Passover as a Popular Jewish Holiday Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Passover as a Popular Jewish Holiday - Essay Example The belief and celebration is Passover. Passover is a popular Jewish holiday and festival commemorating the exodus story during which the oppressed Israelites were freed from the harsh Egyptians, under Pharaoh the dictator. It is usually started at the day 15 of the month of Nisan, in the Jewish calendar. Actual narration of the day or the exodus reveals the means God used to rescue His children from Egypt. It talks about the ten plagues, the night before departure as well as all the activities that took place during that night. Further description also reveals that God led the Israelites in crossing the mighty Red Sea by giving them a charismatic leader who showed them the way by using a stick to strike the water allowing them to go through easily. Passover is one of the Jewish celebrations that go across the entire Bible. There are several occasions in the bible where the word is mentioned and its significance can be drawn from there. In the book of Genesis, God’s creation i s accompanied by the creation of man in the last day, sixth day of creation. Human beings are considered the most important creatures among all creatures that God created. He gives them some of the abilities that are not present with other creatures. Genesis continues and in some chapters, Joseph, Jacob’s most preferred and loved son is sold to the Egyptian by his envious brothers. They return to Jacob, Joseph’s clothes claiming that he had been killed and eaten by an animal. Jacob mourns his son bitterly. In Egypt, Joseph faces numerous challenges as a staunch believer in God. He is tricked and lured by Potipha’s wife into sex. His refusal renders him arrest after the woman claimed that he wanted to rape him. Joseph is jailed but freed after his interpretation of King Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph grew an important person in Egypt and raised a family of the Jews or the Israelites. He was eventually put in high position. He was second in command to Pharaoh. He moved his whole family to Egypt and offered them protection there. 4 centuries later the Israelites had grown into a large population, hitting the 2 million mark. The high number of Jews in Egypt made the new pharaoh becomes afraid of their power. In order to maintain control of the land, he decided to turn them into slaves and oppressed them with harsh labor, ruthless and inhuman treatment. God came to rescue the Jews through a man named Moses who was a great grandson to Jacob. Moses was born during the time when Pharaoh had made an order that ensured the death of all Hebrew male. God, however, spared Moses when Pharaoh’s daughter found him near the Nile River bank. He was given the best care in the Egyptian most royal family. Moses later killed an Egyptian who had killed his fellow Israelite. After the incidence, he escaped to Midian. Expectedly, God appeared to Moses in Midian, in the form of a Burning Bush telling him, â€Å"’I have seen the misery of my people. I have heard their cries, I care about their suffering and I have come to rescue them. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt (Exodus 3: 7-10). Moses gave out some excuses but finally obeyed God’s command and went to Egypt in the company of Aaron as a spokesman. Pharaoh, as expected became adamant to Moses request to set the Israelites free. God punished him with ten plagues after

Analysis of SEEK Limited, Telstra Limited and Ansell Limited Essay

Analysis of SEEK Limited, Telstra Limited and Ansell Limited - Essay Example Another importance why I used the 10 year period data is that if the period is too short, there may be just the data for bull market, for instance from 201-2015. Moreover, a short time period data may result in inadequate information which in turn may result in misinterpretation. Therefore, I used the longer time period to select stock of the three companies to forecast the upcoming rates in order that legitimate forecasts of stocks may be possible. The data used for the chosen three companies: SEEK Limited, Telstra Corporation and Ansell were for the period of 2005-2015 to assess as well as make projections 3. COMPANY EVALUATION 3.1.SEEK Limited: Business Summary   SEEK Limited manages internet/web employment markets inside Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia, China, New Zealand, Malaysia Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, and globally. The corporation links employers and job hunters with job openings and equivalent overhauls online and delivers as well as offers holiday education and uni versity courses. Also, it provides online job marketing functions. The corporation was formed during 1997 and its headquarters are in Australia, Melbourne state (Australian Broadcasting Corporation & Nelvana. 3.1.1.Choice of sampling frequency In calculating SEEK Limited’ standard deviation and expected a return, I used monthly sampling size which is the optimal allowance sampling frequency founded considerations of cost, and a single sample every month gathered at about similar moment of the month in 10 sample design.

Political Parties Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Political Parties - Research Paper Example This notion implies that when it comes to demonstrating support for a candidate, partisan attitudes can be seen as a reflection of the elements which exist and prevail in the political environment. For example, in a majority of scenarios the information that an individual obtains as a consequence of face-to-face communication with members of the family, friend’s group and co-workers can be recognized as a factor which is responsible for shaping voter behavior, especially with regards to presidential politics (67). An important aspect of this discussion encompasses the analysis which aims to classify each of the current dimensions in accordance with their association with the external environment or even various internal factors. In this case, any interaction with peers or family members that either strengthens or weakens a voter’s behavior can be linked with the psychological elements rather than the forces which formulate the attitude of a partisan (Campbell 67). The u nderlying notion which is present in the preceding discussion outlines six distinct dimensions which govern the voting behavior of individuals. These factors can be distributed as: 1) the personal characteristics of the leader who presently holds office 2) the personal characteristics of the opponent 3) the agencies and bodies which are a part of the political process and the notion of group’s interests which has a potential to impact them 4) the problems which surround the formulation of domestic policy 5) the problems which surround the formulation of foreign policy and 6) the comparative performance of the political parties which have been responsible for administrating and implementing government policies (Campbell 67). The degree to which the formulation of such dimensions on which voter behavior is based has the ability to determine, influence and even predict an individual’s support for one political party over the other can be associated with the role of the in dividual in either accepting or refuting the principles of on which these dimensions are based. The determination of this component of voting behavior yet again sheds light on the significance of psychological forces that are present in this case. This notion implies that a voter’s intensity of feeling for the personal characteristics of a specific candidate is in fact a psychological factor. As seen in the American presidential elections of 1956, the research conducted by the University of Michigan reports that those individuals who had developed an unfavorable picture of Eisenhower chose the Democrats over Republics in a majority of cases (Campbell 68). This observation reaffirms the unparalleled significance of the psychological dimension of voting behavior which is rooted the cognitive map of the voter and how he perceives the things with which the decision to vote for one candidate and not the other is related (Campbell 42). 1B. There are several determinants which are r esponsible for governing an individual’s participation in politics and the democratic process itself. Perhaps, the most significant set of determinants which can be identified as being critical to an individual’s decision for choosing to vote or not to vote is that of the socioeconomic factors. The socioeconomic determinants can be categorized as: education, wealth and occupation (Political Science 692). The key influence of

2013 to 2017 - China Market Soft Drink Manufacturing Research Report Essay Example for Free

2013 to 2017 China Market Soft Drink Manufacturing Research Report Essay In China, soft drinks refer to those natural or artificial beverages with the alcohol content less than 0. 5% in the total volume. Small amount of alcohol may be contained in a soft drink, but such alcohol is the ethyl alcohol which is used in dissolving essences, flavorings and pigments, or the by-products of lactic acid beverages. With the rapid increase in Chinese peoples living standard and consumption capability, soft drink industry has entered the rapid growth era. Since soft drink products enjoy great popularity in China, the market demand is huge. Currently, there are various types of soft drinks sold in the market with many strong competitors. In 2012, the total output volume of China soft drinks is 130. 2401 million tons, increasing by 10. 73% YOY. From 2000 to 2012, the output volume of China soft drink industry increased by 7 times, with a CAGR of 20. 7%, which is far higher than the growth rate of GDP, presenting a well development competence. When the output volume increases, the varieties of China soft drinks also increase to provide more options for consumers. See more:Â  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay Among all varieties of soft drinks, carbonated beverages take up the largest proportion of China soft drink industry, while the proportion of natural mineral water in soft drink industry increases continuously. At present, carbonated beverages, bottled drinking water, fruit and vegetable drinks and tea drinks have become the four major categories of soft drinks in China. In 2012, the output volume of carbonated beverages was 13. 1129 million tons, decreasing by 18. 38% YOY. The output volume of fruit juices and vegetable juices was 22. 2917 million tons, increasing by 16. 09%. The output volume of bottled drinking water amounted to 55. 6278 million tons, up by 16. 16% YOY. And the output volume of other drinks reached 39. 2077 million tons, increasing by 13. 76% YOY. China soft drink market can be divided into several major market segments, including carbonated beverages, fruit and vegetable beverages, bottled drinking water, tea drinks, protein beverages and other drinks. For a long period, bottled drinking water and carbonated beverages have accounted for the largest proportion of the market, followed by protein beverages and fruit and vegetable beverages. Tea drinks have also increased their market share and created a huge consumption market. However, with the development of social economy, the improvement of peoples living standard and the formulation of healthy consumption concept, the competition structure of soft drink market will encounter a great change. Influenced by the emerging healthy consumption concept, it can be predicted that the proportion of carbonated beverages in the market will decline, while healthy beverages, such as tea drinks, protein beverages and fruit and vegetable juices, will become the mainstream of the market in the near future. However, consumers of carbonated beverages are mainly between 16 and 25 years old, mainly teenagers. They worship fashion instead of nutrition. Since such young consumer group is unlikely to diminish, there is a huge market demand for carbonated beverages. Therefore, it will take a long-term process to lower the carbonated beverage market. In recent years, functional drinks have become the highlight in China soft drink market. It indicates that China functional drink market has been established after a period of market development. At present, China functional drinks mainly include sport drinks (with Mizone and Gatorade as representatives), energy drinks (with Red Bull and Lipovitan as representatives), and vegetable protein drinks (with Jiaduobao and Wong Lo Kat as representatives). There is a huge market potential for China functional drinks. As a sun-rising industry in China, soft drink industry enjoys consumption per capita much lower than that of developed countries. Rural residents spend much less on soft drinks. Based on the huge domestic market, there is an enormous development space for China soft drink industry. With high degree of marketization, China soft drink industry has attracted many international drink magnates to establish their businesses in China, which will result in fierce market competition. Besides, confronted with the new situation, the competition of China soft drink industry has been transferred from product competition to industry chain competition. In this sense, the marketing model of soft drink enterprises has also been transferred from brand operation into channel model and structure and channel management. Channel resources, especially terminal resources have become the focus of competition. It is estimated by CRI that the output volume of China soft drinks will maintain a growth rate of over 8%, which will be higher than that of GDP. Through this report, the readers can acquire the following information: Supply and Demand Status of China Soft Drink Industry Operation Status of Sub-industries of China Soft Drink Industry Competition Status of China Soft Drink Industry Major Soft Drink Manufacturing Enterprises in China Influencing Factors and Development Trend of Soft Drink Industry Investment and Development Recommendations for Soft Drink Industry The Following Enterprises and People are proposed to purchase this report: Soft Drink Manufacturing Enterprises Upstream Soft Drink Enterprises, Such as Essence Manufacturing Enterprises, Pigment Manufacturing Enterprises, and Enterprises in Charge of Packing Soft Drink Distributing Enterprises Investors and Research Institutes Concerned About Soft Drink Industry Complete Report @ http://www. chinamarketresearchreports. com/102526. html Buy Report @ http://www. chinamarketresearchreports. com/contacts/purchase. php? name=102526 Table Of Content 1 Overview on China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2012 1. 1 Definition and Category 1. 1. 1 Definition 1. 1. 2 Industry Chain of Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry 1. 2 Major Products 1. 3 Role of Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry in China Economy 2 Development Environment of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2012-2013 2. 1 Economic Environment 2. 1. 1 China Economy 2. 1. 2 Global Economy 2. 2 Policy Environment 2. 1. 1 Analysis on Policies 2. 1. 2 Policy Trend 3 Operation Status of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2008-2012 3. 1 Current Status 3. 1. 1 Total Output Value 3. 1. 2 Output Volume 3. 1. 3 Fixed Asset Investment 3. 1. 4 Industry Scale 3. 1. 5 Operation Status 3. 1. 6 Financial Index 3. 2 Regional Distribution 3. 2. 1 Scale Distribution 3. 2. 2 Profit Distribution 3. 2. 3 Guangdong 3. 2. 4 Henan 3. 2. 5 Jiangsu 3. 2. 6 Zhejiang 3. 2. 7 Shandong 4 Competition Status of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2012 4. 1 Barriers to Entry and Exit 4. 2 Competition Structure 4. 2. 1 Bargain Ability of Upstream Suppliers 4. 2. 2 Competition Among Existing Enterprises 4. 2. 3 Bargain Ability of Downstream Clients 4. 2. 4 Threats of New Entrants 4. 2. 5 Threats of Substitutes 4. 3 Development Features 4. 3. 1 Mergers and Acquisitions by Foreign Capital 4. 3. 2 Preference for Brand Consumption 4. 3. 3 Product Competition Transferring to Industrial Chain Competition 4. 3. 4 Rich Product Varieties 4. 5 Operation Models 4. 5. 1 Business Model 4. 5. 2 Profit Mode 5 Industry Chain of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2012-2013 5. 1 Upstream Industries 5. 1. 1 Fruit Industry 5. 1. 2 Vegetable Industry 5. 1. 3 Sugar Industry 5. 1. 4 Package Industry 5. 1. 5 Influences of Upstream Industries on Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry 5. 2 Downstream 5. 2. 1 Resident Incomes 5. 2. 2 Resident Consumption Expenditures 5. 2. 3 Influences of Downstream Industries on Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry 6 Sub-industries of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2008-2017 6. 1 Carbonated Beverage Industry 6. 1. 1 Operation Status 6. 1. 2 Regional Distribution 6. 1. 3 Development Trend 6. 2 Bottled Drinking Water Industry 6. 2. 1 Operation Status 6. 2. 2 Regional Distribution 6. 2. 3 Development Trend 6. 3 Fruit Vegetable Juice Industry and Fruit Vegetable Drink Industry 6. 3. 1 Industry Overview 6. 3. 2 Regional Distribution 6. 3. 3 Development Trend 6. 4 Milk Beverage Industry and Vegetable Protein Drink Industry 6. 5 Solid Drink Industry 6. 6 Tea Drink Industry and Other Soft Drink Industry 7 Major Soft Drink Manufacturing Enterprises in China, 2012 7. 1 Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. , Ltd. 7. 2 Master Kong Drink Holdings Co. , Ltd. 7. 3 VV Group Co. , Ltd. 7. 4 Uni-president (China) Investment Co. , Ltd. 7. 5 Coca-Cola Bottle Manufacturing (Dongguan) Co. , Ltd. 7. 6 Xiamen Yinlu Foods Co. , Ltd. 7. 7 Red Bull Vitamin Drink Co. , Ltd. 7. 8 Jiangxi Runtian Beverage Co. , Ltd. 7. 9 Nongfu Spring Co. , Ltd. 7. 10 Beijing Huiyuan Food and Beverage Group Co. , Ltd. 7. 11 Coconut Palm Group Co. , Ltd. 7. 12 Jiaduobao Group 8 Forecasts on Investment and Development of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2013-2017 8. 1 Influencing Factors on Development 8. 1. 1 China economy 8. 1. 2 Governmental Policy 8. 2 Forecast on Market Supply and Demand 8. 2. 1 Forecast on Supply 8. 2. 2 Forecast on Demand 8. 3 Forecast on Product Development Trend 8. 3. 1 Market Trend of Healthy Drinks 8. 3. 2 Compound Drinks 8. 3. 3 Functional Drinks 8. 4 Recommendations on Investment and Development 8. 4. 1 Investment Opportunities in Sub-industries 8. 4. 2 Regional Investment Opportunities List Of Charts Chart Category of Sub-industries of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry Chart Analysis on Major Products of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry Chart Related Policies of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2012 Chart Total Output Value of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2008-2012 Chart Total Output Volume of China Soft Drinks, 2008-2012. Chart Number of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Enterprises, 2008-2012 Chart Total Assets of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry, 2008-2012 Chart Scale of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry by Region Chart Analysis on Profits of China Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry by Region Chart Total Output Value of China Carbonated Beverage Industry, 2008-2012 Chart Output Volume of China Carbonated Beverages, 2008-2012 Chart Sales Revenue of China Tea Drinks and Other Soft Drink Manufacturing Industries, 2008-2012 Chart Forecast on China Soft Drink Output Volume, 2013-2017 Chart Forecast on China Soft Drink Sales Revenue, 2013-2017. Complete Report @ http://www. chinamarketresearchreports. com/102526. html Buy Report @ http://www. chinamarketresearchreports. com/contacts/purchase. php? name=102526

Crusades in the 14th and 15th Century

Crusades in the 14th and 15th Century To what extent did the idea of crusading remain integral to the chivalric culture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries? In the traditional view, the crusades started in the 11th century and ended in the last decade of the 13th. There is much debate, however, surrounding to what extent later crusading activity can indeed be considered crusading, and what role it played in chivalric culture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The formation of chivalric culture was no doubt influenced to some extent by crusading ideology. Chivalry is made up of a range of activities, values and attitudes,[1] with crusading itself being viewed as a chivalrous activity and military orders formed during the crusades before the fourteenth century seen by some to be early examples of chivalry.[2] The first crusade gave birth to new ideas of the role of the warrior in Christian society; defence of the faith and reclamation of the Holy Land was, according to the church, the highest task to which a knight could dedicate himself and the 1099 triumph at Jerusalem set the standard for defence of holy places as the highest goal of chivalry.[3] Benedictine theologian and historian, Guibert de Nogent, wrote in the 12th century that God himself had started a holy war to allow knights to seek Gods grace in their wonted habit and in discharge of their own office, and need no longerseek salvation by renouncing the world in the profession of monk,[4] suggesting that crusading elevated knights to positions similar to priests and emphasising the prestigious and highly pious aspect of knighthood. Similarly, crusader poet Aymer de Pegulhan writes that crusading allows the achievement of honour in life and joy in paradise without renouncing our rich garments, our station in life, all that pleases and charms.[5] This idea that crusading brought distinction and recognition was widely understood into the fourteenth century, and features as a common theme in contemporary texts. Chaucers Knight, for example, represents an embodiment of the loftiest chivalric ideals and an idealised aspiration of many fourteenth century English crusaders.[6] In examining the extent to which crusading remained integral to the chivalric culture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, one must first examine what is meant by the term crusade. The label crusade was uncommon before the 1700s and, contemporarily, there was no single accepted term; words that suggested travel (often combined with references to Jerusalem, the cross, or the Holy Land) were used, and early sources often labelled participants as pilgrims or simply Christians.[7] It is therefore understandable that what constitutes a crusade is ambiguous and varies between scholars. Constable[8] gives four approaches to defining the crusades: pluralist, traditionalist, generalist, and popularist. Pluralists see papal authorisation as the key criterion for a crusade, irrespective of the nature or location of the conflict,[9] which therefore includes such conflicts as the Alexandrian Crusade‎, Mahdian Crusade‎, Battle of Nicopolis‎, Crusade of Varna, and the Hussite Wars. In a similar vein, generalists see all wars with papal connections fought in defence of Christianity as crusades.[10] Traditionalists, on the other hand, view crusades as expeditions from 1095 to 1291 that aimed to defend or recover the Holy Land, thus dismissing all later activity[11] with some arguing that this would also have been the view held by contemporaries.[12] Similarly, the First Crusade alone is considered a crusade by popularists, who limit this label to conflicts characterised by popular religious upsurges.[13] It is understandable, therefore, that scholars from th ese different schools of thought will have different understandings of the extent to which the idea of crusading remained integral to the chivalric culture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. A golden age of crusading,[14] an epoch of crises and confusions, incoherent and diffuse[15] and a Indian summer of crusading[16] have all been used to describe fourteenth century crusading and, indeed, there is much debate surrounding the nature of crusading in this period. The devastating loss of Jerusalem and Acre in the 12th and 13th centuries may have motivated Christians to act and roused them to the reality of Christianitys precarious position in the Levant, and wandering kings such as Peter I de Lusignan and King Leon VI of Cicilian Armenia may have helped remind them of the fortune of fellow Christians in foreign lands.[17] Even with repeated and expensive attempts, the early fourteenth century saw no successful crusades to recover the Holy Land.[18] Despite papal taxation, proposed by the Second Lyons Council, domestic needs of rulers, who accepted taxation insofar as they could benefit from it, meant that they could not support the idea of funds being used by another ruler in the organisation of a recovery crusade.[19] Traditionally, this failure to launch an expedition to the holy land is understood to indicate the end of the age of crusading and an increase in conflict which made difficult the international cooperation needed to launch such an expedition. The early to middle of the fourteenth century was certainly a difficult climate for crusading: the suppression of the Knights Templar had created a sense of confusion and anxiety, joined with a feeling of disenchantment due to the abandonment of attempts to reclaim the Holy Land.[20] Understandably, many nobles at this time regarded crusading with a sense of suspicion and caution, despite family tradition,[21] and financial and political factors upon which crusading relied were affected by plague, the Anglo-French war, and the collapse of the Italian banking houses (upon which papal taxation of the Church depended).[22] These factors make it easy to comprehend why many may have agreed with chronicler Salimbene of Adam that it is not the divine will that the Holy Sepulchre should be recovered.[23] Traditionalists are inclined to label crusading activity in this period as an irrelevant hobby confined to enthusiasts, unimpressive compared to former achievements, far removed from the harsh realities of the age,[24] and little more than an aftermath in crusade history.[25] Indeed, crusading activity in this period was characteristically dissimilar from the general passagia before it; the Holy Land remained out of Christian control, with focus turning less towards seemingly unattainable holy places and more towards the hethenesse (that is, the land of heathens).[26] Despite this shifting focus, religion was, of course, still a major factor in the continuation of crusading activity. According to Huizinga, medieval thought was saturated in every part with conceptions of the Christian faith,[27] and of the ten chivalric commandments assigned by Gaultier in 1883, three are concerned with the church and defence of Christian religion.[28] There was no doubt a strong religious factor in embarking upon crusades in the late Middle Ages. The first and principle glory of the dignity of true chivalry is to fight for the faith according to Philippe de Mezieres;[29] Duke of Bourbon, Louis IIs, motivation for commanding the Al-Mahdiya crusade in 1390 was his similar desire to serve God;[30] wanting to expand Christianity by dedicating himself to Gods service is apparently John of Neverss reason for his enthusiasm for the Nicopolis crusade; [31] and references to the honour of God and the Virgin were made at the Feast of the Pheasant in the mid-fifteenth centur y. Although it is hard, if not impossible, to know an individuals true feelings in regards to faith, chivalric culture continued to emphasise religious piety and the lofty ideals of crusading, and there is no cause to suspect insincerity in such devotion: the knight John de la Ryvere, for example, supposedly abstained from all conflict that he deemed morally unjust whilst on campaign and Robert, Lord Fitzpayn, described a readiness to destroy bodies, friends and wealth for the sake of the crusade.[32] No doubt an image of the sacrifice of Christ was not overlooked in these seemingly martyrlike desires to serve God,[33] and the great suffering involved meant crusading was often regarded as superior to other forms of pilgrimage. 12th century French Dominican friar, Humbert of Romans, for example, believed that crusading represented the highest form of pilgrimage, as crusaders expose themselves to death repeatedly.[34] Furthermore, Mamluks, Turks, and other enemies of Christianity must have seemed worthy targets of retaliation for the suffering of Christ.[35] Furthermore, crusading was also a means of redeeming the soul: in the fourteenth century, atoning for the sins of others, both living and dead, was encouraged of crusaders; concern for salvation of the dead was reflected in 1365 lobbying of the pope for indulgences for those who gave masses in memory of ancestors, and church rites and rituals for the crusades are well attested, such as a specially adapted group of psalms and pra yers inserted between the breaking of the Host and the Pax Domini before communion to invoke divine aid for the Holy Land.[36] Chivalrys religious ideals were not the lone causes of the continued relevance of crusading; reputation and honour were major factors, alongside friendships and loyalties, encouraged by cultural contact between European courts[37] and the fact that crusading allowed a chance for knights to distinguish themselves from rivals. Social and material advancement was a coveted reward for the military prestige associated with crusading; for example, upon his return from Constantinople in 1368, servant of Sir John Mowbray, John Dodenill, was promoted to post of warrener.[38] These factors are reasons for why the idea of crusading remained relevant to chivalric culture in the fourteenth century, and for why the importance of crusading activity in this period should not be overlooked or underestimated. Failure to organise an expedition to reclaim the Holy Land was not due to disinterest on the part of knights, but was instead caused by complex political factors of the time, such as the conflict between England and France, and the papal schism. The challenges of this period may have been discouraging, but it has been argued that, between 1307 and 1399, English knights enjoyed their greatest degree of opportunity and freedom, with shorter crusade service terms and a wide range of war frontiers encouraging an eager response that, according to Guard, can be considered to rival, if not eclipse, the response to crusading in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.[39] For this reason, it is not hard to see why many scholars have labelled the fourteenth c entury a golden age of crusading.[40] Just as fourteenth century crusading differed from early crusading, the fifteenth century saw a further shift, with the September 1396 Nicopolis disaster viewed as a turning point[41] that saw the start of major changes taking place within both crusading and chivalry. Factors such as Henry IV and Vs increased demands for war, and domestic political crises at the end of the fourteenth century meant a reduction in crusading numbers and a decrease in the diversity and range of crusading which had been so characteristic of the previous century.[42] The Lancastrian revolution in the last year of the fourteenth century ended the atmosphere of co-operation and idealism which had supported crusade planning at intermittent times during the fourteenth century and ensured there were no additional attempts at organising a combined Anglo-French expedition. The romantic idea of crusading still held power, though; a desire for the king to eventually reclaim the Holy Land as a seemingly logical prog ression of the 1415 Agincourt victory is presented in the Gesta Henri Quinti, and according to Burgundian chroniclers, Henry V had exchanged crusade vows before the offensive against the Dauphin in 1420.[43] But times had changed and international crusading had come under pressure from many directions. The continuing centralisation of the monarchy and growing debate and criticism regarding the kings duty to act for the greater good assisted an increasingly strong sense of the geographical confines of the crown. Church propaganda and patriotism validated a monopoly on military resources for the war with France, and thus focus was shifted closer to home, which can be seen in the fact that, after Henry V, a king would not fight at the head of an army outside the British isles again until Henry VIII and the Battle of the Spurs in 1513. Crusade opportunities began to dry up. In short, the political and social climate previous to the Nicopolis crusade could not be recovered.[44] In the fifteenth century, crusadings main adversaries became the Ottoman Turks. English knightly traffic to Rhodes and other outpots of Christianity persisted, but their military impact and numbered were minimal and by the end of the Hundred Years War, the audience for which Chaucer and Mezieres had written had largely disappeared.[45] Furthermore, the idea of chivalry as a value system was coming under increased pressure, and the role of the knight in English society was changing, edging towards a less martial occupation. Conventional ideology remained in place but in the first decades of the fifteenth century, decisive changes in the character of contemporary chilvary came to light, with movement away from the dynastic wars of the fourteenth century towards what was formatted as a struggle for the respublica.[46] Concepts of sovereign authority, legitimiate war making and the guiding principles of profit and loss helped shape military expectations, and from the very begin of the Hundred Years War signs of the pressure of standards quite other than those on which chivalry was founded had been apparent. Therefore, in conclusion, it seems that crusading did remain a defining function of chivalric society, particularly in the fourteenth century, which was the so-called golden age of English chivalry. In the fourteenth century, it was a diverse, multifaceted, and vibrant set of practices,[47] which is particularly impressive against the aforementioned backdrop of hindrances and setbacks.[48] Crusading remained integral to chivalric culture in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries because it exemplified so many chivalric ideals, from religious piety to However, it is hard to say to what extent crusading itself is integral to chivalry, as much as its values are. Crusading exemplifies the idea of a pious, sacrificing knight, which is no doubt why it was a popular expression of chivalry in the fourteenth century. In the fifteenth century, but more recent views do tend to emphasise renewed vitality of this new crusading activity, This new crusading was characterised by its decentralisation and diversity, made up of smaller expeditions not in the Holy Land but on the edges of Europe.[49] Whatever the case, there is a lot to be said for stressing the adaptability, as well as the sheer resilience, of the movement. [50] As a final note, it seems almost wilfully short-sighted to take a traditionalist or generalist view in this matter; to the participants, these crusades must surely have seemed as valid and as crucial as any before them. It is easy to overlook or underestimate their significance in retrospect, and one must remember that, to contemporary minds, recapturing the Holy Land was still an uncertainty. Even if the fighting was not in the Holy Land itself, it surely served the same purpose in the spiritual lives of the participants. Characterised by fighting in the hethenesse, as opposed to the expeditions to holy places that defined early crusades, Bibliography Constable, G. 2001. The Historiography of the Crusades. In Laiou, Angeliki E.; Mottahedeh, Roy P. The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World. 1-22. Crouch, D. 2005. The Birth of Nobility: Constructing Aristocracy in England and France 900-1300 Gaultier, L. 1891. Chivalry: translated by Henry Frith. Guard, T. 2013. Chivalry, Kingship and Crusade: The English Experience in the Fourteenth Century. Hazard, H. W. (ed.) 1975. Chapter One: The Crusade in the Fourteenth Century in The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. 2-26. University of Wisconsin Press . Housley, N. 1992. The Later Crusades, 1274-1580: From Lyons to Alcazar. Oxford University Press. Housley, N. 1999. The Crusading Movement 1274-1700 in Riley-Smith, J (ed) The Oxford History of the Crusades. Oxford University Press. Housley, N. 2017. The Crusade in the Fifteenth Century: Converging and competing cultures. Routledge. Huizinga, J.H. 1938. The Waning of the Middle Ages. London. Kaeuper, R.W. 2009. Holy Warriors: The Religious Ideology of Chivalry Keen, M. 1984. Chivalry. Yale University Press. Keen, M. 1996. Nobles, Knights and Men-at-Arms in the Middle Ages. Bloomsbury. Lock, P. 2006. Routledge Companion to the Crusades. Routledge. Manion, L. The Loss of the Holy Land and Sir Isumbras: Literary Contributions to Fourteenth-Century Crusade Discourse in Speculum. Vol. 85, No. 1 (JANUARY 2010). 65-90. Powell, J.M. 1995. Rereading the Crusades: An Introduction in The International History Review, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Nov., 1995) Riley-Smith, J. 2009. What were the Crusades? Palgrave Macmillan. Saul, N. 2011. Chivalry and Crusading in For Honour and Fame: Chivalry in England 1066-1500. Bodley Head. [1] Keen, 2005. 44-45. [2] Powell, 1995. 667-668. [3] Keen, 1996. 2. [4] Riley-Smith, 2009. 23. [5] Keen, 1996. 2. [6] Saul, 2011. 230. [7] Constable, 2001. 11-12. [8] Constable, 2001. 11-12. [9] Riley-Smith, 2009. 27; Housley, 1992. 2-3. [10] Constable, 2001. 14. [11] Constable, 2001. 12. [12] Housley, 1992. 3. [13] Constable, 2001. 15. [14] Housley, 1992. 402. [15] Guard, 2013. 15. [16] Saul, 2011. 230. [17] Hazard, 1975. 5. [18] Manion, 2010. 65-66. [19] Housley, 1999. 262-264. [20] Housley, 1999. 261. [21] Housley, 1999. 261. [22] Housley, 1999. 261. [23] Housley, 1999. 261. [24] Huizinga, 1938. 87. [25] Housley, 1999. 266. [26] Saul, 2011. 230. [27] Huizinga, 1938. 65. [28] Gaultier, 1891. 26. [29] Keen, 1996. 3. [30] Housley, 1992. 401. [31] Housley, 1999. 261. [32] Guard, 2013. 145. [33] Guard, 2013. 157-158. [34] Kaeuper, 1999. 73. [35] Kaeuper, 1999. 73. [36] Guard, 2013. 154. [37] Guard, 2013. 173. [38] Guard, 2013. 126. [39] Guard, 2013. 208. [40] Housley, 1992. 402. [41] Hazard, 1975. 25; 647. [42] Housley, 1999. 275-276. [43] Guard, 2013. 213. [44] Housley, 1992. 78 [45] Guard, 2013. 213. [46] Guard, 2013. 214. [47] Manion, 2010. 65-66. [48] Housley, 1999. 266. [49] Saul, 2011. 230. [50] Housley, 1999. 266.

Dual Setting β-tricalcium Phosphate Composite Cement

Dual Setting ÃŽ ²-tricalcium Phosphate Composite Cement Dual Setting ÃŽ ²-tricalcium Phosphate Composite Cement Obtained by 3D Printing Abstract: Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) could be employed as synthetic bone graft substitutes or in the manufacture of scaffolds for tissue engineering. The limitations of these systems are their low mechanical strength, which limits its use to places with small mechanical stresses; however, the use of polymeric additives such us acrylamide (AA) and ammonium polyacrylate (PA), reinforced the system through in situ polymerization and increase the mechanical properties of the final piece. Moreover, the fabrication of the cement scaffolds through rapid prototyping technologies at low temperatures such as 3D printing, will allows the fabrication of more complex forms and customization of implants. Thus, the objective of this work was the evaluation of the ÃŽ ±-tricalcium phosphate/AA/PA system in the fabrication of scaffolds by rapid prototyping technology. The results showed slight differences between the porosities of the printed pieces (61% for cylindrical test bodies and 59% for rectangular ); but water absorption was significantly different for each type of printed form. Mechanical strength (1.3MPa) and flexural stress (3.2MPa) were lower than expected due to the high porosity of the samples although the morphology of the final material showed the presence of homogeneous and interlinked network of hydroxyapatite crystals. Nevertheless, printed materials might be used as spongy graft substitutes or scaffolds for tissue engineering in low-mechanical solicitation. Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) could be employed as synthetic bone graft substitutes or scaffolds for tissue engineering allowing the fabrication of more complex geometries and the customization of the implants mainly due to the possibility of be molded [1]. Moreover, the use of additive manufacturing technologies at low temperatures such as 3D printing permits the fabrication of pieces with enhanced performance over traditional techniques [2-3]. Usually, the obtained pieces have low mechanical strength, which limits its use to places with small mechanical stresses; however, the use of polymeric additives such as acrylamide (AA) and ammonium polyacrylate (PA), could reinforce the system through in situ polymerization and increase the mechanical properties of the final piece [4]. Some studies reports the use of calcium phosphate powders such as à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢-tricalcium phosphate, tetracalcium phosphate, and ÃŽ ²-tricalcium phosphate [ÃŽ ²-Ca3(PO4)2; ÃŽ ²-TCP] as row material in the manufacture of scaffolds by means of 3D printing technology [5-8]. However, none of the reported studies refer the use of dual setting ÃŽ ²-TCP-based cement hydraulic system as proposed by the authors. Thus, the aim of this work was the fabrication and characterization of a dual setting composite cement based on ÃŽ ²-tricalcium phosphate (ÃŽ ²-TCP)/AA/PA by 3D printing technology. A Z310 Plus Printer Prototyper was used to print the pieces. Previously shyntethized ÃŽ ²-TCP powder [9], was mixed with ammonium persulfate [(NH4)2S2O8] and placed in the printer chamber. Powder layer thickness was set to 0.0875mm and binder liquid/powder ratio was 0.31mL/g. The binder was composed by a solution of 5%wt Na2HPO4, 10%wt acrylamide (AA), 1% N,N methylenebisacrylamide and 0.5% N,N,N,N- tetramethylethylenediamide [4]. Pieces in the form of cylinders and rectangles for compressive and 4 point bending assays were prototyped. Phase composition of the samples was determined by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) in a PHILLIPSà ¯Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ diffractometer (X ´Pert MPD). Morphological differences were observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) using a JEOL microscope (JSM-6060). Compressive strength (CS) and flexure stress (FS) were measured in servohydraulic Universal Testing Machine (Instron 3369) with a load measuring cell of 2kN and a loading rate of 1 mm/min. Figure 1 shows a photograph of the printed materials after removing powder excess. Minor differences were observed in relation to the original sample size. Figure 2 shows the XRD patterns of ÃŽ ²-TCP powder and prototyped cement after 7 days in water/37.5 °C. After setting and aging, some ÃŽ ²-TCP peaks (JCPDS 09-0348) could be identified in addition to the characteristics peaks of CDHA (JCPDS 46-0905). Mechanical properties, water absorption apparent porosity and density can be observed in Table 1. Values of both compressive strength, and flexure stress were very low. Slight differences between the values of apparent porosity of the samples were found as a function of the arraignment of prototyped piece; on the other hand, apparent density values were the same regardless of the format of the piece. Microstructural features of the prototyped material are shown in Figure 4. Typical petal-like plates distinctive of setting and hardening ÃŽ ±-TCP-based cements can be observed both on the surface and the fracture surface. However, the size of the crystals in the inside of the material is higher (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¾5à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­) than those found in the surface and a greater homogeneity is observed. In addition, some unreacted ÃŽ ±-TCP grains and macropores from about 5 microns of diameter can be observed at the outward of materials. No evidence of the presence of the hydrogel formed during the in situ polymerization of acrylamide was observed. Usually, strength is difficult to reproduce for ÃŽ ²-TCP-based CPCs because of the variability of ÃŽ ²-TCP phosphate properties from different sources. Factors like mean particle size and distribution, specific surface area, wettability, and phase impurities markedly influence the properties of the resulting cement. Since the precipitation of CHDA is responsible for the adherence and interlocking of the crystalline grains, which results in hardening; the fall of the mechanical strength can be attributed to the low transformation of ÃŽ ²-TCP into CDHA (Eq 1) according to the results of XRD. The value of the apparent density was close to the theoretical density of ÃŽ ²-TCP (2.86g/cm3), confirming no transformation of this phase into CHDA. When polymerization is conducted in aqueous slurry of ceramic powder, the resulted crosslinked polyacrilamide hydrogel is able to bind the ceramic particles and provide strength to the resulting system [10]. However, the addition of acrylamide to the system apparently did not work as reinforcement of the ÃŽ ²-TCP-based cement as expected. Moreover, the presence of the hydrogel after polymerization could be prevented the solubilization of the ÃŽ ²-TCP particles and subsequently inhibited the precipitation of the CDHA; so the strength of materials decreases. Furthermore, the high porosity of the prototyped materials also negatively influences the mechanical strength obtained. Water absorption values were not significantly different from those found for samples of cement without additions hydrogel [11], which reinforces the idea that it could be possible that the in situ polymerization of the acrylamide have not occurred. SEM results showed the presence of large number of plate-like crystals of aged CDHA in both: surface and fracture surface. Differences in the sizes of the crystals are due to the mechanism of hydrolysis which is dependent on the diffusion of fluid through the layer formed and occurs from the inside to the outside of the material. However, even though the presence of this entanglement of CDHA is responsible for the mechanical strength, the existence of unreacted ÃŽ ²-tricalcium phosphate and the high porosity of the prototyped materials are critical factors in the final properties of the cement. In conclusion, it is possible to obtaining scaffolds of dual setting hydraulic cement by 3D printing. The mechanical properties thereof are low for applications where high mechanical stresses were required. Nevertheless, the obtained pieces were high porosity and could be used as scaffolds for cellular growth and cancellous bone replacement. Acknowledgment The authors acknowledge the financial support from CNPq-the National Science and Technology Development Council (Research Grant 190005/2013-0). 1

Character Analysis of Fluer Pillager Essay -- essays research papers

Fleur Pillager 1 Character Analysis of Fleur Pillager Fleur Pillage is the most extraordinary character in this story. She is not only physically powerful, but also spiritually strong. She is strong willed and resolute to live her life as she wants to. She never listens to the town or tribal gossip about her and let it repress her. People pretty much stay out of her way because she is extremely diverse. They are too afraid to try to understand her or get to know her. Her life force is drawn from the milieu. Her spirit seems to be analogous with nature. The immense energy of nature is a mystery and Fleur seems to have some power to control it, this also make her an ambiguity. The two traits that I most admire about her are the fact that she is an enigma and that she has a supernatural am...