Bamboo Crafts of North

Bamboo Crafts of North-east India Essay Bamboo crafts of the northeastern region of India have developed over centuries to reach a high level of structural and aesthetic sophistication. This is amply illustrated by the vast range of products currently being made and used by several tribes living in this region. A study of these products reveals a vast repertory of forms, structures, and techniques. The product range inc ludes large structures such as bridges, houses, fences, gates, and bullock carts besides storage bins and a wide variety o baskets both tor carrying and storage. In addition, devices for fishing, hunting farming, and weaving as well as products for household use such as furniture, toys smoking pipes, combs, hats, and musical instruments are exquisitely crafted fro bamboo. Outline1 People of the Northeastern Region 2 The Material Bamboo3 The Material 4 Existing Industry5 Development Strategy 6 Problems 7 Development Infrastructure 8 World Trade People of the Northeastern Region The population of the northeastern states is composed of several different tribes and ethnic groups. Although similarities may be seen at the general level, a great many differences exist between tribes and even sub-tribes in the manner in which they use bamboo and in the type of products made. The people of the northeast can be broadly divided into two groups, namely, settlers of the plains and settlers of th hills.*’ Strategies evolved for the promotion of crafts in this region will need to reco nise these differences The skill of working with bamboo is extremely widespread, with a large perce tage of the ethnic pop lation capable of refined craftsmanship in this material. Although for most craftsmen this is not an exclusive occupation, the distrib tion of skill and an understanding of the properties and limitations of the material is a valuable resource for the formation and expansion of a craft-based industry. The Material Bamboo Is a collective term used to identify the culms (stems) of any of a group embracing many different kinds of grasslike woody plants. The characteristics of bamboo vary considerably from species to species.4 Mature plants are charac terised by rapid growth which generates long fibres in a homogeneous struc ture. It can be used whole, split, or flattened into sheets for a great many structural applica tions. Splits of various sizes can be obtained, and can even be twisted to form ropes. Bamboo can also be pulped to produce excellent paper and rayon. The northeastern region has an immense standing resource of bamboo. Distribu tion of species is linked to variations in terrain, altitude, rainfall, and soil composi tion, to name only a few criteria.4 Some species occur all over the region whereas others may lie found only at spec ific locations. Some of these cover large* tracls of forest land in continuous groves. A lew species are cultivated in the plains of Assam and Manipur, grown as c lumps beside rice fields and around houses and ponds. The Material Bamboo is a collective term used to identify the culms (stems) of any of a group embracing many different kinds of grasslike woody plants. The characteristics of bamboo vary considerably from species to species.4 Mature plants are charac- terised by rapid growth which generates long fibres in a homogeneous struc ture. It can be used whole, split, or flattened into sheets for a great many structural applica tions. Splits of various sizes can be obtained, and can even be twisted to form ropes. Bamboo can also be pulped to produce excellent paper and rayon. The northeastern region has an immense standing resource of bamboo. Distribu tion of species is linked to variations in terrain, altitude, rainfall, and soil composi tion, to name only a few criteria.4 Some species occur all over the region whereas others may lie found only at spec ific locations. Some of these cover large tracts of forest land in continuous groves. A lew species are cultivated in the plains of Assam and Manipur, gro wn as clumps beside rice fields and around houses and ponds. Colonial Beginning of Modern Theatre in India EssayDevelopment Infrastructure To overcome these problems there is an urgent need to build up a coordinated research and development activity infrastructure that is multi-disciplinary in nature. This research will need to include botanical, technical, design, marketing, managerial, and economic aspects directly related to the craft. A considerable amount of information is available with several state and central govornment agen cies such as the Forest Research Institute in Dehra Dun; Botanical Survey of India; Census of India; Anthropological Survey of India; State Forest Departments; Tribal   Research Departments; and the Departments of Industries in the northeastern states. In addition, several leading educational institutions such as the Indian Insti tute of Science in Bangalore, The Indian Institute of Management, The National Institute of Design, and the Northeastern Hill University have undertaken projects directly relevant to this craft activity. All this information will need to be brought together and m ade accessible to field-level workers and craftsmen in the northeast. Further, the Office of the Development Commissioner for Ftandicrafts which is the apex body for the promotion of handicrafts in the country has set up several organisa tions to support the marketing of craft products, the training of young craftsmen, and extension services to craftsmen. The stale governments too have their own infrastructure for craft promotion. These locally situated organisations have a great many people with considerable experience in dealing with local craftsmen and their problems. Hence the elements of a supportive infrastructure for the development and prom otion of crafts exist. All that is perhaps needed is a coordinated thrust towards clearly articulated objectives in the various spheres of activity related to this craft. World Trade A study on the imports of basketware which includes bamboo products—besides wicker, rattan, and products woven or plaited in other natural materials—indicates a substantial market size in countries such as the United States, the Federal Repub lic of Germany, Japan, and France. The growth of imports over the five-year period   1974-79 is in the region of 150-200 per cent.HAny future projection of market pros pects for basketware remains positive, as imports should continue to benefit from an increasing consciousness and campaigns for natural materials and handicrafts China is by far the most succ essful exfx)rter of basketware with well over 40 per cent of the market share in 1979.4 The developing countries of Asia, listed according to their level of export, include the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. It is surprising to note that India has no significant participation in this trade in spite of its massive raw material re source and its fantas tic fund of traditional craft skills. Surely there is a lot that we can learn from our Asian neighlxxirs in the areas of production and marketing of basketware?

Pancho Villa Essays - Mexico, Mexican Revolution, Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa Doroteo Aranga learned to hate aristocratic Dons, who worked he and many other Mexicans like slaves, Doroteo Aranga also known as Pancho villa hated aristocratic because he made them work like animals all day long with little to eat. Even more so, he hated ignorance within the Mexican people that allowed such injustices. At the young age of fifteen, Aranga came home to find his mother trying to prevent the rape of his sister. Aranga shot the man and fled to the Sierra Madre for the next fifteen years, marking him as a fugitive for the first time. It was then that he changed his name from Doroteo Aranga to Francisco "Pancho" Villa, a man he greatly admired. Upon the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1911 against the Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz, Villa offered his services to the rebel leader Francisco I. Madero. During Madero's administration, he served under the Mexican general Victoriano Huerta, who sentenced him to death for insubordination. With his victories attracting attention in the United States, Villa escaped to the United States. President Woodrow Wilson's military advisor, General Scott, argued that the U.S. should support Pancho Villa, because he would become "the George Washington of Mexico." In August of 1914, General Pershing met Villa for the first time in El Paso, Texas and was impressed with his cooperative composure; Pancho Villa then came to the conclusion that the U.S. would acknowledge him as Mexico's leader. Following the assassination of Madero and the assumption of power by Huerta in 1913, he returned to join the opposition under the revolutionary Venustiano Carranza. Using "hit and run" tactics, he gained control of northern Mexico, including Mexico City. As a result, his powerful fighting force became "La Division Del Norte." The two men soon became enemies, however, and when Carranza seized power in 1914, Villa led the rebellion against him. By April of 1915, Villa had set out to destroy Carranzista forces in the Battle of Celaya. The battle was said to be fought with sheer hatred in mind rather than military strategy, resulting in amass loss of the Division del Norte. In October of 1915, after much worry about foreign investments, in the midst of struggles for power, the U.S. recognized Carranza as President of Mexico. When Pancho Villa learned of this he felt betrayed by President Wilson and assumed Carranza had signed a dangerous pact with the U.S., putting Mexico in United States' hands. As a result, this set the stage for a confrontation between the U.S. and Pancho Villa. Hence, the United States put an embargo on Villa, not allowing him to purchase guns, ammunition, equipment, etc., in American border towns. His transactions were, thus, made illegal, which automatically doubles his price. Considering his shortages, troops through harsh terrain to Aagua Prieta. Villa assumed it would be poorly protected and by capturing it, he would create a buffer zone with the U.S. to transport arms in his campaigning efforts. Too his surprise, Agua Prieta was heavily protected, because Wilson had allowed Carranza to transport 5000 Mexican troops to American soil, which had arrived before Villa. The trains of soldiers forced Villa's tired horseback troops into retreat. The U.S. was delighted when Carranza declared Villa done for good. Consequently, Carranza invited old U.S. investors (from before the Revolution) to invest again. On March 9th 1916, Villa crossed the border with about 600 men and attacked Columbus, NM killing 17 American citizens and destroying part of the town. Because of the growing discrimination towards Latinos, the bodies of Mexicans were gathered and burned as a sanitary precaution against "Mexican diseases." A punitive expedition, costing the U.S. about twenty-five million dollars, dispatched and about 150,000 troops to be mobilized in efforts to capture Pancho Villa, who was now known as a bandit in U.S. territory and a hero to many in Mexico. The Tenth Cavalry, which was made up of African-Americans and headed by Anglo-American officers, were labeled the "Buffalo Soldiers" because they were tough men who would punish the Mexicans. This was first time the United States used heavily armored vehicles and airplanes, which in turn served as a practice run before W.W.II. General John Joseph "Blackjack" Pershing had already earned a respectable name in the U.S. with his service in the Apache campaign, Therefore, he was assigned to head the Punitive Expedition, an attractive assignment. His mission objective, as he understood it, was to bring Villa in dead or alive. On March 16th, the New York Times reported, "When Word Was Given, All Were After Villa." The expedition included

Iroquois essays

Iroquois essays Theories of literature demand the reader separate the author from the story. Millions of students engrain the mantra of the author is not a character in the novel into their memory or risk failing the most basic of English courses. While the author may not directly play a role in the novel, he does create a picture of a certain time and culture Therefore literature represents culture, especially in folklore and religious stories. This is true in the case of the creation myth; what a person believes about his creation provides insight to his cultural and personal beliefs. Comparing and contrasting the creation stories of the worlds three main religions with the creation myth of the Iroquois nation illustrates this link between culture and creation of a society. Within the stories of creation the reader gains insight to the use of symbolism in everyday life, the role of gender within society, religion as well as human relations with the earth itself. The similarities in the creation stories of several cultures can be attributed to the fact that the Judeo-Christian and Islamic versions of the creation are one in the same. The Quran does not retell the creation story; rather it makes comments and corrections on the previous Judeo-Christian creation. Therefore the symbolism between the three cultures and time periods is one and the same. This leaves many of the symbols in the works, however interesting and significant to the text, irrelevant to the topic of this paper. The only time a compare or contrast in symbols will be mentioned is when the Quran specifically addresses a change to the creation story as seen in the first five books of the Bible/Torah. The purpose of this work is to stress the symbolic significance in the Iroquois creation myth in relation to those of the East/Western religions. Readers of literature may assume the works of other cultures are a word for word account of what is meant....

Definition of Closed Timelike Curve

Definition of Closed Timelike Curve A closed timelike curve (sometimes abbreviated CTC) is a theoretical solution to the general field equations of the theory of general relativity. In a closed timelike curve, the worldline of an object through spacetime follows a curious path where it eventually returns to the exact same coordinates in space and time that it was at previously. In other words, a closed timelike curve is the mathematical result of physics equations that allows for time travel. Normally, a closed timelike curve comes out of the equations through something called frame dragging, where a massive object or intense gravitational field moves and literally drags spacetime along with it. Many results that allow for a closed timelike curve involve a  black hole, which allows for a singularity in the normally smooth fabric of spacetime and often results in a  wormhole. One key thing about a closed timelike curve is that it is generally thought the worldline of the object following this curve doesnt change as a result of following the curve. That is to say, the worldline is closed (it loops back on itself and becomes the original timeline), but that has always been the case. Should a closed timelike curve be used to get a time traveler to travel into the past, that most common interpretation of the situation is that the time traveler would have always been part of the past, and therefore thered be no changes to the past as a result of the time traveler suddenly showing up. History of Closed Timelike Curves The first closed timelike curve was predicted in 1937 by Willem Jacob van Stockum and was further elaborated by the mathematician Kurt Godel in 1949. Criticism of Closed Timelike Curves Though the result is technically allowed in some very highly-specialized situations, many physicists believe that time travel is not achievable in practice. One person who supported this viewpoint was Stephen Hawking, who proposed a chronological protection conjecture that the laws of the universe would ultimately be such that they prevent any possibility of time travel. However, since a closed timelike curve doesnt result in changes to how the past unfolded, the various paradoxes that we would normally want to say are impossible dont apply in this situation. The most formal representation of this concept is known as the Novikov self-consistency principle, an idea presented by Igor Dmitriyevich Novikov in the 1980s that suggested that if CTCs are possible, then only self-consistent trips backward in time would be allowed. Closed Timelike Curves in Popular Culture Since closed timelike curves represent the only form of travel backward in time that is allowed under the rules of general relativity, attempts to be scientifically accurate in time travel generally try to use this approach. However, the dramatic tension involved in scientific stories often require some sort possibility, at least, that history could be altered. The number of time travel stories that really stick to the idea of closed timelike curves are pretty limited. One classic example comes from the science fiction short story All You Zombies, by Robert A. Heinlein. This story, which was the basis of the 2014 film Predestination, involves a time traveler who repeatedly goes backward in time and interacts with various previous incarnations, but each time the traveler who comes from later in the timeline, the one who has looped back, has already experienced the encounter (albeit only for the first time). Another good example of closed timelike curves is the time travel plotline that ran through the final seasons of the television series Lost. A group of characters traveled backward in time, in the hopes of altering events, but it turned out that their actions in the past create no change in how events unfolded, but it turns out that they were always part of how those events unfolded in the first place. Also Known As: CTC

Analyse the nature of risks in healthcare and critically discuss the Essay

Analyse the nature of risks in healthcare and critically discuss the role of managers in minimizing and managing risks - Essay Example These risks can be mitigated in a number of different ways. Every health organization needs a system of risk management – they need to be able to identify the risks, quantify the risks, prioritise the risks, then mitigate and manage these risks. Management needs to be able to delegate risk management to experts, because management tends to try to do too much. They need analysts who can help them with this, and these analysts need to be within the management flow. At the individual level, management needs to be able to coach, mentor and motivate; at the group level, the management needs to be able to build teams and resolve conflicts; and at the organizational level, the management must be able to build culture. Building culture is important, because if an organization has a culture of risk management, then this organization will be ahead of the curve on risk management – this means that risk management permeates every aspect of the organization. Because organizations th emselves can have risks, as opposed to personal risks, and this is where the very organization encourages risky processes either inadvertently or on purpose. The role of the manager might be to encourage the culture of the organization to adopt risk management, provide support for risk management practices which identify weaknesses and resolve them, or to mentor the individuals to lessen the individual risks regarding risk management. This paper will explore these aspects of risk management. What Is Risk Management? The first part of the risk management process, according to Carter et al. (1994) is the identification of the risks. The identification process of risks may be approached by a combination of methods, including intuitive management; using department experts; using standard questionnaires and checklists; using expert computer-based systems; using structured interviews; through brainstorming sessions; or using outside specialists/consultants. The second process is risk quan tification, and this means that the impact and probability of a each risk is estimated for each risk. After that, the estimate is quantified by using a spreadsheet which estimates timescales and costs. The next process is risk prioritising and filtering,which means that the important risks are recognized and controlled, and risks are prioritized according to whether they care a Category 1 risk (cost effect only); Category 2 risk (contingency plans and costs affected); or Category 3 risk (programme contingency and cost affected). The Category three risks are the higher priority, and the risks are prioritized from there. The fourth part of risk management is the processing and presentation of risk data, and this means the risk data is put through the spreadsheet with different variables. After the risks are identified, quantified, prioritized, and presented, the next four steps identified by Carter et al. (1994) are focused upon mitigating and managing these risks. Mitigating strategi es include avoiding the risk altogether by removing the cause of the risk; transferring the risk, which means that the risk is passed to somebody capable of handling that particular risk; reduction of the risk, which would consist of investing in insurance or some other up-front investment; management of the risk, which means that the risk is managed continuously until it is managed out; and contingency, in which funds are produced for the risks which are

Pauls prison epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Research Paper

Pauls prison epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians) - Research Paper Example His fashion majorly credits his apostolic ability to Jesus Christ and the will of God. Evidence is in the wording and letter structure that is unique of all Paul’s writings. The epistle of Ephesians was written in Rome in A.D 60 (Walvoord & Zuck 434). This is well explained by the opening of the revelation of John of Patmos. The revelation shows that John was aware of Paul’s letters to seven centers of Christianity in which Ephesus was one of them. Another evidence is the letter known as ‘I Clement’ written in A.D 96 by Clement, Bishop of Rome to the church at Corinthian (Ackroyd 3). According to the salutation that Paul uses, the epistle was a general letter meant for several readers. In the opening greetings, Paul conveys his greetings to God’s people at Ephesus while in some manuscript like in the beginning of chapter three, the word Ephesus is omitted and instead the word Gentiles is used. This shows that this letter was meant to be read in a number of churches in the province of Asia, of which Ephesus was one of them. The occasion for writing this latter is not clear since it does not have a specific audience. However, the book of acts brings out Paul as having spent a significant time on his last visit to Ephesus. In his time in Ephesus, he taught and baptized disciples, taught in the synagogue and the cities where he met a conflict with the pagans. It was in the same occasion that he did a speech of exhortation to the city elders. Therefore, the events mentioned could be suggested as the occasions that lead Paul to write this Epistle (BibleU 1). This letter was written when Paul was in prison in Rome. The supporting evidence is that it was sent together with the letter to Colossae, Philemon, and Philippians, which were all written in a Roman prison. In this letter there is no evidence of who he was with while writing this letter. According to Bruce (245), the epistle was written as an encouragement to

Benefits of Activity Based Costing Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Activity Based Costing Essay In order to make a profit on production, the firm would have to charge a price that is greater than the cost of production. Generally, the cost of production is understood to be the cost of producing a good plus the cost of transportation to the consumer. In order to stay in business, and therefore, to avoid losses at all possible costs – the firm must cover all costs related to the production of the good and include all costs to deliver the same to the consumer at a price that is higher than the cost of production. The operating or overheard expenses of an enterprise are generated by its activities to perform its business and/or manufacturing processes successfully. As its name implies, activity based costing relates the costs facing the enterprise to its various activities. By so doing, this system of costing provides pretty accurate information about costs, allowing businesses to effectively manage their overhead expenses in order to increase their revenues (Cooper, 1988). It is but commonsensical that companies may work on cutting their costs once they know what is driving these costs. By improving their processes in order to cut costs, businesses may realize greater profits than before. What is more, by identifying high costing activities needed to produce certain goods or serve certain customers, companies may decide to focus instead on low costing products or customers by reducing their production of or service to high costing products or customers. In this way, they may shift their focus to products or customers that are more profitable to produce or to serve. Thus, management experts cite the following benefits of activity based costing as opposed to traditional methods of costing: Identifying the most and least profitable customers, products and channels. Determine the true contributors to— and detractors from—financial performance. Accurately predict costs, profits and resource requirements associated with changes in production volumes, organizational structure and resource costs. Easily identify the root causes of poor financial performance. Track costs of activities and work processes. Equip managers with cost intelligence to drive improvements. Facilitate better Marketing Mix. Enhance the bargaining power with the customer. Achieve better Positioning of products. (â€Å"Activity Based Costing,† 2008). Businesses that benefit the most from activity based costing are those with high manufacturing operating expenses or overhead costs. These costs may result from a diverse range or products, intensity of capital, or vertically integrated system of manufacturing. Activity based costing may help such businesses not only to understand but also to control their operating expenses so as to increase their revenues (O’Guin, 1991, p. 76). Organizations with large marketing, sales or distribution costs may also reap great benefits from activity based costing. As mentioned previously, this method of costing identifies those customers that are most profitable from those that are least profitable. This provides insight to management on how to improve operations. With activity based costing, such businesses may be able to answer questions such as: â€Å"What discounts are appropriate for large orders? What size accounts should salespersons no longer call on? How effective is advertising to different markets? † (O’Guin, p. 76). Firms that are experiencing sluggish or low profitability on increasing sales may be suffering from growth that is unmanaged. It may very well be that these businesses are selling products at losses to a number of customers. The accounting system of accurately measuring costs, that is, activity based costing, would allow these firms to determine which of their customers and products are generating revenues and which are not (O’Guin, p. 76). O’Guin describes another benefit of the activity based costing system thus: Even with a diverse product line or customer base and very high profitability, a company lacking an ABC system is surprisingly vulnerable. Product profitability probably varies widely across the company. Highly profitable products present an irresistible target to new market entrants. Management should know which products are reaping enormous margins, so they can erect barriers to entry. (p. 76). Also according to O’Guin, the activity based costing system provides not only strategic but also tactical benefits to businesses that implement it. Whereas benefits that are strategic in nature may be realized only once in a blue moon, for the simple reason that organizations cannot be expected to change their pricing, business operations, distribution or manufacturing processes each year – tactical benefits may be realized constantly. Indeed, activity based costing could help businesses not only with reduction of overhead costs, but also just-in-time support, improvement of quality, decisions about design, and investment in capital. Thus, businesses that implement the activity based costing system may improve their profitability on an ongoing basis (O’Guin, p. 76). In the twenty first century, companies that have a competitive edge are those that maintain flexibility, a trend that has been recognized as a critical factor for success since the 1990s. Life cycles of products have been shortened and focus on the customer has become increasingly important. As economies of scale virtually disappear, manufacturing plants that are successful are those that are able to quickly introduce innovative products and economically produce small quantities. Activity based costing system can help businesses tremendously to achieve these goals. What is more, this system of costing could assist businesses of the twenty first century to achieve their goal to increase employee motivation. With the activity based costing system in place, employees increase their understanding of business activities and therefore their involvement in business operations. So, for example, whenever they see a mound of papers they would see overhead costs, leading them to the following questions: Why do we have so many bills? Why are there so many process involved in our purchase orders (O’Guin, p. 76)? Thus, the activity based costing system encourages businesses to push their rates of cost drivers down. This helps in the reduction of time to setup, streamlines buying, in addition to time taken to development a product. When costs are attached to each of these processes or activities, management may not only measure but also plan improvement (O’Guin, p. 76). As mentioned before, some of these improvements may entail reducing production of goods or service to customers that cost more to produce or service than the others. Hence, the activity based costing system may also lead the business that implements it to improve upon its marketing mix or positioning of its products. If products and customers that cost more than the others are required by the company to produce or serve in the same quantity as before, however, activity based costing system helps the organization to improve its processes in order to decrease its costs without reducing the quantity to produce or serve. After all, it is only possible to improve inefficient processes. Because activity based costing allows the company to weigh the costs of activities against their benefits, firms that use it are in a great position to increase the efficiency of all of their processes so as to gain competitive advantages. References Activity Based Costing. (2008). Value Based Management. Retrieved Jan 27, 2009, from http://www. valuebasedmanagement. net/methods_abc. html. Cooper, R. (1988, Summer). The Rise of Activity-Based Costing – Part One: What is an Activity-Based Cost System? Journal of Cost Management, pp. 45-54. O’Guin, M. C. (1991). The Complete Guide to Activity-based Costing. Chicago, IL: CCH Tax and Accounting.