investigations in second language classroom research. As for learner strategies, there are clearly fruitful topics for further research. It is evident that the strategies identified to date constitute a very mixed set of phenomena, not all of which can be investigated under classroom conditions. Chapter 5: Teacher and student interaction in second language classrooms Chapter five describes research on teacher-leaner interaction. In this chapter several of the factors that have been considered to influence the quality and quantity of teacher-student interaction are examined. The interaction which occurs as a result of these factors is described, and some of the likely consequences of the interaction for learners are suggested. In the view of many researchers and practitioners, conversation and instructional exchanges between teacher and students provide the best opportunities for the learners to exercise target skills, to test out their hypotheses about the target language, and to get useful feedback. The classroom research has shown that teachers may be less likely to address L2 learners when they are mixed with native speakers. It has also been revealed that teacher’s different questioning strategies may be either helpful for inhibiting of communication in classrooms. The greatest error teachers make may be the assumption that what occurs as †correction† in the classroom interaction automatically leads to learning on the part of the student. The nature of interaction in L2 classrooms is perhaps the most critical issue concerning formal second language learning, and although the research cited in this chapter suggests important ways in which current instructional practice may be both effective for and detrimental to promotion of TL skills, the complete picture remains to be developed. Chapter 6: Learning outcomes Chapter six draws together all of the foregoing research, as well as other studies, to determine the state of knowledge about learning outcomes resulting from teacher’s and learner’s classroom interaction. This chapter will review research on L2 classroom processes that have a potentially positive effects on learner’s perception and incorporation of the forms and functions of the target language. It should be clear that there is substance to the view that classroom instruction will aid L2 acquisition. The direction of results in the few large-scale classroom studies favors slightly a focus on form or explicit talk about grammar. Research on outcomes of learner production and teacher-learner interaction, suggests furthermore that other factors in classroom learning may contribute greatly to acquisition. Some of these factors may underline or interact with the effects noted in this section. The research reviewed here concerning the TL learning effects of interaction in L2 classrooms is limited in its conclusions, yet highly suggestive for further research. But still there are many research that remained unsolved, but hope that in the future many of these will be once and for all solved. Chapter 7: Directions for research and teaching As the last chapter it is obvious that the major findings of the research will be summarized, and that implications for further research and teaching in second language classrooms will be suggested. Despite the increase of classroom-oriented research in recent years, few can be made with great confidence because of the difficulty of synthesizing. When all the research has been carefully analyze it has been shown that research is lacking in consistent measures of classroom processes and products. Sometimes inadequate in design to address critical research question. It is also incomplete in its quantitative or qualitative analysis, which leads to a need of greater theoretical specification of the constructs and relationships to be investigated. A discussion of these methodological issues is to be carried out before any future directions are suggested. In this chapter it was also pointed out the areas for future research on classroom reading, outline major implications for curriculum planning and L2 instruction, and lastly to suggest ways of achieving greater consistency across classroom research studies. The reason of pointing these out is because, it makes it more easier for future researchers to find answers. Summary Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing attempt in research on teaching and learning from instruction to relate the major features of teacher and student behavior in classrooms to learning outcomes. The research in this book deals with the nature of the teacher and student behavior in real classroom. Using this set up , researchers were able to observe and analyze what is really the nature of the teacher and the student’s behavior. They were able to determine what are the factors that can affect a L2 learner in acquiring language. They were focused on the learning and acquisition of the L2. In the first chapter, they discussed the major issues that arose during the research. The chapters that follows, the primary research studied is that conducted in L2 classrooms, in simulations of language classrooms, or in semi-instructional, tutoring interactions between teachers or L2 speakers and language learners. Many theories, hypotheses and approaches were formed and used in these research. But there was a memo in the start of the chapter, it says that the fact that this book is reviewing research on the preceding issues does not guarantee that the research will provide unambiguous answers to them. It’s because the research that was done in this book has not yet been proven to be accurate. The purpose of this book has been to attempt to elucidate the critical issues and findings of research in and about second language classrooms. While the studies reviewed here clearly are not always as rigorous or convincing as we would like, the past ten years of classroom-oriented research is impressive in the breadth and depth of study of a variety of issues, when virtually every study was groundbreaking in one respect or another- methodology, research questions, population studied, analytical techniques applied. At the same time, second language instruction has been gaining importance, as more people throughout the world find the need to acquire one or more second languages. There is diversification in the specific purposes of language instruction, an increase in language schools and programs, and an expansion in training programs for second language teachers, researchers, and program developers. For these reasons alone, second language classroom research has an important role to play. Reflection I think this book is quite the catch. Especially if you are an English major like me. This book helped me to understand a bit more the importance of second language acquisition. I already know from my ESL/EFL class that learning a second language is important, but this book made me realize that acquiring a second language will be very advantageous for me. Because if I learn my second language perfectly, I know that I will be more confident in myself. And that I can be globally competitive. This book does not only talk about second language acquisition, it also talks about classroom-oriented research. In the classroom-oriented research they tackled the nature of the teacher and the behavior of the students. They wanted to know what are the factors that affect the L2 leaner in acquiring language and how can they overcome these if they were to be problems, and how can they improve it if it were a solutions. In this book there were also hypotheses theories, and approaches that were formed and used. The setting that was used is the classroom, and that the main subjects are the teachers and the learners. This book is a big help in understanding second language acquisition. Although some words are a bit hard to understand , I will still recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning and acquiring a second language. And also to my fellow majors, because I know this book will be a big help in our studies.

Relationship and School Community Essay

Method While keeping in mind Mai’s method for determining subjects, I read the article â€Å"Care, Concern, and Communication† by Susan Pickford. I chose Mai’s conception because Wilson leaves out one major method of indexing that could be named user-oriented method (Mai, 2000). The basic idea of user-oriented method is that the indexer needs to have the user’s information needs and terminology in mind when determining the subject matter of the document as well as when selecting index terms for the document. It suggests that the indexer should have knowledge about the user’s needs to determine the subject matter. Mai argues 5 methods in indexing. First one is a simplistic conception similar to Wilson’s (1968) constantly referred to method. This method determines the subject by counting frequencies of occurrences of words in the document so it could be the most objective method. The problem is that there is not necessarily any correlation between occurrences of words in a document and its content. Second method is a document-oriented conception. The basic idea is that the indexer should establish the subject matter solely based on an analysis of the document itself; the goal is to represent the document as truthfully as possible and ensure the subject representation is valid for a long time. Third method is a content-oriented conception attempts to describe the content of the document as fully as possible. This conception shows historical and cultural circumstances that determine the subject matter of the documents. Fourth one is a user-oriented conception mentioned in above paragraph. Last one is a requirement-oriented conception. In this method, the indexers have knowledge about the users’ individual information needs and work tasks. It is only useful in smaller organizations and indexing done by this method, like a user-oriented conception, changes over time. Subject Description The article is about Jane Roland Martin’s argument for the SchoolHome, an idea of making the school home away from home. In this system, school children would be taught the three C’s: care, concern and communication and thus their education would be inclusive, merging intellectual with the heart. The result: the epidemic of violence would be reduced and the domestic vacuum in children’s lives filled for good. Derived Indexing Children of the ‘90s are a content-oriented concept that describes historical and cultural context in which the document is produced. Without using Children of the ‘90s in the subjects of the document one would lose context for the article, so it is important to include the article for understanding. It is possible to find documents like children’ education influenced by social conditions or changes of ‘90s. Domestic Vacuum in Children’s Lives is a user-oriented concept that is the foundation of the article and would be accessible from this common phrase or variations thereof (e. g. , â€Å"domestic vacuum†, â€Å"live* vacuum†, and â€Å"child* live*† using wildcards for the greatest number of matches for the concept). Schoolhome is essentially a simplistic and document-oriented concept that serves an identifier for the article in the most general way while it does not describe the content of the article. This term would be especially useful in finding such things as case studies or curriculum examples for Schoolhome. Rethinking Schools for Changing Families is an excellent term that touches slightly on all of Mai’s conceptions. While it is the book title of Jane Ronald Martin, in its various wildcard combinations is a simple general term, reflects the article’s content, and speaks to the more specialized non-expert and expert subject areas that are brought up with School, Changing, and Families. Transforming American Education is a document-oriented term that helps to focus the search to the overarching concepts that are touched on in Children of the ‘90s, Domestic Vacuum in Children’ Lives, Schoolhome, and Rethinking Schools for Changing Families. The document types that American Education points to vary from the basic to the expert, making it a very good lynch pin-term. Free Indexing Although the derived terms above do a good job in reflecting the ideas in the article, some additional terms may include: Social Context for Children Education, which brings in Education and children, but Social Context is a broader, less expert phrase than containing ‘90s and domestic vacuum terms. Philosophy of Children Education, which gives as sense of the article, but the word Philosophy may not be an obvious children education search term. School and Home in United States, which is akin to schoolhome. Schoolhome would also be a good derived term, but this is slightly more nominative than descriptive. Moreover, using United States as an example gives geographical criteria to indexing term. Family School Relationship expands on Children Education with relationship between Family and School. It also broadens the scope by detailing what the school reform would be about. School Reform is a good term that points the search in the direction of planning and results for Transforming American Education. These 5 free- indexed terms would all be in Mai’s user and requirement areas, since some of the terms might be meaningful to those experts enough to think of using jargon as search terms. Assigned Indexing (ERIC) Educational Change: I found that â€Å"education† was a better term over â€Å"school† for â€Å"reform†, but feel that my subject terms School Reform and Rethinking Schools for Changing Families are still appropriate in that they speak to individual schools (as in a study), although in the grand schema of the database it does not help to split hairs. In ERIC, education reform was educational change (as of 1996, although â€Å"reform† is still commonly used in society) and the contents regarded modification of things such as curriculum and teaching methods, which matches the article. Educational Philosophy: It is a good match, in that reflects the article’s context and themes. Social Environment: It means â€Å"social factors or conditions that influence individuals or groups†. It is a broader phrase than Social Context for Children Education. Family School Relationship: It has a placeholder for it but no information (i. e. , no related terms, but I take it to be a viable indexing entry). It is also used for school home relationship. School Community Relationship: It means â€Å"formal or informal interactions between an educational institution and the surrounding community†, which matches the article. I believe â€Å"brand names† like Domestic Vacuum in Children’s Live, Children of the ‘90s, Schoolhome, and Rethinking Schools for Changing Families do not have much use in the thesaurus, but the variations of Social Environment, Educational Philosophy, Family School Relationship, and School Community do an excellent job in representing the subject, derived and free terms above. Although I see where my subject analysis was too narrow in some places I am leaving the term â€Å"as-is† (except for â€Å"education reform† for â€Å"school reform†, which is not much of a trade seeing how it is actually â€Å"change†) to show the evolution of the indexing process in the assignment and in my mind. To revise my analysis would be like looking in the back of the textbook to do my homework. 6. 7. Compare, Contrast and Justification When I compared the derived and free indexing terms I selected with the descriptors in the ERIC thesaurus I was surprised by the number of them that were not in the ERIC thesaurus. In a few cases there was a close term, but for most there was nothing. This furthered my understanding of not only how challenging it is to select subjects for indexing, but how much harder it would be when faced with a controlled vocabulary. For the most part only the very narrow ‘generic’ subjects were listed in the thesaurus, the more descriptive terms were not. In two cases terms I selected actually has a better term in the thesaurus, such as my choice of School Reform compared to the ERIC thesaurus descriptor Educational Change. The thesaurus does a service to the search process by training the indexer to be as strategic as possible in boiling down the essential terms or concepts of an article. My derived and free terms were no less accurate than the assigned terms, because author Susan B. Pickford was writing with an audience in mind and used the â€Å"brand names† to illustrate her article. ERIC is invaluable in not only framing the terminology commonly used for subjects, but also gives the searcher context, such as what the current term used to be, along with a date of the change. This makes research interesting as an historical concept, and seeing how improvements have been made over the years, it helps to sharpen the indexer’s ear for the best possible match (e. g. , â€Å"education† in lieu of â€Å"school,† â€Å"change† instead of â€Å"reform†). As author Stephen Nachmanovich wrote, â€Å"Creativity exists more in the searching than in the finding. † However, in being creative as an indexer, you help the searcher in finding things where he wouldn’t normally have considered looking.

Padmanbha Swamy Temple Essays

Padmanbha Swamy Temple Essays Padmanbha Swamy Temple Essay Padmanbha Swamy Temple Essay Padmanabhaswamy Temple From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | | Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple | | Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Location in Kerala| Coordinates:| 8 °28? 58? N  76 °56? 37? ECoordinates:  8 °28? 58? N  76 °56? 37? E| Name| Proper name:| Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple| Location| Country:| India| State:| Kerala| Location:| Thiruvananthapuram| Temple Details| Primary deity God:| Padmanabhaswamy (Vishnu)| Architecture and culture| Architectural styles:| Dravidian architecture  (Kovil)| Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple  (Malayalam:   ,  s? i padma? abhasvami k? et? a? ?) is a  Hindu  temple  dedicated to  Vishnu  located in  Thiruvananthapuram,  India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the  royal family of Travancore. [1]  The temple is one of 108  Divya Desams  (Holy Abodes of Vishnu) – principal centres of worship of the deity in  Vaishnavism. The temple, constructed in the  Dravidian style of architecture, is glorified in the  Divya Prabandha, the early medieval  Tamil  literature canon of the Tamil  Alvar  saints (6th-9th centuries CE), with structural additions to it made throughout the 16th century CE, when its ornate  Gopuram  was constructed. [2][3]  The most recent renovations to the temple occurred in the 18th century CE. The temple features heavily in  Akilam five  series  of the  Akilathirattu Ammanai  corpus, the holy text of the  Ayyavazhi  belief system. Services were provided to the local community with the temples revenue. The temple gave its name to Kerala’s state capital Thiruvananthapuram. ‘Thiru’ ‘Anantha’ ‘Puram’ means  Sacred Abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha. The principal deity,  Padmanabhaswamy, is enshrined in the Anantha-sayanam posture (in the eternal sleep of  Yoga-nidra  on the  serpent Ananta). [4]  The Travancore Kings regarded themselves as ‘Padmanabha-dasa’ (Servant of Lord Padmanabha). * | - [edit]History In ealier years[when?   Padmanabhaswamy Temple and its properties were controlled by eight powerful  Nair  feudal lords known as  Ettuveetil Pillamar  (Lords of the Eight Houses), under the guidance of the  Council of Eight and a Half. In a battle of succession in the 18th century, King Anizham Thirunal Valiya  Marthanda Varma, the ruler traditionally regarded as the founder of  Travancore, successfully suppressed the Ettuveeti l Pillais and his cousins following the discovery of conspiracies the Lords were involved in against the Royal House of Travancore. The last major renovation of the Padmanabhaswamy temple was also done by  Marthanda Varma. On January 3, 1750, Anizham Thirunal surrendered the kingdom of  Travancore  to Padmanabha, the deity at the temple, and pledged that he and his descendants would serve the kingdom asPadmanabha Dasa. [4]  Since then, the name of every Travancore King was preceded by the title Padmanabha Dasa, while the female members of the Royal family were called Padmanabha Sevinis. The donation of the Kingdom to Sree Padmanabhaswamy was known as Thripadidanam and afterwards the Maharaja was known as Sree Padmanabha Dasa Vanchipala Varma Kulashekara Kireetapati. By surrendering the kingdom to Lord Padmanabha, the whole Travancore state became the property of Sree Padmanabhaswamy. - [edit]The temple The history of the temple dates back to the 8th Century CE, when Thiruvananthapuram was ruled by the  Chera Dynasty. The  Divya Prabandhacanon of literature by the  Alvars  glorifies this shrine as one of 11 Divya Desams in Kerala. It is said that there are references to this temple in four puranas; namely Brahma, Vayu, Varaha, Padma. The 8th century Alvar poet  Nammalvar  created four slokas and one phalasruthi about this temple. 5][6] Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands at a place considered one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras; texts including the  Puranas, particularly theSkanda Purana  and  Padma Purana, have references to this shrine. Entrance of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple The two annual festivals of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple culminate in a grand procession, in which the three deities (Padmanabha,   Narasimha  andKrishna) are carried on flower-deck and aesthetically decorated Garuda Vahanas to  Shankumugham Beach, for arattu (sacramental ablution). The arattu days are declared as local public holidays in  Thiruvanathapuram. [edit]Gopuram The foundation of the present gopuram was laid in 1566. [7]  The temple has a 100-foot,[8]  seven-tier gopuram made in the  Pandyan  style. [9]  The temple stands by the side of a  tank, named  Padma Theertham  (meaning the lotus spring). The temple has a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with elaborate carvings. This corridor extends from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum. An eighty-foot flag-staff stands in front of the main entry from the prakaram (corridor). The ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) is known as the Nataka Sala where the famous temple art Kathakali was staged in the night during the ten-day  uthsavam  (festival) conducted twice a year, during the  Malayalam months  of Meenam and Thulam. [edit]Sreekovil | This article  may contain  wording that merely promotes the subject  without imparting verifiable information. Please remove or replace such wording, unless you can cite  independent sources  that support the characterization. In the  Sreekovil, Vishnu is depicted in a reclining position over the serpent  Anantha  or  Adi Sesha. [10]  The serpent has his face pointed inwards (signifying contemplation). The Lords right hand hangs over  Shiva. Sridevi, the Goddess of Prosperity and  Bhudevi  the Goddess of the Earth, two consorts of Vishnu stand by his side and the god  Brahma  emerges on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of Vishnu. The idol is said to be made from 12008  Saligram. These Saligram are from the banks of the  Gandaki River  in  Nepal, and it is believed that they were brought with much ceremony on elephants. The idol is covered with, Katusarkara yogam, a special ayurvedic mix, was used to make a plaster which keeps the deity clean. The daily worship is with flowers and for the abhishekam, special deities are used. The flowers have always been removed using peacock feathers fearing damage to the katusarkara. [citation needed] The platform in front of vimanam and where the deity rests are both carved out of a single stone and hence called Ottakkal Mandapam. In order to perform darshan and puja, one has to climb on to the Mandapam. The deity is visible through three doors – Face of the Lord and Siva Linga underneath his hand in the first door, Brahma seated on lotus emanating from the Lords navel along with the Utsava moorthi and deities of Lord Vishnu, Sridevi and Bhudevi in the second door and the Lords feet in the third door. Only the King of Travancore may perform Namaskaram, or bow prostrate on the Ottakkal Mandapam. It is traditionally held that anybody who bows prostrates on the mandapam has surrendered all that he/she possesses to the deity. Since the ruler has already done that, he/she is permitted to bow on this mandapam. There are other important shrines inside the temple for Hindu deities Sri  Narasimha,  Sri Krishna, Sri  Ayyappa, Sri  Ganesha  and Sri  Hanuman. Many other small shrines like Kshetrapalan (who guards the temple), Vishwaksena and  Sri Garuda  are also present. The approach road to Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple - [edit]Legend There are many legends regarding the origin of the temple. One such legend says that  Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar alias Divakara Muni  prayed to  Krishna  for his darshan. Krishna  came in disguise as a small, mischievous boy. The boy swallowed the  Saligrama  which was kept in Puja. The Sage became enraged at this and chased the boy until the boy hid himself behind a tree. The tree fell down and became Vishnu in Anantha Shayanam (reclining posture on Anantha the serpent) – but when he did so, he was of an extraordinarily large size. The Sage, recognizing that the tree was Vishnu, pleaded that because of the huge form the lord had manifested before him he could not either have a mind fulfilling darshan or circumambulate him. He then asked the Lord to shrink to a smaller proportion – thrice the length of his staff. Immediately, the idol shrank, and the Lord instructed the sage that he should be worshipped through three doors. These doors are now the doors in the temple through which the idol may be viewed. Through the first door, the worship is offered to  Shiva; through the second entrance to  Brahma  on the Lords lotus navel, and through the third is Vishnus feet, which are said to lead to salvation. [citation needed]  Another story tells of a  pulaya  couple seeing Vishnu in the form of a child. The child took morsels of rice from the hands of the couple. Also it is believed that Divakaramuni, when he saw the deity, took the first food item he saw which was an unripe Mango on a coconut shell as an offering plate and performed primary pooja. To this day, the naivedyam or offering of unripe mango is offered to the deity here in the same coconut shell that Divakara Muni offered his prasadam to the Lord. Millions of devotees believe that the Lord has personally come in disguise and had saved the Travancore Kingdom from enemy attack on multiple occasions. [edit]Naivedyam or offering to Perumal Apart from the usual rice offering various other items are offered including Retna Payasam or offering of Payasam in a Gem studded Golden Vessel, Meni Thula Payasam or the Delicious Rice and Jaggery Pudding entirely made in Ghee, Pal Manga, Otta Thula Payasam, Panthranu Kalam Payasam, and Paal Payasam (Milk and Rice Pudding) which is very famous. During Thursdays, special Panakam is offere d to the Lord  Narasimha. Unni Appam, Mothakam, Aval with sugar is also offered to the Lord. citation needed]  But the most important Nivedyam in this Temple is the Uppu Manga (unripe mango soaked in brine water) which is offered in a gold covered  chiratta  or coconut shell. This coconut shell is more than 1200 years old. The Great Sage Vilwamangalathu Divakara Acharyar offered an unripe mango in this very same coconut shell and it is still preserved. - [edit]Darshan, sevas and festivals NarasimhaSwamy PadmanabhaSwamy after coming from Shankumuka Beach during Aarat Festival There are many festivals related to this temple. The major festivals are bi-annual. The  Alpashy  festival which is in October/November and the  Painkuni  festival which is in March/April, lasts for 10 days each. These festivals culminate with the  Aarat  (holy bath) procession to the  Shankumugham Beach. The word  Aaratrefers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in the evening. The King of Travancore escorts the  Aaratprocession by foot. The festival idols Utsava Vigrahas of Sri Padmanabhaswamy, Krishna and Narasimha are given a ritual bath in the sea, after the prescribed  pujas. After this ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple in a procession that is lit by traditional torches, marking the conclusion of the festival. A major annual festival related to Padmanabha temple is the  Navaratri  festival. The idols of  Saraswati,  Durga, and  Murugan  are brought to the  kuthira malikapalace in front of Padmanabha temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi music festival is held every year during this festival. Big Idol of Pandavas displayed during Panguni festival The biggest festival in this temple is  laksha deepam, which means hundred thousand (or one  lakh) lamps. This festival is unique and commences once in 6 years. Prior to this festival, chanting of prayers and recitation of three  vedas  is done for 51 days. On the festival time, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple premises. The next  laksha deepam  is slated on January 2014 Temple Tower during LakshaDeepam Festival The temple is not a part of Travancore Devaswom Board. Its control rests with a trust headed by the Maharaja of Travancore. Darshan times are (before noon) 3. 30-4. 45, 6. 30-7. 00, 8. 30-10. 00, 10. 30-11. 00, 11. 45-12. 00; (after noon) 5. 00-6. 15 and 6. 45-7. 20. In line with the  Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple. Devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. Men should remove clothes above waist and deposit in the locker room. No one is permitted to wear dress that displays both legs separately, implying the prohibition of trousers for men and women. Dhotis can be borrowed at the locker room for Rs. 15. Dhotis can be worn over pants or churidhar. No cell phones or cameras are permitted inside the temple. Cell phones must be deposited in the locker room after taking it out of the bag for Rs. 15 a piece. Hand bags are permitted inside. - [edit]Compositions Nammalvar  had sung in praise of Lord Padmanabha Swamy. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma  wrote many songs on Sri Padmanabha. Most of these songs have the word  Padmanabha  in them. - [edit]Temple assets | Wikinews has related news:Hidden treasure worth billions of dollars discovered in Indian temple| The temple and its assets belong to Lord Padmanabhaswamy, and are controlled by a trust run by the Royal family. [11][12][13][14]  The royals consider themselves  Padmanabhadasas  i. . servants of Padmanabhaswamy. [15][3] There had been an earlier inventory of at least one vault on Sunday, December 6, 1931. A vault was opened in the presence of Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, then the  Maharaja  of the state of Travancore. Among the contents found were gold and silver coins stored in a granary like thing, four brass chests of coins, over 300 gold pots, and a six-chambered wooden chest containing jewels decorated wit h diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones. Four coffers were removed and taken to the palace treasury for counting and valuation. 16] The  Kerala High Court  ordered the temple and its assets be managed by the State on January 31, 2011. As trustees of the temple, the royals have challenged the Kerala Govt. s decision. The lower courts ruling was set aside by the  Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court directed utmost security in and around the temple and asked the Central Valuation Institute of Lucknow for an inventory valuation. [12][17][18] In June 2011, the Supreme Court directed the authorities from the fire services and archeology department[19]  to open the secret (sanctum sanctorum) chambers of the temple for inspection of the items kept inside. A detailed inventory of the temple assets, consisting of gold, jewels, and other valuables was made. Several 18th century Napoleonic era coins were found,[3]  as well as a three-and-a-half feet tall gold idol of  Mahavishnu  studded with rubies and emeralds, and ceremonial attire for adorning the deity in the form of 16-part gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66  lb) together with gold coconut shells, one studded with rubies and emeralds. 20] This revelation has solidified the status of the Padmanabhaswamy temple as one of the wealthiest temples in India and with the final estimate of the wealth, it might overtake the  Tirumala Venkateswara Temple- hitherto thought to be the wealthiest temple- having some  Ã‚  Ã‚  320 billion (US$7. 14 billion)  in gold, coins and other assets. [21]  It is estimated that the value of the monumental items is close to  1. 2 trillion (US$26. 76 billion), making it the richest temple in the world. 22][23]  If the antique value is taken into account, these assets could be worth ten times the current market price. [22] The valuables are thought to have been in the temple for hundreds of years, having been put there by traders, pilgrims and royals such as the maharajahs of  Travancore, and by offerings of Travancore kings, other royals and ordinary devotees to the deity. [3][24][25]  While some Historians have suggested that a major chunk of the stored riches reached the kings in the form of tax, gifts, as well as conquered wealth of states and offerings stocked in the temple for safekeeping. 26]  A ferry transported traders, pilgrims and chroniclers across the  Gulf of Mannar  from the  Tenavaram temple, the famously wealthy Vishnu-Shiva temple town emporium to the  Chera  kingdom via  Puttalam  of the  Jaffna kingdom  during the medieval period. [27][28]  This temple was destroyed in 1587 CE, a few years after the Thiruvananthapuram Padmanabhaswamy temple gopuram was constructed. Mo rrocan  traveller  Ibn Batuta  visited Tenavaram in the 14th century and described the Vishnu idol here as being made of gold and the size of a man with two large rubies as eyes that lit up like lanterns during the night. [29][30]  All people living within the vicinity of the temple and who visited it were fed with monetary endowments that were made to the idol. The temple has 6 vaults (Kallaras), labeled as A to F for book keeping purpose by the Court. While vaults A and B have been unopened over the past 130 years, vaults C to F have been opened from time to time. The two priests of the temple, the Periya Nambi and the Thekkedom Nambi, are the custodians of the four vaults, C to F, which are opened periodically. The Supreme Court had directed that the existing practices, procedures and rituals of he temple be followed while opening vaults C to F and using the articles inside. Vaults A and B shall be opened only for the purpose of making an inventory of the articles and the n closed. On July 4, 2011 the seven-member expert team which is taking stock of the assets at temple decided to postpone opening of the secret chamber marked B till they obtained more expert opinion as preliminary examination of its gates had found the vault to be secured with iron shutters making experts wonder what lay inside. The royal family said that many legends were attached to the temple and that chamber B has a model of a snake on the main door and opening it could be a bad omen. [31]  Seven-member team will consult with some more experts on July 8, 2011 and a then they may take the final decision on opening of chamber ‘B’. [32] In late June 2011, a review of the temples underground vaults was undertaken by a seven-member panel appointed by the  Supreme Court of India  to generate an inventory, leading to the enumeration of a vast collection of articles that are traditionally kept under lock and key. Unofficial estimates on the sixth day of the inventory placed the value of contents at close to  100,000  crore  (US$22. 3 billion), making it one of the wealthiest in the world,[23][33][34]  richer than the  Tirumala Venkateswara Temple  in  Tirupati,  Andhra Pradesh  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ by official records considered to be the richest shrine in India. [35][23][36]  The precious articles come from the donations that were made by the Royal family and traders, who used to come from other parts of the country and abroad, as offerings to the deity, and were sealed within the thick stone walls and vaults of the temple for over a  millennium. 37]  [3] The final vault of the temple has an iron door with a picture of snake(a cobra) on it and it has not been opened, due to the belief that a curse befalls those who attempt to open it. [38]  Less than a month after the first of the secret vaults was opened, the chief petitioner for opening the vaults, T. P. Sundarrajan died afte r suffering from a sudden unexplained illness. [39]  This has been dubbed as The Curse of the Cobra by the media. [40] [edit]

Profile of the 2003 War in Iraq

Profile of the 2003 War in Iraq Saddam Hussein led a brutal dictatorship of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. In 1990, he invaded and occupied the nation of Kuwait for six months until being expelled by an international coalition. For the next several years Hussein showed varying degrees of contempt for the international terms agreed to at the end of the war, namely a no-fly zone over much of the country, international inspections of suspected arms sites, and sanctions. In 2003, an American-led coalition invaded Iraq and overthrew Husseins government. Building the Coalition President Bush put forward some rationales for invading Iraq. These included: violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions, atrocities committed by Hussein against his people, and the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) which posed an immediate threat to the U.S. and the world. The U.S. claimed to have intelligence which proved the existence of the WMD and asked the U.N. Security Council to authorize an attack. The council did not. Instead, the U.S. and the United Kingdom enlisted 29 other countries in a coalition of the willing to support and carry out the invasion launched in March 2003. Post-Invasion Troubles Although the initial phase of the war went as planned (the Iraqi government fell in a matter of days), the occupation and the rebuilding has proven quite difficult. The United Nations held elections leading to a new constitution and government. But violent efforts by insurgents has led the country to civil war, destabilized the new government, made Iraq a hotbed for terrorist recruitment, and dramatically raised the cost of the war. No substantial stockpiles of WMD were found in Iraq, which damaged the credibility of the U.S., tarnished the reputation of American leaders, and undermined the rationale for the war. Divisions Within Iraq Understanding the various groups and loyalties inside Iraq is difficult. Religious fault lines between Sunni and Shiite Muslims are explored here. Although religion is a dominant force in the Iraq conflict, secular influences, including Saddam Husseins Baath Party, must also be considered to understand Iraq better. The BBC offers a guide to the armed groups operating inside Iraq. Cost of The Iraq War More than 3,600 American troops have been killed in the Iraq War and over 26,000 wounded. Nearly 300 troops from other allied forces have been killed. Sources say more than 50,000 Iraqi insurgents have been killed in the war and estimates of Iraqi civilians dead range from 50,000 to 600,000. The United States has spent over $600 billion on the war and may ultimately spend a trillion or more dollars. The National Priorities Project set up this online counter to track the moment-by-moment cost of the war. Foreign Policy Implications The war in Iraq and its fallout have been at the center of U.S. foreign policy since the overt march to war began in 2002. The war and surrounding issues (like Iran) occupy the attention of nearly all those in leadership at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon. And the war has fueled anti-American sentiment around the world, making global diplomacy all the more difficult. Our relations with almost every country in the world are in some form colored by the war. Foreign Policy Political Casualties In the United States (and among leading allies) the steep cost and on-going nature of the Iraq War have caused considerable damage to top political leaders and political movements. These include former Secretary of State Colin Powell, President George Bush, Senator John McCain, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and others.

25 Subordinating Conjunctions

25 Subordinating Conjunctions 25 Subordinating Conjunctions 25 Subordinating Conjunctions By Mark Nichol If you’re having trouble developing sentences with sufficient variety to keep your writing fresh, take a ride on A WHITE BUS. No, I’m not shouting at you; A WHITE BUS is a mnemonic initialism that reminds you about a set of conjunctions with which you can begin dependent clauses. (A dependent clause is a phrase that must be attached to an independent clause a series of words that can stand on its own as a sentence to make grammatical sense.) Below, you’ll find the words or phrases that the letters in A WHITE BUS represent, and sample sentences in which they’re employed. A 1. â€Å"After dinner, we’ll go see a movie.† 2. â€Å"Although I’d rather not, I’ll make an exception.† 3. â€Å"As you know, she’s rather eccentric.† W 4. â€Å"When we’re done, let’s get some ice cream.† 5. â€Å"Whenever I go, I try to see something I’ve never seen before.† 6. â€Å"Whether or not you agree, I think it looks fine.† 7. â€Å"Where I go, they always have sales.† 8. â€Å"Wherever I go, I try to enjoy myself.† 9. â€Å"While I’m there, I play music on a jukebox.† H 10. â€Å"How is it that even though you go there all the time, you’ve never noticed that before?† I 11. â€Å"If you find out, please let me know.† 12. â€Å"In case you hadn’t heard, I couldn’t care less.† 13. â€Å"In order to enjoy your trip, take your time and enjoy the sights.† T 14. â€Å"That I like wearing red that has never been in dispute.† 15. â€Å"Though I’m flexible, I draw the line about that.† E 16. â€Å"Even if it is true, I’ll forgive him.† 17. â€Å"Even though I’d heard the song before, I hadn’t known who sang it.† 18. â€Å"Ever since I met her, I haven’t been able to think about anything else.† B 19. â€Å"Because I’ve been there before, I’d rather go somewhere else.† 20. â€Å"Before I saw the house, I was ready to just rent an apartment.† U 21. â€Å"Unless you’re willing to wait, you’ll have to come back tomorrow.† 22. â€Å"Until we find it, we can’t leave.† S 23. â€Å"Since then, I’ve had a different opinion of him.† 24. â€Å"So sure were you of your theory about them, you ignored evidence that you were wrong.† 25. â€Å"So that I’m sure I understand you, please repeat what you said.† Sometimes, ON, representing â€Å"only if† (â€Å"Only if I get to drive will I go with you†) and â€Å"now that† (â€Å"Now that we understand each other, things are much better†) precedes A WHITE BUS in the mnemonic phrase. Note, too, that the order in which the dependent and independent clauses appear can be reversed (though often, the comma separating the clauses is then not necessary). However, because the independent clause generally contains the essential information, the sentence is usually more effective when the independent clause trails the dependent clause. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†Grammar Quiz #21: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses5 Examples of Insufficient Hyphenation

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Microsoft Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Microsoft - Research Proposal Example Also, the position which management would have in regards to the technology decisions. Areas, while unique in nature and purpose, can come together to form the bigger picture. That is, a companies ability to achieve a more prosperous state. In regards to the Human Resources Department; People are Microsoft's greatest asset. Human Resources is responsible for identifying, hiring, and retaining this gifted intellectual talent, as well as developing and administering Microsoft's generous compensation and benefits programs in order to create a quality employee experience. We help maintain Microsoft's fulfilling work environment, which is a catalyst for great achievements," Adding that, "Human Resources ensures that a diverse range of candidates is considered for opportunities. We believe that hiring exceptional, diverse talent gives Microsoft unlimited potential. The result is enhanced product development and employee performance, as well as a connection with communities everywhere," ("Human Resources", p.1) In respect to the function of management in Human Resources decisions, the hierarchical structure of the company maintains a level of great appreciation for its hiring practices. Being that, those whom they hire, are able to continuously perform at such levels, that the company itself is able to see continued grow and the employees are able to grow along with it. As far as management is concerned, by providing a work environment that fosters growth and greater learning, the achievements made by their workers are far greater in return. As a major participant in the advancement of technological discovery, Microsoft seeks to maintain a corporate image that fosters an impression of excellence in products created, as well as a level of staff that exhibits through performance, the same level of quality and reliability that many have come to expect when purchasing a Microsoft created item. In the outlining of clear expectations for corporate practices, management can enforce the expectatio ns which they have on the basis that, as are the decision making body for the corporation, they are the one's who possess within them the ability to produce results that, in the end, provide for the best possible results for the greatest number of people. From a standpoint of considering how any change in management can impact further technology, the function of management is placed into greater detail with the announced corporate transition, as a result of Bill Gates stepping aside to pursue other endeavors. In the outlining of clear expectations for corporate practices, management can enforce the expectations which they have on the basis that, as are the decision making body for the corporation, they are the one's that possess within them the ability to produce results that, in the end, provide for the best possible results for the greatest number of people. As it stands; The question is whether Microsoft can compete as effectively without its founder. Ballmer, who took over as CEO from Gates in 2000 after 20 years as his key exec, is confident it can. That transition had been rough for both parties; according to Ballmer, it took a while

How to find answers within your company Case Study

How to find answers within your company - Case Study Example The higher end of this tail is composed of the expert contents and lower end of the tail is composed of peer-assisted contents. The company is required to subsidize content writers through an absolute or relative reward system. The segregation of contents based on their quality is essential for improving the quality of information provided by an internal knowledge market. The quality of content improves gradually when peer comments, criticize and reorganize contents on a question. Most of the companies award points on a specific scale for the improving the quality of contents. Respect of individual’s privacy plays a significant role in the success of an internal knowledge market. The platform should allow the knowledge seeker and provide to remain anonymous. This anonymity will protect the ego of knowledge seeker and will increase the freedom of providing answers to controversial contents. There internal knowledge market can cause accumulation of knowledge for personal gains if relative performances are use to decide about the awardees. Relative incentives are given to best performers only, this can discourages knowledge sharing because peers can save best trick for competitive advantage. This can be avoided by absolute rewards where there is no loser but peers can support each other to improve personal shortcomings. The concept of internal knowledge markets is quite new and the designs of internal markets are still evolving. Different companies are migrating from traditional hierarchical knowledge market to internal knowledge markets. In the first phase of market development various implementation of the market can be studied to develop a prototype of internal knowledge market. In the second phase companies needs to design policies that can encourage knowledge sharing. It must not only be vertical or a top down knowledge flow but horizontal

Bill of Materials and Cost Estimate Sample Essay Example for Free

Bill of Materials and Cost Estimate Sample Essay Total: 201,810 Pesos| B. FOOTINGS, COLUMNS AND BEAMS Item Description| Quantity| Unit| Unit Cost (Pesos)| Total Cost| 1. Albay Sand| 71| m3| 380| 26,980| 2. Coarse Aggregate| 141| m3| 850| 119,850| 3. Portland CementAlbay Sand| very small| m3| | | 20. Portland Cement| 1| pc| 230| 230| 21. Labor Cost (30%)| | | | 42,117| 22. Indirect Cost (10%)| | | | 14,039| Total: 196,542 Pesos| K. ELECTRICAL WORKS Item Description| Quantity| Unit| Unit Cost (Pesos)| Total Cost| 1. Panel Board Main | 1| unit| 3,500| 3,500| 2. 4† Electrical Tape| 3| pcs| 25| 75| 3. Wall Lamp| 16| pcs| 350| 5,600| 4. Triple Switch| 3| pcs| 200| 600| 5. Single Switch| 11| pcs| 150| 1,650| 6. Convenience Outlet| 20| pcs| 150| 3,000| . 20 mm dia. UPVC x 3 m| 10| pcs| 120| 1,200| 8. 25 mm dia. UPVC x 3 m| 3| pcs| 150| 450| 9. 30 mm dia. UPVC x 3 m| 10| pcs| 180| 1,800| 10. 32 mm dia. UPVC x 3 m| 3| pcs| 210| 630| 11. 22 mm2 THHN wire| 1| box| 1,500| 1,500| 12. 3. 5 mm2 THHN wire| 5| box| 1,300| 6,500| 13. 5. 5 mm2 THHN wire| 6| Box| 1,200| 7,200| 14. Labor Cost (30%)| | | | 10,112| 15. Indirect Cost (10%)| | | | 3,371| Total: 47,187 Pesos| L. SUMMATION OF COSTS Item Description| Cost| 1. Site Works | 201,810 Pesos| . Footings, Columns and Beams| 1,469,440 Pesos| 3. Slabs| 458,481 Pesos| 4. 6† CHB Wall| 363,420 Pesos| 5. Ceiling| 301,386 Pesos| 6. Windows| 52,500 Pesos| 7. Doors| 107,100 Pesos| 8. Painting| 248,634 Pesos| 9. Forms and Scaffoldings| 602,778 Pesos| 10. Sanitary Works| 196,542 Pesos| 11. Electrical Works| 47,187 Pesos| 12. 20% Profit| 809,856 Pesos| 13. 10% Legal Expenses| 404,928 Pesos| Total Project Cost: 5,264,062 Pesos Say 5. 27 Million Pesos | The Estimated Cost of the Project: 5,270,000 Pesos

The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay

The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay Many people find the study of the principals of Christianity to be interesting and even intriguing. For some, however, the interest goes well beyond idle curiosity. For this group of truth seekers, a hunger for knowledge and truth drives them to dedicate years of their lives to the pursuit of deeper and meaningful insight into what it all means. They dive into their studies: reading, analyzing, listening, discussing, and debating the issues surrounding creation, divinity, and human relationships with nature, one another, and deity. Though their paths may be diverse, they share the universal hope that their efforts are fruitful; that they are able to tell the story of Jesus Christ, the history of the Christian church, and share the message of a loving Creator in a way that will have a positive impact on humanity and be pleasing to God. This is where my colleagues and I find ourselves today. We are charged with explaining what we have read, heard, learned, and understand, and the magni ficent task of doing so with clarity and authority. The greatest challenge of sharing this message of hope, that is both exciting and challenging, is to be able to teach it (and live it) in a way that is not hypocritical or exclusive. While some are passionate and some are curious about the gospel message, there is still an entirely different group of people who are affected by it: those who are ignorant of Christian teachings and those who have negative feelings toward them. It is perhaps the majority of society, whom we should be reaching out to. Those people who are living outside of religion and spirituality are doing so because someone failed to share the message of God with them, or because someone failed to share it effectively. I believe there is more danger in being ineffective in sharing the message than in not sharing it at all. I grew up a pseudo-Southern Baptist. I say pseudo because my familys attendance at church was very inconsistent. We were faithful to attend church at least once a month, maybe twice in some months. I was never involved in youth activities, vacation bible school, or bible study groups. I did not have a close group of friends within the church. My experience with pew sitting included hellfire and brimstone sermons delivered by preachers who were well-versed in salvation founded in fear rather than faith. It is easy to imagine that, for me, church was not a place where I felt peace or grace. I eventually stopped attending church altogether during my teens. I had not felt any affirmation or nurture during my church experiences, so for a long time, all I felt I was missing was the guilt and fear I associated with church membership. I stayed away for about fifteen years before I felt God calling me to a relationship. Shortly after meeting Christi, who would soon become my wife, we visited the United Methodist Church with our daughters. It was then that I became deeply involved in a bible study for the first time in my life, and so much of the gospel message from my hit-and-miss church attendance finally began to make sense. We began to participate in several church activities with our children, volunteering in youth events, Sunday School activities, mission projects, and small group bible studies. It wasnt long before I was drafted into the church praise band, leading worship on Wednesday nights and at the early service on Sunday mornings. I had known for a while that I had a desire to serve more fully, but it was through a very unexpected event at church that I was rapidly introduced to full-time ministry. Stepping out on faith, I was hired as the youth minister and soon became a licensed local pastor. This served my purpose temporarily, but it did not provide fully for the kind of education I felt was necessary to preach and teach in pastoral ministry. The more tha t I learned during this time of rapid growth and awakening, the more I hungered for even more knowledge. My understanding of Christianity and church membership has since changed drastically from the narrow-minded perspective I had maintained throughout my childhood and well into adulthood. My perspective has shifted and my understanding continues to evolve. There are things which had no importance to me at all, that have become priorities. I have grown passionate about social justice and have gained a true appreciation for programs that promote the wellness and interests of women, children and others who are oppressed or marginalized. I have felt a calling to be a voice of support for women in ministry; to support their ministries and ensure that they are fully enabled to accomplish all of the good that they can, particularly in areas of ministry that they can be far more effective than a man could be. I feel strongly about the importance of encouraging inclusiveness in the church. I believe that it is important for all Gods people to have a place to participate in corporate worship. Church membership should not exclude members of the gay and lesbian community, as we all are in desperate need of feeling ever closer to God. There are several mainstream congregations within our communities that would not welcome gay or lesbian individuals into their churches. It is often openly and overtly preached against such blatant sinners becoming church members. I believe that none of our own sins can fairly or accurately be judged. Inclusiveness must be an overriding theme in all areas of the mission field. We are called to go make disciples and since we are all sinners, we would be hard-pressed to make disciples among those who are perfect. Our worship space and our church families should be places that are welcoming and inclusive, rather than rejecting and exclusive. If we are to model ourselves after Jesus, the Christ, we must remember that our savior ate with sinners. In those examples of love and forgiveness, Christ showed us the perfect model. If we are to be like Him, we must remember all those on the fringes; not just those who are victimized, but also those who are marginalized of their own poor choices. I believe that Jesus is my example and I am to model myself after Him. This is my calling. Prolegomena- The central theme of the Bible is God calling us, Gods people, back into a relationship with God. If we believe this, then we can only accomplish this restored relationship by ensuring that all of Gods people have not only the chance, but the understanding of what that relationship means. But, for many, the Bible is a strange writing. It is filled with stories and situations and language that are not easily understood. In fact, for many, it is like a foreign language. In addition, as I have come to experience in the world of theological education, there are so many terms that are indecipherable to the common person. We take our knowledge of the Bible and continue to turn it into terms that are still not user friendly. I believe that as theologians and faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to humanity to give our best efforts to share Gods message with others. We are called by God and by the scripture in Matthew to go out and spread the gospel in order that all people may have the Bible accessible to them and to bring the message of scripture interpreted to them in a language that they might understand. When I use the phrase for the fringes, I am referring to those who are outside the church. For whatever reason, they do not have any affiliation with a church- possibly from a bad experience, never having been exposed, or disbelief. I believe that this is partially what we are being told in the passage from Matthew 25, the least of these. These children of God may be in the far corners of the earth, or in our back yards. They may be from the poorest of society, or they may be in the wealthiest ten percent. They may be pre-teen children, or they may be in the eve of their lives. In any case, I feel as though it is the responsibility of those who know the truth of scripture, the Christian community, to educate in common terms. More specifically, I believe that it is my responsibility, as a response to Gods amazing grace, to make it a priority to share Jesus with everyone that I can, in a language that everyone can understand. Dr. Rieger referenced our God as a fairly radical God.  [1]  This God of creation and liberation is the radical God that can appeal to the masses of those who are believed to be on the fringes, those just outside the church. Some believe that God is only available to those who gather in community and in relationships found within the fellowship and experiences of like-minded persons. We characterize those outside established congregations with terms like unchurched, or underchurched, or lost. The fact that they are not incorporated into an organized body of believers does not make them wrong. Too often the Christian community carries within itself, perhaps even in its doctrines, the belief that God can only be found inside the church. There are some who may even believe that they are the only ones who do church right. As theologians, we are faced with the challenge of presenting good God-talk, rather than bad. Unfortunately, many people experience theology as nothing more than anothers unlearned opinion or agenda, which could be limiting, damaging, or complete destruction. It is the responsibility of every person to seek knowledge and to share that knowledge. The Doctrine of God- Theology begins and ends with God. In an effort to firm our theological stance, we seek resources to support what we have learned and understand of God. The Bible and other historical documents are not written to provide proof of God, but to show what God has done, what God is doing, and what God is yet to do. They are, in fact, a documentation of Gods existence throughout history. Of these resources, there is no place better to start than with the Bible. In Genesis, we see that God created the heavens and the earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. and God swept over the face of the waters.  [2]  We see evidence of Gods existence at the beginning of time. However, Gods existence in the lives of the individuals is measured not by the accounts of others, but in the relationships and experiences of the individuals. The book of Deuteronomy, chapter 26 carries a hidden creed showing that the God of mercy and love delivered the writer from captivity and bondage. We cried to the Lordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egyptà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.with a terrifying display of power.  [3]  Throughout the text, a merciful image of God is evident as God helped liberate a people from their captors. The Word shows that while being a God of great mercy and faithfulness, and love, that there is the existence of a God who can be terrifying. Both characteristics are contained within the same account. But, the testimony would not carry the same effect had it not been in a relational setting. The oppression and captivity were very real and very personal to the writer; also the action of God was also very personal. It is through these kinds of stories that the God of our Christian faith can be better understood. God has been presented to us with many attributes. These include Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, loving and forgiving, to name a few. Perhaps the best defining words for God would be self-existent. The fact that Gods existence does not rely on anything but God is somewhat overwhelming. The challenge is not only to gain a personal understanding of who and what God is, but to be able to effectively articulate God to others. This is the mystery of God. God can be described as everywhere, yet among us. God is said to be the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.  [4]  These terms provoke questions within those who do not have a relationship with God. God has been said to be all things to all people. It is through these examples that we begin to gain an understanding of the enormity of God. God is immeasurable through our human understanding. We cannot possibly have a complete understanding of God. To simply say that God is Chri st leaves God somewhat boxed and therefore not the true God. Origen said that God is incomprehensible, transcending being itself. God is known only by inference from the created order.  [5]  We see the presence and existence of God through the world around us. God is seen in the actions of neighbors and strangers. The God of creation is seen through the beauty of nature and in the faces of our fellow humans. God said in Genesis 1:26, let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.  [6]  It is clearly seen that God is intentional in Gods communion with humankind. Biblically speaking, the image of God can be seen in each and every person. John Wesley referenced in his Sermon 111, the scripture found in Jeremiah 23:24, Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth?  [7]  Both John Wesley and biblical scholars agree that we see through this scripture that God is both immanent and transcendent. God exists entirely in this world and beyond. But the way that God is go ing to be seen in each persons perspective is going to depend on where this person is in his or her life. God will meet us where we are at. The circumstances that surround a persons life will shadow how God is viewed. A person who is suffering from loss, or poverty, or oppression might view God as uncaring, or distant. Whereas a person who is experiencing success- either socially, financially, spiritually, and relationally, may see God as very involved in their lives. It is those times where it is easier to see and acknowledge the existence of God. It is much harder to give God credit when times are hard. But the bridge to a better understanding of God is putting the two together and showing where God is present throughout. Trying to completely describe God would be failure. We cannot accurately speak of Gods greatness. Too many facets would be left out, and that would illustrate a God who fell short of the God that we have in our midst. Explaining the Trinity is equally difficult. As theologians, we are to be able to put into words that the three- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one. In our limited ability to understand, we seek to make sense not only to ourselves, but others. The Trinity may be likened to a full chord on a guitar. Each note, or string, has equal responsibility and equal worth. Each has its own tone and depth. But when all the notes are played simultaneously, the chord makes a complete and beautiful sound- a harmony, a relationship. This is how the Trinity works. As previously discussed, God the Father, Creator is with us always, from the beginning of time. As Christians, we understand that each point of the Trinity is equal to the other two. There is no subordination. If subordination were the case, the idea of the Trinity would be pointless. A wonderful example of the Trinity in modern writing would be illustrated in the book The Shack. The main character has suff ered loss and brokenness and experiences all three facets while dealing with his circumstances. Though based on a fictional account, the lesson of each point of the Trinity, being in harmony with each other rings true. Each point of the Trinity was able to help the character in a different way. Understanding God and the Trinity has and will be a continuous journey. As we move and study and live, the presence and knowledge of God will move within. Our understanding will change daily, as will our maturity in explaining. By helping others to identify God in their own personal experiences and relationships, we have a greater chance of helping them to understand scripture and the greatness of God. The Doctrine of Jesus Christ- Jesus Christ the Son, born of a virgin, is both fully divine and fully human. Jesus came and lived among sinners and died for our sins. This is the general idea of what Jesus Christ is to the world. But, there is so much more to the idea of the Son of God. The Christian faith says that the most significant way in which it has been able to see God present within the world is through the life, work, and legacy of Jesus Christ. It is claimed that Jesus Christ is the physical embodiment of God in the world. Jesus himself is not all there is to God, but He is God as God has chosen to physically manifest Godself in the midst of Gods creation. The historical Jesus is the Jesus of today, acting in history. In Mark 8:29, Jesus asks, Who do you say that I am?  [8]  It seems that the world has been trying to answer the question since it was asked. The problem is that many different people have many differing answers. Or is that a problem. For some, He is simply a man who lived over two thou sand years ago. To others, He was a prophet, much like Elijah. To some He was a politician, or a public figure that was well known and killed for His views. And yet to many of us, He was a man, who lived over two thousand years ago, who was able to tell us things that were of another dimension, who was political and stood for a cause greater than we could humanly imagine. And then, just as He said, He would be betrayed by a close friend, arrested for upsetting the higher political figures, and murdered- all the while, changing the course of history and the future of the world. Jesus only had a short ministry, but the magnitude of things done in that time would shape a faith that give millions hope and peace all over the world. He began by assembling a group of men who were not in the upper crust of society. He never promised wealth or position, something that the average person might aspire to achieve, but instead offered life, unlike they had ever experienced before. These young men would have been the blue collar workers of our times. They understood what it was like to work long hours for very little pay. Most of them were barely educated. But Jesus saw something in them and He chose them to help Him carry the message- His message. Much of the time, they did not understand the words or actions of this man. He spoke unlike anyone had ever spoken. He used parables to teach them how to live and how to love. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, ate with sinners, and basically drew outside all the lines of societ al normalcy. Jesus spoke of a kingdom not of this world where we would go to be with the Father. Jesus spoke about loving their neighbor and forgiving them of their wrongdoings. He challenged them to carry His teachings to the world. And this message was for the multitudes of people who believed, and followed. We are the disciples of Christ who are called to take this message now. The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit- In the Old Testament, we see the Spirit connected with deep experiences, through which its power might overcome an individual, it may rest upon an individual, or might be poured out over many people.  [9]  In the New Testament, this spirit is identified with Jesus Christ and is the bringer of justice, mercy, and the complete knowledge of God to the Jews and Gentiles alike. The idea that the spirit will be poured on the many- ie, Male and female, old and young, slave or free, as well as people of other nations, languages and cultures was radical considering the context of the time. The Spirit was granting knowledge to the outcasts. Not only were the wealthy and privileged receiving it, but so were the common folks.  [10]  We are told in scripture, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.  [11]  In fact, considerable time and study has been spent in exploration of this topic. The subject of spiritual warfare comes to mind. There are spirits that work daily in our lives. Theses spirits are not for the good of us, rather the opposite. The Holy Spirit is that presence that is carried within us every minute of the day. It is often the guidance that we seek when making a difficult decision. This Holy Spirit lives in contrast to the negative spirits. It is the spirit of both our God and Creator, as well as the spirit of Jesus Christ the Son. And this Holy Spirit will not act always the same way. Our individual needs and context will cause the spirit to respond in Its necessary capacity. Wisdom scripture say that the spirit has filled the world and holds all things together.  [12]  It is through our personal experiences that we see the Holy Spirit at work. It is often masked as the nudging to participate or to not participate in any given activity. It is the feeling or calling of reaching out to those who are in need. We see the holy Spirit at work in the actions of others who show grace and compassion when their situations would not ordinarily warrant it. The Holy Spirit is the third element of the trinity, and is God and Jesus both active within our everyday lives. The Bible is a collection of all that God has said and done, as seen and recorded through the words of persons who were inspired to write by the Holy Spirit. It is a good example of how the Spirit works and speaks in their time and situation. The image of the spirit, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is that of wind or breath.  [13]  In the Book of John, Jesus promises the spirit as encourager to come after He is returned to God. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦he abides in you and he will be in you.  [14]  The Holy Spirit is God living in us. And the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  [15]  The work of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, just like in the lives of the Old Testament and New Testament people, helps to offer guidance even in our darkest hours. The battle that goes on within- should I or shouldnt I? is the direct activity of the Spirit, working against the evil and sin in our lives. It may be very complex and often difficult to explain, but the fact is that the Holy Spirit is simply our God, the Creator of all things, living inside, present at all times. The Doctrines of Creation and Providence- The doctrine of creation tells us that God is the source and the Creator of all things. God is the Creator of the universe as well as individual human existence. All life comes from God and all life returns to God. We are told in Genesis 1 that God created and saw that everything was good. We have no doubt that God was pleased with creation.  [16]  Creation, however, is not simply a process that was. Creation is a continuous, ongoing process in which God is actively involved- a relationship between God and the world. Throughout Biblical history, we have seen the hand of God at work, primarily in the acts of creation. For example, this is evident in the story of the flood, through the imagery of the olive leaf returned to the hand of Noah by the dove. We saw God establish the covenant afterwards, the creation of Israel, and then the creation of a new community of faith through Jesus Christ. These are just a few examples of the love that God has continued to show for Gods creation. We have to be able to share that creation did not create itself. It is the gift of a God who is love, and through this gift, we are shown the magnificence of God. But why did God create the earth and everything in it? Some have pondered that God was lonely, so God created. We believe that God is complete in Godself. We have already established that God is self-existent and ultimately that Gods existence does not rely on anything but God. with that in mind, it does not make sense, even to or limited understanding of this all-loving God, that God would become lonely and subsequently create. Karl Barth believed that God was radically separate from this world. Barth said that the One who loves in freedom was acting out of no external necessity but freely creating simply because love seeks to share its goodness.  [17]  This loving God that we worship, and often fear, is seeking to share Gods greatness. Through creation, God begins the relationship with humanity, not out of need, but out of love. John Calvin said, Gods providence is not that by which God idly observes from heaven what takes place on earth, but that by which, as keeper of the keys, he governs all events.  [18]  According to Wood, in the Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology, we are not to believe that we are tied to our situations simply because God has willed it that way. This God who sends pain has also sent the means to alleviate it. The God who sends flood and fire has given is the intelligence to prevent it from happening, or to minimize its harmful effects.  [19]  Providence is Gods divine guidance and care. God the Creator is continues as the sustaining force for creation and the guiding force for human destiny. But why would a loving God allow evil into the world. Placher points out that often, we just dont have answers, but we might look at a few possible reasons. Sometimes good is not possible without evil, humanity abuses its freedom and the result is evil, evil helps refine our souls to be what God would have us to be, or simply that God allows some limited evil to act in the world.  [20]  It is only through Gods grace that humanity experiences free will. Sometimes, our choices through this free will cause us to be in harms way. Gods allowance of evil helps humanity to become the people God would desire us to be. Plainly speaking, we learn from our mistakes and through trials, we turn our hearts toward God. In the end, our relationship to God is strengthened, as is our witness to others. The Doctrine of the Human Creature- The problem with the issue of human being is that we all believe that we have a complete understanding of human being. And because we already know about the human being, we tend to work from that assumption. Our human condition, or human creature, or human existence is based upon our relationship with God. When we have a relationship with and we follow Jesus Christ, we become more fully human.  [21]  We are told that the human creature is not just individual, but collective, as well.  [22]  Our humanness comes with both possibilities and limitations. There is something in the individual, and in that individuals desire for personal success that is adverse to the human creature. We are qualified by the claim that what distinguishes them as specifically human is that God creates them in the image of God.  [23]  The one who is created in the image of God seeks to form and sustain loving and caring relationships with God and other human beings. When the humans desire to achiev e personal success overlaps the desires of another, conflict is created. Often in conflict, healthy relationships are not nurtured. This conflict is called sin. The Doctrine of the Church- The church is the people of God.  [24]  Though there are many divisions, facets, communities, denominations, the church stands as the people, the body of Jesus Christ, who founded the church and charged us with the task to go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  [25]  God will speak where God will and the community will form around where God is. The role of the church is to re-present Christ to the world.  [26]  In a recent lecture, Dr. Rieger alludes to a personal struggle that was similar to the struggle of Luther, Wesley, Barth, and Bonhoffer. That struggle was not about the people not believing, but that the people were being taught wrongly and therefore believed wrongly. Rieger offers that rather than idealizing the church, we begin to analyze the church. To do this, we must look at the four marks of the church to function as a framework for our analysis. First, we look at the unity of the church- One holy, catholic, universal church. But we are not one church. We have both social threats to church unity, as well as theological threats. One threat is segregation. We are primarily segregated. Racially, church is referred to as the most segregated hour in America- from 11am to 12 on Sunday morning.  [27]  Class stratification is not easily overcome, especially in America. If we are really interested in the unity of the church, we have to address the issues that divide us. We are also divided by our differing doctrines. As a United Methodist now and formerly a Baptist for 35 years, I appreciated the joke about a Methodist being a Baptist that can read. There is humor intended in the statement but the sad truth is that Baptists, United Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, and Pentecostals have been divided in their beliefs for ages. In addition to these differences, we also create divisions with the Jewish people. W e believe that the new covenant of Jesus Christ has somehow nullified the covenant of God with Israel in the Old Testament. Instead, we need to look to our similarities, oppose anti