Free Essays on Pythagoras of Samos

Pythagoras of Samos is often described as the first pure mathematician. He is an extremely important figure in the development of mathematics, yet we know relatively little about his mathematical achievements. Unlike many later Greek mathematicians, where at least we have some of the books which they wrote, we have nothing of Pythagoras’s writings. The society which he led, half religious and half scientific, followed a code of secrecy which certainly means that today Pythagoras is a mysterious figure. We do have details of Pythagoras’s life from early biographies which use important original sources yet are written by authors who attribute divine powers to him, and whose aim was to present him as a god-like figure. What we present below is an attempt to collect together the most reliable sources to reconstruct an account of Pythagoras’s life. There is fairly good agreement on the main events of his life but most of the dates are disputed with different scholars giving dates which differ by 20 years. Some historians treat all this information as merely legends, but even if the reader treats it in this way, being such an early record it is of historical importance. Pythagoras’s father was Mnesarchus and his mother was Pythais, a native of Samos. Mnesarchus was a merchant who came from Tyre, and there is a story that he brought corn to Samos at a time of famine and was granted citizenship of Samos as a mark of gratitude. As a child, Pythagoras spent his early years in Samos but traveled widely with his father. There are accounts of Mnesarchus returning to Tyre with Pythagoras and that he was taught there by the Chaldeans and the learned men of Syria. It seems that he also visited Italy with his father. Little is known of Pythagoras’s childhood. All accounts of his physical appearance are likely to be fictitious except the description of a striking birthmark which Pythagoras had on his thigh. It is probable that... Free Essays on Pythagoras of Samos Free Essays on Pythagoras of Samos Pythagoras of Samos is often described as the first pure mathematician. He is an extremely important figure in the development of mathematics, yet we know relatively little about his mathematical achievements. Unlike many later Greek mathematicians, where at least we have some of the books which they wrote, we have nothing of Pythagoras’s writings. The society which he led, half religious and half scientific, followed a code of secrecy which certainly means that today Pythagoras is a mysterious figure. We do have details of Pythagoras’s life from early biographies which use important original sources yet are written by authors who attribute divine powers to him, and whose aim was to present him as a god-like figure. What we present below is an attempt to collect together the most reliable sources to reconstruct an account of Pythagoras’s life. There is fairly good agreement on the main events of his life but most of the dates are disputed with different scholars giving dates which differ by 20 years. Some historians treat all this information as merely legends, but even if the reader treats it in this way, being such an early record it is of historical importance. Pythagoras’s father was Mnesarchus and his mother was Pythais, a native of Samos. Mnesarchus was a merchant who came from Tyre, and there is a story that he brought corn to Samos at a time of famine and was granted citizenship of Samos as a mark of gratitude. As a child, Pythagoras spent his early years in Samos but traveled widely with his father. There are accounts of Mnesarchus returning to Tyre with Pythagoras and that he was taught there by the Chaldeans and the learned men of Syria. It seems that he also visited Italy with his father. Little is known of Pythagoras’s childhood. All accounts of his physical appearance are likely to be fictitious except the description of a striking birthmark which Pythagoras had on his thigh. It is probable that...

Toyota Motor Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Toyota Motor Corporation - Essay Example GM is recognized as the largest vehicle manufacturer selling 8.5 billion cars in 2001 while its sales in 2002 accounts for 15% of the trucks and vehicles sold globally (Yahoo Finance 2006). Traditionally, GM's approach in marketing its products is targeting a specific market segment for a specific brand so that the company's products do not compete with each other. These was profitable for the automotive firm as the brand's shared components and common corporate management gave way to a substantial economies of scale while the distinctions between the brands created an "orderly upgrade path." Before 1995, the company has a full range of products ranging from Chevrolet which is offered to an entry level buyer who is more concerned on a more practical and economical vehicle to the upscale Cadillac which is targeted to the elite market as it is regarded as the "standard of luxury (General Motors 2006)." Nevertheless, this strategy did not persist as the GM started to implement a gradual blurring of its divisions during 1995. This strategy leads to cannibalization in the market share of GM as each division competes with each other (General Motors 2006). During 2004, the company has announced a new strategy for its product lines which is apart from the traditional marketing and positioning it employs. This shift in brand strategy is targeted in "building sales, cutting costs, and bolstering brand identity (Garsten 2005)." For Chevrolet and Cadillac, GM is planning to maintain its present strategy of making them high volume brands that offers vehicle in every major segment by having a broad product line up. Buick, Pontiac and GMC will be combined into a single sales channel which offers trucks, premium and near-luxury vehicles and performance models. In addition, these product lines will be trimmed as GM plans to drop some models in this category. Saab is seen to offer exclusive European styled and engineered sedans, crossover and SUV models. HUMMER will continue to manufacture exclusive, premium SUVs and trucks. Lastly, Saturn will be upgraded as this division will offer more upscale models which are styled and engineered to European standards. This product line will be slotted between Chevrolet and Buick (Garsten 2005). Complementing these marketing strategies are three global technology strategies: offering technology which has a real impact and is valued by customer; technology which meets basic objectives of cutting costs to offer competitive prices; and sustainable technology which improves vehicle emissions and fuel economy (GM Global Technology Strategy 2004). Armed with these strategies, GM is geared to conquer the global market in the next decade. External Factors Currently, General Motors Corporation (GM) leads the automotive industry with total revenue of US$192.60 billion during 2005. This is amidst the US$2.6 billion loses incurred during the same year which is due to the weak demand in the North America. Following GM is Ford Motor Corporation (US$178.10 billion), Daimler Chrysler AG (US$177.37billion), and Toyota Motor Corporation (US$162.92 billion). Even though smaller in terms of revenue, it is notable that Toyota recorded the largest net income at US$10.61 billion during 2005 (Yahoo Finance 2006). It is apparent that there is an intense competition between the four largest players

Task4 accounting manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Task4 accounting manager - Essay Example This report may help the management to look into the real reasons for such variances and control them. These are all the accounting functions which every organization has to undertake for future accountability. In addition to these, continuous improvement of service has to be embarked upon. The firm has never given any thought towards such performance improvement. Of these functions, only some direction has been derived towards strategic decisions that too because of the expected economic downturn. That means the firm is falling short of decision making in financial management terms. The company has thought upon implementing the strategy of cost leadership. However, on checking through the cost incurrence, there is a variance of 10%. The budgeted costs amounted to 70% of revenue whereas the actual expenses expanded up to 80%. This means that the strategy was not taken up seriously. Once the service terms get standardized, there will be less possibility of variances in the costs. At the same time, the cost leadership strategy can be achieved on a long term basis without any compromise on the service standards. A look into the financial report and the cash flow statement clearly states that the firm has surplus cash in hand. That means it is not making ultimate use of its available funds. If it goes for some financial management planning by acquiring new machinery, the funds would be well utilized for future low cost benefits. To implement any plan in any organization, it needs to be well communicated to all its stakeholders. They need to be explained about the shortfalls in the current management. Slowly, along with accounting management, even financial management processes have to be taken up. Once effective communication has been taken up, quick actions to implement those plans are to be initiated. The stakeholders should not find a fault that the

Africans who lived in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Africans who lived in America - Essay Example The land of Cleveland was one of the main regions inhabited by the African-American people; this was after the survey by Moses Cleaveland, who toured the place, acquired it and sold it through his Land Company. The more the black population grew the more the racism grew as well. It reached a point where public institutions became segregated and the black were in most case the victims of injustice. They were not allowed in some hospitals, theatres, and churches. They therefore opted to form their own churches and that was when Black African churches were formed. Despite the fact that Africans were not allowed to access education, some like Booker Washington and Will DuBois managed to get educated. They later became the champions for the enlightenment of the blacks by agitating for their rights. Keywords: Cleveland, Africans, Americans, Blacks, Whites, Racism, Segregation, Moses Cleveland, Booker Washington, Will DuBois 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Explain,  in detail,  who was Moses Cleavela nd, what were his goals for the Western Reserve? Moses Cleaveland was born in the year 1754 in the city of Canterbury in the county of Windham (Wheeler, 2000). He went to Yale College and graduated as a lawyer in 1777, and soon after his graduation, he went on to practice law in Canterbury; his service as a lawyer took a period of about 30 years. He was a lieutenant during revolution in America; this was during his practice as a lawyer when he joined an army at the Valley Forge, in the year 1978. He was married to Esther Champion with whom they had four children (Wheeler, 2000). The following year, Moses Cleaveland who was still in the army, was promoted to the position of captain. He was also elected as a member of the Connecticut general assembly representing Canterbury (Wheeler, 2000). In 1796, he led the first voyage to Western Reserve; he is remembered for his relentless effort in championing the ratification of the US constitution. He is best known for his investment skills an d hard work while serving as an officer of Connecticut Land Company. He had a band of surveyors varying from men and women, as well as experts. Through his great leadership skills, he managed to lead the whole team of surveyors into discovering a city; they named it Cleveland in his honor. He was always a happy man who enjoyed success and appreciated the effort of team work; this attribute is seen when he organized a ceremony to mark his team’s success for having arrived at the new Connecticut. He declared Cleveland as the new city of Connecticut and wished it a long life. After the great mission, he went back to Canterbury in Connecticut and on November 16, 1806, General Moses Cleaveland passed on, leaving behind a lot of legacy. A statute was erected in the new Connecticut in his memory. Western Reserve was discovered, it was a great land with great potential for business activities. According to Miller (1997), â€Å"as Moravian missionary John Heckewelder noted in 1976, t he area had the best prospect of water communication from Lake Erie to the Ohio River† (p. 143). Despite all the hypes, early settlers in the region had to migrate due to the miasmic swamps, which often made them sick. The federal government had to make a decision on how to dispose off the land. Lucky enough, the Connecticut land company under the leadership of Moses Cleaveland, came in and bought the land from the federal authority. His reasons for buying the land were to use it for agriculture and commercial purposes. Cleaveland’s immediate goal was to utilize the available lakes and rivers for communication. He had men, food, and instruments that were used for surveying and he needed to transport them by the lake. It was while in this mission that he discovered the lake was long enough for commercial

Linguistics Essay Essay Example for Free

Linguistics Essay Essay Some key terms: cultural, social, situational meaning; language; phonetics; the vocal apparatus; the vocal cords; voiced-voiceless sounds; place of articulation; stress or accent; pitch or tone; morphology; morpheme (singular-plural, tense). Assignment # 1: Essay on â€Å"what can the way a person speaks tell us about that person?† (due 1/18 at lecture time). Week 2: Jan. 18 The structure of language. [Assign. 1 (essay) due today at lecture time] Some key terms: syntax: subject, verb, object; language types; semantics (†Colorless green ideas†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ); pragmatics. Jan. 20 Language structure analysis. Language, Culture, and Cognition. (hdt. #3.0 3.01) Readings: Bonvillain, Chaps. 2-cont. (pp. 22-27, 37-39) 3 (pp. 41-63) Some key terms: Sapir-Whorf hypothesis; semantic or vocabulary domain; color language and color cognition; lexical classifications and ethnoscientific domains; focal meaning and fuzzy membership; cultural presupposition; metaphor, metonymy; metaphors of kinship, other metaphors; proverbs. Week 3 Jan. 25 Language, Culture, and Cognition. (Hdt. 3.1, 3.2- metaphors new words) â€Å"Metaphors We Live By†. Readings: Bonvillain, Ch. 3 (pp. 64-71) Jan. 27 Language and Culture: New Words in American English. Readings: Handouts: â€Å"Dictionary adds terms like chick flicks†; â€Å"Blog-blogger explained† â€Å"Words banned,† newspaper article. Project Explained: Profile of an ethno-linguistic group in the Los Angeles area. CHEM 105B Chapter 13 – 7 hours Chapter 14 – 7 hours Mastering Chemistry -8 hours Problems in Book – 2 hours Calculus 5.6 # 1,2,9,13,21,25 5.7 # 1,2,13,18*,35,39,45,48 5.8 # 1,11,13,16,21,27,29,32,35,41,49 * use a computer program 6.1 # 1,2,3,7,9,13,16,18,20,27,33,44 6.2 # 1,3,5,14,19,23,37,39,40,43,48,49,53,54 7 hours

The Dead Father :: The Dead Father Donald Barthelmeis Essays

The Dead Father Jerome Klinkowitzà ­s remarkably insightful review of Donald Barthelmeà ­s work begins with an anecdote about an evening they spent together in Greenwich Village (Barthelmeà ­s home for most of his life as a writer), and how a perfectly Freudian remark by Barthelmeà ­s wife put a stop to the writerà ­s boorish mood:à ¬Ãƒ «Why Donald,à ­ she said, à «your fatherà ­s is bigger than yours.à ­She was referring to their respective biosin Whoà ­s Who in America.à ® It is Klinkowitz's well-argued contention that Barthelmeà ­s mid-career novel The Dead Father (1975) not only represents the high-water mark of his skill as a technical master of postmodern prose, but that it also embodies the central neurosis/inspiration driving nearly all his work, from his first published story, à ¬Me and Miss Mandibleà ® in 1961, to his last novel, Paradise (1986).(Though The King is mentioned by Klinkowitz, it is clear he considers it to be barely part of the Barthelme canon.)For Klinkowitz, Barthelmeà ­s near-obsessive goal as a post-modernist is to à ¬buryà ® his modernist father.For instance, Klinkowitz writes that, while at first glance à ¬Me and Miss Mandibleà ® seems a perfectly Kafkaesque tale of a man awakening to grotesquely transformed circumstances, in fact it is à ¬[f]ree of overweening anxiety and not painfully dedicated to existential questioning or angst ...à ®[1] à ¬[Barthelmeà ­s] first inclination is to laugh at rather than flail angrily against the forms and themes of an earlier style ...à ®[2]Klinkowitz cites à ¬The Indian Uprisingà ® and à ¬The Balloonà ® as oft-anthologized stories which epitomize Barthelmeà ­s work prior to The Dead Father; pieces which came to represent the postmodern short story with all its socially savvy and technically sophisticated style, yet stories whose primary tone is comic rather than the stilted existential dread of Barthelmeà ­s modernist precursors.Thus anxiety of influence is defused through comedy and exaggeration.Klinkowitz implies that, in Barthelme we have our first authentic American Beckett, but one in whose work optimism is neither desperate nor self-canceling. Skillfully mixing criticism and biography, Klinkowitz demonstrates how Barthelmeà ­s life influenced his work; how his time in the army as a service newspaper writer, and later as a publicity writer and editor prepared him to handle à ¬words and images as blocks of material rather than as purveyors of conceptions ...à ®[3]But the use of autobiographical material makes a point beyond that relevant to critical biography.Klinkowitz argues that a consistent thematic in Barthelmeà ­s writing was life as text--and therefore text as some sort of incarnation of life.As Klinkowitz writes of his meeting with Barthelme in the village, Barthelme à ¬was firmly inside his text.

Canadian Autonomy

The Fight for Freedom Neham Marwah CHC2D1 Ms. Ballantyne January 15 2011 Some may ask themselves, to what extent has the 20th century contributed to Canada’s autonomy? Canadian autonomy came as a result of the events that occurred within the 20th century. Without these vital events they would have never gained full independence from Britain to become their own nation. The main events that influenced their autonomy are their brave and fearless fighting in WWI, their mid-war self-success and great contributions in WWII and the great assistance Canada served nations post war.Canada showed bravery and fearlessness to new challenges in the First World War that proved that Canadians were able to walk on their own. Canada was new to the war life, and although they only participated because of their attachment to Britain they participated with full force. Citizens all around Canada joined to serve in WWI, ready to fight for their nation. The first battle Canadian soldiers took part in was Ypres in 1915 and they joined the French-Algerian troops in this battle. (Newman, 105) The position of the Canadian troops was surrounded by German trenches, which made them an easier target. Newman, 105) Little did the Canadians know that the Germans were about to release a treacherous weapon for the first time in history—chlorine gas. (Newman, 105) The Canadians were taken by surprise, but French officials had been warned prior to the attack, but they failed to instruct the Canadians about this new weapon or any method of defending themselves against it. (Newman, 106)The French-Algerians saw the gas and ran leaving an open space in their formation for Germans to penetrate through. (Newman, 106) Canadians were hit with the chlorine gas, but they held their position unlike their allies. Newman, 106) They waited three days under harsh attack, until British reinforcements came to relieve them. (Newman, 106) Canadians came out of the battle with injuries and lost members bu t they were recognized as strong and courageous fighters. (Newman, 106) Ypres may have been the first battle Canadians fought in, but The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the one that really changed the outlook on Canadians. German soldiers were confident that no one would take over Vimy Ridge, and they had an advantage as they were on a hill that had a great view of the whole field, this made hiding difficult for the Canadian soldiers. Newman, 117)Canadians corps fought alone in this battle, under the command of British general Julian Byng. (Newman, 119) Under Byng’s command was Canadian born Major-General Arthur Currie was the commander of the First Canadian Division; they decided to use a technique called â€Å"the creeping barrage. † (Newman, 119) The plan devised by Currie was very well thought out and the hard work and dedication of the Canadian soldiers helped them win the battle. (Newman, 119) Although Canadians number had been cut by 3500, (Newman, 119) by the end of the battle they held their heads high.This attack showed everyone that Canadians were capable of coming up with a successful battle plan and able to carry out their instructions and achieve the task at hand. Arthur Currie became the commander of the Canadian corps, (Newman, 119) eliminating the involvement of British officers in the Canadian army. It was a huge step for Canadians to finally have something that was completely theirs; they were no longer being pushed around and told what to do by British officers. Throughout the war, August 8 through to November 11 became known as â€Å"Canada’s 100 Day† because of their success within the time period.As WWI was coming to a close, Lloyd George invited Robert Borden to the Paris Peace Conference to represent Britain. (Newman, 128) Borden rejected his offer and insisted that after all of Canada’s sacrifice in the war, they should earn their own seat, as an independent country. (Newman, 128) Canada suffered many casu alties in the war that led to their first step to independence. They were running their own, strong army, and they were doing it well, without the help of Britain. All of their fight, and dedication through the war process showed nations around them, their ability to take charge of a situation, and get through a hassle.In the mid-war years Canada showed its ability to become a self dependent nation and survive without collaborating with the nations around it. Canadian contributions in WWII were not obvious, but were definitely there. Canada showed its potential as an independent country that can survive through tough situations staying intact. Very few countries were hit by the consequences of the depression as hard as Canada; 1 in 5 Canadians became dependant on the government for survival. (Canadian Encyclopaedia, Web) Canada was seriously affected by the collapse in world rade; 33% of its national income came from exporting resources, and because of the depression other countries would not buy. (Canadian Encyclopaedia, Web) Canadian goods had dropped to an extreme low which led to many people becoming homeless and being unable to support their families. There were very few people who had jobs, so when WWII started, munitions factories were being re-opened and there were more jobs that brought Canada out of poverty. Canada started over and built its economy from the ground up, making it stronger than its previous structure.It was wartime yet again, but this time Canada knew the consequences, it joined WWII in its own right and not to accompany Britain. Canadian corps was ordered to capture Ortona, which became known as one of the best battles fought by Canada. (Marwah, Battles Notes)The Germans defending Ortona were very strong fighters and were rewarded for their previous battles, and they also had the advantage of being entrenched in the hills. (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadian corps took Ortona house by house and within one week they had it captured. The c apture of Ortona helped the allies take over Rome, without which they could have never won the war. Marwah, Battles Notes) After this success, Canadians got the difficult task of liberating the Netherlands. The Dutch were facing starvation as they were being controlled and used for slave labour by Nazi’s under Hitler’s command. (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadians struggled with their task to kill the Nazi’s, and after months of hard labour, they had finally freed the Dutch. The Netherlands were, are, and always will be grateful for the assistance of the Canadian troops and their struggle to fight for Dutch freedom. Canadians continued their assistance in D-Day.There were 5 divisions called in to land along an 80 km form, and Canadians were the 3rd division and got Juno Beach. (Marwah, Battles Notes) They defeated the defending Germans and moved farther inland than any other allied troops. (Marwah, Battles Notes) The casualties they suffered in this battle were muc h fewer than they had feared. (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadians succeeded in many aspects of WWII, but they did not win all of their battles. When 50,000 Japanese soldiers sprung out to attack Hong Kong, (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadians were ordered to come to their defence. 0% of the Canadian soldiers had never shot a gun in their practice and very unready for this battle. (Marwah, Battles Notes) The total number of their defence force was a mere 14000 men, they did not have air protection and Canada itself was outnumbered 10-1. (Marwah, Battles Notes) When Hong Kong surrendered every Canadian was either killed or captured and used as slaves to build. (Marwah, Battles Notes) The ability to find strength within your own home is difficult, but when Canada was put through the test they passed without a problem.Canada contributed many forms of success in WWII, but there were sacrifices that came with their glory. Canadians put their selves in danger to protect others, and their protec tion has made them accepted in many parts of the world. Canada became known for its separate achievements, and not the ones that attached it to Britain. WWII had ended, but the rein of Canadian contributions continued to pour in far after their assistance in the World Wars. The Cold War was beginning and the United States and United Nations were working on creating the atomic bomb, (Newman, 244) trying to keep up with the Soviet Union’s advancements in weaponry.They were having difficulty coming across a substance without which the bomb could not be made—uranium. (Newman, 244) It just so happened that all of the uranium refineries were under the Nazi control, all except one located in Canada. Canada provided the UN and US the uranium to build the atomic bomb and provided a safe-working environment away from battlefields. (Newman, 244) Canada participated on its own, and while working with the UN and US, was looked at as an equal. Canada was a huge factor in the reason US won the cold war, although Canada is not the most powerful nation in the world, they assisted in getting their partners to glory.Canada’s involvement in the production of the atomic bomb got them in tussles further into the future. Russian, Igor Gouzenko worked in the Soviet Union embassy in Ottawa and he announced that there were Russian spies located in Canada, US, and the UN trying to find information about their production of the atomic bomb. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) An organization called NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created and Canada, along with Britain, France and 8 other countries were taking part in it. Each of the countries who are involved in the organization must send army, navy, air force units to a new NATO defence force. Marwah, Cold War Notes) They put together their militaries together to make a sort of super army; it was made to intimidate the Soviet Union from taking over Western Europe. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) Canada was able to recru it the biggest intimidation towards the Soviet Union—the United States. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) Canada was seen on a world-scale when they got the US to join NATO; (Marwah, Cold War Notes) the fact that they recruited the most powerful country in the world really had everyone appreciate their effort and dedication.When the United States turned to Canada for help with the creation of NORAD, Canadians rose to the occasion. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) US was quite frightened of the SU’s ability to drop nuclear bombs on North America, so they had Canada help them develop a system that could warn them of enemy air bombing planes. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) Nations around the world looked and saw the US look to Canada for assistance, and support. Canada became known for their own successes and not their achievements with Britain.Canada’s contributions post war helped them become recognized as an independent nation; for the reason that most of their achievements were separ ated from Britain, the 2 countries were not interconnected. The events in the 20th century contributed to Canadian autonomy and independence in numerous ways like their brave and fearless fighting in WWI, their mid-war self-success and great contributions in WWII and the great assistance Canada served nations post war. Canada fought courageously in its first world war. They held their positions when hit with the first gas attack in history, while their allies fled to protect their own lives.In the battle of Vimy Ridge they won their fight when no other allies could, and they were able to lead their own army, a huge step towards their independence. They contributed great successes in WWII; they became heroes around the world, endangering themselves to free the Netherlands. They assisted the most powerful nation in the world and led them to success and prosperity in the cold war. Although Canada was in the background, their presence was noticed. They were the backbone of every success and triumph made in the 20th century.They made their mark wherever they could, the mark representing their independent nation— Canada. Works Cited â€Å"Canada Flag. † Photograph. Pastyme With Good Companye. 15 Feb 2008. Web. 15 Jan 2011. Hillmer, Norman. â€Å"Statute of Westminster. † The Canadian Encyclopaedia. James Marsh . Web. 14 Jan2011. Marwah, Neham. â€Å"Battles of World War 2. † 26 Nov 2010. Class Notes. Marwah, Neham. â€Å"Cold War Events. † 02 Jan 2011. Class Notes. Newman, Garfield. Canada: A Nation Unfolding. Toronto: McGraw, 2000. Print. Struthers, James. â€Å"The Great Depression. † The Canadian Encyclopaedia. James Marsh . Web. 14 Jan 2011.