The Mezquita Mosque Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Mezquita Mosque - Research Paper Example It is the third largest mosque in the world and also one of the oddest, because it contains a Christian cathedral that was built inside it after the Moors got expelled in 1236. The graceful Moorish architecture combined with the triumphant Baroque cathedral memorializes in stone the conflict between Christianity and Islam that wracked Spain for 700 years. The Mezquita mosque was built in 785 and enlarged four times during the following 200 years; the cathedral was added in the 16th century. (Brockman, 2011, pg. 330) The Mezquita Mosque was founded by Abd ar-Rahman I in 785. Rahman I was the sole survivor of a tribe known as the Umayyards who fled Syria. Before Rahman I, the first Muslims who arrived to Cordoba shared la Mezquita with Christians. Rahman I bought the Christians out and started what would become a seven century dynasty of Muslim rule over Spain. After Rahman I died, he was followed by Abd ar-Rahmann II (822-52), who vastly extended the Mosque in the ninth century and un der Abd ar-Rahman III (912-61), Cordoba rose to become the largest and most prosperous city in Europe. Improvements on the Mosque continued under his son Al-Hakim II (961-76) who doubled its size and hired Greek contractors to build the new Mihrab (huge doorway used as the entrance to the Mezquita), which stands to this day. The final improvement in size, on the mosque, came under Al-Mansour (977-1002). (Ward, pg. 151) The Mezquita Mosque is a patchwork combination of all civilizations that occupied Cordoba. None, however, could bring themselves to destroy the Mosque, so each culture added their own personal touches. (Ward, pg. 151) Cordoba was probably a sophisticated center of the arts from the time of ‘Abd al-Rahman I. Chronicles suggest his keen interest in Syrian culture, which is apparently confirmed by aspects of the Mezquita. (Bloom, J.M., and Blair, S., 2009, pg. 506) The mosque began as the Christian Visigothic church of St. Vincent around 600, which was in turn buil t on the ruins of a Roman temple. In 784, the local emir bought it and began replacing it with the mosque. It got enlarged and embellished over the next two hundred years. (Brockman, 2011, pg. 331) The architectural uniqueness of the Mezquita lies in the fact that it was a revolutionary building for its time, structurally speaking. It defied precedents. Both Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock and the Great Mosque in Damascus had vertical, navelike designs, but the aim of the Mezquita mosque was to create an infinitely spacious, democratically horizontal and classic space, where the spirit could roam freely and communicate easily with God. The original space of Islamic prayer (normally the open yard of a desert home) was transformed into a 14,400 square meter metaphor for the desert itself. Men prayed side by side on the argamasa, a floor made of compact, reddish slaked lime and sand. A flat roof, decorated with gold and multicolored motifs, shaded them from the sun. The orange pati o, where the ablution fountains gurgled with water, was the oasis. The terracotta and white striped arches indicated a hallucinogenic forest of date palms, and upheld the roof with over one thousand columns, 1293 to be precise, (856 of which remain). (Ham, 2010, pg 204) Construction of the Mezquita It is almost certain that the building that

Camera Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Camera - Essay Example The high creativity and innovation of new cameras such as smart phones, which have numerous uses apart from taking photographs may lead to the decline of sales and profits reaped by camera companies (Kurtz 79). This indicates that the product has reached the decline stage, and it may become extinct if the innovation of new photo taking gadgets continues. Introduction Stage This is the stage when the product enters the market the first time, and firms reap low sales and profits because they conduct intense marketing to attract customers (Kurtz 30). The camera was first introduced in the market during the proto globalization period that began in the sixteenth century. Human intelligence increased during this period leading to the invention of various objects such as the wheel and the camera. The first camera, known as obscura, took inverted images that were not saved on any material. The object was as big as a house, and it allowed photographs of one person only. The camera had a hole through which light passed and formed inverted images of the objects in front of the gadget. The images taken by the camera were unclear and unattractive. The inventors of the product later developed portable cameras that increased the need for photography in the world (Joanne 65). Image of the first camera obscura (writtenshots.wordpress.com) Image taken using camera obscura (fineartamerica.com) Growth Stage The growth stage is the second phase of product development, which involves increases in sales and profits. Organizations reap higher benefits in this stage than in the introductory phase because of the incoming of new customers. During this stage, new firms begin producing the good so that they can reap the high profits and sales in the industry (Kurtz 84). In the introductory stage of the camera, Kodak was the only company that produced the product. However, new companies such as Nixxon and Sony entered the industry. The growth stage also involves the addition of features to the products to make them more attractive to existing customers. The additional features also help companies in attracting new users, and this enables them to recover they capital they invest in the production of the good. Eastman, the director of Kodak developed the camera by enabling the saving of images in films. The films were of limited length meaning that they would save a limited number of images. Users of the camera went back for film refilling to the companies where they bought the product when the existing space finished. The images saved on the films were also produced by the producing companies when there was no additional space in a film (Joanne 76). This meant that customers would wait for numerous days to view their pictures. The photographs taken using the film cameras were not also clear; although they were better than those of the obscura. The film camera (www.retrothing.com) Image taken using the film camera (www.shootingfilm.net) Instant cameras were also develop ed during the growth stage of the product life cycle. This is the camera that enabled consumers to recover their photographs immediately. Users did not have to wait for days or months to see their photographs like they did with the film camera (Joanne 93). The invention of this camera increased the sales of Kodak and other companies in the industry. This is because they attracted new customers and recovered sales from those who were dissatisfied by the extensive periods taken to produce

Introduction to britich politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Introduction to britich politics - Essay Example The beginning of conservatism dated back in the Great War in Britain. During this time, powerful debates about the soul and the thoughts of conservatism were widely spread. The participants were mainly the prominent historians who were the great thinkers in the society. The historians had many arguments in common about the nature of the human beings. However, their areas of specialization differed in terms of the interpretation of issues. They were always aligned to particular political classes. The prominent historians often had chances to address huge multitudes that eventually purchased their works thereby promoting their doctrines further. Many people also read their works in print media as well as in television and radio. They were a great inspiration to the people. The conservatism that exists in the current day in Britain can be traced back in the mid 1750s to early 1800. This came as a reaction to the swift changes and a series of prospects that faced the nation as well as other neighboring European nations. During this period, the Torry party was transformed in to the conservative party. This mainly came as a result of the electoral reforms in 1832 that was aimed at educating the conservatives on ways in which they could become productive and self reliant in the society. This came as a result of the common believe that personal initiatives are usually more effective in bringing the desired results than those that are done communally. Conservatism in the Britain is somehow interrelated with that of other Western Nations (Daunton 1995 pp.27-31). However, it is unique in a way that distinguishes it from the others. Conservatism in Britain established in under the patronage of renowned historians. The torry party was the first to establish the original characteristics of conservatism. It was later transformed in to the conservative party. The

Effect Of The Environment On Western Settlers Essay -- essays research

Effect of the Environment on Western Settlers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the country grew and expanded, the American people where always one to push their bounds. In 1763, we proudly, defied England's proclamation of the year, and settled west of the Appalachian mountains. A little later, the westward people pushed Indians, animals, and society to a place where no American person had gone before. But all the while, one important factor determined where they transported themselves, where they settled, and what they did when they got there. This factor, the environment, profoundly affected the settlers way of life, and other factors, such as the Indians and the railroad, only aggravated a pre-existing condition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The settlers of the late 1800's had only one way to get to the west- along the pre-existing routes established by the courier-de-bois, Spanish settlers, and the Indians of the past. These routes, which flowed through the only passable areas of the Rockies, naturally led to Oregon and California, which caused an increase in the population of these regions at the time. These trails, such as the Oregon Trail to the north, the Mormon and Spanish Trail to the south, and the California and Overland trails in between were very rough and bumpy, making the trek no easy task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the home front, the environment played an important role on the family life as well.. Women had a more prominent role in society as w...

Avian Influenza Essay

Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, is a zoonotic disease with several different subtypes that affect mostly other birds, but few can be transmitted to humans. The most prevalent avian influenza virus in humans is the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) virus, which has caused over 380 confirmed cases in 15 countries (Rabinowitz, 2010). Majority of cases have been transmitted via bird-to-human, with rare cases of human-to-human transmission. Continued exposure to the virus not only poses the threat of ongoing morbidity and mortality, but also the threat of H5N1 being able to adapt and change allowing sustained human-to-human transmission. (Rabinowitz, 2010). Human exposure to H5N1 begins with the natural host for the virus, wild birds, which is then transmitted to domestic birds, and then finally reaching humans as a host. Starting with wild birds, most commonly waterfowl, the virus lives in the intestines and is shed through fecal matter, saliva, and nasal secretions. Most wild birds are resistant to infections associated with avian influenza A. Wild birds are exposed to the virus when they come into contact with contaminated nasal, respiratory, or fecal material from infected birds, most commonly fecal to oral transmission (Korteweg & Gu, 2010). Transmission to domestic birds, mainly poultry, can occur with direct contact with infected birds or indirect exposure through contaminated dirt, cages, water, and feed. Domestic birds have little to no resistance to the virus and suffer serious health issues, often resulting in death (Influenza Viruses, 2005). In the case a human is infected with H5N1, transmission routes are either through direct contact or indirect contact. Direct contact consists of people holding, catching, hunting, or playing with unknowingly infected birds. Slaughtering, defeathering, processing and preparing poultry for consumption are other ways a person can be infected through direct contact. Examples of indirect contact are touching contaminated surfaces and materials, swimming in or washing with contaminated water, living and working in areas with contaminated air, or ingesting the active virus in contaminated food (Rabinowitz, 2010). There is little evidence supporting human-to-human transmission and few cases have been confirmed. From what is known, intimate and close contact with infected individuals are possible routes of transmission (Avian Influenza A, 2005). The potential for H5N1 to develop into a strain easily transmissible from person to person in a sustained matter poses as a threat for a possible pandemic infection (Influenza Viruses, 2005). Signs and symptoms associated with H5N1 are much like those of the more common seasonal flu virus; fever, headache, sore throat, cough and rhinitis. Other symptoms include conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal complications, shortness of breath, lower respiratory problems, rhinorrhea, myalgia, diarrhea, leukopenia, lymphophenia, impaired liver function, renal impairment, and prolonged blood clotting (Apisarnthanarak, 2004). As of March 2011, over 530 confirmed human cases of H5N1 have been found in 15 countries since 2003 (WHO image 1), 85% occurring within Asian countries. Countries with the highest prevalence rates are Vietnam, Egypt, and Indonesia. Median age of those infected is 18 years old (Korteweg & Gu, 2010). A contributing behavioral factor associated with the disease being more prevalent in children and young adults is the age groups participation in the slaughter, defeathering and cooking of poultry (Smallman-Raynor & Cliff, 2008). H5N1 had not been seen in humans prior to 1997, first presenting itself in China. The virus was then seen again in humans in 2003, in Vietnam and again in China. By 2007, H5N1 had spread to Cambodia, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Laos, Myanmar, Nigeria and Pakistan (Smallman-Raynor & Cliff, 2008). The following public health organizations have been working closely together to track and control recent outbreaks: World Health Organization (WHO), Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (Smallman-Raynor & Cliff, 2008). WHO has been responsible for providing recent data and statistics regarding H5N1 in humans. Avian Influenza is covered by GAR, WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, which is responsible for monitoring and keeping surveillance on the disease. OIE is responsible for reporting recent data relating specifically o outbreaks of avian influenza in animals. FAO, working collaboratively with OIE and WHO, â€Å"sets the context for national and regional strategies, policies, programs and projects designed to control and prevent the disease (Strategy and Policy)† from spreading. According to a study by Smallman-Raynor and Cliff (2008), fatality rates for H5N1 are greater than 50% in observed cases, which is mu ch higher than the common flu virus. The virus has spread to over fifty countries on three continents, being labeled as a panzootic disease (animal disease equivalent to a pandemic in humans). H5N1 first crossed species barriers to humans in 1997 and has extended its host range to several other mammals, causing severe disease and death. An approach to control the spread of this disease amongst birds has been culling of exposed birds, quarantine and disinfecting. However, Avian Influenza continues to spread due in part to migratory birds becoming infected (Smallman-Raynor & Cliff, 2008). The virus’s ability to evolve poses as threat and is currently classified by WHO at Phase 3 of the global pandemic alert for influenza.

Blister Beetles, Family Meloidae

Few North American species of blister beetles will actually cause blisters, but its still smart to be cautious when handling members of the beetle family Meloidae. Theres some debate over whether blister beetles are pests (because the adults feed on many agricultural crops and can be hazardous to livestock), or beneficial predators (because the larvae ​consume the young of other crop-eating insects, like grasshoppers). Description Blister beetles look superficially similar to members of some other beetle families, such as the soldier beetles and darkling beetles. Blister beetles, however, do have some unique features that will help you identify them. Their elytra appear leathery and soft, rather than rigid, and the forewings wrap around the sides of the beetles abdomen. The blister beetles pronotum is usually cylindrical or rounded, and narrower than both the head and the base of the elytra. Most adult blister beetles are medium in size, although the smallest species measures just a few millimeters in length and the largest can reach 7 centimeters long. Their bodies are generally elongate in shape, and their antennae will be either filiform or monofiliform. While many are dark or drab in color, particularly in the eastern U.S., some do come in bright, aposematic colors. Look for blister beetles on flowers or foliage. Classification Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – ColeopteraFamily - Meloidae Diet Adult blister beetles feed on plants, particularly those in the legume, aster, and nightshade families. Although rarely considered a major crop pest, blister beetles do sometimes form large feeding aggregations in plants. Many blister beetles consume the flowers of their host plants, while some feed on the foliage. Blister beetle larvae have unusual feeding habits. Some species specialize in eating grasshopper eggs, and for this reason, are considered beneficial insects. Other blister beetle larvae eat the larvae and provisions of ground-nesting bees. In these species, the first instar larvae may hitch a ride on an adult bee as it flies back to its nest, and then settle in to eat the bees offspring. Life Cycle Blister beetles undergo complete metamorphosis, like all beetles, but in a somewhat unusual way. The first instar larvae (called triungulins) usually have functional legs, well-developed antennae, and are quite active. These young larvae need to move because they are parasitoids and must find their hosts. Once theyre settled in with their host (such as in a bee nest), each successive stage is typically less active, and the legs gradually diminish or even disappear. This larval development is referred to as hypermetamorphosis. The final instar is a pseudopupa stage, during which the beetle will overwinter. Depending on the species and environmental conditions, the blister beetle life cycle may last as long as three years. Most species will complete a full life cycle within one year, however. Special Behaviors and Defenses Blister beetles are usually soft-bodied and may seem vulnerable to predators, but they arent defenseless. Their bodies produce a caustic chemical called cantharidin, which they exude from their leg joints when threatened (a defensive strategy called reflex bleeding). Meloid species with high levels of cantharidin can cause skin blisters when handled, giving these beetles their common name. Cantharidin is an effective repellent for ants and other predators but can be extremely toxic if ingested by people or animals. Horses are particularly susceptible to cantharidin poisoning, which can occur if their hay feed is contaminated with blister beetle remains. Range and Distribution Blister beetles are most diverse in arid or semi-arid regions of the world, though widely distributed. Globally, blister beetle species number close to 4,000. In the U.S. and Canada, there are just over 400 documented blister beetle species. Sources: Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.Bugs Rule! An Introduction to the World of Insects, by Whitney Cranshaw and Richard Redak.Beetles of Eastern North America, by Arthur V. Evans.Family Meloidae – Blister Beetles, Bugguide.net. Accessed online January 14, 2016.Blister beetle, Texas AM University Department of Entomology website. Accessed online January 14, 2016.Blister Beetles: Pest or Beneficial Predator?, Washington State University Fact Sheet (PDF). Accessed online January 14, 2016.

Assignment Question Discuss The Ways Business Essays - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1695 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Culture denotes the way people lead their lives. Corrado (1996) says that culture has an impact on a persons life which can be seen in his consumption behavior also. For example Indians eat their food with their hands and some of them may lick their fingers too, whereas Chinese use chopsticks to ear noodles. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Assignment Question Discuss The Ways Business Essays" essay for you Create order An Englishman on the other hand may not relish his food until and fork and knife are given to him. All this forms a part of the culture which pervades all forms of living standards. As far as the definition of culture is concerned, culture is defined differently by different thinkers. For example, Hofstede (1980, P.21) defines culture as the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from another. Tylor (1871) defined culture as that complex whole that includes knowledge, beliefs, art, laws, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Ronen (1986, p.18) sees culture as the frame of reference of individuals, and Harris and Moran (1987, p.102) discuss the mental frameworks which groups, organizations and nations develop. Kluckhohn (1951, p. 86) provides that the fundamental webs of culture constitute a patterned way of thinking, acting, feeling and interpreting. Hofstede (2001) defines culture as software of the mind which provides a guide for humans on how to think and behave Hill (2009) asserts that culture has an influence on conduct of international business and a marketer cannot succeed unless and until he understands the various cross cultural influences which have an influence on demand of consumers in the market. Impact of culture on International business and implications for Multinational enterprises Hollensen (2004) describe culture as the learned ways in which a society understands, decides and communicates. Daniel and Malhotra (1993), contends that culture differs among different countries and without keeping in mind the cross cultural characteristics which may have an impact on consumption pattern of consumers, an international marketer cannot succeed in the market. Thus culture has an important meaning for the international marketer and its implications for multinational enterprises can be understood through a number of examples which highlight the importance of understanding culture for an international marketer. Hill (2009) asserted that culture of a country influences the cost of doing business in a country. Prince and Hoppe (2004) say that a company incurs heavy cost of doing business in a foreign country if it enters the country without understanding the culture of the host country. Hill (2009) demonstrates that a multinational corporation should know that there are d ifferences in work related practices in different countries. For example, there are some cultures which observe more holidays than others. A company entering such a cultural backdrop must adjust the scheduling of labor accordingly even if this involves extra costs. Hofstede (1980) in his study at International business machines (IBM) have identified that an international marketer needs to understand four dimensions before entering into a new territory. These four dimensions include power distance, individualism versus collectivism, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity versus femininity. Hofstede (1980) argued that different countries have different scores on the above four variables. In his study, Hofstede (1980) rated twenty countries on a scale of 0 to 100. Hofstede (1980) showed that an international marketer before targeting a country should keep the scores in mind and accordingly formulate marketing strategy to target the market. Hill (2009) asserts that modification of str ategies by an international marketer will result in his success in the market. For example two different economies which consist of Pakistan and Arab countries represent more masculine and collective countries compared with feminine and individual North Europe, and as a result there are also some systematic differences in their values. An international marketer cannot target the countries in Pakistan and Arab economies with the same products as is done in case of North Europe. Hofstede (1980) further contends that culture includes values, norms, religion, language and social class in the society. All these cross cultural characteristics have to be kept in mind by the international marketer before targeting these countries. Hofstede five dimension model is shown below: (Source: https://www.provenmodels.com/files/d616c20f1759b51f1e57bf17ee4cafcc/five_dimensions_of_culture.gif) In 2001, Hofstede expanded his concept of culture by including a fifth dimension to the above four dime nsions. This dimension was termed as Confucian Dynamism or Long term Orientation by Hofstede. Hofstede (2001) contended that the dimension of Confucian Dynamism deals with the aspect of individual countries towards time, persistence, respect for traditions and reciprocation of gifts and favors among the individuals in the country. Hofstede in his initial study has highlighted the fundamental building blocks of culture. Hofstede (1980) contended that culture includes values and norms. Values are concerned with ideas as to what society believes to be good, right and desirable (Hofstede 1980) According to Hofstede; values include the attitude of individuals towards their freedom, loyalty, justice, responsibility and personal relations. On the other hand norms are the rules and regulations which prescribe the behaviors which should be followed by individuals in certain situations. Hofstede (1980) has contended that by understanding the cultural dimensions a company can target the consum ers by providing products which suit to the culture of respective country. There are many examples of companies which have gained success in the market by understanding the culture of the country. Cross cultural issues have an impact on multinational enterprises because they influence the cost of doing business in the country. These examples highlight the importance of considering cross cultural issues which need to be understood by the marketers before framing adequate marketing strategies for targeting the company. For example, Shoji (1991) discussed the case of DeBeers which is a raw diamond supplier in many countries. Shoji (1991) showed how by understanding the cross cultural differences the company gained success in a situation which was deemed as failure. The company ran its advertisement of diamonds in Japan that showed western couples in evening dress which shows the standard mentality that equates diamond with grandeur. The company analyzed that its advertisement is not re sulting in addition of its sales. The company through a thorough analysis of Japanese culture learnt that Japanese woman do not smile and kiss their husbands when they receive diamonds as presents. Instead they shed a few tears and pretend they are angry at their husband for spending so much money. This presented the need for chaining advertisement by DeBeers to suit to the culture of the Japan. The company changed its Christmas campaign and showed a tired wage earner and his hard working wife in their tiny apartment. Upon receiving the sparkling present, she snaps at her extravagant spouse by saying Oh, You stupid! This advertisement was a marketing success, boosting the popularity of diamonds in Japan and showed the importance of understanding cross cultural issues by a multinational enterprise. Another example of not understanding cross cultural issues can be analyzed in the case of Ford (Kwintessential article 2008). The company introduced its new car Pinto in Brazil. The com pany observed that it has very good features but still its sale is not increasing. The company analyzed the reasons and find that its sales does not pick up because Brazilians did not want to be seen driving a car meaning tiny male genitals which was the meaning of Pinto in language of Brazil. The company changed the name of the car and observed that the car gained popularity in Brazil. Cassie (2007) in his article highlighted that even small products like a curling iron are inhibited by language. For example, Clairols Mist Stick forgot that Mist is a German slang word for manure. This resulted in failure of products. The thorough analysis of culture which includes language, religion, rituals and values and norms influences the cost of doing business in the country. Kwintessential article (2008) highlight that culture is the reason why many hotels in the USA or UK do not have a room number 13. Another example is of Nippon Airways which is operating in Japan and it do not have seat n umber 4 or 9 not considered auspicious Kwintessential article (2008). The article shows that apart from language, a company needs to be careful in using images also for the various advertisement campaigns. For example at one place the image may appear to be very attractive but the same image may result in retaliation in another country. It is very common to see the pictures of women wearing bikinis in advertisement posters in UK and US but such images would result in outrage and retaliation in Middle East. Another example of a mismatch between culture and product of a country can be seen in Africa where majority of food products sellers often show the pictures of food in the package because majority of people cannot read English. In this scenario, Gerber introduced its baby food with the picture of a cute little baby on the carton. This created horror in Africa among the consumers. The company has to change the carton to suit to the market. All these examples shows the need of under standing culture before introducing new products, new marketing or advertisement campaigns in a country and the inability of the company to follow this will result in failure of products as well as rise in cost of doing business in the country. An international marketer needs to understand the cross cultural issues apart from just understanding the economic environment of the host country. Culture has an influence on cost of doing business in a country and the failure or inability to understand cultural differences between countries has been the cause of many of the business and product failures. There are many examples of companies which have gained success or failure as a result of understanding or failure to understand cross cultural issues in international marketing arena. Hofstede (1980, 2001) in his model has identified the importance of understanding the various dimensions of culture by a marketer who is entering into a foreign market. In his studies of 40 countries, he has r ated various countries on the different dimensions of culture and has shown that before targeting a new country, an international marketer should ensure that culture of the country should be understood otherwise it would result in failure of product and loss of investment for the company.