Merlin Magician Essays - Merlin, Camelot, Uther Pendragon, Nimue

Merlin Magician Merlin, the greatest magician of all time. He lived, if indeed he lived at all, in Wales and southern England during the dawn of Christianity in those lands, long before written historical records were kept. Yet, his name is universally recognized around the world as synonymous with magic, and his popular image is almost as well known as that of Santa Claus. The beginning and ends of all things are all within Merlin's sight. he keeps the prophecies of the future, he holds the memories of all that has passed. When you hear the name Merlin an immediate image springs into the mind of an old man with a flowing white beard and bushy white eyebrows, dressed in a midnight blue robe and a tall pointed hat covered with stars. He is the prototypical wizard. Merlin is best known as the teacher and advisor of Arthur Pendragon, king of all the Britons. The legends of these two mythical figures are linked, but there is no certain proof that either man existed. Supposedly on Merlin's advice the famous Round Table of Arthur's court was built and he helped select 50 of the knights who were to sit at the table. The popular myth of Merlin, as we know it today, has come down to us primarily from two sources; one, the historian Geoffrey of Monmouth and the other, a writer, Sir Thomas Malory. Both men collected bits and pieces from earlier sources. Most of Malory's work was based on the French Arthurian prose cycle, a group of French medieval romances centered around the court of King Arthur. Before Malory, both Merlin and Arthur were better known on the Continent than they were in England. Malory's work crystallized the Arthurian legend into the form we recognize today. We know Merlin as a mysterious figure whose origin is uncertain. he has the power to communicate with animals, to see visions of the future, and to work miracles of magic. he has no specific home but dwells in the forest. After Arthur's ascent to the throne, Merlin lives with him for a time in Camelot. Merlin usually first appears in the modern stories as the teacher of young Arthur, although he sometimes is mentioned briefly in his role as advisor to Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon. Employing both his wise advice and his magic, Merlin helps Arthur to prevail in his wars against the Saxons. he uses his magic to construct Camelot. Shortly after the victorious Arthur has been betrayed by his queen, Guinevere, and his best friend, Sir Lancelot, Merlin mysteriously disappears leaving Arthur to find his own way out of his difficulties. The ancient legend of Merlin is fragmentary and sometimes self-contradictory, because it was assembled from a variety of sources over a long span of time, but we can sketch out the most important details in the mythical life of Merlin with some assurance. One which conspired about the birth of the antichrist by sexually uniting a mortal woman with a demon to produce an unnatural offspring. A particularly devout family was selected and made to suffer torments in order to weaken the faith of its members. One by one they died horrible deaths, until at last only a young woman remained. She placed herself under the protection of the Church, but in a moment of despair opened herself to the intrusion of the demon. The child Merlin was the result of this union. Merlin was destined to be the Antichrist, but the quick action of the woman's confessor, a priest named Blayse, prevented this outcome. When the child was born, his mother protested to her holy protectors that she had not had sex with any man. Immediately the child was baptized, and by this act placed Merlin under the protection of Christ and gave him a new destiny. Even as an infant, Merlin showed signs of his demonic origins. He saved the life of his mother from her enemies, and displayed his prophetic gifts by proclaiming the dark family secrets of those who accused his mother of sorcery. At that time, Vortigen was king of the Britons. The king was greatly troubled by a mysterious difficulty while trying to build a stone tower on a projection of ground surrounded by a lake that was to act as the tower's natural defensive moat. The foundation of the tower appeared solid enough, but every night the ground beneath the tower would shake and cast down all the stones that had been placed the day before. Vortigen consulted with

Free Essays on Drum Major

I believe that a drum major is someone who is constantly dedicated and devoted to what they are doing. As a leader, they must constantly set an example for the rest of the band. They are the people who are always the first to arrive to everything and the last to leave. They are always doing everything in their power to make the band the best they can be. Drum Majors always strive for excellence. They are always focused on how to help everyone else before his or herself and they always motivate others. Drum Majors must put everything into what they are doing - their time, energy, patience, perseverance, heart, and soul. They are full of ideas and advice to others that are struggling. A drum major is not simply a leader to the band, but a leader in life. Drum Majors must uphold the highest standards of leadership and conduct at all times. They are the student band director. They should promote the band within the school and community and proudly defend the band from any detractors. Above all else, the drum major must be someone that loves band and is completely loyal to the goals of the organization. I want to be a Drum Major because I know I have all of these qualifications. Mr. Mobley, Mr. Hilmer, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Shepard, please allow me to be the 2004 Drum Major of the Gold Brigade. It would be a great privilege. - Cordierro Richardson Leaders must demonstrate spirit and function as role models, never relaxing standards. They must always apply a positive approach when working with students; it is not permissible to complain or argue. Leaders must work harder than everyone else, set an example in every aspect of the band's operation, and never expect anything from band members that they do not demand of themselves.... Free Essays on Drum Major Free Essays on Drum Major I believe that a drum major is someone who is constantly dedicated and devoted to what they are doing. As a leader, they must constantly set an example for the rest of the band. They are the people who are always the first to arrive to everything and the last to leave. They are always doing everything in their power to make the band the best they can be. Drum Majors always strive for excellence. They are always focused on how to help everyone else before his or herself and they always motivate others. Drum Majors must put everything into what they are doing - their time, energy, patience, perseverance, heart, and soul. They are full of ideas and advice to others that are struggling. A drum major is not simply a leader to the band, but a leader in life. Drum Majors must uphold the highest standards of leadership and conduct at all times. They are the student band director. They should promote the band within the school and community and proudly defend the band from any detractors. Above all else, the drum major must be someone that loves band and is completely loyal to the goals of the organization. I want to be a Drum Major because I know I have all of these qualifications. Mr. Mobley, Mr. Hilmer, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Shepard, please allow me to be the 2004 Drum Major of the Gold Brigade. It would be a great privilege. - Cordierro Richardson Leaders must demonstrate spirit and function as role models, never relaxing standards. They must always apply a positive approach when working with students; it is not permissible to complain or argue. Leaders must work harder than everyone else, set an example in every aspect of the band's operation, and never expect anything from band members that they do not demand of themselves....

Analyzing an important futer goal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyzing an important futer goal - Assignment Example This sector is well developed, and there is a lot of market for its products. The government also has incentives for swine farmers and this endeared me to it considering that it is very easy start as long as one has a piece of land then he can quickly start it (Bensoussan and Fleisher 54). Some of the steps required to attain the goals entails reading content on swine farming, and this can take about one day. Looking for the market for the products, and this can involve 20 minute search on the internet. Setting up the structure that will host the swine can take about five hours. Ordering for its feeds from suppliers will take about one hour. It will also take approximately two hours to get the initial swine stock delivered to the pig sty. The venture will require a lot of sacrifices in terms of finances. I will have to forgo the money spent on entertainment so that I can direct it to

Conflict in Macedonia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Conflict in Macedonia - Case Study Example However, after the passage of time, the Macedonian government began engaging in corrupt practices. Reports indicated that this government was linked to high profile Albanian criminals who engaged in smuggling as their specialty. Consequently, this government allowed illegal activities to go on without taking any action against the perpetrators. On top of that, the government was not able to make reforms yet these were needed urgently in the economic and social sectors. As a result, the latter government was eliminated in the 1998 national election. At that point, a coalition government got into power. This was the government that would then be responsible for the 2001 Macedonian conflict. The 2001 conflict occurred as result of mounting tension between the ethnic Albanian minorities and the other Macedonian ethnic groups. These tensions began as early as when the first government took power. At that time, the Albanians felt that they were not well represented in the parliament, armed forces and in the civil service. Consequently, they demanded for their rights. As if that was not enough, economic pressures took a toll on the inter-ethnic tensions. Smugglers from both sides' i.e. Albanian and Macedonian majorities were going about their activities and drugging the economy of the land. The situation was further aggravated by the fact that a neighbouring country; Kosovo was undergoing its own civil conflicts. Kosovo's civil conflict was between the Albanians and the Serbs. The overall result of this conflict was the creation of a quarter of a million Albanian refugees who found their way into Macedonia. Furthermore, the Kosovo Liberation Army set up base in Macedonia where they would send supplies into Yugoslavia. The overall outcome of this upon the local Albanian was the formation of militias. The latter had ammunition that would enable them to protect themselves against any potential attacks from the local ethnic Macedonian authorities. All these issues led to increased availability of weapons within Macedonia. (The BBC, 2001, news.bbc.co.uk) Weapons were also highly available owing to the fact that the prior government allowed gun smugglers into the country. Even actual government officials were responsible for that too. Some affected parties from Kosovo decided to use the Macedonian border as their storage area. On top of that, the smugglers were bribing government official in order for them to stay quite about what they saw. Due to increased corruption in the government, any individuals who voiced their complaints about this illegal trade were eliminated automatically. This availability of weapons and the mounting tensions between the two groups created a highly volatile situation. All that was needed was a small reason and a civil war would begin. (Wood, 2001b, p 12) A group known as the NLA (National Liberation Army) was largely responsible for these attacks. This was brought about by the fact they spread a lot of propaganda against the government of Macedonia. Besides that, the group was also responsible for lodging attacks against the police and the army. Their attacks were also spread out to public facilities that included railway lines and others. (Jovanovska, 2002, p 310) The main and direct participants in the conflict In early 2001, the ethnic minorities began taking over some villages in the areas near the Macedonian bo

Integrating different perspectives Essay Example for Free

Integrating different perspectives Essay School violence is a growing concern in our schools at present, and it is a reality that we must deal with if we are ever to find solutions for these situations and how to prevent it form happening again. The world was shocked when the recent killings in Virginia Tech occurred last month and somehow it seemed irrational and illogical for an academically excellent student to have committed. But as the images of horror and violence flashed through the millions of television sets across the world, one asks what may have caused the person to commit such acts and what may explain his behavior. Violence is a form of aggression and it is often an outward or overt expression of anger and hostility which is a product of a perceived emotional affront or sense of persecution (Armistead, 1996). There are several psychological perspectives that have looked into the issue of school violence and it has been observed that most if not all of those that have occurred are extremely violent, with the use of weapons and guns and have resulted to the death of one or more individuals in school. There are also other forms of violence which may have gone unnoticed and unreported to school officials but nonetheless have probably involved bullying in its many forms; from physical, emotional, psychological, racial or even technology based. The cognitive psychology perspective says that violence is the end result of mental distortions and cognitive dissonance that an individual may have experienced in relation to his/her relationships and interactions in class and in school. For example, the Korean student who killed 30 people in Virginia Tech said in his video that he was seeking retribution or revenge from the rich kids in school, because he has suffered much from them. The sense of being insulted and humiliated may be imagined but to the student, it is his reality. He may have experienced or witnessed an incidence where a poor student was bullied and he had identified with the person so much that he claimed the action as targeting him. This mental distortion of what is real and not, of the building paranoia causes the person to behave in ways that may lead to violence. When the individual believes that he has nothing left, or that he has suffered so much that it is time to avenge himself in order to stop the mental anguish thus move the person to violent acts like shooting those he perceives as enemies, to burn the school that he feels have been unfair to him or to poison a class who have ridiculed him (Lowry, Sleet, Duncan, Powell Kolbe, 1995). Another perspective that explains school violence and violence per se is the biological and evolutionary psychology perspective. This approach says that there is a biological basis for violence, and that a child who has been violent early in life and who has parents who have violent streaks will likely become violent. The perspective argues that aggression is coded into the brain of the person and that it is a normal reaction that lesser animals have continued to exhibit as a means of protecting themselves from predators, and since we share the same instinctual drives. Violence is a behavior triggered by survival instincts, for example, a student who has been flunked by every teacher in his school may certainly lose the opportunity to graduate from high school or got to college. Now the school is the world of the student, it is where he/she builds relationships, accomplishes something, learns and thrived on. If the student is flunked, then he may cease his existence in the school, or is in danger of falling out from the group and losing his sense of belongingness (Menhard, 2000). This naturally is a threat to his survival in the school and thus would be moved to protect his existence in the school system; he may come to school and kill those who will prevent him from reaching his goals. Lastly, the social learning perspective says that school violence occurs because it is now becoming a social reality and that each child is exposed to so much aggression and hostility that it has now become a social construct that is almost an accepted aspect of the American educational system (Newman, 2005). Social learning theory argues that a child learns a behavior if it is rewarded and reinforced, it is also learned if it is shared and accepted by significant others in the child life. For example, if a child grew up in a family where violence is a normal occurrence, it may lead the child to believe that there is nothing wrong with violence. Moreover, if after hurting someone, the child is able to get what he/she wants, then the behavior in reinforced, if the child is praised for hitting the next door bully, then he would learn that hitting is not wrong. Media influence if not depicts and glamorizes violence perpetuate its perception as a normal aspect of human behavior. The peer group and the school is the most influential group in a student’s life, if the student is thwarted, punished and humiliated by either his peers or the school in general, his only recourse is to become violent in order to redeem his self because it is what people do when they are oppressed. School violence is painful, it is jolting, it is irrational and sometimes quite baffling, but what is common to all of the perspectives is that school violence is only a result, an end product that is brought about only by certain events and experiences and from which more effective means of preventing school violence can be developed. References Armistead, L. (1996).What to do before the violence happens: Designing the crisis communication plan. NASP Bulletin, 80, p. 31-37. Lowry, R. , Sleet, D. , Duncan, C. , Powell, K. Kolbe, L. (1995). Adolescents at risk for violence. Educational Psychology Review, 7, 7-39. Menhard, F. (2000). School Violence: Deadly Lessons. New York: Enslow Publishers. Newman, K. (2005). Rampage: The Social Roots of School Shootings. New York: Basic Books.

The Devlopment of Modern Africa Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Development of Modern Africa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are over 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the wealth of natural resources and the prevalence of wealth in the northern segments of Africa have led many to speculate about the equity and economic development in the sub-Sahara. Unfortunately, the progression of economic, political and social factors in this region have done little to improve the overall conditions, and have instead demonstrated a consistent bias towards the government and the social elites that has impacted the chances of successful development in the region. Since the end of World War II, changes in the infrastructure, the political forces, and in the capacity for collective action in many of these countries has underscored what some have described as the â€Å"Africa crisis† (Stryker, 1986).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the major issues that still remain in this region is the history of development in the sub-Sahara, generally traced back to the history of British rule, and the relinquishing of colonial control which led to greater regionalization. But there was little in place in terms of expansion planning or economic development in the period following the end of the Second World War, and it can be argued that the struggle for economic development is linked to existing and maintained inequities, based both on social conditioning and political control, that has weakened the agrarian force and impacted the development of industrialization. During the 1980s, when many countries through out the world were experiencing the successful pull away from years of recession, the countries of the African sub-Sahara were not impacted by this positive transformation, and instead, it was posited that the decline in economic conditions would result in years of continued recession (Stryker, 1986). A number of theorists have attributed this crisis to different components of the politics, the economic base, and the social perspectives, as well as basic problems like the lowest world-wide life expectancy, lowest nutritional and literacy rates, lack of access to medical care, safe water supplies, and support services, and high population growth coupled by the highest infant mortality rates in the world (Stryker, 1986). It has been recognized that of the 40-50 poorest counties of the world, most (2/3) are located in the sub-Saha... ...ility, the perception that reforms could somehow promote a major transformation within the varied communities of the sub-Sahara placed too great an emphasis on the process of development and too little emphasis on the impact that the division itself would have on existing communities. Bibliography Berry, Sara (1992, Summer). Hegemony on a shoestring: indirect rule and access to agricultural land. Africa, v62 n3, pp. 327(29). Gyimah-Brempong, Kwabena (1992, May). Do African governments favor defense in budgeting? Journal of Peace Research, v29 n2, pp. 191(16). Jaycox, Edward (1993, March). Structural adjustment spurs African development. Africa News, v38 n2-3, pp. 14(1). Lonsdale, J.M. (1970). Nationalism and Traditionalism in East Africa. in Collins, R., Ed. Problems in the History of Colonial Africa, 1860-1960. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Seitz, Steven (1991, January-April). The military in black African politics. Journal of Asian and African Studies, v26 n1-2, pp. 61(15). Stryker, Richard (1986). Poverty, inequality, and development choices in contemporary Africa. in Martin, P. and O’Meara, P., Eds. Africa. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Working with Financial Statements

Working with Financial Statements Accounting is the heart and soul of executing a successful business. Accounting is used to provide record for all items that are paid and received for a business over any period of time. Within the purpose of accounting lies the need to provide continuity and sustainability within a business, without it a business will not thrive. The information obtained is kept on record, in order to give insight to upper management on data concerning the daily revenue and expenses of that business. This data is needed to not only inform the employees of the business, but also the investing parties of that business as well.Success in business is equated to being accountable of all aspects of revenue and expenses. To help aid in the understanding of the practice of accounting, Team A will discuss the subjects of revenue and expense recognition principles. We will also discuss the importance of journal adjustments that are prepaid, unearned, and accrued for both reve nues and expenses over time. Each item discussed helps provided and maintains a balance for the completion of a financial statement. If entered correctly, the all entries used will provide a clear picture of the account efforts of any business.The Revenue Recognition and Expense Recognition Principle Being able to account for a business’s revenues and expenses in a certain accounting period is difficult to determine. To do it correctly, one would need to understand two principles that set the standard; the revenue recognition principle and the expense recognition principle. In chapter 4 of our textbook Financial Accounting Tools for Business Decision Making, it states â€Å"the revenue recognition principle requires that companies recognize revenue in the accounting period in which it is earned.In a service company, revenue is considered to be earned at the time the service is performed. † Therefore, the definition is that it is only to be recorded when the items sold where the profit can be estimated reliability and when the amount is recoverable. What tells the revenue to be recognized and to ignore when the cash inflows occur is when the account will use the accrual basis of accounting. An example to illustrate revenue recognition principle is when a phone company sells talk time through scratch cars. There is no revenue to recognize when a customer purchased the scratch card.The revenue is recognized when the customer has made the call and actually consumed the talk time. The expense recognition principle is defined in the same chapter as, â€Å"The principle that dictates that companies match efforts (expenses) with results (revenues). † They provide a simple rule to remember as â€Å"Let the expenses follow the revenues. † which would indicate how the expense recognition goes hand and hand with the revenue recognition. To illustrate that, we could say it is sales commission owed to an employee because it is based on the total of a sale.In the same accounting period as the sale, the commission expense is when it should be recorded. At the same time, the sale is recognized and expensed when the cost of inventory is delivered to the customer. That is when the commission expense should be recorded in the same accounting period as the sale. That would be the example of the matching principle is associated with the cause and effect of accounting. Situations That Require Adjusting Journal Entries Adjusting entries are grouped as deferrals and accruals and each has two subgroups. The two categories of deferrals are prepaid expenses and unearned revenue.Prepaid expenses are recorded as assets until they are used or consumed. For example prepaid monthly insurance is recorded as an asset until the coverage has been consumed. Because prepaid expenses expire with time does not require daily adjustments, which would be unrealistic. When preparing financial statements adjusting entries are made to record the expense co nsumed of the prepaid assets and show the remaining amounts in the asset account. Unearned revenue is when cash is received before service is provided, which increases the liability account. For that reason unearned revenue are opposite of prepaid expenses.When a company receives a payment for a future service, it credits liability the unearned revenue account increases. The recognition process occurs during the accounting period where the service was provided. Then the company makes the adjusting entry for the unearned revenue by debiting the liability account and crediting the revenue account. Before the adjustment is made liabilities are overstated and revenue is understated. The second category for adjusting entries is for accruals. Preceding the entry adjustments the revenue account or the expense account are understated.Consequently the entry adjustment for accruals increases the balance sheet and income statement account. Accrued revenue is accumulated revenue that is not rec orded at the statement date because revenue is accrued with passing time, which is impractical to record daily. The adjusting entry records the amount owed to a business at the balance sheet date and the revenue earned in that time. The adjusting entry increases both the revenue account and the asset account. If services provided to client that were not billed will not be recorded.The accrual of unrecorded service account increases accounts receivable, which also increases stockholder equity by increasing revenue account. It would be unethical for a company to backdate sales or accounts receivable to increase revenue and asset accounts to meet a quarter’s target sales. Expenses incurred but not yet paid or recorded at the statement date are called accrued expenses. Adjustments are made to recognize expenses incurred at the current accounting period and record debt that is present at the balance sheet date. Consequently adjusting entry increase expense account and increase lia bility account.Why Adjusting Entries are Important Every business or organization makes adjusting entries in the end of a set accounting period. Adjusting entries are entries made at the end of an accounting period to make certain that the profits and expenditures recognition principles are followed (Kimmel, Weygandt, & Kieso, 2011). Accrual transactions and the purposes of these transactions should be reported when these financial actions occur. These actions should be recorded not only when cash is paid or received but also anytime a financial action takes place.These important concepts in accounting are imperative because they recognize net gains or losses and a business’ financial position can be identified within the accounting period. The preparations of general entries and postings are important and the information added to these journals should be precise and reliable. The truth in numbers is critical, and the information should be calculated exactly. There are numero us reasons regarding why adjusting entries are important. To establish if the accurate value of cost of goods sold and gross profit, adjusting entry of closing stock is needed.To determine the correct value of net profit, adjusting entry of depreciation is needed. Making adjusting entries of advance expenses are essential because after this step is completed an accountant can take away advance expense from expenses collected, and this will be charged in next accounting period when these expenses will be payable. To show the correct amounts due to a third party and to show correct expenses for the accounting period making adjusting entries of outstanding expenses are important. In this entry the accountant must have debit expense and credit outstanding expense for a third party accounted for. ConclusionAs one can see, revenue recognition and expense recognition are important parts of the accounting process of any business. It is also important to understand what situations require a company to adjust their journal entries and why it is so important to do so. With the appropriate accounting techniques and accurate journaling, a company’s financial statements become more accurate and easier for both internal and external users to understand. Not only do accurate financial statements keep a company above suspicion and consequence, but it helps users make informed decisions about that company based on its financial health.Without good decision making based on accurate information, a company will not be able to succeed. References Kimmel, P. D. , Weygandt, J. J. , & Kieso, D. E. ( 2010). Financial accounting: Tools for business decision making (6th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 2011 Financial Principles Explained. Retrieved from http://accountingexplained. com/financial/principles/revenue-recognition Walther, L. (2012) Financial Accounting 2012 Edition. Retrieved from http://www. principlesofaccounting. com/chapter3/chapter3. html sofaccounting. com/ chapter3/chapter3. html