Baccio Della Porta Essays - Renaissance Art, Fra Bartolomeo

Baccio Della Porta Even the average person with little or no background in art may have heard the names Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, or Raphael. Not only because they are the most famous and noteworthy painters, sculptors, draughtsmen, designers, and inventors of the high renaissance, but also because of the countless stories and movies, fact and fiction which included these men and at least mentioned their importance, relevance, and influences on today'7s world. Many children have grown up already knowing these names, and perhaps that they were artists however simplistic that may be, after the explosion of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the late eighties. Perhaps there is one high renaissance artist who does not always recieve due credit, but who was influencial just the same. One such artist was Baccio della Porta, a Florentine renaissance painter. Baccio della Porta was born in Florence, Italy in 1472. As historians know, most artists went into apprenticeship at about the age of eleven or twelve at this time in Florence. Taking this into account, it is assumed that Baccio did become an apprentice of Cosimo Rosselli at that age since he was well known in his workshop by 1485. 1 Baccio della Porta's master or teacher, Cosimo Rosselli, had probably just returned from his work in Rome in the Sistine Chapel. It is also known that the average length of time for an artist's apprenticeship was about six to eight years, putting Baccio on his own around 1490. 2 According to many modern art historians, Vasari is the most reliable source of information on the life and works of Fra Bartolommeo after he entered the Dominican Order and became a brother.3 Baccio della Porta and a pier of his, as well as a fellow student of the arts, Mariotto Albertinelli became intimate friends during their apprenticeships. Following their apprenticeship the two decided to work proffesionally together at the home of Baccio della Porta. They made this decision to work together in 1491, but their partnership and friendship apparently ended when they went their own ways in styles and choices of schools to follow and associate with4. Baccio della Porta joined the followers of Savonarolas, Mariotto associated with the Medici followers, specifically working for the patron Alfonsina Orsini who was the wife of Piero de ' Medici. After Savonarolas was burned during the violent riots of the arrabiati. Chris Fischer writes that there must have been countless works executed between Mariotti Albertinelli and Baccio della Porta during this period of upheaval when Savonarolas was murdered because he was thought to be a heretic.5 However, because of this violent period, few of these works can be acredited to one painter or another. The obvious and evident recognizable influences by master artists were reflected in many works, which helped to narrow some works down to the style of the Cosimo Rosselli school. As Baccio della Porta began to develop his own style which was naturally to give purpose, meaning, and religious order, he then made a permanent and important step in his life.6 Baccio della Porta was deeply moved after witnessing the preaching of Savonarola and decided to join the Dominican Brotherhood around 1500.7 Once Baccio della Porta had withdrawn into the convent he retired from painting for some time. This difficult decision must have built character, something which is a definite plus in the life of an aspiring artist. After joining the convent Baccio's name changed to Fra Bartolommeo as he is known today. His style showed a truth and need to preach of religion and righteousness. Although Fra Bartolommeo's purpose reflected in his works was noble and honest, he was not exactly a revolutionary with much to say. His figure-style, composition, symbolism, rhythm, mastering of chiaroscuro, his beautiful handling of flowing draperies, and his simplicity all reflect his goal of ridding the world of vanity.8 Before discussing Bartolommeo's works and style in depth, one must first give a general sense of his styles and why he adopted them and evolved the way he did. For the most part this general introduction to Bartolommeo's style has been provided in the previous pages. Fra Bartolommeo always had a sense for the grandiose and largescale figures and settings. To the untrained eye or even at first glance

The Penguin Atlas of Human Sexual Behavior

The Penguin Atlas of Human Sexual Behavior Published in 2000, the 128 page The Penguin Atlas of Human Sexual Behavior contains a plethora of facts and data about sex and sexuality worldwide. Unfortunately, the data used in the atlas was not often available for each country in the world so the author, Dr. Judith Mackay, was left to map incomplete data which is sometimes from as few as a dozen or so counties. Nonetheless, the book provides a fascinating insight into the cultural geography of sex and reproduction. Sometimes the data, maps, and graphics seem a bit sketchy. One example of a non-cited graphic is titled Breasts Are Getting Bigger and implies that in 1997, the average breast size in the U.K. was 36B but that it grew to 36C in 1999. A longer time period is provided for Asia - the graphic shows that in the 1980s average breast size was 34A and the 1990s it was 34C, not quite as dramatic as the U.K.s single-cup size increase in two years. The data I mention below in this article comes from reputable sources listed in the references section of the atlas. On with the facts... First Encounters Maps in the atlas provide information about the age of first sexual intercourse worldwide for several dozen countries where data was available. For women, the countries with the youngest average age of first intercourse are in central Africa and the Czech Republic with an average age of 15. The countries where womens first sexual experience comes at age 20 and older are Egypt, Kazakhstan, Italy, Thailand, Ecuador, and the Philippines. According to the map, the first sexual intercourse comes at 16 in the U.S. and 18 in the U.K. For men, the earliest average age of first intercourse is 16 in Brazil, Peru, Kenya, Zambia, Iceland, and Portugal but the highest average age is 19 in Italy. A male in the U.K.s average age of first intercourse is 18. There are far fewer countries with mens data than womens in the atlas (even the U.S. is missing from the map.) Sexual Intercourse and Contraception According to the atlas, on any given day, sexual intercourse takes place 120 million times on earth. Thus, with 240 million people having sex daily and a world population of just under 6.1 billion (as of 2000), about 4% of the worlds population (1 out of every 25 people) is having or had sex today. The country boasting the longest amount of time during sexual intercourse is Brazil at 30 minutes. The U.S., Canada, and the U.K. follow with 28, 23, and 21 minutes respectively. The quickest sex in the world takes place in Thailand with 10 minutes and Russia at 12 minutes. Among sexually active 16-45-year-olds, the most active countries are Russia, the U.S.A., and France, where people report having sex more than 130 times a year. Sex is least frequent in Hong Kong at under 50 times a year. Modern contraception is most frequently used in China, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and western Europe but least in central Africa and Afghanistan. Condom use is highest in Thailand with 82% of people claiming to always use a condom. Marriage The atlas tells us that 60% of marriages around the world are arranged so theres little choice of partners in most marriages. The age difference between prospective partners is interesting. Western European, North American, and Australian men usually search for a partner who is less than two years younger while men in Nigeria, Zambia, Colombia, and Iran all prefer women at least four years younger. China has the worlds highest minimum age for men to get married - 22; however, women in China can marry at 20 years of age. Its interesting to note that the minimum age for marriage for both sexes varies throughout the U.S. on a state-by-state basis and ranges from 14 to 21 years. Divorce rates are highest in Australia and the U.S.A. but are lowest in the Middle East, North Africa, and East Asia. Sex outside of marriage is most common in women under twenty in Germany and the U.K., where over 70% of young women have sex outside of marriage but in Asia, the percentage is less than ten. The Dark Side The atlas also covers the negative aspects of sex and sexuality. A map shows that female genital excision is highest in the countries of northeast Africa - Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. Rapes per 100,000 women mapped out shows that among others - the U.S., Canada, Australia, southern Africa, Sweden have the worlds highest rates of rape (over 4 per 10,000). A map of the legal status of homosexuality around the world tells us that many countries in northern Africa and the Middle East can punish homosexual sex acts with the death penalty. We also learn that adultery is punishable by death in Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Overall, The Penguin Atlas of Human Sexual Behavior is a very interesting compilation and reference for facts about human sexual behavior and reproduction worldwide and I do recommend it for students of cultural geography or sexology.

Does It Matter Who We are Communicating about Essay

Does It Matter Who We are Communicating about - Essay Example Awareness alone cannot eliminate bias in communication. The author discusses the importance of learning how to communicate with various personality types, in order to get the message across. By learning about the audience, through observation and body language, the speaker or communicator can adjust or tailor communications that will reach, rather than offend, multiple members of an audience. This discussion also has implications for communications among individuals. It cannot be assumed that the listener communicates in the same manner as the speaker. The author highlights the need for greater awareness and adaptability in communications, thus eliminating the bias of assuming that the species in terms of language and stereotyping in communication that occurs within those groups. Stereotyping is described as a means of confiscation, for the individual to gain favor within the group and survey participants are able to identify various forms of stereotyping in a given scenario. The limitations of the research include a scenario describing the behavior of one individual, rather than of multiple group members. The research clearly indicates that stereotyping does occur in communications, within various social contexts. The research also indicates the need for awareness of stereotyping, in communication with a larger audience that may consist of members of very different groups. members of the group or audience to be respected and this is done through inclusion. The authors suggest that, particularly in a class setting, the faculty can set parameters for class communications from the start. It is further suggested that communications within and for a larger group should also consider avoiding language that stereotypes a specific group or groups.

Transition Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transition - Case Study Example It is often observed that disable students are more likely to drop out of their high schools than normal people among the general masses. Almost 36% of disable students usually leave their high schools before graduation and fail to experience the core values and principles of learning hence failing to obtain the knowledge normal people pertain to. This figure slightly varies in urban, suburban and rural areas and it is due to this that they fail to acquire the required coursework hence making them lag behind in the employment areas. 79% of normal students, i.e. students without disabilities are employed in reputable organizations soon after their graduation whereas a general trend that is observed in disable students is that they do not opt for employment after graduating and rather choose to stay home for at least four five years. The fact that they are not exposed to the work environment at the right time makes them less competent at the corporate level. Owing to the factors explai ned above, disable students and particularly those with multiple impairments and health issues feel themselves isolated from their social network and claim to suffer to a great deal due to this.

Compose a Training Manual For Diversity in The Workforce Assignment

Compose a Training Manual For Diversity in The Workforce - Assignment Example Discrimination is a vice against humanity. Nobody should be discriminated based on their characteristics such as color, ethnic background, race or gender. Until recently, the working population consisted of mostly non-Hispanic whites. But of late, marginalized groups that were regarded as inferior have started taking up formal employment (Newbold, 2010). There have been several studies into the composition of the American population and this information has been used to predict current and future trends in regards to work place composition. These changes will not only be presented in the society but will also manifest themselves in the work place. When there is an increase in the population of a certain ethnic group, for example the Asians, this implies that the same group will be available in all spheres of life. As a result, there will be an increase in Asians in the work force as well. Supervisors play a key role in this project because they are at the front line when dealing with employees. They are at the front when it comes to implementation of the demands of the management and therefore they play a key role in regards to upholding the correct behavior among the employees. In that regard, dealing with the issue of work place discrimination will not be useful until we first of all look at the current population trends and the projected future trends so that we can compare and come up with a plan of how we are going to deal with this influx of foreigners in our country. The work place forms a very important role in the American society. Industries form the backbone of the American society and as such should be as stable as possible (Bean, 1987). The American work force has over the years consisted pre dominantly of non-Hispanic whites. However, due to immigration this trend has begun to change and will change further in the years to come.

Impact of Composition on Pore Throat Size in Mature Shales

Impact of Composition on Pore Throat Size in Mature Shales The impact of composition on pore throat size and permeability in mature shales: an example in Middle and Upper Devonian Horn River Group shale, northeastern British Columbia, Canada Tian Donga, Nicholas B. Harrisa, Korhan Ayrancia, Cory E. Twemlowb, Brent R. Nassichukb a Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada, b Trican Geological Solutions Ltd., Calgary, AB T2E 2M1, Canada, Abstract Shale reservoirs of the Middle and Upper Devonian Horn River Group provide an opportunity to study the influence of rock composition on permeability and pore throat size distribution in mature formation. Sedimentological, geochemical and petrophysical analyses reveal relationships between rock composition, pore throat size and matrix permeability. In our sample set, measured matrix permeability ranges between 1.69 and 42.81 nanodarcies and increases with increasing porosity. Total organic carbon (TOC) content positively correlates to permeability and exerts a stronger control on permeability than inorganic composition. A positive correlation between silica content and permeability, and the abundant presence of interparticle pores between quartz crystals, suggest that quartz content may be another factor enhancing the permeability. Pore throat size distributions are strongly related to TOC content. In organic rich samples, the dominant pore throat size is less than 10 nm, whereas in organic lean samples, pore throat size distribution is dominantly greater than 20 nm. SEM images suggest that in organic rich samples, organic matter pores are the dominant pore type, whereas in quartz rich samples, the dominant type is interparticle pores between quartz grains. In clay rich and carbonate rich samples, the dominant pore type is intr aparticle pores, which are fewer and smaller in size. High permeability shales are associated with specific depositional facies. Massive and pyritic mudstones, rich in TOC and quartz, have relatively high permeability. Laminated mudstone, bioturbated mudstone and carbonate facies, which are relatively enriched in clay or carbonate, have relatively low permeability. Key words: Pore throat size; Permeability; shale composition; Horn River Group shale; Western Canada Sedimentary Basin 1. Introduction Typical shales or mudstones are sedimentary rocks with a dominant grain size less than 63 ÃŽÂ ¼m, serving as source rocks if organic matter is rich and as seals preventing hydrocarbon migration because of fine-grained nature (Schieber, 1998). Permeability is a fundamental property in conventional reservoirs that strongly influences hydrocarbon production rate. Permeability is presumably also important in shale reservoirs for long term flow rates, although initial production rates are also influenced by natural and artificial fracture systems (Jarvie et al., 2007; Rickman et al., 2008). Permeabilities in mudstones are typically several orders of magnitude lower than in coarser grained lithologies, such as siltstones and sandstones (Dewhurst et al., 1999; Nelson, 2009; Yang and Aplin, 2010). Published absolute permeabilities, measured on a variety of shales and by different analytical methods, typically fall in the nano-darcy range (Kwon et al., 2004). Because of the extremely low p ermeability, accurate measurements of permeability in shale samples are challenging (Sakhaee-Pour and Bryant, 2011; Tinni et al., 2012; Moghadam and Chalaturnyk, 2015). Steady-state flow techniques are impractical because it is difficult to achieve flow through shale plugs in a period of time short enough to permit analysis of large numbers of samples (Mallon and Swarbrick, 2008; Sakhaee-Pour and Bryant, 2011). Consequently, transient pulse decay methods, which require much less time, are generally employed to measure shale permeability on both plugs and crushed particles (Cui et al., 2009). One potential problem in using core plugs for pulse-decay measurements is that induced fractures may influence the measurements (Ghanizadeh et al., 2015); therefore, a crushed rock technique (the GRI method) may be a favorable method to measure the matrix permeability (Cui et al., 2009). On the other hand, where microfractures exist naturally in a shale, the GRI method might not be appropriate. In mudstones, permeability primarily depends on the abundance and size of pores and pore throats (Yang and Aplin, 1998; Dewhurst et al., 1999); under reservoir conditions, pore throats and consequently permeabilities may be substantial lower than measured under ambient conditions due to compression of pore throats. Permeability under in-situ conditions is difficult to measure, but it can be estimated from more easily determined petrophysical properties such as pore size and pore throat size distribution as well as surface area (Yang and Aplin, 1998). Mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) measurements provide a qualitative understanding of permeability by giving useful information about the pore throat size and connectivity. MICP data suggest that pore throat size distributions in mudstones are influenced by porosity, grain size and clay content (Dewhurst et al., 1999; Yang and Aplin, 2007). Previously published data indicate that pore throat sizes in shales ranges from 5 nm to more than 100 nm (Nelson, 2009). Reported permeabilities in mudstones vary by ten orders of magnitude, primarily controlled by the presence of clay minerals, which decreases permeability by clogging mineral associated pores (Neuzil, 1994; Yang and Aplin, 1998, 2007, 2010; Dewhurst et al., 1998; Dewhurst et al., 1999). Permeabilities are also impacted by diagenetic processes such as destruction of porosity by mechanical compaction and cementation, and enhancement of pore throats by mineral dissolution (Pommer and Milliken, 2015). Most samples in these studies are either organic lean mudstones or low maturity, and the dominant pores exist between particles. Recently, high resolution scanning electron microscopy combined with ion milling techniques applied to mudstone samples has documented another important set of pores, i.e. those developed within organic matter (Loucks et al., 2009; Loucks et al., 2012; Nelson, 2009; Slatt and OBrien, 2011; Chalmers et al., 2012a; Curtis et al., 2012a; Curtis et al., 2012b; Dong and Harris, 2013; Dong et al., 2015; Mastalerz et al., 2013; Klaver et al., 2015; Tian et al., 2015). However, little work has been done on the control exerted by organic matter and other compositional variables on pore throat size distribution and permeability . Some studies have described pore features and factors controlling the matrix permeability in the Horn River Group shale (Ross and Bustin, 2009; Chalmers et al., 2012b), but none have been sufficiently detailed to determine the compositional factors influencing pore throat size distribution and permeability. In this study, we present a large dataset of permeability measurements on crushed samples and pore throat structure determined by MICP data By integrating geochemical data and petrophysical data for the Horn River Group shale, we investigate the potential effects of shale composition and organic matter on pore geometry, pore throat size distribution and permeability. We then link permeability to lithofacies, which can be used to predict spatial variation in permeability. 2. Geological setting The Horn River Basin, an area of nearly 12,000 km2, is situated in the deep northwest portion of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in northeastern British Columbia, Canada (Fig. 1) (Oldale and Munday, 1994). It is bounded to the south and east by carbonate barrier reefs (Presquile barrier) and to the west by the Bovie Fault, a Cretaceous structure associated with Laramide tectonism (Ross and Bustin, 2008). During the Middle and Late Devonian, the southern part was proximal to the paleo-shoreline and received more siliclastic input than the more distal northern part of the Horn River Basin (Fig. 1) (OConnell, 1994; Dong et al., 2016). The Horn River Group shale includes the Evie and Otter Park Members of Horn River Formation and the Muskwa Formation (Fig. 2), all deposited within a roughly 8 m.y. interval spanning the Givetian to early Frasnian Stages (~ 392 to 384 Ma) (Oldale and Munday, 1994). In the Horn River Basin, most of the Horn River Group shale is within the dry gas windo w with a vitrinite reflectance (Ro) ranging between 1.6 and 2.5% (Ross and Bustin, 2008, 2009; Rivard et al., 2014). The Evie Member is a dark grey, organic rich, variably calcareous mudstone that overlies the shallow marine carbonates of the Lower Keg River Formation (McPhail et al., 2008; Hulsy, 2011). The Evie Member is up to 75 meters thick near the Presquile barrier, thinning to less than 40 meters to the west (McPhail et al., 2008). The average TOC content for the Evie Member is 3.7 wt.% (Dong et al., 2015). The Otter Park Member is typically a grey, pyritic, argillaceous to calcareous mudstone. It is much thicker than the underlying Evie Member and the overlying Muskwa Formation, as much as 270 meters in the southeast Horn River Basin (McPhail et al., 2008). The Otter Park shale generally has lower organic content than either the Evie or the Muskwa, averaging 2.4 wt.% TOC (Dong et al., 2015). Portions of the Otter Park Member are rich in organic carbon with up to 7.09 wt.% TOC (Dong et al., 2015). The Otter Park shale varies geographically in composition, becoming argillaceous in distal part s of the basin to the north and west. The Muskwa shale is a gray to black siliceous, pyritic, organic-rich shale that overlies the Otter Park Member. The Muskwa Formation varies in thickness from 50 to 90 meters (Oldale and Munday, 1994). Organic carbon enrichment in the Muskwa Formation is generally higher than in the Otter Park Member but slightly lower than in the Evie Member, averaging 3.41wt.% TOC (Dong et al., 2015). The Muskwa Formation is overlain by the Fort Simpson Formation which is poor in organic matter. 3. Methodology We obtained core samples from four wells drilled in the Horn River Basin distributed from the northern distal part of the basin to southern proximal part: EOG Maxhamish D-012-L/094-O-15, Nexen Gote A-27-I/094-O-8, ConocoPhillips McAdam C-87-K/094-O-7 and Imperial Komie D-069-K/094-O-02 (Fig. 1). All samples were slabs cut from a 10 cm diameter core and were, on average, approximately 10 cm long and 6 cm wide. Splits were cut vertically along the sides of the core samples for geochemical analysis, permeability measurements, MICP analysis and SEM image analysis, so that the different analyses were performed on the same interval of rock. Before sampling, these four cores were stratigraphically logged in order to identify the sedimentological and ichnological characteristics and define lithofacies (see Dong et al., 2015, 2016 for methods on sedimentological analysis). Weatherford Laboratories analyzed total organic carbon (TOC) content using LECO combustion. Acme Analytical Laboratories determined the major element concentrations, including SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2, P2O5, MnO and Cr2O3 by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Detailed information on analytical procedures for TOC and major oxides was provided in Dong et al. (2015). We selected ten samples (Table 1) for bulk mineralogical analysis and Based on the lithofacies classification, we selected five samples (Table 2) representing different lithofacies for QEMSCAN analysis, carried out by Whiting Petroleum Corporation, Denver. QEMSCAN is an automated SEM-based mineralogical analysis tool, and can be used for the quantitative determination of mineral abundance and identification of micro-texture (Ahmad and Haghighi, 2012). Permeability and porosity were measured on one hundred samples (Table 3) by Trican Well Service Ltd., Calgary, Alberta. Samples were crushed, sieved with a 10 mesh screen and dried in an oven at 105ËÅ ¡C to remove any existing fluids. Matrix permeability was measured on the crushed and sieved samples using the GRI method (Luffel et al., 1993). Helium pycnometry was used to measure the grain densities of each crushed sample. Ultra-high purity helium was used to maximize penetration of pore space and minimize potential reactions with the samples (Cui et al., 2009). Permeability was calculated at ambient conditions based on a method refined from ResTech (1996) and Luffel et al. (1993), and was not calibrated to insitu conditions. Pore throat size distributions were measured by mercury porosimeter on shale chips. We selected thirty-six samples (Table 4) from the four wells representing a wide range of TOC contents and mineralogical compositions to do the mercury injection analysis (Klaver et al., 2015). Mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) analyses force mercury into pore throats and pores under increasing applied pressure. Pore throat diameters, not pore diameters, are then interpreted from the MICP measurements. The samples were dried in a vacuum oven over 12 hours and then intruded with mercury from 2 to 60000 psi using Micromeritics AutoPore IV 9500 V1.09 apparatus at the Department of Physics, University of Alberta. The minimal pore throat diameter can be measured by this instrument is 3 nm. Scanning electron microscopy enabled visualization of pores on samples polished with ion milling, which produces extremely smooth surfaces (Loucks et al., 2009). Eleven shale samples (Table 5) from core plugs were first mechanically polished and then further polished using ion milling (Fischione Model 1060 SEM Mill at the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta). Composition of the 11 samples is provided in Table 5. Ion milled samples were mounted to SEM stubs using carbon paste and coated with carbon to provide conductive surfaces. The prepared samples were imaged with two different field-emission SEMs. One was a JEOL 6301 F field-emission scanning electron microscope at the Scanning Electron Microscope Facility at the University of Alberta. We performed the FE-SEM analysis using an accelerating voltage of 5.0 kV and working distance range from 10-15 mm. The other was a Zeiss Sigma field-emission scanning electron microscope coupled with an EDX EBSD at t he nanoFAB facility, University of Alberta. The FE-SEM was performed using an accelerating voltage of 10.0 kV and working distance around 8.5 mm. Secondary electron (SE) images document the pore systems and topographic variation. Backscatter Electron Detector (BSE) and Oxford Instruments 150mm X-Max Energy Dispersive X-Ray Detector (EDX) provided the compositional and mineralogical variation. 4. Results 4.1 Lithofacies classification We identified five lithofacies based on thin section analysis and core observation from the four cores within Horn River Basin: massive mudstone, massive mudstone with abundant pyrite lenses and laminae (pyritic mudstone), laminated to heterolithic bedded mudstone (laminated mudstone), bioturbated mudstone, and carbonates. More detailed descriptions and photographs of the lithofacies are presented in Dong et al. (2015). Massive mudstone, lacking physical sedimentary structures and primarily comprising quartz (Figs. 3A and 4A), dominates the Muskwa Formation and the Evie Member (Figs. 5 and 6). Pyritic mudstone is characterized by pyrite-rich laminae and pyrite nodules (Figs. 3B and 4B), and dominates the Muskwa Formation in all four cores, and also dominates the Otter Park Member in the EOG Maxhamish core (Figs. 5 and 6). This lithofacies has less quartz but more clay than massive mudstone. Laminated mudstone is common in the Otter Park Member (Figs. 5 and 6) and consists of millimeter scale clay-rich mudstone laminae with quartz- and calcite-rich silt laminae (Figs. 3C and 4C). Bioturbated mudstone is characterized by moderate to intensely bioturbation and weak lamination (Figs. 3D and 4D) and primarily occurs in the lower part of the Otter Park Member (Figs. 5 and 6). Compared to the massive and pyritic mudstones, the laminated and bioturbated mudstones are relatively rich in clay (Figs. 4C and D) . The carbonate lithofacies, rich in calcite (Figs. 3E and 4E), is restricted to the lower part of the Evie Member (Figs. 5 and 6). 4.2 TOC content, major oxides concentration and mineralogy TOC content for all samples in our data set ranges from 0.04 to 8.25 wt.%, with a mean value of 3.09% (Dong et al., 2015). Lithofacies vary systematically in TOC content (Fig. 7A). Massive mudstone samples are richest in TOC, ranging from 0.82 to 8.25%, averaging 4.23 wt.%. Pyritic mudstone samples have TOC values ranging from 0.3 to 6.81 %, averaging 3.44 wt.%. Laminated mudstone samples have relatively low TOC, between 0.24 and 7.09 % (mean TOC = 2.02 wt.%). Bioturbated mudstone and carbonate mudstone samples have the lowest TOC values, between 0.04 and 3.05 % (mean TOC = 1.11 wt.%). TOC content is highest in Evie Member, moderate in Muskwa Formation and lowest in Otter Park Member (Dong et al., 2015). The oxides SiO2, Al2O3 and CaO represent the major components of quartz, clay and carbonate minerals, indicated by the strong correlation coefficient between major oxides and quantitative mineralogy from XRD analysis (Fig. 8). Thus concentrations of these oxides can be used as proxies for quartz, clay and carbonates. Oxide compositions differ greatly among lithofacies (Figs. 7B-D). The massive mudstone and pyritic mudstone lithofacies are relatively rich in SiO2, ranging from 9.9-80.1% and 12.3-89.4% with average values of 56.3 and 66.5%, respectively. The laminated mudstone and bioturbated mudstone lithofacies are richer in Al2O3, with concentrations of Al2O3 ranging from 2.0-17.0% and 9.1-19.7% with average values of 9.2 and 17.1%, respectively. The carbonate lithofacies is richest in CaO, ranging from 43.8-52.6% with an average of 47.6%. SiO2 concentration is highest in Muskwa Formation, Al2O3 concentration is highest in Otter Park Member, whereas CaO concentration is highest in E vie Member (Dong et al., 2016). Mineral components identified by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) are presented in Table 1 and include quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, calcite, dolomite, pyrite and clay minerals (Dong et al., 2016). The clay fraction is dominated by illite and mixed-layer illite/smectite, plus a trace of chlorite in some samples. 4.3 Permeability Matrix permeability profiles from the EOG Maxhamish, Imperial Komie, Nexen Gote and ConocoPhillips McAdam cores are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The average permeability for all samples is 15.6 nD, ranging from 1.69 to 42.81 nD (Table 3 and Fig. 9). Permeability is highest in the Evie Member (average permeability = 17.15 nD), moderate in Muskwa Formation (average permeability = 15.18 nD), and lowest in the Otter Park Member (average permeability = 14.44 nD). 4.4 Pore systems Porosity measured on core samples ranges from 0.62% to 12.04%, averaging 5.1% (Dong et al., 2015). Pores are categorized as micropores (pore diameter 50 nm) by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (Sing, 1985). Loucks et al. (2012) recognized three general types of pores in shales: organic matter pores, interparticle pores developed between grains and crystals, and intraparticle pores contained with a particle boundary. All three pore types were observed in our shale samples (Figs. 10, 11 and 12). In our Horn River Group shale samples, mesopores and macropores were observed in the high resolution SEM images (Figs. 10, 11 and 12). Micropores are smaller, below the limit of the SEM images resolution (Dong and Harris, 2013). Pores are common in organic matter and are predominately round or elliptical in cross-section with a wide size range from a few nanometers (Figs. 10B, D and E) to greater than 1 micron (Fig. 10C). Pore abundance within organic matter is strongly heterogeneous, with both non-porous solid organic matter and porous organic matter commonly observed (Figs. 10A and F). Even within the same patch of organic matter, we observed dense area and porous area (Fig. 10B). The size of organic matter pores is also highly variable; for example, mesopores dominate the pore system in sample IK4 (Fig. 10E), whereas macropores dominate sample M2(Figs. 10A and C). Interparticle pores are observed between quartz crystals, calcite crystals and other detrital particles, such as feldspar (Fig. 11). These pores display triangular and elongated shapes (Fig. 11), substantially different in morphology and size from organic matter-hosted pores which are typically ovoid and elliptical in shape. The pore size and morphology of interparticle pores depends on the surrounding minerals, geometry and arrangement of adjacent particles. Most interparticle pores are much larger than organic matter pores, typically greater than 100nm. Interparticle pores are also present between fine-grained phyllosilicate particles that occupy primary pores between carbonate particles (Fig. 12F), displaying smaller size. Intraparticle pores are found within particles or mineral grains, such as clay minerals, carbonate grains, pyrite framboids and apatite. They include primary pores preserved during burial and diagenetic processes and secondary pores generated by dissolution of feldspar and carbonate. Pore spaces within clay flocculates are common in clay rich samples (Fig. 12A). Pyrite framboids, aggregates of submicron pyrite crystals, are relatively common in Horn River Group shale and contain mesopores developed between the submicron pyrite crystals (Fig. 12B). Apatite also provides sites for porosity development (Fig. 12E). Numerous intraparticle pores are present within carbonate grains due to carbonate dissolution (Figs. 12D and E). All fractures observed in the Horn River Group shale are completely open and lack cement filling (Figs. 12C and D). In clay rich samples, the fractures are probably artificial shrinkage cracks produced as the clays dehydrated (Fig. 12C). In the carbonate rich samples (Fig. 12D), fractures surrounding calcite grains are narrower and shorter than fractures in clay rich samples and are interpreted to be natural. 4.5 Pore throat size distributions Porosity and pore size distributions, calculated from nitrogen adsorption analyses, were presented in Dong et al. (2015). These date show that the Horn River Group shale samples contain mixtures of macropores, mesopores and micropores. Pore throat size distributions are more critical than pore size distributions to permeability (Nelson, 2009). Sample preparation and applied injection pressure of up to 60000 psi may either cause artificial fractures in our samples or results in collapse of large pores (Yang and Aplin, 2007; Chalmers et al., 2012a). In this study, pore throats related to artificial fractures were removed from the distributions (Fig. 13). Samples in Figs. 13 are grouped by increasing TOC content. Pore throat diameter distributions are increasingly skewed towards smaller values with increasing TOC content. Samples with low TOC content (Figs. 13A, B and C) are characterized by asymmetric distributions with dominant pore throat radii greater than 20 nm. Pore throat diameters less than 10nm dominate in the organic rich samples (Figs. 13D, E and F). Median pore throat diameter is thus negatively correlated to TOC content (Fig. 14A), but no association with major inorganic components is evident (Figs. 14B, C and D). Mercury intrusion porosimetry also can be used to calculate effective porosity. Porosity calculated from mercury injection ranges from 0.6% to 2.9%, averaging 1.5%, which is much lower than total porosity measured by helium pycnometer. There is a positive correlation between TOC content and effective porosity, yielding a correlation coefficient of 0.44 (Fig. 15). 5. Discussion 5.1 Relationship between porosity and permeability Previous studies have shown that the relationship between porosity and permeability in mudstones is primarily controlled by the clay content (Yang and Aplin, 2007; 2010). At a given porosity, Dewhurst et al. (1998, 1999) found that clay poor mudstones are much more permeable than clay rich mudstones. The samples in the Dewhurst et al. (1998, 1999) studies were shallowly buried London clay, with a TOC content between 0.2 and 0.9 wt.%. The samples in the study of Yang and Aplin (2007) are core samples from North Sea and Gulf of Mexico, with a range of TOC from 0.1 to 2.4 wt.%. Samples in those studies are organic lean mudstones and no organic matter pores were reported in their studies. The loss of porosity and permeability is largely driven by the preferential collapse of large primary pores. The wide range of permeability (3 orders of magnitude) likely can be explained by the variation in grain size, which is in turn affected by the clay content (Dewhurst et al., 1998, 1999; Yang and Aplin, 2007). In our Horn River Group shale dataset, however, the relationship between porosity and permeability do not vary systematically with the concentration of Al2O3 (Fig. 9B), which is an approximation for clay content. Unlike the studies cited above, samples with high clay content does not show lower permeability at a given porosity than samples with low clay content. The primary reasons for the contrast between our results and those of Dewhurst et al. (1998, 1999) and Yang and Aplin (2007) are probably the high organic content and the high maturity of the Horn River samples and the definition of clay content. In their studies, clay content is defined as particles less than 2 ÃŽÂ ¼m regardless of mineralogy, whereas we defined the clay content as the abundance of clay minerals including smectite, illite, mixed layer of smectite+illite and chlorite. The samples in this study have a TOC content range of 0.04-8.25 wt.%, with a mean value of 3.09%, approximately 3 to 10 times higher than in the Dewhurst et al. (1998, 1999) and Yang and Aplin (2007) data sets. Ross and Bustin (2008, 2009) showed that Horn River Group shale is highly mature, with vitrinite reflectance from approximately 1.6 to 2.5% in contrast to the low maturities in Dewhurst et al. (1998, 1999) and Yang and Aplin (2007). Dong et al. (2015) reported that hydrogen index (HI) and oxygen index (OI) are very low in Horn River Group shale, indicative of dry gas window. Compared to economically successful shale gas plays in North American such as Barnett Shale (Jarvie et al., 2007) and Eagle Ford Shale (Pommer and Milliken, 2015), Horn River Group shale is more mature, although it is less mature than the gas-productive Silurian black shales in Sichuan Basin, southwestern China, which have an equivalent vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) range of 2.84 3.54 (Tian et al., 2013). We propose that the extensive development of organic matter pores in mature shales impacts the relationship between clay content and porosit y-permeability behavior. Porosity-permeability relationships are shown in Fig. 9. Our permeability data show a positive correlation with porosity, yielding a correlation coefficient of 0.72 for all the samples (Fig. 9A). Porosity is the strongest individual predictor of matrix permeability, stronger than any correlation between any compositional parameter and permeability. 5.2 Relationship between shale composition and pore throat size distribution TOC and median pore throat size calculated from mercury injection capillary pressure data (Fig. 14A) are negatively correlated, suggesting that smaller median pore throat size occurs in organic rich samples than in organic lean samples. The smaller pore throat size in organic carbon rich samples (predominantly less than 10 nm) is also evident in histograms of pore throat size distribution (Figs. 13D, E and F). This relationship is consistent with observations from scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 10), where most of the organic matter pores are less than 100 nm. Similar phenomenon have been observed in Devonian shales, Appalachian Basin, where pore throat size is much smaller in organic rich samples (averaging 8 nm) than in organic poor samples (averaging 22 nm) (Nelson, 2009). Bernard et al. (2012) suggest that in the Barnett Shale, organic pores formed not in kerogen, but rather in bitumen which derived from thermally degraded kerogen in the oil window and in pyrobitumen, which resulted from secondary cracking of bitumen in the gas window. In this study, bitumen, solid bitumen and pyrobitumen are defined as secondary organic matter, following terminology in Pommer and Milliken (2015). Although it is operationally challenging to distinguish bitumen or pyrobitumen from kerogen on SEM images, organic matter in the Horn River Group shale probably consists of mixtures of kerogen, bitumen and pyrobitumen (Fig. 10), as all the stratigraphic units are currently in the dry gas window. A certain fraction of the buried detrital and marine kerogen apparently has been converted to hydrocarbon and secondary organic matter, generating the numerous bubble-like pores (Fig. 10). Pommer and Milliken (2015) identified similar processes in the Eagle Ford Shale, where, over a range of thermal maturities from oil window to gas window, original primary mineral-associated pores are largely infilled by secondary organic matter, in which much smaller organic matter pores (median size 13.2 nm) later develop. Primary intergranular pores between rigid grains such as quartz, calcite were clogged by kerogen, bitumen and pyrobitumen, where small organic matter pores were generated because of the thermal conversion from kerogen to hydrocarbon (Figs. 10B and E). Clay content does not appear to be significantly related to pore throat size in the Horn River Group shale, in contrast to some previous studies (Yang and Aplin, 2007; 2010) (Fig. 14C). At deposition, pore throat size and connectivity is a function of the shape, size and packing pattern of the constituent clasts. Clay-sized particles damage matrix permeability by clogging pores and throats (Yang and Aplin, 2007, 2010). Large primary pores may have been present in the Horn River Group shale at low maturities and relatively shallow burial depths, but at its present-day high thermal maturity (gas window), primary pores have been largely lost due to compaction, suggested by the twisted clay flakes (Fig. 12A). In clay rich samples, only a minor amount of secondary organic matter pores are present (Fig. 12B). Any correlation between clay content and pore throat size that may have existed at low maturity was effectively erased by diagenesis. 5.3 Shale composition and permeability Organic matter pores, which generally are interpreted to be generated during burial and maturation (Jarvie et al., 2007; Zargari et al., 2015), have been well documented in organic rich shales such as the Barnett Shale, Woodford Shale, Marcellus Shale and the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Loucks et al., 2009; Passey et al., 2010; Curtis et al., 2012a; Fishman et al., 2012

The Life of St. Ignatius Loyola (in first person) :: essays research papers

St. Ignatius Loyola   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am St. Ignatius Loyola the man who found the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. My original name is Inigo de Loyola and I was born in 1491 in a place called Azpeitia in the Basque province of Guipuzoa in northern Spain. I was the youngest of thirteen children. At the age of sixteen I became a servant for Juan Velazquez, the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile. I was considered a member of the Velazquez family so when ever Juan went to court I would go with him. In doing this I began to like court and any thing to deal with court, but I gained the biggest interest in the woman. I also began to like gambling; I liked it so much I became addicted to it. I was also very completive and was open to competing in anything-even sword fighting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the next decade or so I didn’t really do much my life didn’t progress at all till 1521 when I turned 30 and I was defending the fortress of the town of Pamplona against the French. We were starting to lose the battle we were out numbered and my head commander wanted to throw in the towel but I said â€Å"no† and convinced him to stay in the battle and fight. I wanted to fight for the honor of Spain, and not for the win. I was in the thick of the battle and â€Å"Wham† I got blasted by cannon ball breaking my leg and wounding the other. Because I was such a courageous leader the French soldiers carried me back to my home rather that prison so I could get better. They set my leg after it broke but it was not healing right so the doctors said they had to break it again with out any use of painkillers. I was told to prepare for my death but instead one day my health took a turn for the better. My leg did heal good but it was shorter th an the other one so for the rest of my life I had to walk with a limp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the many, many, many weeks of recuperation I thought I was going to lose my mind out of boredom. So I asked for some romance novels to help my pass the time. There were no romance novels of any sort in the castle of Loyola; with my luck I did find a book called the Life of Christ.

California Pizza Kitchen Essay

A company’s strategic choices shape how that firm will operate and react to the use of its own resources as well as the affects of external factors. These choices are typically broken down into one of our distinct strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, niche focus, and first mover’s advantage) and applied as management sees fit. In studying California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) literature, one can easily decipher that their main strategy is differentiation with portions of first mover’s advantage tied in. CPK is very open about the approach as menu innovation is one of their key values. Having identified this strategy this paper looks to review this strategy against recently performed SWAT analysis to see how it is affecting CPK’s strategic choices. It will discuss whether those strategic choices remaining in line with its differentiation strategy. Additionally, this case study will determine whether the differentiation strategy and CPK’s strategic choices create competitive advantages or are they creating weakness that need to be addressed and countered with some of CPK’s strengths. Finally, a brief discussion on CPK’s mission and vision will be incorporated against the findings to determine what CPK is doing right and what they could possibly change to improve is competitive position. Corporate Strategy Porter tells us that firm’s position themselves by leveraging their strength’s. He argued that strengths ultimately fall into one of two headings: cost advantage and differentiation (Quickmba). CPK chooses and specifically points out differentiation as its main strategy. In its 2009 financial report, CPK states, â€Å"We believe that our concept, attractive price-value relationship and quality of food and service enable us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors†. Differentiation is a competitive business strategy whereby firms attempt to gain a competitive advantage by increasing the perceived value of their products and/or services relative to the perceived value of other firm’s products and services. Implementation of differentiation strategy means that the value is provided to customers through unique features and characteristics of the company’s products as opposed to the lowest price. A successful differentiation strategy will create customer value that is perceived as such by its customers. Differentiated goods and services satisfy the needs of customers through a sustainable competitive advantage. CPK differentiates itself through product quality through the use of quality ingredients, menu design and innovation, and expanded services and offerings beyond their main dining experience. This all falls under subcategory of differentiation known as â€Å"Quality Strategy†, which sets CPK apart from its competitors. As a result of this quality, CPK has branded itself through a very loyal customer base that consistently markets for the company through rave reviews and word of mouth advertising. Firms that succeed in differentiation strategy often have the following internal strengths (QuickMBA): †¢ Access to leading scientific research †¢ Highly skilled and creative product development team †¢ Strong sales team with the ability to successfully communicate the perceived strengths of the product †¢ Corporate reputation for quality and innovation Due to high levels of rivalry in the food industry there is always an incentive to be innovative and continuously improve. There is also always the chance that any differentiation could be copied by competitors. Therefore, innovation remains a huge part of CPK’s differentiation strategy as well as one of its core values. As proof of this, CPK literature is littered with the idea of menu innovation, expansion of service options such as the new items, smaller express stores and growth/development in the frozen and fresh foods market in grocery stores. This philosophy is not just talk however. CPK backs this concept with action through the continuous research and evaluation of various food ingredients, products and supplies for consistency and food safety. This research is compared to detailed specifications developed by CPK’s products teams ultimately leading to high food quality standards. As mentioned in this author’s previous studies, this research provides intellectual capital as well as contributes to the innovation capability as CPK remains at the forefront of and often dictates market changes (Haas1). This capability or competitive advantage is what also gives CPK some of its â€Å"First Mover† advantage. CPK operates as one of the pioneers of premium pizza (a niche market). Therefore they were one of the first to develop the products creating benchmark and standards for the market. This provides them with the advantage of potential lower costs (Golder & Teller) from intellectual capital and development experience as well as creates potential barriers for other competitors to switch products. It also gives them early recognition and consumer preference (QuickMBA) reducing the risk of the threat of ubstitution. This further increases the strategy of differentiation as well in that customer’s become attached to CPK’s differentiating attributes. Additionally, because CPK focuses its main products on a niche market (premium pizza), it has been able to continue to sell its products at a more premium price and better absorb the economic upturn of inflation. Strategic Choices The state of the economy, the downsizing of disposable income and the high unemployment have all posed large threats to the full service dining industry. The current economic environment has particularly played into CPK’s strategic choices recently as they have had to compete to maintain revenue, reduce costs and keep customers who are more and more turning to substitutes such as fast food or home cooked meals in an attempt to save money. This has not deterred CPK completely from its differentiation strategy. In fact, Rick Rosenfield (CPK, Co- CEO) stated the company was working to reverse declining sales by offering a new menu (LATimes), again playing on their strength of innovation. However, it has forced CPK to consider other approaches in the way that the attack the market and expand their business. This gives CPK an opportunity to address one of its major weaknesses at the same time. CPK has over 40% of its stores located in California. This has created a lack of geographical diversification. Therefore CPK is looking to expand beyond California and has even looked to go outside the US as it believes its full-service restaurants will continue to represent the majority of revenue growth in the near term. This expansion plays into CPK’s innovative approach to business. For the most part CPK’s management has looked to expand revenues through new markets and menu options. However, the economic downturn has forced CPK to look internally to reduce cost as a means to maintain or increase revenue. Therefore, CPK has decide to not only look at foreign markets as a way to diversify its revenue stream but it will also leverage its brand name and reputation through is expanding in existing markets to consolidate marketing, human resource and supply chain costs. These choices are a good start, however CPK’s sales have been down and the diversity of the market has not helped CPK to recover its losses. Because CPK works with higher quality ingredients and unique menu items which change regularly there is less room for supply chain cost reduction. The innovative approach that makes CPK unique and differentiates it from its competitors could also potentially be preventing it from reducing costs and improving operational efficiencies. It acts almost as a â€Å"Catch 22† if you will. Further, CPK run the potential pitfalls of risk listed below (Openlearningworld. com): †¢ Customers may decide cost of uniqueness is too high †¢ Means of differentiation no longer provides value to customers †¢ Customers learning may reduce customer’s perception of company’s differentiation †¢ Counterfeit goods convey the same differentiation at a discounted price Ultimately this forces CPK to continue to increase value to customers by means of reducing prices, adding product features without raising prices or developing better efficiency in its value chain. Mission and Vision As described in previous research (Haas2), CPK does not formally identify its mission and vision by these names, therefore some interpretation is required for anyone looking for such designation. CPK intends to be the leader in authentic California-style cuisine and to be widely known for its innovative menu items. To achieve this, CPK intends to provide a range of creative dishes, from signature California-style hearth baked pizzas, creative salads, pastas, soups and sandwiches to extensive beer and wine lists with a full bar. In Part 1, Item 1, Business of the 2009 annual report readily identifies the company’s objectives, as: â€Å"To extend our leadership position in the restaurant and premium pizza market by selling innovative, high quality pizzas in addition to creative salads, distinctive pastas and related products and by providing exceptional customer service, thereby building a high degree of customer loyalty, brand awareness and superior returns for our stockholders† To reach these objectives, We (CPK) plan to increase our market share by expanding our restaurant base in new and existing markets, leveraging our partnerships in non-traditional and retail channels and offering innovative menu item. † Reviewing these statements reaffirm that CPK has a solid mission and vision that incorporate its corporate strategy very well. Innovation and quality are the cornerstones of CPK’s mission which are fundamental factors in a strong differentiation strategy. However, CPK must be care not to become so focused on its current strategy that is forgets to measure pressures of external forces as well as the need for cost reduction that are weighing heavily in its business and profits. Without careful consideration of competitors, economic factors and internal stresses CPK may be forced to look elsewhere for funding which it has considered recently in its attempt to shop the company to new external buyers. It is suggested that CPK look carefully at its current strategy as compared to that of its competitors to see if it can better leverage its internal strengths and potential for operational efficiencies because price may be the ultimate downfall as many competitors are finding ways to incentivize customer value through lower prices, additional options or more product for the same price to maintain customer base. This could be a battle that CPK could fail at if it does not keep pace or find a way to show consumers its value.

President George Herbert Walker Bush essays

President George Herbert Walker Bush essays George Herbert Walker Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts on June 12, 1924 the second of five children of Prescott Sheldon Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush. His mother Dorothy was the daughter of a wealthy investor, and his father Prescott was an investment banker and US Senator from Connecticut. As a child, George attended private schools in Greenwich, Connecticut, and later the prestigious Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. On his 18th birthday, he joined the US Naval Reserve and became the youngest pilot in the Navy when he received his wings at the age of 20. As carrier pilot during World War II, he was shot down by Japanese fire over the Pacific Ocean and was rescued from the water by a U. S. submarine. Following this mission he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action as well as three Air Medals. Discharged in 1945, he returned to his family in Greenwich. Later that year he married Barbara Pierce, with whom he had six children, including current president George W. Bush. Also, he continued his education by enrolling at Yale University, following a family tradition. While there, he joined the exclusive Skull and Bones society. He majored in economics, completed college in three years and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1948. After graduating, he was offered a position in his fathers firm, but rejected it for a position at Dresser Industries, working in the west Texas oil fields. In 1953, he co-founded the Zapata Petroleum Corporation, and in 1954 he co-founded and became president of the Zapata Offshore Company. Georges political career began when he ran for the United States Senate in 1964, and was defeated. He didnt give up though and went on to become the first Republican to represent Houston in the House of Representatives in 1966.In 1970, Bush was defeated once again in running for the United States Senate. As a consolation, president Richard Nixon appointed Bus...

Elaine Pagels - Biblical Scholar, Expert in Gnosticism

Elaine Pagels - Biblical Scholar, Expert in Gnosticism Known for: books on Gnosticism and early Christianity Occupation: writer, professor, Biblical scholar, feminist.   Harrington Spear Paine Professor of Religion at Princeton University. Received a MacArthur Fellowship (1981).Dates: February 13, 1943 -Also known as: Elaine Hiesey Pagels Elaine Pagels Biography: Born in California on February 13, 1943, as Elaine Hiesey, married to Heinz Pagels, theoretical physicist, 1969. Elaine Pagels graduated from Stanford University (B.A. 1964, M.A. 1965) and, after briefly studying dance at Martha Grahams studio, began studying for her Ph.D. at Harvard University, where she was part of a team studying the Nag Hammadi scrolls, documents found in 1945 that shed light on early Christian debates on theology and practice. Elaine Pagels received her Ph.D. from Harvard in 1970, then began to teach at Barnard College in that same year.   At Barnard, she became the head of the religion department in 1974. In  1979 her book based on her work with the Nag Hammadi scrolls, The Gnostic Gospels, sold 400,000 copies and won numerous awards and acclaim. In this book, Elaine Pagels asserted that the differences between the gnostics and the orthodox Christians was more about politics and organization than theology.   She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981.   In 1982, Pagels joined Princeton University as a professor of early Christian history.  Aided by the MacArthur grant, she researched and wrote  Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, which documented the shift in Christian history when Christians began to focus on a meaning of the Genesis story which stressed the sinfulness of human nature and sexuality. In 1987, Pagels son Mark died, after years of illness. The following year her husband, Heinz, died in a hiking accident. In part out of those experiences, she began working on the research leading to The Origin of Satan. Elaine Pagels has continued to research and write about the theological shifts and battles within earlier Christianity. Her book, The Origin of Satan, published in 1995, is dedicated to her two children, David and Sarah, and in 1995 Pagels married Kent Greenawalt, a law professor at Columbia University. Her Biblical work is both well-received as accessible and insightful, and criticized as making too much of marginal issues and too unorthodox. In both The Gnostic Gospels and Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, Elaine Pagels examines the way that women have been viewed in Christian history, and thus these texts have been important in the feminist study of religion. The Origins of Satan is not so explicitly feminist. In that work, Elaine Pagels shows the way that the figure Satan became a way for Christians to demonize their religious opponents, the Jews and the unorthodox Christians. Her 2003 book,  Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas , contrasts the Gospel of John with the Gospel of Thomas. She makes the argument that the Gospel of John was written to counter the gnostic ideas, especially about Jesus, and was adopted as canonical instead of the Gospel of Thomas because it fit better with the viewpoint of the other three gospels.   Her 2012 book, Revelations: Visions, Prophecy and Politics in the Book of Revelation, takes on the often controversial New Testament book.   She notes that there were many books of revelation circulating, both Jewish and  Christian, and that only this one was included in the Biblical canon.   She sees it as directed to the general public, to warn them about the war between the Jews and Rome that was then in progress, and assuring that it would turn out with the creation of a New Jerusalem. Cultural Impact Some have posited that the publication of The Gnostic Gospels inspired a more popular culture interest in gnosticism and hidden threads in Christianity, including the famous The Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown. Places: Palo Alto, California; New York; Princeton, New Jersey; United States Religion: Episcopalian. Awards: Among her prizes and awards: National Book Award, 1980; MacArthur Prize Fellowship, 1980-85. Major Works: The Gnostic Gospels. 1979. (compare prices) Adam, Eve and the Serpent. 1987. (compare prices) The Johannine Gospel in Gnostic Exegesis. 1989. The Gnostic Pau: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters. 1992. The Origin of Satan. 1995. (compare prices) Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas. 2003. (compare prices) Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity.  Co-author Karen L. King. 2003. Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation. 2012.

Discuss and explain the Jewish scope for resistance during the Essay

Discuss and explain the Jewish scope for resistance during the Holocaust - Essay Example Jews in every ghetto, labour camp and death camp established several strategies in order to carry out effective resistance despite having little and less effective weapons. However, with their limited resources, they had courage to obtain food and water under death threat and blocked Germans from exploiting them despite having weak military. The Holocaust came to an end after Allied forces came in Europe to fight against Germans for exploiting innocent Jews. Consequently, German forces could not withhold anymore because western Allied forces had very powerful weapons and military base, thus marking the end of World War II. This paper outlines various approaches undertaken by Jews to resist Nazi rule during the Holocaust. Although there was resistance through armed uprisings, some people in ghettos boycotted Nazi rule as a means of resistance. Jews defied Nazis rule and instead, they acted contrary to the rule as a means of resisting oppressive Germans. Since there were curfew rules that barred Jews from being in the streets from 7pm to 5 am, they would gather in one building to practice all their cultural practices like dancing, singing and having comedy in order to forget the ordeal they were undergoing through. Cultural practices were prohibited by the Nazi rule and whenever one was found practicing any cultural activity, they were killed mercilessly by gunshots. Additionally, Jewish children were denied the right to education by Nazi rule; however, in ghettos, Jews set up informal schools that would educate their children secretly. Furthermore, it was a crime for Jews to observe their rituals like dietary laws and they would be punished severely once found practicing it. In light to these oppressions, many Jews felt that it was time to fight for their liberty since Nazi rule had greatly overlooked their rights. They organized committees that were meant to mobilize people to retaliate against Nazis by boycotting their rules and fighting

Management Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management Structure - Essay Example Within any organization, the structure and management approaches needs to change in accordance with global changes and requirements and despite several changes, since the World War, companies have failed to meet the demands of the changing world economy. According to Bartlett and Ghoshal (1995) companies seem to have become fossilized and unable to adapt to slower growth so there is much instability in the market. Cost reduction programs tend to provide only short term relief, to the markets and companies so different business and organizational strategies are required to focus on long term gains and benefits to bring about growth and organizational stability. Successful companies like GE, ABB and Toyota seem to have rejected the principles of multi divisional enterprising according to Bartlett and Ghoshal and these companies employ an emerging management model which is not a new organizational structure but brings out a set of management processes and new roles and tasks for managers at different levels. Within any organization, the changes in the managerial structure are based on the core processes of entrepreneurial or encouraging initiatives, integrative and leveraging competence, renewal as in managing, rationalization and revi talization and a new management approach (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1995). ... l typology of multinational companies or MNCs tend to show a global, multidomestic and transnational aspects of interdependence and local responsiveness. The relationship between local and global corporate social responsibility with international organizational strategy shows that the strategic logic of Bartlett and Ghoshal could be applied to the realm of corporate social responsibility and multinational firms tend to respond to pressures for integration and responsiveness (Husted and Allen, 2006). Multinational firms tend to replicate the product market organizational strategy in the management of corporate social responsibility and these alternative approaches are also followed by MNEs. Institutional pressures, strategic analysis of social issues and stakeholders tend to guide decision making in CSR. Management of multinational enterprises is thus largely dependent on the strategies in management and corporate social responsibility, the analysis of social issues, the human resourc e management approach, and shows the implications of marketing management and public policy. Harzing (2000) used data from 166 subsidiaries of 37 MNCs in 9 countries and show how the MNCs tend to differ in aspects of interdependence and local responsiveness. International management assumes the existence of different types of MNCs that are polycentric, ethnocentric, geocentric, global as well as transnational. Multinational organizations are complex and manageable with a number of related characteristics and a typology for MNCs could help in explaining the functioning of such companies. The lack of conceptual integration and empirical corroboration in international business and management could be corrected with the reinforcing characteristics of MNCs. MNCs that bring about a balance