Martin Luther And Bible Translation Essays - Christianity, Religion

Martin Luther And Bible Translation Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483. He lived on a farm where his parents raised seven children. He began his schooling at age four and he later entered the monastery when he was twenty-two in 1505. After entering the monastery a good friend of Luther's passed away. This traumatic experience made Luther start thinking about life, death, and his destiny. Pondering these new thoughts led Luther to focus on Christian studies. On April 4, 1507 Luther was ordained a priest. With his new status among the church Luther was cautious because not only did he respect the power of God he also feared it. There were many scholars that translated the bible from Greek to the German language. Martin Luther was the most famous of them all. Other notable attempts to translate the bible were made by Hans Denck, Johann Dietenberger, and Ludwig Hatzer. These scholars and writers gave their best effort to translate and improve upon the current version. It was not until Luther's translation that the German church had an acceptable bible to preach by. Martin Luther believed in "one Church, established by Christ and that he was reforming it" (Todd 99). In 1517 Luther expressed his disappointment with the Catholic Church by publishing his Ninety-Five Theses. After the publication Luther began to receive political pressure for his criticism of the Catholic Church. However, Luther persevered and held strong to his beliefs. Luther was so disturbed about the direction the Church was going that he decided to form his own religion. This version of Catholic faith is called Lutheranism. Luther, with his new religion saw the need for to have a book of guidelines to follow. It is about this time that Luther began the daunting task of translating the New Testament into German. He finished the translation from Greek to German about September 1522. He titled it Das Neue Testament Deutzsh which eventually became know as the September Testament. Soon, after Luther began translating the Old Testament as well. These were printed in sections as soon as the translation was complete. He felt it was necessary for the German people know and learn about Jesus Christ. In 1534 Martin Luther completed his mission when the first German Bible was sent to print. There is no other way to describe Luther's translation except as the best of his time. I feel reference that Bluhm gives Luther is the only one who does him justice: Luther's German Bible is famous book, a classic no only of German but of world literature. Its eminence is universally recognized. Beyond being the first as well as the foremost of the major Protestant versions of the Bible, it is one of the two greatest translations the Christian church of the West has produced. It was the earliest and most successful rival of the vulgate. Catholic as well as Protestant scholars fully recognize the high artistic level of Luther's German Bible. It is superior to the Vulgate both in accuracy and in literary quality (Bluhm 15). Martin Luther was very strongly committed to translating the Bible to German in its most pure form without his own opinions or bias conveyed with it. He tried to capture what the scripture was really trying to say. Luther's background in Theology helped him a great deal with the translation of the Bible. His studies centered on "the hard intellectual thought about Christian doctrine" (Todd 231). Of all the many translations of the Bible that have been completed I feel that Martin Luther's was one of the best. He made Theology his life's work and he continued to improve the Bible, Lutheranism, and all his works until he passed away in February 1545. Works Cited Bluhm, Heinz. Martin Luter: Creative Translator. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1965 Todd, John M. Martin Luther: A Biographical Study. Westminster: First American Printing, 1965.

How To Translate To and From Spanish and English

How To Translate To and From Spanish and English Some of the best advice you can get when you start translating to and from English or Spanish is to translate for meaning rather than to translate words. Sometimes what you want to translate will be straightforward enough that there wont be much difference between the two approaches. But more often than not, paying attention to what someone is saying - not just the words the person is using - will pay off in doing a better job of conveying the idea that someone is trying to get across. Key Takeaways When translating from one language to another, aim for conveying the meaning rather than translating individual words.Literal translations often fall short because they can fail to take into account the context and nuances of meaning.There is often no single best translation, so two translators can legitimately differ on their word choices. Translation Raised Questions One example of an approach you might take in translating can be seen in the answer to a question that a reader raised via email about an article that used to appear on this site: When youre translating from one language to another, how do you decide which word to use? Im asking because I saw recently  that you translated llamativas as bold, but that isnt one of the words listed when I looked up that word in the dictionary. The question referred to my translation of the sentence  ¿La fà ³rmula revolucionaria para obtener pestaà ±as llamativas? (taken from a Spanish-language Maybelline mascara ad) as The revolutionary formula for getting bold eyelashes? The writer was correct was correct that dictionaries dont give bold as a possible translation, but bold at least is closer in concept to the dictionary definition of what I used in my first draft: Then I used thick, which isnt even close to any standard of llamativo. Let me explain the various philosophies of translation before discussing that particular word. In general, it can be said that there are two extreme approaches in the way one can translate from one language to another. The first is seeking a literal translation, sometimes known as formal equivalence, in which an attempt is made to translate using the words that correspond as exactly as possible in the two languages, allowing, of course, for the grammatical differences but without paying a great deal of attention to context. A second extreme is paraphrasing, sometimes called making a free or loose translation. One problem with the first approach is that literal translations can be awkward. For example, it might seem more exact to translate the Spanish obtener as to obtain, but most of the time to get will do just as well and sounds less pretentious. An obvious problem with paraphrasing is that the translator may not accurately convey the intent of the speaker, especially where precision of language is required. So many of the best translations take a middle ground, sometimes known as dynamic equivalence - trying to convey the thoughts and intent behind the original as close as possible, veering from the literal where needed to do so. When Theres No Exact Equivalent In the sentence that led to the readers question, the adjective llamativo doesnt have an exact equivalent in English. It is derived from the verb llamar (sometimes translated as to call), so broadly speaking it refers to something that calls attention to itself. Dictionaries usually provide translations such as gaudy, showy, brightly colored, flashy, and loud (as in a loud shirt). However, some of those translations have somewhat negative connotations - something certainly not intended by the writers of the ad. The others dont work well for describing eyelashes. My first translation was a paraphrase; mascara is designed to make eyelashes appear thicker and therefore more noticeable, so I went with thick. After all, in English thats a common way to describe the kind of eyelashes that Maybelline customers would want. But upon reflection, that translation seemed  inadequate. This mascara, another part of the ad pointed out, not only makes the eyelashes look thicker, but also longer a nd exageradas or exaggerated. I considered alternative ways of expressing llamativas, but attractive seemed a bit too weak for an advertisement, enhanced seemed too formal, and attention-getting seemed to convey the thought behind the Spanish word in this context but didnt seem quite right for an ad. So I went with bold. It seemed to me to do a good job of stating the purpose of the product and is also a short word with a positive connotation that might work well in an ad. (If I had wanted to go for an extremely loose interpretation, I might have tried  Whats the secret to having eyelashes people will notice?) A different translator very well might have used a different word, and there very well could be words that would work better. In fact, another reader suggested striking - a great choice. But translation is often more art than science, and that can involve judgment and creativity at least as much as it does knowing the right words.

American Black Bear

American black bear is the smallest but most common bear seed in North America. People tend to think that bears are extremely dangerous, especially for humans. In fact, the bear is a harmless creature and has a very kind attitude. Compared to all other kinds of bears, the American black bear is in the middle of the size. It is smaller than Polar bear but bigger than lazy bear. Asian black bears differ in size depending on their position in the world, gender, the amount of food available, the timing, and their genetics. The ancestors of American black bear and Asian black bear are separated from Sun Bear 4.58 mya. Then American black bear was separated from Asian black bear 4.08 mya. The fossil of the early American black bear was in the port of Kennedy, Pennsylvania, very similar to Asian seeds, but later specimens grew to the size of Grizzlies. From the Holocene to the present, the size of American black bear seems to shrink, but it is controversial for these fossil sample age. Cons istent with phylogenetic contradiction and D statistics, the DFOIL statistics found a gene flow between the ancestors of American black bear / brown bear / polar bear cactus and Asian black bears (FIG. 4, Table 1). Euroria bear overlaps with other bear species geographically and is widely distributed like Asian black bear. It was found in the fossil layer of 2.5 Ma - 1.0 Ma1, 31 in Europe. The broad geographical distribution will explain the almost equally strong gene flow from Asian black bear seen in D statistics to Brown bear (Supplementary Figure 14). Finally, there is a gene flow signal between America and Asian black bear. Gene flow can occur on the US side or Asian side of the Bering Strait, consistent with intra-species mitochondrial capture 2 (Figure 3). Most of weak gene flow signals are shown in Figure 1.

Contract Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Contract Law - Assignment Example There parties entering the contract must mutually understand what the contract purports to cover. This phenomenon is called ‘meeting of the minds.’ There must be offer and acceptance in a legally binding contract. The contract constitutes an offer to one party and the consequent acceptance by the other party. The element of offer and acceptance thus involves the expression of willingness of both parties to complete the contract. The parties entering the contract must belong to the age of the majority. However, some contracts may involve the minors such as the contract of will. There must be a possibility of performance in a legally binding contract. The contract must be physically or legally performable. The contract must portray the intention to create legal relations. A general principle, the social promises are presumed not to be legally binding (Turner & Martin 2004). There must be legal consideration in a contract. The legal consideration constitutes the value of the exchange depending on the nature of the objects present in a contract. There must be a legal object in a contract. The contract should not, by nature violate the policy of the public. Otherwise, illegal contracts are enforceable. However, a contract that has all the essential elements is valid.... Adam does work, but Cynthia refuses to pay him. Issue Whether the contract is illegal or not Rule The damages arising from the material contributions of an individual to the performance of an illegal act, with the knowledge that the materials are intend to propagate the illegal activities are irrecoverable. The claim by the plaintiff is aims at settlement of the payments using the earnings from the illegal business. Analysis The case between Adam and Cynthia constitutes illegality by virtue of the element of prostitution. Prostitution at common law is always an act that promotes sexual immorality. All acts that promote sexual immorality are prohibited hence are unenforceable. The difference between an illegal act and an immoral act is so thin that the applied principles are similar in either case. The case of Pearce v Brooks (1866) Lr 1 Ex 213 Exch tries to explain the nature of this case. In the case, Pear the plaintiffs, Pearce coach builders allowed Brooks, the prostitute to hire their brougham. Brooks was going to use the brougham in her prostitution business of attracting her clients. At common law, contracts that promote sexual immorality are unenforceable due to their illegality. Pearce was aware of the business that that Brooks was going to transact, prostitution. Brooks refused to honor the obligations of the contract. Pearce claimed compensation for the damages but, the court refused. The court held that he had participated in an illegal contract with the knowledge of its illegality. The jury did find no evidence that the payments that Pearce was claiming from Brooks were to be derived from the illegal business. However, there were reasonable grounds to believe that Pearce while giving out the brougham for hire knew that

A research paper on stem cell research legislation

A on stem cell legislation - Research Paper Example Stem cell research is a discipline that is involved in the study of the uses, utilizations and applications of the stem cell, a type of cell that can develop into any form of specialized cell that can help save a particular body function by replenishing the supply of the said cell. Due to the fact that the said concept has the potential capacity to save many lives, a continuous discipline is dedicated for the advocacy, research and development. At the same time, due to the involvement of human health and welfare in the study, strict and structured guidelines were established and continuously being updated to be able to ensure that the components of stem cell research adheres to bioethics and legislations (Atala, Lanza, and Thomson, 2010, p.1123). The paper is aimed to present an overview of the meaning of Stem Cell Research with the focus on the Stem Cell Research Legislation and other related legal issues. Included in the topics discussed in the paper are the history of Stem Cell Re search Legislation in the United States and the comparative analysis of the policies in the U.S. with the rest of the world. In addition, the presentation of the current legislative state of affairs in the country is also considered as an important part of the study undertaken. For the future view on the legal policies, provisions, and laws specifically in terms of the applications of stem cells. One of the manners by which the said objectives are achieved is through the presentation and discussion of sample research results related to the legislation of Stem Cell Research. ... In August 2000, although the US NIH established guidelines that limit the research to existing cell lines, it had not been employed due to the influence of the President in the content of the guidelines. Due to the need for an established set of rules and guidelines, the cooperation of the different organizations and authorities on the discipline has been undertaken. Contributions were made by the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group in Great Britain, private ethics boards in Geron Corporation, Advanced Cell Technology in US, committees of the National Research Council, and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (Atala, Lanza, and Thomson, 2010, p.1123). Even through the continuing controversies regarding the sources of the heS cells, the stem cell research continued. This is the second stage of the stem cell research discipline which can be described to be beyond the embryo. This can be attributed to the fact that there had been two (2) developments in the field. Th e first is the human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells which are dermal fibroblasts which had been altered through genetic engineering to behave as heS cells. Another is related to the stance of Obama administration regarding the heS cell research. Prior to his administration, the main focus is the decision to continue or halt the research. On the other hand, he focused on the â€Å"how† of the research process. In this case, it can be considered that he already accepted the continuation of the stem cell research but it should be based on the legislations established by the authorities, both in the administration and in the medical field (Hyun, 2010, p.71). Views and Provisions The Stem Cell Research Legislation in the United States

Marketing Research- Starbucks vs. Coffee Beans Essay Example for Free

Marketing Research- Starbucks vs. Coffee Beans Essay Market segmentation is defined as the process of dividing a market into distinct subsets of consumers with common needs or characteristics and selecting one or more segments to target with a distinct marketing mix (Schiffman, Bednall, Cowley, OCass, Watson and Kanuk, 2001). Different companies have different abilities that enable them to serve their target market better, which is why some companies choose to focus much of their attention to specific segments. Starbucks primarily chooses to focus on the demographics, psychographics and lifestyle of their customers. It is with the information gathered regarding these segments that Starbucks can better serve its customers. Demographics are things such as age, sex, marital status, education, occupation and income. Starbucks targets both males and females, mainly 18-30 year olds, but really does cater for everybodys needs. And because young children dont usually drink coffee, Starbucks offers a range of non-coffee beverages to cater for the whole family. Hanging out in Starbucks gives the impression of being very with it and most of the people you see sitting in the stores exude a certain coolness and give off the image of having some sort of social status, with lots of money to spare. Starbucks customers are mainly in their final years of high school, in university or just starting to work. But whatever it is, they all have had a good education, and if they do have a job, it almost certainly includes a big income as well. Demographics help to locate a target market and this information is often the most accessible and cost effective way to identify a target market (Schiffman et al, 2001). Even though factors such as personality and behaviour are often first used to define a market segment, the consumers demographic characteristics must be known in order to assess the size of the target market and to reach it efficiently (Schiffman et al, 2001). Psychographics are based on the consumers activities, interests and opinions, so its basically how they spend their time, what their preferences and priorities are and how they feel about events and issues. Psychographic research is closely related to psychological research, and  especially when it comes to personality and attitude measurement. This form of applied consumer research has proved to be a valuable marketing tool that helps identify consumer segments that are likely to be responsive to specific marketing messages (Schiffman et al, 2001). Starbucks is very heavily involved in charity and the arts, and is making significant efforts to be a socially and environmentally responsible company. For example, Starbucks actively participates in AIDS benefits, and for every city that has a store, Starbucks sets up at least one shelter for the underprivileged children and donates money as well. By participating in various different positive causes and events, Starbucks gains a lot of favourable exposure. Starbucks has sponsored the Special Olympics, the hip Lilith Fair music festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival, the International Film Festival in Washington DC and the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA. Just by looking at these examples, we can see that Starbucks aims to target and reach people who are generous and charitable, as well as people who like to have fun and enjoy the creative and entertaining side of life. Starbucks also has a strong commitment to the environment and the companys policy to recycle and conserve wherever possible is exemplified by the 10% discount it provides to customers who reduce waste by using their own mugs or refillable coffee bags. Starbucks offers these discounts to help stimulate environmental responsibility amongst its customers. As Starbucks grows and reaches new markets, the company has made a commitment to continue to be a strong supporter of non-profit organisations and events in all communities. Consumer research has found evidence that within each of the social classes there is a constellation of specific lifestyle factors (shared beliefs, attitudes, activities and behaviours) that tend to distinguish the members of each class from the members of each class from the members of all other social classes (Schiffman et al, 2001). Starbucks sells a lifestyle, to both customers and employees, and has followed the successful examples of other big corporations such as Coke, Nike and Sony by linking its brand with all things cool and in. Starbucks has created a style and ambience that has infused a certain new  chic and appeal into coffee, an age-old beverage, making it the hippest drink of today. Starbucks chooses to associate itself with all things bustling, active and vigourous. That is why locations of all the stores are carefully selected for convenience and Starbucks specifically targets places that are heavy with pedestrian street traffic. Some of the places that you would find a Starbucks, either in the form of a large store or a just a small kiosk (both ideal for just popping in for a quick take away coffee or for a nice light lunch break) would be at shopping centres, airport terminals and supermarket foyers, which are all places that are always hectic and filled to the brim with people who have busy lifestyles and are always on the go. Starbucks competes directly against specialty coffees sold at retail through supermarkets, specialty retails, and a growing number of other specialty coffee stores. In addition, Starbucks competes for whole bean coffee sales with franchise operators and independent specialty coffee stores. In virtually every major metropolitan area were Starbucks operates and expects to expand there are local or regional competitors with substantial market presence in the specialty coffee business. But Starbucks biggest competitor in the coffee industry is the Coffee Bean. Coffee Bean was started by Herbert B. Hyman in 1963 in California and became the pioneers in retailing whole bean coffee and loose tea leaves. Coffee Bean are the oldest importers, roasters and multi retailers of specialty coffee and tea in the United States. Like Starbucks, Coffee Bean offers a diverse range of original coffee, ice blends and roast styles as well as four varieties of daily brews including flavoured pre-ground coffee. Another similarity with Starbucks is that Coffee Bean also has a large offering of food and beverages that appeal to all age groups from all walks of life. In terms of needs, motivation and personality, Coffee Bean is all about building meaningful and respectful relationships with customers by finding or concocting a flavour for them. Coffee Bean will also toast your bagels, heat your pastries and personalise and custom make the drink or blend just  the way you would like it. With perception, Coffee Bean is a big believer in teamwork (just like Starbucks) as they feel that success is achieved by working together. Coffee Bean staff are friendly, and maintain amicable relationships between customers and each other. The employees have respect for each others values, opinions and individual personalities and are honest and truthful to themselves and each other. Another similarity with Starbucks is that Coffee Bean is actively involved with helping communities and make it their mission to develop the most complete community based programs around. As well as donating gift baskets, gift certificates, coupons, coffees and teas, Coffee Bean will gladly consider a donation to any organisation for various charitable events that directly benefit local community programs and local schools. Due to the phenomenal growth of the international coffee market, Coffee Bean has decided to solely concentrate on international franchises at the moment. Unlike Starbucks, who have a target mass market being the United States, most of the Coffee Bean outlets are in Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan etc.) and the Middle East (Israel, United Arab Emirates, Dubai etc.) Unlike Coffee Bean, Starbucks does not personalise their coffees or have different products to suit different countries tastes. Coffee Bean offers more food meals (pastas, soups,) and not only light meals (sandwiches, pastries, desserts) like Starbucks. Starbucks allows other distributors to sell its coffee, but Coffee Bean does not and Starbucks is affiliated with things such as the Herald Sun Newspaper and Hear Music. And the main advantage that Starbucks has over Coffee Bean is its effective use of celebrity appeal, which is a form of reference group

Essay --

The novel The Kite runner portrays a story of a boy named Amir who emotionally struggles through life and creates and breaks bonds that he never knew he was capable of. The novel helps the reader understand how manhood, political war and friendship influence Amir’s life and his experiences. Amir is faced with a lot of problems where he has to make decisions independently, which have consequences and outcomes that all become a learning experiences for him. Throughout his childhood, he is forced to live in Afghanistan, a country which politically deteriorated as Amir grew older. Amir’s household consisted of Baba, Hassan and Ali. Hassan and his father Ali were Hazara’s who worked for Amir’s Baba as servants but his father never maltreated them instead he treated Hassan and Ali as family. In Afghanistan, Hazara’s were social outcasts in Amir’s society and were considered amongst the lowest in the Afghan caste system. However, within the walls o f Baba’s home, this ridiculous caste and status notion did not exist and Amir was taught to treat them as equals and consider Hassan as his own brother as Baba would also treat him like his own son. Throughout the novel Amir’s struggle to get love and approval from his own father became real as it lead him to become emotionally and physically confused and frustrated. As Amir always wished he made himself a promise for Baba â€Å"Then I'd bring it home and show it to Baba. Show him once and for all that his son was worthy† (Hosseini, 60). The trouble of going through manhood had put a lot of stress on Amir as he constantly worried about being â€Å"good enough† for his father. As seen as a failure in the eyes of his father Amir tried day by day to prove to his father that he was capable of doing more t... ...t was too late for Amir to do anything. â€Å"Life struggles that add to the internal strife that Amir feels, due to his guilt, are put in such a fashion that you feel them yourself as you read. By the end of this book you feel as if you have walked along those alleyways, crouched behind that crumbling mud wall, and witnessed the horror that was Amir's and Hassan's.† (cite?) The kite runner is a story about a boy who struggles to find himself within his cultural community. Amir is faced with many political and social barriers that force him to constantly please others rather than himself. The importance the book dictates about baba’s approval goes to show just how desperate a young boy could become for his father’s love and attention. The kite runner is a book that helps explain the importance of familial ties and the values of having a close bond with loved ones.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 15

A dozen snappy comebacks rose to my lips, but the intense looks on both their faces made me think better of it. Instead, I opted for the obvious next question. â€Å"What do you mean?† The edge of Carter's lips turned into a half-grin. â€Å"My goodness. I thought you'd be up on your lore. Greek mythology especially.† â€Å"Well, ambrosia†¦is called the Food of the Gods,† I offered slowly. I had grown up in a Greco-Roman society, but that didn't mean I was an expert on all the stories. I'd only been exposed to some in my youth. It wasn't until later scholars started compiling tales from all over the Greek world that I learned just how vast the mythology was. â€Å"Yes,† said Carter, nodding at me as one would a child reciting a lesson. Jerome remained tight-lipped, a stormy expression on his face. â€Å"What else do you know?† â€Å"Ambrosia was what gave the gods their immortality,† I continued. â€Å"Although I always thought it was some kind of drink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped myself. The crystals weren't liquid at the moment, but they were meant to be consumed that way. A further alarming thought hit me. â€Å"Are you saying this Greek stuff will make Doug and the others immortal?† I'm downright unstoppable now. A god, babe. â€Å"Not exactly,† said Carter. â€Å"And I suppose I should point out that ambrosia isn't just found in the Greek stories. It appears in almost every culture's legends in one form or another. In King Arthur's world, it was said to have filled the Holy Grail. It gave new perceptions and enlightenment to its drinkers, and promised to heal the land. Some have also suggested the flames that appeared over the apostles' heads at the feast of Pentecost were not flames at all, but rather visions they saw after drinking ambrosia. It made the apostles vivid and charismatic and let them communicate with people of all cultures and languages.† â€Å"I know a number of devout Christians – my good friend Dana included – who would find that offensive.† Jerome couldn't stay silent anymore, despite how disgruntled this topic appeared to make him. â€Å"Imagine her reaction if she knew that some people have speculated the Eucharist has little to do with the blood of Christ and more to do with a lost ambrosia ceremony. Said people argue those who participate today are only mimicking the ancient experience, equating the Holy Spirit with the high from ambrosia.† â€Å"That would upset a lot of people,† I agreed. All three of us knew that many of the rites and beliefs that had been passed down to today were bastardizations of the originals. Some, not all. Carter continued on pleasantly, like he was in an auditorium giving a lecture. â€Å"Ancient Hindu culture called ambrosia soma and even personified it as a god of the same name. His presence was as intoxicating as the drink itself and muddled the senses of those around him. â€Å" â€Å"Soma was also the feel-good drug in Brave New World,† I recalled. â€Å"I didn't realize how widespread this was.† He nodded. â€Å"And these stories are only the tip of the iceberg. A lot more where they came from.† I enjoyed the information. Getting any sort of meaningful explanation from these two was usually like driving through downtown Seattle in rush hour: slow, painful, and fraught with collisions. And yet, forthcoming or not, they weren't exactly giving me what I needed. â€Å"Yeah, but you guys are real careful to say things like ‘some people believe' or ‘they say.' Which is it? What's really going on? Are any of those stories true?† Carter's gray eyes twinkled. â€Å"Ah, I can't spoil the mysteries. Humans spend their lives trying to discern the truth of divinity. Even a succubus can't be in on all the secrets.† I gave him an exasperated look. This was more like their typical behavior. â€Å"Okay, forget the myths. Can you tell me what's up with this stuff, then? Does it make people immortal?† Angel and demon looked at each other. â€Å"No,† they both said in unison. â€Å"But it makes you feel like you are,† said Carter. I thought about Doug's reckless behavior, his overwhelming confidence about everything from performing his music to stage-diving. He had no fear, no concern that anything might be less than perfect. â€Å"So it's like a stimulant or any other mood-altering drug, then,† I said. â€Å"It makes you feel good.† The angel shook his head. â€Å"No. It's a lot more than that. Ambrosia works by†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He grasped for the words. â€Å"I guess the best way to put it is that it amplifies your best abilities. It draws out what you're good at, what shines in you. And then it cranks up the volume on that to, well, godly levels, I guess.† â€Å"Yes, of course,† I breathed. That was why the band had suddenly shot off so successfully and rapidly. They were talented already. The ambrosia hadn't given them anything new; they'd just had their natural abilities increased tenfold. A hundredfold. And Casey†¦mathematically talented Casey had been able to do calculations in seconds that would have required a pen and paper for most people. Even Doug's Tetriss kills showed signs of ambrosia enhancement. Ican't wait to see how you react to them, Alec had said. Indeed, how would I react? What good abilities in me would get amplified? What abilities did I have? The obvious joke was that I'd be able to really rock some guy's world in bed. I didn't like that answer, however, partially because I believed I already could rock a guy's world pretty hard-core without the help of creepy crystals, thank you very much. Plus, I hated to think that's all I was. There had to be more to me than just sexual prowess. â€Å"Everyone who was on it crashed,† I reminded Carter. â€Å"Doug, Casey. And when they crashed†¦they really crashed.† â€Å"It does that,† he agreed. â€Å"One might argue that the withdrawal brings out your worst traits†¦or possibly turns your good ones bad. More often than not, it just makes a person depressed†¦and lacking. It's hard to go back to being ordinary. â€Å" That would explain Doug's bleak outlook the other day. I realized too he'd been having a withdrawal reaction on the day I kicked him out of the store. The lack of ambrosia had turned his normally sarcastic tongue and playful behavior into something dark and twisted. And yet†¦ â€Å"It must be nice to feel like a god. I guess I can understand wanting that. â€Å" â€Å"Well,† said Jerome, speaking up at last, â€Å"as we all know, you can't get something for nothing.† Carter nodded. â€Å"At a basic level, it's an addictive substance, and everything addictive has a cost – mainly that it enslaves you and makes you feel horrible when you don't have it. But, the other truth is that humans are not meant to be perfect. That's what humanity is: a series of successes and failures, a testing of one's own nature and aptitude. Neither the body nor the soul can sustain such a state. Eventually it consumes a person.† I pointed at the crystals. â€Å"What would have happened if I'd taken them?† â€Å"Isn't it obvious?† asked Jerome, his tone suggesting the same sexual possibilities I'd wondered about earlier. Carter gave me a straight answer. â€Å"Similar superficial effects. Enhance your good qualities. Immortals wouldn't fall prey to the addictiveness so quickly; they can sustain it for quite a while since in some ways, they already feel like gods. But in the long run, the consequences are still the same. You can't function at such high levels. Now, the ambrosia couldn't destroy your body, of course, but it'd still cause other serious problems if you took it for a long time.† â€Å"It'd probably just make you go insane,† explained Jerome helpfully. â€Å"Until the end of time.† â€Å"That's horrible,† I said. â€Å"Don't worry, Georgie. If it happens to you, we'll put you down first.† Ignoring him, I looked over at the crystals, suddenly feeling more repulsed by them than I had before. This time, my reaction had nothing to do with the creepy aura. â€Å"The real question, of course,† said the archdemon more seriously, â€Å"is where the hell did you get these?† â€Å"I told you. From Alec.† The two higher immortals exchanged glances once more. â€Å"Tell us about this guy again,† ordered Jerome. â€Å"Everything you know.† I did. When I finished, they looked at each other once more, having a mental conversation I was not privy to. God, they were annoying. â€Å"Alec's not the one,† said Carter finally. â€Å"The one who†¦?† â€Å"The one who this is coming from,† explained Jerome. â€Å"Well, I got it from him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Doesn't matter, Georgie. Some twenty-year-old blue-haired punk is not the source here. He's getting it from someone else. He's a peon in the chain. Besides, you never felt anything off him, did you? Something like the crystals but not quite like them?† â€Å"No, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But I had felt something from another person. Someone who spent time with Alec. The last card in my head flipped over. â€Å"I know who it is. It's him. That guy.† â€Å"Of course,† said Carter dryly. â€Å"I knew it was that guy. It's always that guy.† â€Å"Hold on, and I'll explain.† I turned to Jerome. â€Å"Remember that funny immortal I told you about? The really romantically dressed good-looking one? He's got to be the one. Alec's supplier. I've seen them talking together and even saw Alec sort of having a breakdown with him. † I added a little more background for Carter's benefit, explaining how GQ Poet Guy and I had sensed each other. Jerome and Carter considered this in silence. At last, the demon said, â€Å"Yes, that sounds like him.† Nobody said anything for a while after that. I was dying to ask who â€Å"he† was exactly, but recognized that angel and demon would take their own time on this. â€Å"So what are we going to do?† Carter asked a few minutes later. Jerome cut him a narrow-eyed glance. â€Å"Why do we have to do anything?† â€Å"Because it's the right thing to do.† â€Å"I don't know where you've been since the beginning of the universe, but the ‘right thing' isn't really on my list of priorities.† â€Å"He's poisoning mortals.† Jerome crossed his arms over his chest. â€Å"I don't care.† â€Å"He's doing it in your territory. Right under your nose.† â€Å"Stop trying to bait me. He's not involved with us. He can do whatever the fuck he wants to mortals.† Once again, I was dying to jump in but restrained myself. Listening to Carter and Jerome argue always unsettled me. Mostly, it just didn't happen that much. Usually they stood together in an exasperating wall of solidarity, good and evil notwithstanding. And, of course, watching them argue always made you wonder if something terrible might happen if tempers got out of control. Tables tipping over. Glasses exploding. The Four Horsemen showing up. Nonetheless, I felt confident Carter wouldn't let this matter go unattended. He would win. As I had noted earlier, I didn't know if I could trust him, but I did respect him – and his powers of persuasion. â€Å"It's a power play,† warned Carter. â€Å"He shouldn't even be trying it. His time is past; we're the ones who control the game now. Doing this insults us – especially you, since you guys are the ones who actually draw territorial lines. It's an unannounced challenge.† This, I saw, had an effect on the demon. He recognized Carter's attempts to draw him in, but it was working nonetheless. Pride wasn't one of the Seven Deadly Sins for nothing. Jerome, as a faithful servant of hell, couldn't help but be susceptible. I'd seen his pride come into play before; he didn't like others messing with his reputation. And while the demon naturally had many weaknesses, I'd say it was this more than anything else that would make him take action. â€Å"We can't intervene,† he said flatly. â€Å"You know that. Even if we are in control, we'd start an outright war. I for one don't want to deal with the repercussions of that.† â€Å"Agreed,† murmured the angel, lapsing into silence again. I looked back and forth between their faces, waiting for one of them to offer a brilliant plan. A brilliant plan which involved the angel and demon fighting in awesome, smiting glory to destroy Alec and his bastardly supplier friend. â€Å"Georgina could do it,† said Carter suddenly. â€Å"What?† I squeaked. That wasn't how the fantasy went. They turned their eyes on me. Dark outrage flashed in Jerome's eyes, then it faded as quickly as it had arrived. â€Å"Hmm. Perhaps.† â€Å"What are you guys talking about? I'm not doing any smiting.† â€Å"It wouldn't exactly be smiting,† said Carter, face promptly sobering. â€Å"But it could be dangerous if not done the right way. â€Å" â€Å"Why do I have to do it?† â€Å"Because you, Georgie, are a lesser power than we are. You are less subject to scrutiny and ramifications than us. It's the difference between a country declaring war and a small rebel faction striking out.† â€Å"Great,† I said, sinking back in my chair. â€Å"I'm a faction.† Carter was smiling again. â€Å"Don't you want to help Doug?† A moment passed. â€Å"You know I do.† â€Å"I meant it when I said it'd be dangerous, but if we're careful, you'll come out okay.† I thought about Doug's black despair and reckless behavior. The thought of this ambrosia â€Å"destroying† him clinched it for me. â€Å"Yeah, okay. I'll do it. Whatever it is. Dangerous or not.† I paused. â€Å"Um, what is it?† Neither answered. â€Å"Oh come on! You can't expect me to do this and not know what it is.† â€Å"It'll take some prep work,† Carter told me, apparently enjoying my consternation. But there was another expression on his face too†¦pride, I thought. The good kind of pride, like when you thought someone was doing the right thing. Not the bad kind of pride that made you do rash things. â€Å"As soon as it's in place, we'll let you know. I'll come find you.† I made a face. â€Å"You'll understand if I don't really find that a satisfying answer. † â€Å"And you'll understand,† retorted Jerome, â€Å"that it's the best one you're going to get.† Carter was a bit nicer. â€Å"What you can do in the meantime, however, is try to get access to the supplier. He's the one you'll ultimately have to deal with. Keep schmoozing with Alec. Do what you've got to do.† I nodded. Schmoozing I could do in my sleep. I felt relieved to be back in familiar waters. After leaving them, I put the ambrosia assignment on hold and went over to Seth's to play Scrabble, in keeping with a prearranged date. I'd vowed I wouldn't cheat this time, but I supposed that would depend on how desperate the game became. When I arrived, however, I found Seth in no condition to play. He sat at the desk in his bedroom, brow adorably furrowed as he stared at his computer screen, apparently willing it do something for him through mental determination alone. His condo had an office, I knew, but unpacked boxes currently filled it, making this room the combination office-bedroom. All his essentials in one place. If it had had an attached bathroom, he would have probably never emerged. â€Å"Can you give me†¦like†¦another hour?† he asked absently when he realized I had walked in, not looking at me. â€Å"I've just got to finish this chapter.† It was a moot request. Even if I hadn't been willing to give him another hour, he still would have kept writing. Mountains moved more easily than Seth in the middle of a story line. Happily accommodating, I kissed his cheek and wandered off to the office to find something to read. Sifting through those boxes made it difficult, however. By the time I had several of them emptied, I decided I might as well just go the whole way and do the job right. I unpacked all of the boxes – even the ones in his living room. I didn't know how many books that left me with, but it was a lot. My bookstore instincts made me sort them into categories, and that alone was time-consuming. Looking up at one point, I realized almost three hours had passed. I stood up, stretched, and returned to the bedroom. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"We're way past your hour.† He kept typing. I slipped my foot out of its sandal, shape-shifted the toenail color to burgundy and ran it up his leg. He jumped. â€Å"Hey!† â€Å"Hey yourself. Sorry to interrupt, but you need food, or you're going to pass out on your keyboard.† â€Å"Wouldn't be the first time,† he said. His eyes strayed, threatening to return to the computer, so I poked him again with my foot. He arched an eyebrow, then grabbed my foot, nearly making me fall over as he pulled me onto his lap. â€Å"You know, your toes aren't that compelling. It's not like I want to have sex with them or anything weird like that. I just think they're pretty. So don't think you can have your way on everything now. â€Å" I wiggled out of his grasp. â€Å"Say whatever you want. I've got new leverage with you. So, look, can you tear yourself away long enough to go get food?† It turned out he couldn't, toes or not. Disappointed, I ended up ordering pizza. We ate together and talked, but both of us were in our own worlds. He was with his characters in places I couldn't follow, and I was thinking about the ambrosia. Suddenly, I started laughing. â€Å"What?† he asked, startled. I told him about the ambrosia and what it did. The news obviously astonished him, but Seth had had some time now to accept the many unseen, supernatural things occurring in the world. I ended my story by saying Carter and Jerome were going to do something about it. I did not mention I would be taking on a large and possibly dangerous role too. There I was, holding back again, but it seemed pointless to get him worried when I had no concrete details yet. â€Å"So, anyway, I was laughing because I was trying to imagine what you'd be like on ambrosia,† I told him. â€Å"Why is that funny? Maybe I could churn out a book a week.† â€Å"Yeah, but I'd never see you again. You'd never bathe or cut your hair. It'd grow down to your waist – so would your beard – and you'd be sitting here in the dark, hunched over, wasting away in your Punky Brewster T-shirt. â€Å" â€Å"That's not funny. That's how I plan to spend my retirement. Besides, if I were going to wear the same shirt for the next fifty years, it'd be my Flash Gordon one.† His features shifted to a frown as he chewed. â€Å"The entire concept of Doug's problem being ‘magically' induced†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"It's crazy. And scary. Will they really be able to help him?† â€Å"They will if they can. Carter especially.† â€Å"You always put a lot of faith in him. Seems ironic, given the circumstances.† I supposed it was, and again, it was kind of new for me. I guess I was just starting to realize that although I might be on Jerome's side, it was Carter who was on my side lately. I smiled for Seth. â€Å"Well. If you can't put faith in an angel, who can you put faith in?† The muse called to him after dinner, and I let him go, unable to stand against her. I wondered if it would be possible for Seth to date someone who didn't love his books. Few women would be able to handle the competition. And yeah, sometimes it was hard for me to handle the competition too. It was hard enough that Seth wasn't into the livelier things I liked to do, like dancing. But also being denied the low-key things poked at me on occasion. Knowing his neglect was for the greater good, I returned to my book sorting, which allowed half of my brain to churn over the Alec problem and how I was going to get to GQ Poet Guy. Getting a hold of Doug in the evening was never easy, but I'd see him at work tomorrow. He'd offered Alec's number to me once; hopefully he'd be as obliging this time. I finished my cataloging and shelving job around two in the morning. All the books had homes on either the office or living room shelves, and all the books were indexed by genre and author in a way Emerald City might have lauded. The office now had room for the desk. In the bedroom, Seth still typed in the dark, lit by the glow of his monitor. I kissed his cheek once more and fell asleep in his bed, exhausted. I awoke hours later to someone kissing my cheek. â€Å"Hey,† I murmured drowsily, trying to pull Seth into bed with me. â€Å"You're giving me funny ideas.† He leaned over me and planted a kiss on my nose. Morning sunlight lit up the coppery highlights in his messy hair and perpetual five o'clock shadow. He regarded me fondly, those luscious lips smiling. â€Å"You put my books away. All of them.† â€Å"I had to. Good grief. If anyone at Emerald City found out I was letting that slide, they'd fire me.† He curled up beside me and put an arm over me. â€Å"You're pretty good to me, Thetis, considering what an idiot I am sometimes.† â€Å"Stop making fun of my favorite author, or I'll have to deck you.† â€Å"I mean it. I've lost girlfriends for less than what I did last night.† â€Å"You weren't that bad. I've seen you worse.† I sat up a little. â€Å"Hey, how many girlfriends have you had anyway?† Laugh lines appeared around his eyes, making him even cuter. â€Å"It was all research for the books, I swear.† It was ironic, I realized, that I kept ending up with artistic types. A very long time ago, I'd been married to a man I swore loved his music more than me sometimes. I had loved him for that musical passion and hated it at the same time. Similar scenarios with other mortals had repeated over the centuries. Remembering my thoughts from last night, I worried that Seth might bring out the old green-eyed monster again. â€Å"How'd the chapter turn out?† I asked, mussing his hair further. â€Å"Good. Great even.† He gave me a sweet, bemused look. â€Å"I don't suppose†¦I don't suppose you'd ever want to read the manuscripts as I work on them, would you? See how the process works?† I froze, realizing just what a precious gift he was offering me. Seth had told me once he never let anyone read the early drafts. He didn't want feedback that might influence his own creative flow. It wasn't until he had a complete manuscript and he felt the books were nigh-perfect that he finally allowed his publishing posse to take a look. That he would offer this to me both thrilled and touched me. â€Å"No,† I said softly, smiling. â€Å"But thank you. I don't want to interrupt your normal cycle. But maybe†¦maybe when you've got a fairly polished draft ready to send off, I'll take a look then.† He nodded, returning my smile. Something passed between us then that had nothing to do with manuscripts or book sorting but was fired by both of them nonetheless. â€Å"Here,† he said, standing up. Turning to a nearby chair, he picked up a tray I hadn't even noticed. â€Å"Since you fed me last night.† I looked down as he set the tray across my lap. Pancakes – with smiley faces – drowning in maple syrup. Good strong coffee. Even a little vase with two stems of purple irises. Seth had a thing for purple flowers. I touched one of the velvety soft petals. â€Å"You didn't get these from your kitchen. You must have gotten up pretty early to go out.† He shook his head, looking sheepish. â€Å"I never went to bed.† I therefore wasn't surprised when Seth lay down beside me while I ate and promptly fell asleep. I finished the exquisite breakfast, did the dishes, and left for work, leaving him a note that promised I'd call later. At the bookstore, I was getting so used to Paige and Warren's absence, it was like they didn't even work there anymore. I found Doug when he arrived, and as hoped, he did indeed give me Alec's number – though not without a few jokes at my expense. I called Alec on my lunch, unsure if he'd be home. He was there and sounded overjoyed to hear from me. Yes, yes, of course he could get more. He was so glad I'd liked it. Giving me the address of a coffee shop he'd be at, he told me to stop by right after work. I showed up there five minutes after my shift ended. The coffee shop was perfectly ordinary, nothing dark or sinister. Hardly the stereotypical rendezvous for a drug transaction. I spotted Alec sitting at a table in the back, but someone was with him. Not wanting to interrupt, I stood in line to order a mocha. Alec's companion was a young man, younger than him even. Eighteen, if I had to guess. And he was beautiful. He had swept his thick, dark-blond hair into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck, and his face was all clean, strong lines. When he smiled at some comment of Alec's, perfect white teeth showed against the tanned skin. I expected to see this guy in an Abercrombie & Fitch ad soon. Or maybe not, since he too was apparently wasting his life away. Alec reached into his pocket and gave the guy one of the telltale bags. Happiness and relief shone on the golden boy's face, making him look – if possible – even more attractive. He left. Angrily gripping my drink, I took his chair and forced a cheerful attitude. â€Å"Hey,† said Alec in greeting, clearly in a good mood. â€Å"You have no idea how glad I am to see you. You look hot, as always. â€Å" â€Å"Thanks. How's it going?† â€Å"Awesome, now.† He grinned broadly. â€Å"Fabulous day.† He leaned toward me. â€Å"So? What did you think?† I set my cup down heavily and acquired some little-girl wonder. â€Å"You were right†¦it was amazing. It was like I was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I decided a lack of words was better than trying to describe something I hadn't experienced. He was only too happy to help fill in the blanks. â€Å"Better than ever? Who you were meant to be?† â€Å"Yes,† I said breathlessly. â€Å"You – you've got to give me more.† â€Å"Can do.† His hand reached into the magic pocket. One of the lethal bags appeared, and that ugly feeling snaked down my spine. He held the crystals teasingly out of my reach. â€Å"You know, they get better the more you do it. You up for that?† I stared at the bag longingly, then up at him. â€Å"Don't you have more than this? I mean, I want that one†¦but it's not going to be enough. I need a lot of this.† â€Å"Slow down. You don't want to take more than one bag.† â€Å"I know that, but this is good for what, a day or two?† His eyes glinted. â€Å"Big plans already, huh? Most people don't get quite so fired up this fast.† I chewed on my lower lip, not wanting to raise any alarms. Assessing my self-inventory, I tried to think of something nonsexual the ambrosia would have affected. Alec's earlier visitor gave me the answer. â€Å"It's weird. I know this guy at a modeling agency, and he always gives me the runaround. But I saw him yesterday when I took this†¦and it was like, I don't know. He couldn't get enough of me. He wants me to come back for some major shoots.† I gripped Alec's arm. â€Å"I don't get how this could be doing it†¦maybe it's coincidence. I don't know. But I want more. I think I need it to make this gig work out. You've got to help me. Or take me to wherever you get this. I'll pay. I'll do anything.† His face told me I had said exactly the right thing. â€Å"It's not coincidence,† he told me smugly. â€Å"And I'll get you more.† I exhaled with palpable relief. â€Å"Promise? Like a big supply?† â€Å"I promise. Here, take this one.† â€Å"What do I owe you?† â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Come on! They can't all be free.† My hold on his hand changed to something softer and more suggestive. â€Å"I told you before†¦I'm happy to pay†¦however you want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed, regarding me wistfully as he briefly ran his fingers over my hand and then pulled away. â€Å"I know. You want a big batch of it? That you'll have to pay for. I'll take you to the guy who gets it for me, and you can pay him.† â€Å"What'll it cost? How much am I going to need?† Something unreadable flashed in his eyes. â€Å"You've already got exactly what you need. Can you meet me tomorrow night?† I hesitated. Carter had said we needed some prep time before I faced the supplier, time in which I had been told to arrange the meeting with him. This was too soon. â€Å"I'm busy,† I told him, trying to put heavy regret into my words. â€Å"What about the next night?† He didn't seem happy about that, just as he hadn't liked the delay in me drinking my first batch. But where his urgency had been underscored with an eager curiosity last time, he now displayed an almost panicked anxiety. I wondered just how demanding his master was. â€Å"Sooner would be better. You aren't going to be able to go that long anyway, not if you want it this bad already. â€Å" I stayed firm. â€Å"I don't have a choice.† He agreed after a little more wheedling, and we set a time and place to meet in two days. As I stood up, he warned me, â€Å"Call me sooner if you can't hold out, okay? Here's my cell.† â€Å"Okay, thanks.† â€Å"Hey,† he called as I started to walk away. â€Å"Good luck with the shoot.† For a minute, I didn't remember what he was talking about. Then I recalled my alleged modeling gig. I smiled and thanked him, chuckling to myself as I left. In all of the lies I'd just told him, there had been a kernel of truth. I did have a photo shoot. Tonight was the night Bastien and I were going to take the pictures for Seth.

Self-confidence: Confidence and Self-assurance

Self-assurance In our life, there are two words between you and your success. Than if you reached to this words, I am sure you are successful person and you can make the success one after another in anywhere. In addition I am sure you will accept knowledge and experience more than others. In this essay I am going to define these two words which called self-assurance, which basis of the successful person. Everybody have abilities and decisions also have potentials, but all of this needs confidence to be prominent.In my assay I will discuss about concept of self-assurance, I will compare between it and vanity, and the positive effects of it†¦ For that reason we need to compare between them, with example from reality. First one _ self-assurance _ comes from several factors which are: repeat successes, has the ability to override the difficulties and embarrassing situations and wisdom in dealing. In addition self-assurance programmed the person to accept the result whatever. For tha t, I am like most people’s which think it is something positive. On another hand, the vanity means feeling of greatness and dust perfection.So, the different between them is the self-assurance is estimate of possibilities available. But, the second is loss or abuse of this estimate. For example: the vanity person doesn't listen to others except him and he always talking about himself. He cannot believe that he may makes mistakes. He believes that he can be in the right place rather than others. But, the achievements are talking about the confident person. Therefore, the one of the greatest common mistakes is to say that vanity is the same self-confidence or even confuse them. That is because vanity is demolition agent rights while confidence flying the rights. he very unfortunate to say that, the self-assurance can be grow to the point that see to its owner – in him self- he has ability on everything . Then, here turning to vanity. So, we can say there is one hair betw een self-assurance and vanity. So, the more human self-confidence whenever intensified that hair and approached the drop! In my opinion we can say the self-assurance is something such as motivation on the person to highlights of his abilities, decisions and potentials. Also, self-assurance almost means the esteem of self, and faith of this, can be reached this self to the success.Because of the person respect himself so, the others will respect him. Less an example of that, When I was in elementary school. I read in one publication in my school which was published weekly contest held for the speech. I was very eager to participate in the contest so I read many articles in order to gain a range of skills to enable me to participate in the competition and won in it . Therefore, I went to the teacher Responsible for the competition to ask him to add my name to the list of participants in the competition but he refuse to add my name. He said that my age didn’t allowed me to join the competition.But I was confident of my ability to participate in the contest. Finally, because of my insistence, my teacher agreed to join with the participants in the competition. And already I participated in the competition and managed to win in it within creative students. Finally ,self-confidence is gaining and evolve not generate self-confidence with when it appears to the human life, those people who know you they are confidence and the can control of the concern, and have no difficulties in dealing and coping at any time or in any place are people who have gained self-confidence.

Most Abundant Element in the Universe, Earth, and Body

Most Abundant Element in the Universe, Earth, and Body The most abundant element in the universe is hydrogen, which makes up about 3/4 of all matter! Helium makes up most of the remaining 25%. Oxygen is the third-most abundant element in the universe. All of the other elements are relatively rare. The chemical composition of Earth is quite a bit different from that of the universe. The most abundant element in the Earths crust is oxygen, making up 46.6% of Earths mass. Silicon is the second most abundant element (27.7%), followed by aluminum (8.1%), iron (5.0%), calcium (3.6%), sodium (2.8%), potassium (2.6%). and magnesium (2.1%). These eight elements account for approximately 98.5% of the total mass of the Earths crust. Of course, the Earths crust is only the outer portion of the Earth. Future research will tell us about the composition of the mantle and core. The most abundant element in the human body is oxygen, making up about 65% of the weight of each person. Carbon is the second-most abundant element, making up 18% of the body. Although you have more hydrogen atoms than any other type of element, the mass of a hydrogen atom is so much less than that of the other elements that its abundance comes in third at 10% by mass. Source​Element Distribution in the Earths Crust

Risk Management and Investment Coursework Portfolio Essay

Risk Management and Investment Coursework Portfolio - Essay Example I changed the portfolio by taking the additional step to modify the number of shares and adding funds to the I already hold in the portfolio. There were few reasons to make the alterations in my portfolio starting with returns and performance of the individual stocks. The objective of the investment is to maximize the return and is found in UK. The fund comprises of the following; Barclays PLC, BG Group plc., Glencoe Xstrata PLC, Royal Dutch Shell Plc., Invensys PLC, Experian PLC, BHP Billiton PLC, Standard Chartered PLC, Old Mutual PLC, and ITV PLC. Additionally, there is 500,000 pounds in cash that need to be deposited, that earn 1 per cent annually since the inception date. Investments trust whose main goal is to generate income, faces the problem of managing all host of investments which have to be materialized using a lot of resources. There are two sets of study that alleviates the problem. First is the rules and mechanism that are defined for the needed tasks of schedule development and control schedule and its resource management. Additionally, the investment portfolios are described to allow maximization of portfolio, portfolio balancing, strategy alignment, and choosing the correct number of stocks. There is however a problem of managem ent that I faced. This is attributed to the fact that formal an investment portfolio management method was used to carry out the investment. This problem is specifically called the push problem. Additionally, the release problem where the objective of portfolio is to deliver the investments that raises the value of investments. The objective can therefore be achieved by recommending a condition that has to be followed (Prime 2007). The main objective of the investment fund is to maximize on the returns with low risk. Therefore, the investment needs to be focused on incomes that are

Final Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Reflection Paper - Essay Example I consider the 2nd reflection as the most significant of the three with the reason that it builds the foundation of Christian understanding that were it not for Christ’s sacrifice, mankind could have perished in sin. It is through Christ’s redemption that all these things such as peace, forgiveness, justice, and life were granted to us. Considering that Christianity is the major religion in focus, all issues addressed in the course are based on the fact that all human beings are created in God’s image and thus have to do what is expected of them by God and what pleases him most. No person is superior to another and that guarantees equality in all spheres of life. Violating human rights as well as disrespecting others is sinful and against the teachings of Christ. Generally, all religions have some principles and beliefs that may be in common regarding humanity, thus they should act in unison to establish peace and seek for justice whenever necessary (Moore 440). The course has also taught me the biggest lesson that for all the above to be achieved, each individual has an obligation to act responsibly and account for his or her action. Self respect, morality, and repentance are the building blocks of peaceful co-existence. How the Christian doctrine, â€Å"God hates sin† provides resources that help Christians to respond to the global concern of Justice In one way or another, every human being has sinned against God, straight from the time of Creation in Genesis. Several Biblical teachings act as resources for teaching believers that God really hate sin and he punishes evil deeds. This is seen from Lot’s story when God turned her into a salt pillar on her way from Sodom. This was due to the crime of a backward glance, according to chapter 19 of Genesis. When a Christian reads this story, he gets to question himself if the act of turning back to look at her home really deserved a death punishment. Similarly, in Acts 5, when Anan ias and Sapphira lied to the apostles, God stroke them to death in the midst of the entire church. Believers tend to struggle to get an understanding on how something that seems so minor could result into a severe judgment. One of the most fundamental tenets of justice is that the given punishment must be in line with the crime committed. This reminds Christians that God hates sin and that their actions qualify them for eternal sentence of sin. According to the doctrine, â€Å"God hates sin,† sin is any act of treason against the only judge of the universe and the sovereign lawgiver. Sin is described as ungodliness, rebellion, wickedness, abomination, ad lawlessness. In this sense therefore, sinners are traitors, who refuse to think, love, obey, and serve God who endowed them with breath, life, and everything on earth (Tiessen 249). Those who sin spurn the love of God, despise his sovereignty, look at his commandments with contempt, and mock his justice. God finds our sins mo rally revolting, cruel, monstrous, issues that are a reality. If people cannot view their sins the way God views them, then it stands to reason that they do not see the just judgment the way he sees it. Clearly, Christians live by this established principle that the seriousness of an offense is measured by its inherent nature as well as by the one offended. Our sins have offended a holy and glorious being and