Book Analysis for the book I, Che Guevara Essay

Book Analysis for the book I, Che Guevara - Essay Example Ernesto Guevara used the word as ‘comrade’ because he was deeply influenced by principles of Marxism. He was responsible for ending rule of then ruler Batista and was commander of his guerilla warfare force. He played key roles in government where he advocated his policies designed for welfare of people. He had travelled across countries in his younger days which he chronicles in his diaries. This travel brought him closer to people, which helped him understand their problems, poverty and life. His revolution extended to Bolivia where he met his end in a military execution. His ideology, philosophy, his deep love for his country and his martyrdom has made him a hero worldwide. His life and death are viewed as an enigma and his love and selfless efforts for the betterment of his people makes him the most revered revolutionary so far. Che was executed in Bolivia in the year 1967 at the age of thirty-nine. Military officers and leaders present in Bolivia during the time rem ember him to be very intelligent, calm and charismatic although his appearance was ragged and dirty. The book ‘I, Che Guevara’ starts from the day of execution of Che. This is a history based political fiction presumes that Che was not executed on October 9th, 1967. He disappeared only to reappear as an old man who has travelled across to spread message of revolution among people. He appears in coastal villages and starts having intellectual conversations with inhabitants, eventually bringing them together to form a political party. Author John Blackthorn has successfully established the premise in the book. John Blackthorn is an alias Gary Hart took up for writing novels. Representing Democratic Party he was elected as senator. Later he was a front runner candidate for Democratic Party for presidential elections. However he had to withdraw his nomination because of his alleged extra marital affair with model Donna Rice. He withdrew from active politics only to return a s consultant on national security. He has authored and co-authored many books under his alias John Blackthorn. His active role in government when he was elected helped him considerably while writing his books. ‘I, Che Guevara’ although a political fiction, is reflection of Hart’s creativity and understanding of international affairs, which makes the book an interesting read. History does not have ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ and yet when we look back and reflect on the subject we find several dots to connect to make a complete picture. Che Guevara or Ernesto Guevara appears on the scene as Ernesto Blanco. Although he is old and white haired he still holds a charismatic personality and engaging talks. He travels throughout his country to find that there is no or minimal change in people. He hides himself from soldiers and military for a considerable time and when he realizes that people have nearly forgotten him then appears on the surface. The plot revolves around Che’s resurfacing, his bringing of people together in yet another revolution and leading people from the front. What do you think about Revolution in Cuba? I said. What revolution is that senor? They said. What revolution is that? That’s the revolution to save your skinny little ass! I said. Oh senor, they said, there is no revolution in the world that can save my skinny little ass. 1 There is an entire generation who gets inspired by Che’s fiery speeches and fights revolution shoulder to shoulder with him. However when he wants to question people about any such revolution,

Menigitis research paper Essay Example for Free

Menigitis research paper Essay Meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. A family who lived in Geneva, Switzerland was first diagnosed with the disease in 1805. It was not until 1866, that the disease traveled its way into the United States. Professor Anton Weichselbaum discovered the cause of cerebro-spinal meningitis illness in 1887. There are five types of meningitis: bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, parasitic meningitis, fungal meningitis, and non-infectious meningitis. Bacterial meningitis and Viral meningitis are the two most common and serious types of meningitis. Bacteria meningitis is caused by bacteria. There are several types of pathogens that can cause bacterial meningitis: Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Listeria monocytogenes. Some of the symptoms of Bacteria meningitis are nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, and confusion. Bacteria meningitis can be life threatening and result in the need of medical attention. It is also contagious and can be treated with antibiotics. Viral meningitis is more common, than Bacterial meningitis and is sometimes referred to as â€Å"aseptic meningitis.† Viruses, like enteroviruses and herpes simplex viruses, cause viral meningitis. Viral meningitis occurs mostly in children younger than the age of five. The most common cause of viral meningitis is enteroviruses, which is most often spread from person to person through fecal contamination. There is no specific treatment for Viral meningitis. It is just like any other virus, it runs its course for about 7 to 10 days. To prevent from getting Viral meningitis, you should wash your hands thoroughly, especially after changing diapers and using the bathroom, and avoid sharing items with sick people or when you are sick, such as eating utensils. Both bacterial and viral meningitis show similar signs and symptoms, but bacterial meningitis is more severe and fatal. There are vaccines for some of the types of bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis. There are no vaccines for the most common cause of viral meningitis, so the best way to prevent it is to not get a viral infection. Works Cited Page 1. 2.http://www.ehow.com/about_5234584_meningitis-first-discovered_.html 2. 3.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9276.php 3. 4.http://www.news-medical.net/health/History-of-Meningitis.aspx 4. 5.http://www.meningitis-trust.org/meningitis-info/types-and-causes/ 5. 6.http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html 6. 7.http://www.nmaus.org/meningitis/viral-or-bacterial.htm

John Quincy Adams :: Biography Biographies Essays

John Quincy Adams Hello, I'm John Quincy Adams. I grew up in Braintree, Massachusetts, and when I became an adult I traveled with my father on his diplomatic missions until I became interested in political journalism at Harvard and eventually became he sixth president of the United States. During my lifetime, from 1767 to 1848, the United States was desperately trying to make allies, as the country was in it's infancy. I followed my father's footsteps, as I was working in foreign relations before I became President. I have experienced many great events, such as when I was appointed as minister to the Netherlands, a mere three days later I witnessed the French invade the country and overthrow the Dutch Republic. This was thought of by many as an attempt for the French to show the United States how strong it was, without exerting any force on them at all. On a different occasion, when I was appointed minister to Russia, I was the leading negotiator for the Treaty of Ghent with the British, which ended the War of 1812. These negotiations gained respect for the United States and me as a diplomat. I am a likable person wherever I go. When I was a kid, our family was very closely knit, as we all helped manage the farm, except for my dad, who was usually away in foreign countries. This didn't affect me very much since I joined up with him when I was 11 on his operations after my persistent asking. As President, I worked scrupulously to work out problems and provide leadership for the country. This was acknowledged by my fellow officials in office and by the country, as I'm thought of as a person with integrity and honesty. Louisa Catherine Adams, my wife, holds a special place in my heart. She has always been trustworthy and nice. As a child she had to deal with ill health frequently, (which often recurs), and as First Lady she held brilliant parties for my Cabinet and friends. Louisa and I had four children, but sadly they all died before they could have children of their own, all for various reasons. My only real enemy to speak of is Andrew Jackson. Before my administration, Jackson and his followers accused me of promising Henry Clay a cabinet post in return for his support. After I was elected, and I appointed Clay Secretary of State, Jackson's strong followers in Congress called it a 'corrupt bargain'.

Impact of British Colonialisation on Indian Culture Essay

Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony, and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by colonizers from the metropole. Colonialism is a set of unequal relationships between the metropole and the colony and between the colonists and the indigenous population. The colonial period normally refers to the late 15th to the 20th century, when European states established colonies on other continents. During this time, the justifications for colonialism included various factors such as Christian missionary work, the profits to be made, the expansion of the power of the metropole and various religious and political beliefs. WHY COLONISE INDIA? Britain discovered the Indian sub-continent when it was looking to expand its vast empire. The East India Company was formed and came to recognize that India was a hub of trade and home to many natural resources. This situation made India an attractive colony to Britain as it seemed unquestionable that Britain would benefit from the situation. Britain did benefit from the situation; however, notwithstanding the obvious injustices associated with colonization, India also experienced positive impacts that continued even once India gained independence from Britain in 1947. It is important to note that although India gained independence all ties with the British nation were not cut. Britishers earmarked that no person in India was beggar. The country is of high wealth, high moral values, and people of caliber and thought to break the backbone of the nation i.e. cultural and spiritual heritage and therefore they proposed to replace old and ancient education system, for if the Indians thin k that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self esteem, their native culture and they will become what britishers want them, a truly dominated nation. IMPACT OF COLONIALISATION The impacts of colonization are immense and pervasive. Various effects, both immediate and protracted, include the spread of virulent diseases, the establishment of unequal social relations, exploitation, enslavement, medical advances, the creation of new institutions, and technological progress. Colonial practices also spur the spread of languages, literature and cultural institutions. The native cultures of the colonized peoples can also have a powerful influence on the imperial country. Impact of British rule in India had been widespread throughout the country and affected the cultural, technological, religious, social, political and economic state of India. India had persistently tolerated the British rule for 200 prolonged years, with their everlasting impression been forever etched upon the succeeding Indian citizens. Impact of British rule in India, in this context, is one that had perhaps emerged forth right from the 16th century, when British missionaries had sailed to easte rn soil to spread Christianity, much before the British East India Company. The negative impact of British rule in India was mostly visible in the economic aspect which occurred as a result of de-industrialization and destruction of rural economy. Initial Impact of British Rule in India British invasion on India was not the first of its kind; India has prior to British arrival, been host to pellets of ruthless foreign invasions. The British, in this regard, were the last to arrive in India. However, when it came to the power game, it undoubtedly was the British and the British East India Company, who completely captured Indian power and people. They covertly and efficiently expanded their empire with the competent aid of Indian soldiers. Indians had joined the East India Company army solely for the reason that they received salary on the first day of every month, very much unlike the Indian emperors and their system of reign. As such, impact of British rule in India already had begun to do its work, with the very first Christian missionaries arriving to India, with the intention to turn a majority of population into Christians. They tried to cast Christianity in the light of a better religion and with economic inducements convinced the poor Indians into Christianity . POSITIVE IMPACT 1. Modernization and industrialization During British occupation, India was modernized and industrialized. British industrialists invested huge amounts of capital in the region. The British East India Company built the world’s third-largest railroad network, which connected regions and enabled the country to develop a modern economy. Western culture also improved Indian culture with the development of a road network, telephone and telegraph lines, many dams and bridges and irrigation canals. During British occupation, these developed systems of transportation and communication benefited the British, rather than Indians. But they were put in place for Indian culture to take advantage of when the country finally achieved its independence. 2. Education Indian culture benefited from Western culture in the area of education. During British occupation, many schools and colleges were built throughout India. Literacy increased and, for the first time, the poorest classes of society had access to knowledge. 3. Employment The presence of Western traders in India increased the demand for goods and services in India. As a result of the British living in India, Indian artisans, weavers and craftsmen were steadily employed. Although they were deprived of the full profits of their labors, these artisans and craftsman grew in numbers, and the Indian labor force became more skilled and handy. By the time the British left the subcontinent, a greater percentage of Indians had acquired skills to make a living. 4. Establishment of churches gave importance to port cities The very foremost impact of British rule on India was the religious impact, as was established by the missionaries and their establishment of churches in every possible corner of the country. In this regard, the port cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai gained enough importance, due to their accessibility for navigational purposes. They were later turned into the 3 cardinal presidency towns. The keen attempt of British Christians to turn several bunches of Indians into a complete unfamiliar religion was successful, though only in parts. Some had gladly accepted it, in fear of inviting the rage of the company, while others had turned hostile, in turn giving rise to collisions and difference of opinion. 5. Socio-Cultural Impact of British Rule in India The socio-cultural impact of British rule upon India was also another intense impression that had lasted throughout their rule, never for once losing their significant status. From every field of living, be it in education, art, architecture, painting, literature, poetry, drama, novels or even Indian religion and philosophy, the whole Indian set-up had suffered a gradual change. The conventional and simple society, prevalent in India, respected and dreaded the British rulers. British aristocrats travelled throughout India in separate â€Å"Europeans Only† First-Class Railway Carriages. They had for themselves separate waiting rooms in most of the major railway stations. They also came to set up elite schools for their children. In most of the theatre halls, the balcony was earmarked for the whites and the local maharaja. Their significant passionate pastime, during late 19th and early 20th centuries, appeared to be hunting animals and birds in Indian jungles. As such, the popu lation of tigers, lions and elephants slumped down because of indiscriminate hunting. 6. Creating Unity One of the first impacts that colonisation had in India was the development of unity. When Britain first acquired India as a colony the country was divided. The British imposed system impacted India by bringing more equality to the country as the caste system which outlined social hierarchy was adapted. It is also significant that Britain accepted all of the religions of India which also allowed unity to prosper. 7. Leading Towards Democracy India has also experienced positive impacts from the institution established and then left behind by the colonizers. The institutions established by the British Raj and then inherited by India helped lead to democracy in modern day India. The assistance of these institutions assisted India in becoming the world’s largest democracy today. It is also of note that Britain first introduced India to early capitalism through colonization. Britain transformed India into an agricultural based capitalist economy and established forms of private ownership. These actions led India into creating free trade and competitive business. 8. Sports Another positive impact of colonisation can be seen in sport in India. During the colonial period Britain brought the sport of cricket to India. Cricket today brings enthusiasm to millions of Indians and is celebrated around the country. India as a nation has also emerged as a prominent team in cricket tournaments as India has successfully beaten many other countries. Cricket also serves to connect much of the Indian population as the sport is celebrated nationally. 9. Setting up of railways The British had introduced the system of Railways in a chain method, with the whole of the country staying witness to placing of railways tracks, railway platforms and railway carriages. Indeed India railways, postal services, legal and judicial systems and other government-based services have all been derived primarily from the British administration. British rule virtually had helped unify India, which till then was quite fragmentary. The in-built inferiority complex was the characteristic trademark of the mass of the native population, till Mahatma Gandhi. 10. Introduction of English language Introduction of English language which was infact intended to create a class of people appreciative of English culture and life style indirectly helped Indians to acquire a link language. Although introduction of helped in developing an efficient bureaucracy for the british government, it gave Indians an opportunity to know western concept of rights and freedom and the extent of discrimination practiced against them by British. Exchange of ideas among Indians speaking variety of languages became possible. 11. Other positive effects * Stamping out of infanticide * Stamping out of ritual burning of widows (Sati) * Abolishment of slavery * Elimination of dacoits from highways * Legalization of remarriage of widows * Introduction of penal code for equality NEGATIVE IMPACT 1. Development of constitution Development of our constitutional framework is to a great extent based on the legacies of the British colonial rule. Our constitution was formed in protest to britishers because at that time India was under the slavery of British raj otherwise the picture of our constitution would have been different. 2. Slaves and indentured servants The labour shortage that resulted inspired European colonizers to develop a new source of labour, using a system of indentured servitude. Indentured servants consented to a contract with the European colonizers. Under their contract, the servant would work for an employer for a term of at least a year, while the employer agreed to pay for the servant’s voyage to the colony, possibly pay for the return to the country of origin, and pay the employee a wage as well. The employee was â€Å"indentured† to the employer because they owed a debt back to the employer for their travel expense to the colony, which they were expected to pay through their wages. In practice, indentured servants were exploited through terrible working conditions and burdensome debts created by the employers, with whom the servants had no means of negotiating the debt once they arrived in the colony. 3. Impact on health Encounters between explorers and populations in the rest of the world often introduced new diseases, which sometimes caused local epidemics of extraordinary virulence. For example, smallpox, measles, malaria, yellow fever, and others were unknown in pre-Columbian America. 4. Economic Impact of British Rule in India Impact of British rule in India however was not restricted only to these spheres; the economic impact was yet another domain which practically had drained out the native populace, creating a forever draught in 1947. The chief aim of these settlers was to make India an agrarian country that would supply an industrialised England. As such, the Indian farmers suffered with their land revenue, most of which were ruthlessly being seized by the hyperbolic Zamindar class. Each passing year further tightened the economy, making Indians go insane to the nerve; Indian local-manufactured products were sold in tremendously cheap rates in Britain, making the native money-making policy even harder. The world-over societal degradation also had spilled in India, like the World War I or the Great Depression of the 1930s. The situation had become so very dreadful that there could not be found any out of such an entangled mess. 5. Constructive Impact of British Rule in India Amidst all these alarming states and conditions, the imperial rule were compassionate enough to introduce European education in India. This ground-breaking impact of British rule in India truly has benefited India in the long run, carving out a prestigious position of India in the world map. Knowledge of English was essential to earn a job in the British bureaucracy, in the British trading firms and of course in the British Army in the officer level. Many dignified concepts like parliamentary democracy, the European scientific ideas, industrialization and liberal human philosophy permeated into the Indian brain. 6. Resource Drain One of the primary goals of colonialism was the establishment of a resource-generating system through which natural resources from colonized regions were gathered and traded by the colonizing nation. This process reduced the availability of natural resources in the colonized nations, leading to times of hunger, poverty and need. Some colonies were heavily farmed, with food stores shipped to feed populations elsewhere while locals survived on less. Further, this created a system where a colonized country could be farmed for its natural wealth, but receive no monetary benefits. 7. Dismissal of Hinduism Religion provided the needed rationale for this cruel plunder. All native Hindus were dismissed as heathens or pagans ‘ despicable creatures who don’t have to be treated like human beings till they take their fateful decision to embrace Christianity. According to the missionaries who came to India to play second fiddle to the British Imperial rulers, Christianity was the only true religion. Jesus Christ was the only true God. All other religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and many other traditional faiths and religions in India had to be eliminated to save the souls of India and Indians. All facets and all aspects of Hindu religion and Hindu society were dismissed as idolatry and superstition, in order to advance the noble Christian pursuit of salvation for the barbarous heathens of India. Along with Christian religion came the rest of British or Western culture, thought and customs and the gradual end of traditional ways of life. Thus our traditional rel igions and cultures were gradually subverted or eliminated. CONCLUSION Today India is the largest provider of services in the world in large part due to colonisation; however, it is uncertain if without colonisation this would be possible. The Indian population is able to compete in the service sector due to the positive impact of the English language being left behind post British rule. When colonisation was occurring in India schools were established which taught and offered instruction in English. It is also of note that the East India Company had a positive impact by establishing some services such as rail throughout the country. The British rule introduced the railways, the press, and the western system of education, clubs and associations all of which shook the prevalent socio-economic order. But the processes of exploitation unleashed by them destroyed the possibilities of development of industries and a modern economic system in India. The British rule rather systematically destroyed the native industries of India for the benefit of the industries in Britain and their market in India. Even though it sought to tie down the people it ruled to colonial backwardness, it released new historical forces within the Indian fold by throwing the traditional economic system and socio-cultural order out of gear. It gave birth to the desire of material advancement and better amenities and living conditions of individuals. Also it gave birth to a spirit of inquiry in the minds of Indian intellectuals who came in contact with western education. Both the social reformists and the conservatives took a fresh and critical look at their own society and culture as a reaction to western interpretation of the same. REFERENCES: * Positive & Negative Effects of Colonialism | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8505011_positive-negative-effects-colonialism.html#ixzz1pZTzR700 * nos.org/317courseE/L-35%20COLONIALISM%20IN%20INDIA.pdfSimilar * www.kwintessential.co.uk/†¦/india/†¦Impact-of-Colonisation-in-India/†¦Cached * en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_colonialism * Government of India, Report of the Education Commission 1964-66, Delhi, 1966. * D. Warriner, Land Reform in Principle and Practice, Oxford University Press, 1969 * Maddison, â€Å"The Historical Origins of Indian Poverty†

Traditions and Beliefs

A  tradition  is a practice, custom, or  story  that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, originally without the need for a  writing system. Traditions are often presumed to be  ancient, unalterable, and deeply important, though they may sometimes be much less â€Å"natural† than is presumed. Some traditions were deliberately invented for one reason or another, often to highlight or enhance the importance of a certain institution. Traditions may also be changed to suit the needs of the day, and the changes can become accepted as a part of the ancient tradition. Folk Beliefs, otherwise known as â€Å"Superstitious Beliefs†, forms part of a people's value systems and culture. They basically reflect the customs, traditions, and mores of a group, which has been based on religious beliefs, opinions, or popular old practices. Also they tell of how a people view the unknown and the Means to appease the gods that control the future. Filipinos still adhere to numerous widely-held folk beliefs that have no scientific or logical basis but maybe backed-up by some past experiences (yet can be dismissed as mere coincidence). Some are still practiced to this day primarily because of ‘there's nothing to lose if we comply' attitude while the others are totally ignored for it seemed downright ridiculous. A number of Filipinos have Folk Beliefs about life, family, luck, wealth, etc. Some of which were presented by the four groups last Monday, April 26, 2010. I have noticed that almost all groups presented folk beliefs about courtship and marriage. Courtship is one that is still being practiced among the strictest of the Filipino families. This is performed by the male (who is the suitor since it is wrong to do it the opposite way) visiting the home of the female. In the olden days, courtship doesn't start until the male suitor had obtained permission from the parents. This was done with the male suitor being accompanied by another respectable elder and approaching either the father or the mother of the female and obtaining permissions days in advanced to visit at a particular day and time. Nowadays this form of getting the parent's permission is still being practiced in the provinces, however, due to western influences, there are ome variations more adaptable to the modern times. One alternative is to make a phone call, asking for the parents' or guardian's permission through an elder to schedule a visit. Another way is for the suitor to approach the parents in a public place, and informally asking for permission to visit. Either way, it is to show proper respect to ask for permission prior to the formal visit. Proper ly greeting the parents by placing the back of the right hand of the parents to the suitor's forehead is practiced to show respect. This is called pagmamano in Tagalog. When the permission has been granted, the suitor whether accompanied by a friend or an elder will visit the girl's home and offers gifts. Gift bags or boxes of goodies or Filipino snacks purchased from a local store and flowers are generally given. The snacks or other goods are offered to the family of the girl then the flowers and special sweets (like chocolate or candies) are given to the girl. In a strict Filipino home, during courtship, the parents are present during the first visit. This is the opportunity to get to know each other. This is sometimes called courting the parents first and winning their hearts and approval then letting the boy or suitor court the girl. Subsequent visits are then scheduled if all went well during the first visit and, depending on how long the courtship will last; the answer is given by the girl with the parents' knowledge as well. After the courtship stage and the girl decides that she also would like to take the suitor's offer of love and commitment, then the girl will give the favorable answer to the suitor. At times it takes months before the answer is given. In the olden days, strict parents would sometimes give a series of tests, having the suitor do some chores like fetching some water from the well, cutting firewood to be used for cooking dinner, helping the father of the girl do some yard or farm work. Nowadays, a more modern approach is being performed by the suitor whereby he offers gentlemanly help to the parents, sometimes carrying groceries as he sees them walking down the streets, offering them a ride if he happens to be driving their way, doing other favors that can help win their favor and better his chances of getting the girl's love as well. After the girl announces to the parents that she is ready to be engaged the parents would be around to congratulate the suitor. From then on, the suitor is treated like a member of the family. Sometimes, even before marriage, the suitor is introduced to the friends and relatives of the girl's immediate family as future part of the family or future son-in-law. Engagements may take longer than a year, and then the date shall be set for marriage. During the waiting period they are free to go on dates, at times with a chaperone. Nowadays, after the first few chaperoned dates they can date on their own, especially those who live in the cities where it is not as strict as in the rural areas of the country. When the two decides that they are ready to get married, then the pamamanhikan (official request of the male and his parents or guardians for the girl's hand in marriage) begins. This is usually done in the evening after dinner. Then, if the parents of the girl agree, they will give them their blessings and set the date of the wedding. The engagement sometimes last from several months to a couple of years due to extensive preparations. The majority of Filipino weddings are now Catholic weddings, but some native traditions remain. Most have special â€Å"sponsors† who act as witnesses to the marriage. The principal sponsors could be godparents, counselors, a favorite uncle and aunt, even a parent. Secondary sponsors handle special parts of the ceremony, such as the candle, cord and veil ceremonies. Candle sponsors light two candles, which the bride and groom use to light a single candle to symbolize the joining of the two families and to invoke the light of Christ in their married life. Veil sponsors place a white veil over the bride's head and the groom's shoulders, a symbol of two people clothed as one. Cord sponsors drape the yugal (a decorative silk cord) in a figure-eight shape–to symbolize everlasting fidelity–over the shoulders of the bride and groom. The groom gives the bride 13 coins, or arrhae, blessed by the priest, as a sign of his dedication to his wife's well-being and the welfare of their future children. The four groups, as far as I can remember, presented more beliefs and traditions about death, marriage, life and luck. These were: †¢ The table should not be cleared while an unmarried woman is still eating because she might end up an old maid. †¢ Do not sweep your floor at night or else you are sweeping your luck out of the house. †¢ If one cuts his fingernails at night, a member of the family will die. †¢ One must not organize teams of 3 or 13, otherwise one member will die. †¢ Eating Pancit on their birthday will enable them to live longer. †¢ The use of the word â€Å"Po† or â€Å"Opo† means â€Å"Yes† in a very polite manner. It is usually said by a young person to an elder. Holding a family reunion to celebrate a birthday in the family, fiestas, for Christmas or New Year's Celebration. †¢ One must be able to have â€Å"handa† during feast days. The first belief tells me that when you clear the table while an unmarried woman is still eating, that woman will stay single all her life. I still don’t believe in such belief because I have met and seen single women getting married even if this clearing of tables while they ate happened to them. This is also my very first time to hear such belief. The second belief is one I heard when I was still very young. I was at my grandfather’s house at Negros Oriental one summer. One night, there housemaid swept the floor and was scolded by my grandfather’s sister for doing such act. I wondered why and so I asked my parents about it. They, too, didn’t know why sweeping floors during night was not allowed. Now, I know why. I still don’t believe in such belief although luck in that house has gone in and out. I believe it’s just coincidental when someone sweeps during the night and then you become very unlucky in the future. The third belief is somehow coincidental for me when you cut your fingernails and someone in your family dies. I have also tried a lot of times already cutting my nails at night and I have also tried losing a member of my family already but I don’t think it was because of what I did. I don’t see any connection between cutting fingernails during the night and death. With the fourth belief, I have heard this since I was in my grade school years. I still hear such until now. I usually go around with two of my very close friends. We always take pictures of ourselves yet not one of us has died, fortunately. I was told that whoever is in the middle will die first. It sounds pretty scary at first especially when I was still very young and innocent. However, as I grew up and hear such, it becomes lame to me and somehow funny because I have had lots of experience already with having two friends with me. The group presented this by three people who was about to take a picture of themselves and then their friend told them they shouldn’t be three otherwise the one in the middle will die. And so they invited more people to join them so they wouldn’t be three. The fifth belief tells me that eating Pancit will make your life longer. I always hear such especially during festivities and celebrations. On birthday celebrations, there is always pancit on the table because it is said that this will make you live longer on earth. They always say â€Å"pansit, pampahaba ng buhay†. I’m pretty sure it is such because pancit is long. We don’t usually practice such tradition in our family. The sixth belief shows respect to the older people when you say Opo or Po. It is our tradition to say such. We also â€Å"mano† or kiss the right hand of an older person when we greet them. Actually, you don't really kiss that hand. You just bow a bit, and gently take the older person's right hand with your right hand, and move it towards your own forehead. Sometimes, it's the back of their hand that touches your forehead. In our family, we practice such tradition as a sign of respect. When we got to our province in Negros and get to meet with the very many relatives of ours, we â€Å"mano† every older relative. Other relatives of ours especially my aunts and uncles who are in their late 20’s and early 30’s wont let us â€Å"mano† them because they don’t want to be â€Å"old†. The seventh and eight traditions have been practiced for years by almost all Filipinos. These happenings bring family members together especially those who are living away or are working in different places and rarely have the chance or time to come home. The presence of family visitors and reuniting members delight the other members of the family, aside from stories and gossips to tell. And, if a visitor is a foreigner or a relative who comes from abroad, the family is very proud especially when the neighbors are around, and offers everything just to please the visitor. Once the visitor is gone, the family will either praise or mock the visitor. It’s mostly not the presence but the presents. We always celebrate feast days by having handa and inviting people to eat inside the house. In our family, we do the same during our village’s fiesta. We invite friends, relatives and neighbors to dine and celebrate with us. Such tradition brings families and friends closer and patches up the times you missed together. With the very many traditions and beliefs of the Filipinos, I can say we only practice a few. Our family is not the type who believes in such beliefs. We only practice those traditions that are very common like celebrating festivities and occasions and giving of gifts during special days. I don’t believe in these beliefs because they sound ridiculous for me but I respect them and the people who believe in them. We were not raised believing in folk beliefs because they are mere stories and doesn’t have any connection with the real world. Sometimes, I wonder why people have made so many beliefs. Is it their way of scaring people especially beliefs about death and misfortune? I believe it is only you who can bring luck to yourself and it is not harmful to believe and practice such beliefs and traditions. I just learned that folk beliefs are not real and not practical and one’s life must not always work around with beliefs.

Chinese History - Emperor Kang essays

Chinese History - Emperor Kang essays Emperor Kang-hsi ruled China from 1661 to 1722 and his reign is captured by Jonathan D. Spences book Emperor of China. The different chapters of the book deal with certain aspects of the Emperors life. Aspects that the history books to normally deal with. The information in Spences book is based on Emperor Kang-hsis correspondence, his own writings. This writing maybe biased towards himself, but no other piece of information could provide insight into his mind. The book is divided into six parts; In motion, Ruling, Thinking, Growing Old, Sons, Valedictory. The book follows Emperor Kang-hsis life as Emperor in chronological order. In the first part, "In Motion," the main emphasis was on Emperor Kang-hsi travels though his kingdom. He wrote a letter to Ku Wen-hsing stating that he had traveled 1000s of miles in each direction. He had traveled to the provinces of Shansi and Shensi in the west, to the provinces of Manchuria and Ula in the east, north across the Gobi to the Kerulean River and south to the Yangtze River. On his travels, Emperor Kang-hsi, liked to collect and compare different plats, animals, birds that he came across. He loved to hunt with bows and guns during his travels. Emperor Kang-hsi hunting practices were not just meant for joy and exercise, it was also an exercise in military preparedness. He took thousands of his troops on many of his trips to train them in shooting, camp life, and The second part of the book emphasis on the historiographically part of the emperors rule. The authors' facts were based on the thousands of imperial documents that came from the emperor. The author was able to piece together the kind to government that existed. The central bureaucracy of emperor Kang-hsis China was composed of a metropolitan division and a provincia ...

Frankenstein reflecting Mary Sheleys values

Frankenstein reflecting Mary Sheleys values Throughout the novel ?Frankenstein? the composer Mary Shelley unambiguously reflects her values as well as that of her society. The context in which it was composed exemplifies profound statements of Mary Shelley?s time. Initially, conceptions of man and the human race are characterized, distinguishing man as dominant over women, merely perceiving them as objects of man thus creating gender roles of the early eighteenth century. On the other hand we see perceptions of greed and obsessive behavior through the central characters Frankenstein and Walton who become driven by selfish desires. The influence of the development of science evidently caused a foremost impact upon Mary Shelley?s society therefore it became a primary theme during Frankenstein, particularly the ascendancy of science over nature. Nature becomes symbolism of the sublime while Mary Shelley?s conception of the negative consequences of science over nature becomes apparent. In addition we may distinguish science as a r epresentation of man and nature as women, which was most likely a view determined by Shelley?s view of her mother and father since her mother was a feminist and father was a scientist.Manuscript page from Frankenstein by Mary ShelleyThus, Mary Shelly includes these ideas in Frankenstein making imperative statements as well as reflecting values due to the context it was written.Through the focal characters of Frankenstein we gain an insight into the way in which Shelley perceived men through the influences of male role models in her life. Due to the death of Mary Shelley?s mother when Shelley was born, she would have had few female role models growing up, consequently we see the dominance of male characters in the novel with women characters contained in passive roles. Shelley was frequently surrounded by scientific philosophers, such as, Humphry Davy and Erasmus Darwin, both having insightful theories regarding creation. Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein are both...

A Introduction to Sociology Statistics

A Introduction to Sociology Statistics Sociological research can have three distinct goals: description, explanation, and prediction. The description is always an important part of the research, but most sociologists attempt to explain and predict what they observe. The three research methods most commonly used by sociologists are observational techniques, surveys, and experiments. In each case, measurement is involved that yields a set of numbers, which are the findings, or data, produced by the research study. Sociologists and other scientists summarize data, find relationships between sets of data, and determine whether experimental manipulations have affected some variable of interest. The word statistics has two meanings: The field that applies mathematical techniques to the organizing, summarizing, and interpreting of data. The actual mathematical techniques themselves. Knowledge of statistics has many practical benefits. Even a rudimentary knowledge of statistics will make you better able to evaluate statistical claims made by reporters, weather forecasters, television advertisers, political candidates, government officials, and other persons who may use statistics in the information or arguments they present. Representation of Data Data are often represented in frequency distributions, which indicate the frequency of each score in a set of scores. Sociologists also use graphs to represent data. These include pie graphs, frequency histograms, and line graphs. Line graphs are important in representing the results of experiments because they are used to illustrate the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics summarize and organize research data. Measures of central tendency represent the typical score in a set of scores. The mode is the most frequently occurring score, the median is the middle score, and the mean is the arithmetic average of the set of scores. Measures of variability represent the degree of dispersion of scores. The range is the difference between the highest and lowest scores. The variance is the average of the squared deviations from the mean of the set of scores, and the standard deviation is the square root of the variance. Many kinds of measurements fall on a normal, or bell-shaped, curve. A certain percentage of scores fall below each point on the abscissa of the normal curve. Percentiles identify the percentage of scores that fall below a particular score. Correlational Statistics Correlational statistics assess the relationship between two or more sets of scores. A correlation may be positive or negative and vary from 0.00 to plus or minus 1.00. The existence of a correlation does not necessarily mean that one of the correlated variables causes changes in the other. Nor does the existence of a correlation preclude that possibility. Correlations are commonly graphed on scatter plots. Perhaps the most common correlational technique is Pearsons product-moment correlation. You square the Pearsons product-moment correlation to get the coefficient of determination, which will indicate the amount of variance in one variable accounted for by another variable. Inferential Statistics Inferential statistics permit social researchers to determine whether their findings can be generalized from their samples to the populations they represent. Consider a simple investigation in which an experimental group that is exposed to a condition is compared with a control group that is not. For the difference between the means of the two groups to be statistically significant, the difference must have a low probability (usually less than 5 percent) of occurring by normal random variation. Sources: McGraw Hill. (2001). Statistics Primer for Sociology. mhhe.com/socscience/sociology/statistics/stat_intro.htm

Zinc and alcohol metabolism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Zinc and alcohol metabolism - Term Paper Example The ileum absorbs nearly 3-4 grams of zinc per day and thus the recommended allowances, daily range from 5mg in infants to between 16 and 19 mg per day for lactating women. In addition, it is stored and used in two distinct pools: the fixed pool that is usually bound to metalloproteins, which constitutes 80-90% of body zinc. The second is the labile pool which constitutes loosely binding or free zinc, which is available for exchange by organelles and cells. This kind of pool is susceptible to depletion, especially during dietary zinc deficiency. Free zinc may be toxic to enzymes and proteins and thus the labile pool is largely bound to proteins that carry zinc. Moreover, zinc movement across organelle membranes and plasma is regulated tightly by zinc transporters. Zinc has a vast majority of functions and relates to alcohol intake through its biochemical role in metabolism of alcohol. Zinc is important for cell division and growth. It is crucial, especially during pregnancy for the developing fetus because cells are dividing rapidly. Zinc helps in avoiding pre-term delivery and congenital abnormalities. Zinc is useful in activating growth-weight, height and bone development in children, infants and teenagers. Moreover, zinc plays a role in fertility. In females, it can help in the treatment of menstrual problems and alleviation of pre-menstrual syndrome associated symptoms..In males, it offers protection from infection and enlargement of the prostate gland. It also maintains mobility, sperm count and levels of testosterone at normal (Kang et al, 2008). As a component of most enzymes, it participates in synthesis as well as degradation of lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and the metabolism of several other micronutrients. Zinc aids in the stabilization of the molecular structure of membranes and cellular components, and in this way contribute to cell and organ maintenance. In addition, zinc is essential in transcription of the

FIN CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FIN - Case Study Example Other nations have invested heavily in China due to their best known expertise on electrical gadgets including motors. With the china transition, the growth and efficiency was associated with the rapid increase of the factors China had without associating the ownership institutional factors while the World Bank was able to use financial institutions in developing its strategy. 2. The Chinese people lost their investments during the Second World War shuttering down their dreams of developing globalization. Shiseido organization was able to establish businesses in countries outside china by expanding them to Europe and North America. The market conditions affected the business which was different from their normal conditions. The introduction of the foreign firms also led to the loss in the market share of China. Shiseido was quite clever by the fact that they built Auples, women cosmetic brands that boosted Chinese women. It later led to the construction of a larger network that increased the Chinese stores. 3. In my opinion, the regulations focus on the variables that lead to financial crisis in all the cases are unemployment and inflation. Other causes can be indebtedness with the various liabilities that are both private and foreign. There is also a crisis of currency that affects the banking in both the cases that leads to the introduction of the banking regulations. Most of the emerging countries have a vulnerability to the crisis that is caused by large liabilities that overflows the capital in question. On the other hand, the rules and regulations can be advantageous by changing the banking system that will generate more income and reduce the inflation and employment problems. With the economic contagion, there should be an introduction of more job careers with stable terms and conditions. This will enable the economies to reduce inflation. The government body should come in and impose revenue

General motors project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General motors project - Research Paper Example Each of these segments is charged with organizing their designated world regions in sales, production, marketing, and development of products. Major factors that have been initiated by well performing companies such as Coca-Cola and Toyota include training of the employees, effective organizational structure, annual bonuses and gifts among others. In this regard, General Motors has emulated similar motivation strategies in order to be at par with its rivals both in the local and international market. The current business environment takes the tendency of globalization. Most business organization enacts the policy of diversity in their human resource management. The purpose of this is to make competitive, and ensure that they attract the market brought about by the diversity in its work force (Certo, 2000). For example it is essential for a marketing firm appealing to the Chinese market, to have a Chinese in its sales team. This is a report on the recommended ethical practices in an o rganization, and how to manage diversity in the team. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 2.0 ACTION PLANS 4 3.0 SWOT ANALYSIS 25 Memo to HR Management 28 Instructors Feedback Section 31 M1A1 - 31 References 32 2.0 ACTION PLANS 2.1 General Motors as a learning organization A learning organization is a term for an organization that implements learning for its members for its continued transformation. These organizations develop from the need to face the pressures surrounding them by enabling them to compete in a business environment (Marquardt, 2011). Sequentially, a learning organization has five concepts that govern the attainment of transformation. One, there is the system thinking in which the organization views itself as one body with different organs that make up its overall appearance. Secondly, personal mastery makes the next feature in a learning organization where an individual commits him or herself to the learning process. In addition, mental models and shared vision become the third and fourth parts of the process respectively. The former are the personal assumptions within an individual about the company while the latter is the common goal shared by all members of staff9 (Sessa & London, 2006). Lastly, the team learning aspect becomes the fifth key pillar in this organization that is mainly the collective pooling of individually learnt aspects drawn from other members of staff (Marquardt, 2011). Objectively, this paper will give the name of a company in which transformation will aim at by including the intended broad principles. Further, it will include recommendations to the chosen learning organization that may include motivation, team management, culture, ethics, and empowerment. The learning organization chosen would be General Motors Corporation. 2.1.1 Brief overview of General Motors General Motors is a name commonly associated to remarkable car brands in the world. Arguably, GM is the leading multi- state car manufactu rer with its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan in the United States. Globally, it has establishments in a hundred and fifty seven countries spread across several continents. It has over two hundred thousand employees under its wing by either employing them directly or indirectly. GM has four regional clutters namely, GM South America, GM Europe, GM North America, lastly GM International Operations. Each of these segments is charged with

Your choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Your choice - Essay Example r will discuss few methodological and evaluative strategies of the learning event, and such discussion will allow the teacher to include innovative methodologies based on students’ perspectives. After introduction, the teacher will endeavor to provide learning related to the: It is an observation that students are aware of few objectives, as well as functions of the United Nations from previous classes and personal discussions, so the teacher will endeavor to find out conceived perceptions about the United Nations before presenting his means of learning. Such an overview of known notions has huge significance in the learning theory of ‘Cognitivism’ that promotes consideration of prior knowledge for efficient learning (Horn, 2008). â€Å"The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights† (UN, 2009). In conclusion of this class, students will be aware of learning objectives specified earlier in the lesson plan briefly, and will be ready to understand different functions of the United Nations in a detailed manner. Group discussions will be significant in evaluating the understanding capabilities of students in the class (Westwood, 2008), and will play a major role in developing leadership and teamwork skills in the students. In addition, crossword activity will facilitate teachers in assessing creative and cognitive skills of the students. Class will commence with a brief summarization of previous class from the students that will provide a compatible learning environment to them, and will allow absent or shy students to participate in the learning event confidently. Moreover, such an overview of learnt concepts plays a significant role in the learning theory of ‘Cognitivism’ (Horn, 2008) that promotes consideration of

Comparison and critique of two English article Essay

Comparison and critique of two English article - Essay Example This shows how well informed the author is on issues affecting the English language. It is in relation to the command that ethos are applied to make the article appealing to the audience and the reader because, projects valid arguments backed by valid references into the history of language. On the other hand, â€Å"I h8 txt msgs: How texting is wrecking our language† by John Humphrys also bears a form of ethos by referring to everyday events that the audience and readers of the article can easily relate (Humphrys). This is concerning texting and the influence it has on the daily use of language in today’s society. However, it fails to some extent to provide a strong argument for the degradation of language by texting. The above is due to the constant referral to personal opinions, albeit true, and over emphasis on a single consequence of texting. This is concerning the bias he has against violation of language rules rather that the positive side of ease in communication that texting has brought with it. Emotionally, none of the two articles is appealing to the audience if looked at in critical level. The only emotion elicited from both is that of sympathy directed at the mutilation of language especially in the texting article by John Humphrys. The article by Steven Pinker does little to capture the emotions of the audience except by giving hope of the language not dying, which elicits a sense of relief (Pinker). The purpose of both papers varies depending on the article; this is due to the target audience and the intended response from the audience. Pinker’s article dwells more on the hope that exists for the English language, as opposed to the dangers that English as a language faces in terms of extinction due to mutilation and evolution. In relation to the application of logic, Pinker does well by relating his ideas based on systematic thought. This occurs due to the numerous deductions that he makes based on the daily life occurrences, as

Restate Goals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Restate Goals - Essay Example Strategic goals and objectives involve a twin accomplishment: accomplish strategy formulation and strategy implementation in order to accomplish a connection between the firm and its environment. This is why strategy content, environmental scanning and corporate social responsibility. The manager must decide who are his good competitors and who are his bad competitors in the specific industry circumstances in which he competes. A key part of this policy-making process is the skill at predicting what his competitors are doing. Prediction is a vital practice because competitors, both good and bad, are not standing still. Management has a continuing and virtually inexhaustible obligation to its shareholders to increase the residual value of the corporation, rather than to increase the wealth of any other group of stakeholders, and that is the fundamental difference between the claims of other stakeholders and the claims of the shareholders to the board's decisions. Management's duty to the other stakeholders is finite, defined by contract, the law of torts, or governmental rules, and needs simply to be satisfied (Campbell 1997). Corporate goals and objectives are closely connected with organizational development embracing a wide range of intervention strategies into the social processes of an organization and involve the application of organizational behavior. Questions for discussion and training exercise: 1. Examine goals and objectives of each company. Name advantages and disadvantages of these strategies. 2. Image you are a CEO of the company. How can you restate corporate goals and objectives identified by three companies Why do you make these changes 3. Your task is to plan organizational performance according to goals and objectives. (a) Is it easy to plan organizational development strategies using these goals and objectives Explain. (b) Identify the main areas of growth and development using companies' corporate goals and objectives. Discussion Section Three organizations selected for analysis are the Alaska Railroad, HP and Nestle. These companies were selected for analysis because the yare global leaders in their industries operating of the global scale. Question: What do you know about these companies Can you identify the main similarities and differences between these giants Nestle, a leader in food industry, has the following corporate goals and objectives: " Nestl's corporate objective is to be the world's largest and best branded food manufacturer, whilst ensuring that the Nestl name is synonymous with products of the highest quality" (Nestle Corporate Objectives 2007)

Comparison and critique of two English article Essay

Comparison and critique of two English article - Essay Example This shows how well informed the author is on issues affecting the English language. It is in relation to the command that ethos are applied to make the article appealing to the audience and the reader because, projects valid arguments backed by valid references into the history of language. On the other hand, â€Å"I h8 txt msgs: How texting is wrecking our language† by John Humphrys also bears a form of ethos by referring to everyday events that the audience and readers of the article can easily relate (Humphrys). This is concerning texting and the influence it has on the daily use of language in today’s society. However, it fails to some extent to provide a strong argument for the degradation of language by texting. The above is due to the constant referral to personal opinions, albeit true, and over emphasis on a single consequence of texting. This is concerning the bias he has against violation of language rules rather that the positive side of ease in communication that texting has brought with it. Emotionally, none of the two articles is appealing to the audience if looked at in critical level. The only emotion elicited from both is that of sympathy directed at the mutilation of language especially in the texting article by John Humphrys. The article by Steven Pinker does little to capture the emotions of the audience except by giving hope of the language not dying, which elicits a sense of relief (Pinker). The purpose of both papers varies depending on the article; this is due to the target audience and the intended response from the audience. Pinker’s article dwells more on the hope that exists for the English language, as opposed to the dangers that English as a language faces in terms of extinction due to mutilation and evolution. In relation to the application of logic, Pinker does well by relating his ideas based on systematic thought. This occurs due to the numerous deductions that he makes based on the daily life occurrences, as

I don't have one, thats my problem Should be a topic that deals Research Paper

I don't have one, thats my problem Should be a topic that deals broadly with a problem with educational purposes within american society - Research Paper Example We begin with an overview of the controversies surrounding standardized testing in a modern context and evaluate these controversies with an eye to how educators can learn from the issues at hand. We explore the issue of race and standardized testing and discern whether or not standardized testing is the best means through which student evaluation is undertaken. From this perspective, the historical and sociopolitical issues surrounding standardized testing in America are brought to the fore. Controversy surrounding the implementation of standardized testing can be found throughout the United States. Does a uniform, standardized test accurately reflect a student’s educational aptitude, learning history and future academic performance? As mentioned above, standardized testing is quite common in the United States as the SAT remains a near universal experience for high school students across the country aiming to get into the universities and colleges of the choice. The issue of standardized testing is relatively recent worldwide and remains embroiled in controversy. Presently, Canadian universities do not require a standardized test for admittance although many graduate school programs do. These include the GMAT or LSAT for law school applications. Presently, Montreal’s McGill University is the only English-language law school in North America which does not require an LSAT score for admittance. As the issue of standardized testing came to the fore, a Septemb er 2005 poll by the College of Teachers found that 71% of teachers were â€Å"dead set against standardized testing†. In a survey from 2004, Teachers vehemently oppose the use of standardized tests as a means to evaluate staff or schools or to decide how money is allocated to schools or school boards. The public disagrees. For example, 79 per cent of teachers oppose using provincial tests to

Risks and Benefits of Estrogen plus Progestin in Healthy Postmenopausal

For reasons both practical and political, women’s health has long been neglected as a field of study. This study by the Women’s Health Initiative is the largest investigation of a pertinent women’s issue ever, with 161,809 post-menopausal women enrolled from 1993 to 1998. Designed in the early part of the 1990s, this study consisted several trials, among them low-fat dietary patterns, calcium and vitamin D supplement use, and hormone replacement therapy. The hormone replacement trial experienced such surprising and unpredicted results that the entire trial was stopped early. It was hypothesized that giving post-menopausal women a combination of estrogen and progesterone would prevent coronary heart disease. Thus, a coronary heart disease event such as a heart attack was considered the primary outcome, or stopping point. Intermediate markers were determined to be invasive breast cancer, stroke, pulmonary embolism, endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, or hip fracture. Hormone replacement therapy has long been an accepted form of treatment for women with age-related diseases like osteoporosis. Thus, when the WHI realized that the women taking estrogen plus progesterone were experiencing 29% more coronary heart disease events (i.e. heart attacks), 41% more strokes, and 26% more breast cancer than those who were receiving the placebo, the study was terminated. While the group of women receiving hormones also experience 37% less colorectal cancer and lower hip fracture rates, it was determined that allowing the trial to run to its finish would not be beneficial overall and would in fact cause increasing harm for stroke, coronary heart disease, and breast cancer. Below is a list of things that were inv... ...nodes; or the cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone or to other tissues near the breast Stage IV – metastatic breast cancer where the cancer has spread outside the breast to other organs in the body Hormonal Treatments of Breast Cancer Pathologists examine the cancers in the breast for estrogen or progestin. If there are signs of either the patient may be eligible for certain drugs containing special hormones. There are also very uncommon side effects like blood clots, strokes, or uterine cancer that may scare patients from choosing to take it. Venous Thromboembolic Disease A clotting of the blood in the blood vessel associated with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Other Cancers Endometrial- cancer that originates in the endometrial lining of the uterus Colorectal- cancer of the colon or rectum

Statement of Educational Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of Education T

Statement of Educational Philosophy A person’s philosophy of education is important because it affects the way that their classroom will be run. To be a good teacher, a person should genuinely like the students and want to make a difference in their lives, giving them the confidence to succeed. There are many things that go into developing an educational philosophy: The nature of the students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of education, the method of education, and the curriculum. I believe that every student is very different. Each student should be treated as an individual and not be just grouped together without any personal identification of their own. Most children seem to learn better by watching adults rather than listening to them, hence the old saying, â€Å"actions speak louder than words.† Children seem to be pretty stubborn and want to find things out for themselves. For example, you can tell a child over and over again not to touch a hot stove but it may not really sink in until they touch it that one time and get burnt. This is also an example of children wanting to do their own thing. I agree with Foucoult in that most humans desire the power to have their own way. In my opinion, knowledge is both relative and absolute. Some things are constructed while others are discovered. For example, the sun rises in the east. This was discovered many years ago and is true everywhere and throughout time. A person that writes computer programs constructs knowledge. They take different pieces of knowledge and put them together to develop new things and new knowledge. Some knowledge is always changing because of the technological advancements in today’s society; however, some things never change. I... ...ing that everyone should know Calculus, but people should have a basic knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These basic skills are essential to everyday life and I think that everyone should be able to use them. In conclusion, I feel that education is a very important thing. Everyone should be educated at least in the basics. People should care about themselves and want to make themselves the best that they can be and not just settle for what they are. Education should instill the desire to achieve in our students. New things are discovered everyday. Keeping up with society can be difficult but I definitely think that it has its rewards. I feel that God has given me a gift for being able to help others by teaching. I want to do all that I can to help shape the future of our society by using my talent to the best of my ability.

Great Gatsby and Elizabeth Barret Browning comparison Essay

In what ways do the texts you have studies highlight the changing values of dreams and desires? The concept of dreams and desires are a constantly changing ideal experienced in human nature, and this concept is explored through Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s anthology of poems â€Å"Sonnets of the Portuguese† and Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s satirical novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby.† Correlative thematic concerns arise between the Victorian era and the Jazz Age in relation to dreams and desires and furthermore to the nature of love and perceptions are undertaken making these texts valued upon consideration of each other. Through deconstructing these texts it becomes apparent that these values are influenced by each text’s composer’s contextual influences. Similarly, the role and value of each composer within their context must be undertaken to comprehend the value and perspective of their reconstruction of their era. Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Victorian context shapes her perception in the evaluation of love and the role of women. In the construction of her poems, ‘Sonnets from the Portuguese’ structured inspiration derives from Romantic prose, whilst pertaining to the strict form. Allowing for a focus on the thematic concerns of her poems rather, Barrett Browning’s poems emphatically explore the progression of the highly idealised love of herself and Robert Browning. Rejecting the social expectations of her context through her presentation to Browning of her deeply personal poems, her poems provide insight to the female perception of courtly love. Through this alone we can see that Barrett Browning is an example herself of changing values as she rejects social conventions of her era by using the sonnet form, which was dominated by males at the time, whilst women tended to be limited to the novel form. She uses this form to present and express to Robert Browning the extent of her love. Love is explored in both texts as a major thematic concern representing changing values of dreams and desires. Jay Gatsby in Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby† had spent the last 5 years of his life building his dream and perfect fantasy that he wishes to share with Daisy. Throughout the novel his dream and desires are tested yet he still remains hopeful. Out of all the characters Gatsby seems to be the only one with this hope, making him a perfect representation of the changing ideals of love, and furthermore dreams and desires. In Barrett Browning’s time, the notion of love was believed in and practiced through courtship in comparison in the Jazz age  where love was no longer idolised and only one out of so many people has that same kind of hope as nearly 80 years earlier. When comparing these 2 texts we can see that over this time the value of dreams and desires changes, in this case the significance of love becomes less important. In the Great Gatsby, the director uses symbolism to show the changing value of dreams and desires. The green light at the end of Gatsby’s wharf represents his hopes and dreams for the future. It is first brought up in chapter 1 shining brightly; representing his firm belief in his love for daisy, until it gradually loses its strength in Chapter 9 â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.† Throughout the movie his belief in his dreams are tested and through the gradual decrease in the green lights intensity, we can see that it represents Gatsby’s gradual decrease in his belief in his dreams as he realises the problems that arise and how they affect the successfulness of his desires. This change over a short time is also present in Barrett Browning’s sonnets and her love for Robert. In sonnet 1 she describes her love as a shadow drawing her back by the hair, as she doesn’t understand how she’s feeling, she’s unfamiliar with the feelings of love. Gradually by the end of her sonnets she is strong in her love for Robert saying â€Å"how do I love thee, let me count the ways!† as though she loves Robert in more ways than 1 and she knows how she feels now and is certain of those feelings. This represents her own changing values as her dreams and desires are uncertain, yet they become to love Robert and throughout the sonnets we can s ee that she values this love more and more and becomes more confident in that love. When considering the context of Elizabeth Barrett Browning we can recognise the importance of her sonnets and furthermore her love for Robert. When viewed as a whole, her sonnets represent the change she experiences of the value of her love being highlighted. In Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby† this gradual change idea is also present in the character Jay Gatsby and his loss of value for love and his own dreams and desires. In both these texts we can see that dreams and desires are changing values both in short and longer periods of time. The context of each text is taken into account when deconstructing these texts as it shows the significance of the representation of changing values. Jay Gatsby is the only one in his time who shares the same hope in his dreams and desires as Barrett Browning 80  years prior. Therefore we can see that both the great Gatsby and Sonnets of the Portuguese are texts that highlight changing values of dreams and desires.

Commercial Bank

A  commercial bank  (or  business bank) is a type of  financial institution  and  intermediary. It is a bank  that lends money and provides  transactional, savings, and money market accounts and that accepts  time deposit. Commercial banks represent the core of the credit for any national economy. In turn, the credit is the engine that put in motion the financial flows that determine growth and economic development of a nation. As a result, any efficiency in the activities of commercial banks has special implications on the entire economy.That is why we consider very useful to present an analysis of possibilities for evaluating the performance in the commercial banks. The management of every commercial bank must establish a system for assessing investment performance which suits its circumstances and needs and this evaluation must be done at consecutive intervals to ensure the achievement of the Bank's investment objectives of hand; and to know the general direction of the behaviour of investment activity in the past and therefore predictable as it in the future on the other hand.Because of the crucial role that commercial banks hold in the financial sector, this paper focuses specifically on the managing core risks is banking sector as a vital segment of the whole economy, without which no modern economy can exercise the role and own functions. ————————————————- ————————————————- Origin of the word The name  bank  derives from the  Italian  word  banco  Ã¢â‚¬Å"desk/bench†, used during the  Renaissanceera by  Florentine  bankers, who used to make their transactions above a desk covered by a green tablecloth. 2]  However, traces of banking activity can be found even in ancient times. — Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- The role of commercial banks Commercial banks engage in the following activities: * processing of payments by way of telegraphic transfer, EFTPOS, internet banking, or other means * issuing bank drafts and bank cheques * accepting money on term deposit * lending money by overdraft, installment loan, or other means * roviding documentary and standby  letter of credit, guarantees, performance bonds, securities underwriting commitments and other forms of off balance sheet exposures * safekeeping of documents and other items in safe deposit boxes * sales, distribution or brokerage, with or without advice, of: insurance, unit trusts and similar financial products as a â€Å"financial supermarket† * cash management and treasury * merchant banking  and  private equity  financing traditionally, large commercial banks also underwrite bonds, and  make markets   in currency, interest rates, and credit-related securities, but today large commercial banks usually have an  investment bank  arm that is involved in the  mentioned activities[clarify]. ————————————————- [editTypes of loans granted by commercial banks [edit]Secured loan A  secured loan  is a loan in which the borrower pledges some asset (e. g. a car or property) as  collateral  for the loan, which then becomes a secured debt owed to the creditor who gives the loan.The debt is thus secured against the collateral — in the event that the borrower defaults, the creditor takes possession of the asset used as collateral and may sell it to regain some or all of the amount originally lent to the borrower, for example, foreclosure of a home. From the creditor's perspective this is a category of debt in which a lender has been granted a portion of the bundle of rights to specified property. If the sale of the collateral does not raise enough money to pay off the debt, the creditor can often obtain a deficiency judgment against the borrower for the remaining amount.The opposite of secured debt/loan is unsecured debt, which is not connected to any specific piece of property and instead the creditor may only satisfy the debt against the borrower rather than the borrower's collateral and the borrower. A  mortgage loan  is a very common type of debt instrument, used to purchase real estate. Under this arrangement, the money is used to purchase the property. Commercial banks, however, are given security – a  lien  on the title to the house – until the mortgage is paid off in full. If the borrower  defaults  on the loan, the bank would have the legal right to epossess the house and sell it, to recover sums owing to it. In the past, commercial banks have not been greatly interested in real estate loans and have placed on ly a relatively small percentage of assets in mortgages. As their name implies, such financial institutions secured their earning primarily from commercial and consumer loans and left the major task of home financing to others. However, due to changes in banking laws and policies, commercial banks are increasingly active in home financing. Changes in banking laws now allow commercial banks to make home mortgage loans on a more liberal basis than ever before.In acquiring mortgages on real estate, these institutions follow two main practices. First, some of the banks maintain active and well-organized departments whose primary function is to compete actively for real estate loans. In areas lacking specialized real estate financial institutions, these banks become the source for residential and farm mortgage loans. Second, the banks acquire mortgages by simply purchasing them from mortgage bankers or dealers. In addition, dealer service companies, which were originally used to obtain c ar loans for permanent lenders such as commercial banks, wanted to broaden their activity beyond their local area.In recent years, however, such companies have concentrated on acquiring mobile home loans in volume for both commercial banks and savings and loan associations. Service companies obtain these loans from retail dealers, usually on a nonrecourse basis. Almost all bank/service company agreements contain a credit insurance policy that protects the lender if the consumer defaults. [edit]Unsecured loan Unsecured loans  are monetary loans that are not secured against the borrower's assets (i. e. , no  collateral  is involved). There are small businesss unsecured loans such as credit cards and credit lines to large corporate credit lines.These may be available from financial institutions under many different guises or marketing packages: * bank  overdrafts An overdraft occurs when money is withdrawn from a bank account and the available balance goes below zero. In this s ituation the account is said to be â€Å"overdrawn†. If there is a prior agreement with the account provider for an overdraft, and the amount overdrawn is within the authorized overdraft limit, then interest is normally charged at the agreed rate. If the POSITIVE balance exceeds the agreed terms, then additional fees may be charged and higher interest rates may apply. * corporate bonds credit card  debt * credit facilities or lines of credit * personal loans What makes a bank limited liability company A corporate bond is a bond issued by a corporation. It is a bond that a corporation issues to raise money in order to expand its business. [1] The term is usually applied to longer-term debt instruments, generally with a maturity date falling at least a year after their issue date. (The term â€Å"commercial paper† is sometimes used for instruments with a shorter maturity. ) Sometimes, the term â€Å"corporate bonds† is used to include all bonds except those issu ed by governments in their own currencies.Strictly speaking, however, it only applies to those issued by corporations. The bonds of local authorities and supranational organizations do not fit in either category. [clarification needed] Corporate bonds are often listed on major exchanges (bonds there are called â€Å"listed† bonds) and ECNs like Bonds. com and MarketAxess, and the coupon (i. e. interest payment) is usually taxable. Sometimes this coupon can be zero with a high redemption value. However, despite being listed on exchanges, the vast majority of trading volume in corporate bonds in most developed markets takes place in decentralized, dealer-based, over-the-counter markets.Some corporate bonds have an embedded call option that allows the issuer to redeem the debt before its maturity date. Other bonds, known as convertible bonds, allow investors to convert the bond into equity. Corporate Credit spreads may alternatively be earned in exchange for default risk through the mechanism of Credit Default Swaps which give an unfunded synthetic exposure to similar risks on the same ‘Reference Entities'. However, owing to quite volatile CDS ‘basis' the spreads on CDS and the credit spreads on corporate bonds can be significantly different. Assets and Liabilities of Commercial Banks in the United States * Glass-Steagall Act * Mortgage constant Functions of Commercial Banks Commercial bank being the financial institution performs diverse types of functions. It satisfies the financial needs of the sectors such as agriculture, industry, trade, communication, etc. That means they play very significant role in a process of economic social needs. The functions performed by banks are changing according to change in time and recently they are becoming customer centric and widening their functions. Generally the functions of commercial banks are divided into two categories viz. rimary functions and the secondary functions. The following chart simplifi es the functions of banks. Primary Functions of Commercial Banks Commercial Banks performs various primary functions some of them are given below 1 Accepting Deposits  :  Commercial bank accepts various types of deposits from public especially from its clients. It includes saving account deposits, recurring account deposits, fixed deposits, etc. These deposits are payable after a certain time period  2 Making Advances  :  The commercial banks provide loans and advances of various forms. It includes an over draft facility, cash credit, bill discounting, etc.They also give demand and demand and term loans to all types of clients against proper security. 3 Credit creation  :It is most significant function of the commercial banks. While sanctioning a loan to a customer, a bank does not provide cash to the borrower Instead it opens a deposit account from where the borrower can withdraw. In other words while sanctioning a loan a bank automatically creates deposits. This is kno wn as a credit creation from commercial bank. Secondary Functions of Commercial Banks Along with the primary functions each commercial bank has to perform several secondary functions too.It includes many agency functions or general utility functions. The secondary functions of commercial banks can be divided into agency functions and utility functions. a) Agency Functions  : Various agency functions of commercial banks are ————————————————- 1 To collect and clear cheque, dividends and interest warrant. ————————————————- 2 To make payment of rent, insurance premium, etc. ————————————————- 3 To deal in foreign exchange transactions. ——â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 4 To purchase and sell securities. ———————————————— 5 To act as trusty, attorney, correspondent and executor. ————————————————- 6 To accept tax proceeds and tax returns. b) General Utility Functions  : The general utility functions of the commercial banks include ————————————————- 1 To provide safety locker facility to customers. ————————————————- 2 To provide money transfer facility. ——————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 3 To issue traveller's cheque. ————————————————- To act as referees. ————————————————- 5 To accept various bills for payment e. g phone bills, gas bills, water bills, etc. ————————————————- 6 To provide merchant banking facility. ————————————————- 7 To provide various cards such as credit cards, debit cards, Smart cards, etc. Andrievskiy Wealth Management  establishes bank accounts for onshore and offshore companies and private individuals with one of the oldest banks in Switzerland, for asset management as well as for purely commercial transfers.Andrievskiy Wealth Management doesn’t charge any commissions for bank account openings. * Time period of an account opening: 7-10 days (available by mail) * Price: free of charge * Getting keys of electronic access to the account (e-banking) * Time period of getting keys: 7 days * Registering management mandate according to your strategy: 1 day * The minimum recommended amount to open a Swiss bank account is 500 000 CHF * Receiving reports: quarterly or on request Opening a Swiss bank account in the Internet age is a very easy thing to do.The main reason for opening a Swiss bank account is for the extreme security and privacy Swiss Banks uphold thanks to Swiss laws that have been in effect for over 75 years. Contrary to popular belief, opening a Swiss bank account does not always mean that you are a tax evader, criminal, or money launderer. Swiss bank accounts can protect one’s money from prying relatives, nasty divorce settlements, lawsuits, and more. Some people just want a Swiss bank account because of the allure and mystery often attached to Swiss bank accounts, but whatever your reasons it is relatively easy to find a bank and open an account.Till the end of the last century, opening a Swiss bank account may have included visiting the bank of your choice in person, paying hundreds of dollars a year in fees, and putting down a few thousand dollars as an initial deposit. As the Internet has allowed online banking to explode, you can now open a bank account at thousands of banks around the world wherever you are. Offshore bank accounts are available to anyone with money that needs a place to be kept, Swiss banks have a lot of competition these days. Sticking to trusted and insured banks is always the way to go.While most banks today have secure online banking and security features in place, a Swiss bank account comes built in with some of the strictest privac y laws in the world. Never wire money or deposit money to any site or bank without first verifying that the bank or site is secure and licensed to do banking. Making sure deposits are insured is also a good idea and be mindful that not all banks may be insured or may have deposit insurance limits. Read reviews and ask questions about the Swiss bank you choose before providing any personal information.Once you’ve found a good Swiss bank and open an account you’ll enjoy financial privacy at a level found only in Switzerland. In 1934, the Swiss passed a law that made it a criminal offense for bankers to reveal the identity of account holders. There are two reasons why this protection was reinforced: Nazi spies: The 1931 crisis led to intensified foreign exchange control in Germany. Hitler promulgated a law whereby any German with foreign capital was to be punished by death, and the Gestapo began espionage on Swiss banks. When three Germans were put to death, the Swiss gov ernment was convinced of the necessity to reinforce bank secrecy.Pressure from the French: The 1932 Basler Handelsbank affair revealed that over 2,000 members of the French elite had accounts in Switzerland. French Leftists took advantage of this to denounce the austerity program of the government. It called for legal authority over French accounts in Switzerland, but to no avail. Unlike American law where law enforcement agencies, the judicial system, and private citizens can gain access to all kinds of financial information, under Swiss law neither the bank’s officers or the its employees are allowed to reveal any information, relative to any account to anyone, including the Swiss government.No private citizen or their legal representative can ever receive any type of information about anyone’s Swiss bank account under any set of conditions. That includes all types of legal proceedings that the Swiss classify as non-criminal behavior. The Swiss consider tax evasion a political offense. Divorce, inheritance disputes and bankruptcy cases are considered private matters, and as such the secrecy of the account is protected from any legal action to verify the presence of, or attempts to seize any assets. There are some notable exceptions.The Swiss are bound by a treaty with the US to reveal accounts connected with organized crime, drug trafficking and insider trading. But the final say on revealing the identity of the account holder is up to the Swiss authorities. 7 myths about Swiss bank accounts Swiss bank accounts are only for millionaires. This is not true. The majority of our clients are not major manufacturers or movie stars, but everyday people (business people, computer engineers, civil servants, etc. ). Swiss banks are no longer only for stars. You can open a Swiss bank account with a deposit of only 5,000 Swiss francs.We even offer accounts with no minimum balance. Money invested in Switzerland yields no interest. Nothing could be more untr ue. You can invest your money worldwide from your account in Switzerland. Swiss bankers are among the best finance managers in the world, so it comes as no surprise that they manage over 35% of offshore holdings. It’s impossible to open an account in Switzerland by correspondence This is not true. Most of the accounts that we offer can be opened by correspondence as long as you comply with our opening procedures and provide us with the necessary documents.What is more, your banking relations can be conducted by correspondence, using the telephone, Internet banking, bank transfer and credit cards. That said, we encourage our customers to meet with their banker at least once in order to get acquainted and see where their money is held. Swiss bank accounts are very expensive to maintain This is not true. Most of the accounts we open don’t charge a cent in annual fees. Even if you would like additional services such as retained correspondence or numbered banking relations, the annual fees are very reasonable.It is difficult to close a Swiss bank account On the contrary. You can close your account in Switzerland whenever you wish and without any restriction. You will pay no financial penalty. If need be, you will just have to realize your investments. Contrary to many onshore banking practices, your money is not held hostage by Swiss banks. Swiss bank accounts attract only criminals and dictators Not true! The vast majority of Swiss bank account holders are honest people who want to keep their savings in a country renowned for its stability.Swiss banks are extremely cautious regarding politicians who wish to open an account and they systematically refuse to accept any money that is of dubious origin or poorly founded. Numbered accounts are anonymous There are no anonymous accounts in Switzerland. A numbered account is an account that is identified solely by a number, rather than a name, in order to preserve the strictest confidentiality possible durin g teller transactions or bank transfers. Only the bank manager and a few select people know the identity of numbered account holders. There exist two different types Swiss bank accounts.The first is accessible to (almost) anyone. Such an account will offer credit and debit cards, checking or whatever else you may want in a bank account. Opening such an account can be done in person–some Swiss banks have branches here in the US–or by mail. Then there are the Swiss bank accounts you’ve heard about from the movies. These are the numbered accounts, the ones with minimum balances anywhere from $100,000 to $1 million. It’s known as private banking and it’s reserved for folks who have a lot of assets to manage and who demand a lot of service.The services you receive at a private bank focus on private counseling in aspects of wealth management including investments, tax concerns, and estate planning. The numbered accounts aren’t anonymous, but only a few people know the name of the account holder and Swiss law forbids them from revealing it to most anyone. They can’t acknowledge that you have an account, give out the name of a numbered account holder or reveal any information about the transactions of any account holder. Generally, numbered accounts must be opened in person, though lawyers and/or brokers can perform this service for you by mail.Your signature and identity have to be authenticated by a notary public or consul, depending on circumstances. If you’ve got the money and want to open such account, here are links to the private banking departments of some well known Swiss banks: Ask Dr. Econ July 2001 What Is the Economic Function of a Bank? Commercial banks play an important role in the financial system and the economy. As a key component of the financial system, banks allocate funds from savers to borrowers in an efficient manner. They provide specialized financial services, which reduce the cost of ob taining information about both savings and borrowing opportunities.These financial services help to make the overall economy more efficient. Imagine a World Without Banks One way to answer your question is to imagine, for a moment, a world without banking institutions, and then to ask yourself a few questions. This is not just an academic exercise; many former eastern-block nations began facing this question when they began to create financial markets and develop market-oriented banks and other financial institutions. If there were no banks†¦ * Where would you go to borrow money? * What would you do with your savings? * Would you be able to borrow (save) as much as you need, when you need t, in a form that would be convenient for you? * What risks might you face as a saver (borrower)? How Banks Work Banks operate by borrowing funds-usually by accepting deposits or by borrowing in the money markets. Banks borrow from individuals, businesses, financial institutions, and governmen ts with surplus funds (savings). They then use those deposits and borrowed funds (liabilities of the bank) to make loans or to purchase securities (assets of the bank). Banks make these loans to businesses, other financial institutions, individuals, and governments (that need the funds for investments or other purposes).Interest rates provide the price signals for borrowers, lenders, and banks. Through the process of taking deposits, making loans, and responding to interest rate signals, the banking system helps channel funds from savers to borrowers in an efficient manner. Savers range from an individual with a $1,000 certificate of deposit to a corporation with millions of dollars in temporary savings. Banks also service a wide array of borrowers, from an individual who takes a loan of $100 on a credit card to a major corporation financing a billion-dollar corporate merger.The table below provides a June 2001 snapshot of the balance sheet for the entire U. S. commercial banking in dustry. It shows that the bulk of banks' sources of funds comes from deposits – checking, savings, money market deposit accounts, and time certificates. The most common uses of these funds are to make real estate and commercial and industrial loans. Individual banks' asset and liability composition may vary widely from the industry figures, because some institutions provide specialized or limited banking services. Banks Are Only One Type of Financial Intermediary Finally, the U.S. financial services industry and financial markets are highly developed. In recent decades, many new products and services have been created, as well as new financial instruments and institutions. Today, in addition to banks, there are several other important types of financial intermediaries. These include savings institutions, credit unions, insurance companies, mutual funds, pension funds, finance companies, and real estate investment trusts (REITS). Banks' assets have grown in recent decades in a bsolute terms; however, banks have tended to lose market share to even aster growing intermediaries such as pension funds and mutual funds. Still, banks continue to account for a significant share-over 23 percent-of the assets of all financial intermediaries at the end of year 2000, as the chart below shows. The main functions of commercial banks are accepting deposits from the public and advancing them loans. However, besides these functions there are many other functions which these banks perform. All these functions can be divided under the following heads: 1. Accepting deposits 2. Giving loans 3. Overdraft 4. Discounting of Bills of Exchange . Investment of Funds 6. Agency Functions 7. Miscellaneous Functions 1. Accepting Deposits: The most important function of commercial banks is to accept deposits from the public. Various sections of society, according to their needs and economic condition, deposit their savings with the banks. For example, fixed and low income group people d eposit their savings in small amounts from the points of view of security, income and saving promotion. On the other hand, traders and businessmen deposit their savings in the banks for the convenience of payment.Therefore, keeping the needs and interests of various sections of society, banks formulate various deposit schemes. Generally, there ire three types of deposits which are as follows: (i)  Current Deposits: The depositors of such deposits can withdraw and deposit money whenever they desire. Since banks have to keep the deposited amount of such accounts in cash always, they carry either no interest or very low rate of interest. These deposits are called as Demand Deposits because these can be demanded or withdrawn by the depositors at any time they want.Such deposit accounts are highly useful for traders and big business firms because they have to make payments and accept payments many times in a day. (ii)  Fixed Deposits: These are the deposits which are deposited for a definite period of time. This period is generally not less than one year and, therefore, these are called as long term deposits. These deposits cannot be withdrawn before the expiry of the stipulated time and, therefore, these are also called as time deposits. These deposits generally carry a higher rate of interest because banks can use these deposits for a definite time without having the fear of being withdrawn. iii)  Saving Deposits: In such deposits, money upto a certain limit can be deposited and withdrawn once or twice in a week. On such deposits, the rate of interest is very less. As is evident from the name of such deposits their main objective is to mobilise small savings in the form of deposits. These deposits are generally done by salaried people and the people who have fixed and less income. 2. Giving Loans: The second important function of commercial banks is to advance loans to its customers. Banks charge interest from the borrowers and this is the main source of th eir income.Banks advance loans not only on the basis of the deposits of the public rather they also advance loans on the basis of depositing the money in the accounts of borrowers. In other words, they create loans out of deposits and deposits out of loans. This is called as credit creation by commercial banks. Modern banks give mostly secured loans for productive purposes. In other words, at the time of advancing loans, they demand proper security or collateral. Generally, the value of security or collateral is equal to the amount of loan.This is done mainly with a view to recover the loan money by selling the security in the event of non-refund of the loan. At limes, banks give loan on the basis of personal security also. Therefore, such loans are called as unsecured loan. Banks generally give following types of loans and advances: (i)  Cash Credit: In this type of credit scheme, banks advance loans to its customers on the basis of bonds, inventories and other approved securitie s. Under this scheme, banks enter into an agreement with its customers to which money can e withdrawn many times during a year. Under this set up banks open accounts of their customers and deposit the loan money. With this type of loan, credit is created. (iii)  Demand loans: These are such loans that can be recalled on demand by the banks. The entire loan amount is paid in lump sum by crediting it to the loan account of the borrower, and thus entire loan becomes chargeable to interest with immediate effect. (iv)  Short-term loan: These loans may be given as personal loans, loans to finance working capital or as priority sector advances.These are made against some security and entire loan amount is transferred to the loan account of the borrower. 3. Over-Draft: Banks advance loans to its customer’s upto a certain amount through over-drafts, if there are no deposits in the current account. For this banks demand a security from the customers and charge very high rate of int erest. 4. Discounting of Bills of Exchange: This is the most prevalent and important method of advancing loans to the traders for short-term purposes. Under this system, banks advance loans to the traders and business firms by discounting their bills.In this way, businessmen get loans on the basis of their bills of exchange before the time of their maturity. 5. Investment of Funds: The banks invest their surplus funds in three types of securities—Government securities, other approved securities and other securities. Government securities include both, central and state governments, such as treasury bills, national savings certificate etc. Other securities include securities of state associated bodies like electricity boards, housing boards, debentures of Land Development Banks units of UTI, shares of Regional Rural banks etc. 6.Agency Functions: Banks function in the form of agents and representatives of their customers. Customers give their consent for performing such functi ons. The important functions of these types are as follows: (i) Banks collect cheques, drafts, bills of exchange and dividends of the shares for their customers. (ii) Banks make payment for their clients and at times accept the bills of exchange: of their customers for which payment is made at the fixed time. (iii) Banks pay insurance premium of their customers. Besides this, they also deposit loan installments, income-tax, interest etc. s per directions. (iv) Banks purchase and sell securities, shares and debentures on behalf of their customers. (v) Banks arrange to send money from one place to another for the convenience of their customers. 7. Miscellaneous Functions: Besides the functions mentioned above, banks perform many other functions of general utility which are as follows: (i) Banks make arrangement of lockers for the safe custody of valuable assets of their customers such as gold, silver, legal documents etc. (ii) Banks give reference for their customers. iii) Banks colle ct necessary and useful statistics relating to trade and industry. (iv) For facilitating foreign trade, banks undertake to sell and purchase foreign exchange. (v) Banks advise their clients relating to investment decisions as specialist (vi) Bank does the under-writing of shares and debentures also. (vii) Banks issue letters of credit. (viii) During natural calamities, banks are highly useful in mobilizing funds and donations. (ix) Banks provide loans for consumer durables like Car, Air-conditioner, and Fridge etc.