History Of Taoism Essays - Taoism, Philosophy, Chinese Culture

History Of Taoism The History of Taoism There is a dispute on the origins of Taoism. One theory is the earliest known Taoist text may be the work of a minister of the ruler of the Shang-Yin dynasty in the eighteenth century B.C. The other theory is that it was began by the mentor of the father of the Chou dynasty in the twelfth century. What is known is that, Li Erh (6th century BCE) who is better known as Lao Tzu (the Old Master), was the author of one of the most influential texts of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Lao Tzu, a contemporary of Confucius, was the keeper of the imperial library, but in his old age he disappeared to the west, leaving behind him the Tao Te Ching (Book of Tao and Virtue). From this book, which is only about five-thousand words in length, Taoism gained it's name. Taoism believes Tao, or the way, to be the mystical, mysterious, and ultimate principle underlying form, substance, being, and change. Tao encompasses everything. It can be used to understand the human body, the universe and nature. The logic of Taoism encompasses the Yin and Yang forces, which represent all opposites. These two forces are complementary elements of all systems that thrive in an interdependent network and result in the harmony or balance of the system. The natural order of the tension between Yin and Yang forces in all systems results in a neverending process of change (production and reproduction and the transformation of energy). Taoism is based on the experience of this universal way (Cleary p3). The goal of Taoism is to perfect the mastery of human nature and life in three areas. They are well-being, social harmony and accelerated evolution of consciousness Taoism puts a great deal of value on human life. Taoists do not focus on the afterlife, but rather emphasize efficient methods of elevating health to obtain longevity. Taoists firmly believe that human lives are in our control. Therefore, Taoism teaches people to enhance their health and longevity by minimizing their desires and centering themselves on stillness. The most famous advocate of Taoism, Lao Tzu, felt Taoism promotes nonaggressive, peaceful coexistence of factions. He described the ideal state as one that is fully loved by it's people. One in which people love their country and lifestyle so much that even though the next country is so close that the citizens can hear its roosters crowing and dogs barking they are content to die of old age without ever having gone to see it. He felt weapons were tools of destruction and any decent person would loathe them. He also felt that there should not be any celebrating after a war, only grieving. The two main classics of Taoism are the Tao Te Ching and the Chuang-Tzu. The Toa Te Ching was the philosophy of choice of legalist, strategist and statesmen of all types. It is an anthology of ancient sayings, poetry and philosophies. It's author is Lao-Tzu or Old Master who is renown as one of the most famous of Taoist intellectuals. It is believed to have been written around 500 B.C. towards the end of the Spring and Autumn period when order in China was disintegrating. During the second century B.C. the Tao Te Ching was established as the sourcebook of practical wisdom in the imperial court. The Chuang Tzu was preferred by more mystical Taoist. It was said to have been written by Chuang Chou, who is the earliest known teacher of the writings of Lao-Tzu. The bulk of the text consists of fables and monologues illustrating the teachings of the Tao Te Ching. Although it was known for it's mysticism, it was a well regarded text because of it's literary excellence. After the fall of the Han dynasty the Chuang Tzu emerged to become one of the most regarded books by intellectuals, poets and artists replacing the Confucianism of the Han dynasty. Both books have not only been implemented deep into Chinese philosophy, but they have also been translated into many languages and have become a part of World philosophy. The Taoist canon can be traced back to the first comprehensive Taoist texts called the San-tung Ching-shu mu-lu prepared

Dolphin Fish (Mahi-Mahi) Facts

Dolphin Fish (Mahi-Mahi) Facts The dolphin fish is not a dolphin. Unlike dolphins, which are mammals, dolphin fish are a type of ray-finned fish. The dolphin fish most likely got its confusing common name because it was previously classified in the genus Dolfyn. It also has a melon-shaped head, much like that of a true dolphin. In the modern classification system, the fish belongs to the genus Coryphaena. If a restaurant menu includes dolphin, its referring to the dolphin fish, not the mammal. Some restaurants use the alternative names mahi-mahi and pompano to prevent confusion. Fast Facts: Dolphin Fish Scientific Name: Coryphaena hippurus (common dolphin fish); Coryphaena equiselis (pompano dolphin fish)Other Names: Dolphinfish, dolphin, mahi-mahi, dorado, pompanoDistinguishing Features: Brilliantly colored fish with single dorsal fin spanning the length of the body; males have protruding foreheadsAverage Size: 1 meter in length and up to 40 kilograms (88 lb) weightDiet: CarnivorousLife Span: Up to 5 years, but usually less than 2 yearsHabitat: Temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans worldwideConservation Status: Least ConcernKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ActinopterygiiOrder: PerciformesFamily: CoryphaenidaeFun Fact: The dolphin fish is a very fast swimmer, reaching speeds of nearly 60 mph. Description There are two species of dolphin fish. The common dolphin fish (also known as mahi-mahi or dorado) is C. hippurus. The other species of dolphin fish is C. equiselis, which is also known as the pompano dolphin fish. Both species in the genus Coryphaena have a compressed head and single dorsal fin running the full length of the body. Both the anal and caudal fins are sharply concave. A mature male (bull) has a prominent protruding forehead, while a female has a rounded head. Mature females are smaller than males. Their long, slender bodies are well-suited to fast swimming. Mahi-mahi swim up to 50 knots (92.6 kph or 57.5 mph). Pompano dolphin fish are sometimes mistaken for juvenile common dolphin fish or mahi-mahi because they are small, reaching a maximum length of 127 centimeters (50 in). Pompano dolphin fish are bright blue-green with silver-gold sides. The fish fade in color to dull gray-green when they die. A typical mahi-mahi reaches a length of one meter and a weight of 7 to 13 kg (15 to 29 lb), but fish over 18 kg (40 lb) have been caught. These fish are brilliantly colored in shades of blue, green, and gold. Pectoral fins are iridescent blue, the back is green and blue, while flanks are silvery-gold. Some individuals sport red spots. Out of water, the fish appears golden (giving rise to the name dorado). Upon death, color fades to yellowish-gray. Distribution Both species of dolphin fish are migratory. The common dolphin fish prefers coastal and open water from sea level to a depth of 85 meters in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans worldwide. The pompano dolphin fish range overlaps that of the common dolphin fish, but it usually lives in the open ocean and occurs as deep as 119 meters. The fish form schools and tend to congregate in seaweed and under floating objects, including buoys and boats. Diet and Predators Dolphin fish are carnivores that prey upon zooplankton, squid, crustaceans, and smaller fish. The fish is prey to other large oceanic predators, including billfish and sharks. Both species are important for commercial and sports fishing. The fish are generally considered safe to eat, but they are moderately contaminated with mercury and can serve as a vector for ciguatera poisoning. Reproduction and Life Cycle Dolphin fish grow and mature very quickly. Fish reach maturity between 4 and 5 months of age and start spawning when they reach a length of about 20 centimeters. Spawning occurs throughout the year when water currents are warm. Females spawn two to three times each year, producing 80,000 to a million eggs each time. Pompano dolphin fish have a life span of up to 3 to 4 years, but most live less than 2 years. Mahi-mahi live up to 5 years, but rarely exceed 4 years. Conservation Status Both the common dolphin fish and pompano dolphin fish are categorized as least concern on the IUCN Red List. Its population is stable. However, the fish face threats from declining habitat quality. The species has high commercial value and is extensively harvested. Many countries have imposed bag limits and size limits to support sustainable fishing. Sources Collette, B., Acero, A., Amorim, A.F., Boustany, A., Canales Ramirez, C., Cardenas, G., Carpenter, K.E., de Oliveira Leite Jr., N., Di Natale, A., Fox, W., Fredou, F.L., Graves, J., Viera Hazin, F.H., Juan Jorda, M., Minte Vera, C., Miyabe, N., Montano Cruz, R., Nelson, R., Oxenford, H., Schaefer, K., Serra, R., Sun, C., Teixeira Lessa, R.P., Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E., Uozumi, Y. Yanez, E.  2011.  Coryphaena hippurus.  The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  2011: e.T154712A4614989.  Gibbs, R.H., Jr. and Collette, B.B. 1959. On the identification, distribution, and biology of the dolphins,  Coryphaena hippurus  and  C. equiselis.  Bulletin of Marine Science  9(2): 117-152.Potoschi, A., O. Reà ±ones and L. Cannizzaro. 1999. Sexual development, maturity and reproduction of dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the western and central Mediterranean.: Sci. Mar. 63(3-4):367-372.Sakamoto, R. and Kojima, S. 1999. Review of dolphinfish biological and fishing data i n Japanese waters.  Science Marine  63(3-4): 375-385. Schwenke, K.L. and Buckel, J.A. 2008. Age, growth, and reproduction of dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) caught off the coast of North Carolina.  Fish. Bull.  106: 82-92.

Researchers View Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Researchers View - Essay Example They include advocacy, constructivism, pragmatism, and post-positivism. The purpose of this paper is to assess a researchers’ world view and explain how it influences the approach to research. Makoe, Richardson, and Prince (2008) represent the post-positivism philosophical world view. Post-positivism world view, also known as the scientific method of research deals with reduction research i.e. it reduces ideas into small variables that are used to test the theory and the sample subject. This world view is used to generalize population through qualitative research using a large number of samples. Thus, the research done by Makoe, Richardson, and Prince (2008) used qualitative research to find out the conceptions of adult students embarking on distance education. One assumptions of post-positivism stated by Creswell (2009) are that knowledge is conjectural. This means that the truth can never be found in research, and that is why researchers nullify the hypothesis. For instance according to Makoe, Richardson, and Prince (2008), there is no consensus about how the conceptions of learning can be characterized and whether they constitute a developmental hierarchy. Another assumption according to Creswell (2009) is that data, evidence and rational considerations shape knowledge. This means that the researcher collects the information based on observations or from questionnaires filled by the participants. From the article, researchers collected data using a 60-item questionnaire which were mailed to students taking preparatory courses by distance learning. According to Creswell (2009) in quantitative method of research, researchers reduce ideas into small variables, which they use to formulate questions and hypothesis. In Makoe, Richardson, and Prince (2008), researchers used the information they collected to come up with a hypothesis that all adult learners taking long distance education hold distinctive conceptions of learning; hence they

Product Lunch Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Product Lunch Presentation - Essay Example However, these advancements had their equal share of success and failure. They were also associated with severe criticism; criticism which resulted from fatal or minor errors committed by practitioners, which have proven to be detrimental to a patient’s life. In addition to that, the scope of these advancements was only limited to carrying out basic medical procedures and even after that they came at a great cost. This deficiency in the field of medical practices combined with the desire of human being to have a healthy and convenient lifestyle influenced researchers and scientists all over the world to come up with an innovative idea. That is when the concept of robotics was introduced into health care system all over the world just like it is used in the field of construction, manufacturing and information technology. Robotics in health care system also witnessed a rapid advancement since the time of its inception. But there were disadvantages associated with this technology that came in the form of huge size, high cost of production and maintenance. Thus the idea of making it portable and cost effective came into limelight and thus efforts were fostered in to achieving this goal. Till now various portable health robots have been developed which can perform basic level medical procedures but some disadvantages associated with them are that they are not user friendly and that their functionality is limited to a certain extent. This is where a new innovation called â€Å"MY HEALTHY ROBOT† developed by me/my company fits into the health care system thereby addressing the deficiencies noted in this line of operation. MY HEALTHY ROBOT – WHAT IS IT? â€Å"My healthy robot† is a user friendly portable health care device which provides an in depth analysis of a client’s health thereby giving easy to read description of the client’s health status as output. Since the output can be easily analyzed by anybody, hence it disqualif ies the need for visiting a doctor to get the results analyzed. It is an advanced device which provides the client with a painless procedure (no needle method) to examine blood sugar level. This process is called the â€Å"Swab Saliva Process† which would only require the client to swab saliva and stick it inside the device and wait for a few minutes and thereafter the robot will dispense the health report. This will offer the client with a convenient method of examining his blood without having to wait for countless of hours in the doctor’s chamber and that too in empty stomach. It displays accurate results within a span of few minutes and hence it is less time consuming. The product also has an additional feature called the â€Å"My baby mode† which will be helpful for pregnant women or anyone taking care of a baby. â€Å"MY HEALTHY ROBOT – PRICING OPTION & FACILITIES† According to Allen & Dare (2004), price of a product or service is a critical factor which attracts and engages customers with the attribute of the product or service. Similar theory has been explained by Anderson & Simester (2003). Product price in general can influence the purchasing decision of a customer (Bizer & Petty, 2002; Coulter, 2001). It can be explained by the fact that buying the product will depend upon the purchasing power of the customer. In light of these theories, efforts have been made to keep the price of the product at an appropriate level in order make the product available to

Business Feasibility Study†Seventh Heaven Café Essay Example for Free

Business Feasibility Study— Seventh Heaven Cafà © Essay Seventh Heaven Cafe is not only a coffee shop, or rather a place for relaxation. It sells different kinds of coffee, desserts, books and flowers. Customers bring them back or just enjoy them in my shop. Besides, I am good at dealing with problems of Organizational Behavior. I also have great expertise in human psychology and marketing. Therefore, I have the abilities to operate this shop. Seventh Heaven Cafe targets at white collar community and some companies which need flowers to decorate the site of activities. Therefore, it is located at the street corner with elegant environment near transnational commercial corporations in Suzhou. Seventh Heaven has to confront or avoid a number of threats, especially some strong competitors, such as Starbucks, UBC Coffee and DIO Cafe. However my shop has powerful competitive advantages to face the challenges. Additionally, our market-oriented mission is â€Å"make people happy and relaxed in the Seventh Heaven Cafe by provide delicious coffee, warm fragrant memories and dreams from books. † The primary finance objectives are to get first-year sales revenue of 1 million yuan, and break even early at least achieve 3 million RMB in second year. After on track, shop scale and economic benefits will increase year by year. To achieve this goal, we should make sustaining efforts on marketing strategies, such as promotion strategy and price strategy. This new combination coffee shop will be successful and this business idea is worth pursuing. Section 1: Personal Skills, Qualities and Experience I have obtained an MBA degree from the Liverpool University five years ago. After that, I have worked in a local company for four years. Then I came back to my country and planned to do pioneering work. So I have some basic abilities and work experience to operate this coffee shop. I have learned many useful skills and valuable knowledge from university. Firstly, the Organizational Behavior Study covers three levels of analysis, but intertwined, such as individual, group formation and decisions making. So it is practical for me to do the business. Secondly, I was interested in the course of Marketing when I am a student. It has huge effect on my occupational career. However, these courses just are foundation. My work experience background is a critical element for later entrepreneurial career. Nevertheless, I still need some other outside help. About initial capital, it comes from my personal savings (1. 5 million RMB) and my parents’ investment (0. 5 million RMB). In addition, recruitment and selection of good employees is vital part of success. My mother was a senior accountant before, so she could help me manage finance matters. Besides, I also need a first-class barista and a pastry cook, a waitress and a waiter with good looking, as well as a professional purchaser. Section 2: The Business Idea and Market Assessment Product and service Before making decision to start business, I used questionnaire to get and analysis customers’ demand. So Seventh Heaven Cafe is not only a coffee shop, or rather a place for relaxation. It sells different kinds of coffee, desserts, books and flowers. Customers bring them back or just enjoy them in my shop. My coffee shop called Seventh Heaven, this name represents happy, pleasure and relaxed. I want to my customers get out of the pressure and tiredness, enjoy the release of soul and physical relaxation in Seventh Heaven. Relaxation can bring comfortable feeling to you and have benefits to your health. When you come in the Seventh Heaven, you will feel the music in the air washing your spirit and smile of waiters warming your heart. The flowers tinged the air with their light fragrance. At spare time, you could read a good book alone and drink a cup of delicious coffee, or talk with your good friends with some scrumptious snacks. Owning good books, intimate friends and a serene heart, that is a perfect lifestyle. This is something I want to provide to people, enjoy life, and live in the moment. Target market and customers One of our target markets is white collar employees with middle or high income. These people pay more attention on quality of life and have a good consumption level. Another is business customers, which need flowers to decorate the site of activities, parties, events or meetings. Competition However, there are some strong competitors in this market, especially Starbucks. It is the worlds largest coffee shop chain from America. Starbucks enjoyed a higher reputation and strong brand effect in China. There are about 31 Starbucks in Suzhou alone, but some problems are observed in the course of rapid extension. For instance, single and boring of the unchangeable products and service is a big weakness. To the contrary, Seventh Heaven Cafe provides a combination service and products to customers. It is a novel and creative form to attract people. Besides, high quality service and elegant environment are our powerful points of attraction. Sales and marketing strategy To gain more customers, the price of our products is slightly below the Starbucks. Internet advertising and posters are effective for publicity. Furthermore, we use push money and allowance to motivate my employee to increase sales. Critical risk factors Despite of these, some risks still exist, for example some people are reluctant to try something new, or we make losses at early stage. All of budgets are based on the business feasibility study, but there are so many unpredictable changes in the reality, the cash flow may be not enough. Moreover, the shortage and outflow of talent in related field are hidden trouble for the business.

Clockworks Orange :: Free Essays Online

Clockworks Orange In the 1960's our developing world faces many of it's impurities. The youth of this nation fight for equal right, equality of the races and freedom of speech. But not all the protests are legal. Many people are guilty of treason and must be punished but with an over crowded prison system were will these political prisoners be sent. The common criminals are flooding the system with there petty robbers, assaults and murders. We need to deal with the common criminal before we can deal with the political. The novel The Clockwork Orange written by Anthony Burgess depicts the life of a child of the night (Alex). Him and his droogs (friends) see life as something worthless as they rape, assault and murder their way though their teenage-hood. To help cure this problem the government comes up with a new way a deal with criminals. This method included the relation between crime and physical pain. The method is first used on Alex when he was arrested. It works and he is released into society a violence free man. In the end Alex grows out of the treatment and goes back on a crime spree. He continues this until he grows out of teenage hood. The novel itself is well written, though it is a hard read. It contains over 200 Russian words that the reader must decipher themselves due to the fact that Anthony Burgess will not allow a glossary in any of his printings. The novel which is narrated by the man character pulls you into his life and shows the reader what goes through the mind of the criminally insane. The flow of the novel is easy to follow with little confusion on what is in each section. Many insights can be derived from this book and it can be used to support many different topics. A well rounded book that gives the reader wanting more. The power of youth is growing in the 60's. Teenager fight for their rights but when they have nothing more to fight for they will need something else to do. Most teens when bored turn to drug and crime as a source of pleasure. To deal with this me must stop it by sending the youth to correctional facilities. When these don't work adult punishments must be given. But what if we could trace back into the mind and find why we commit crimes.

Silent Movies (Summary)

SILENT MOVIES Talk to people who saw films for the first time when they were silent, and they will tell you the experience was magic. The silent film, with music, had extraordinary powers to draw an audience into the story, and an equally potent capacity to make their imagination work. They had to supply the voices and the sound effects, and because their minds were engaged, they appreciated the experience all the more. The audience was the final creative contributor to the process of making a film. The films have gained a charm and other worldliness with age but, inevitably, they have also lost something.The impression they made when there was no rival to the moving picture was more profound, more intense; compared to the easily accessible pictures of today, it was the blow of a two-handed axe, against the blunt scraping of a tableknife. The silent period may be known as â€Å"The Age of Innocence† but it included years unrivalled for their dedicated viciousness. In Europe, b etween 1914 and 1918 more men were killed to less purpose than at any other time in history. In publications of the time, one reads horrified reactions against films showing â€Å"life as it is†.You did not leave the problems at home mere1? to encounter them again at the movies. You paid your money initially, for forgetfulness. Gradually movie-going altered from relaxation to ritual. In the big cities, you went to massive picture palaces, floating through incense-laden air to the strains of organ music, to worship at the Cathedral of Light. You paid homage to your favourite star; you dutifully communed with the fan magazines. You wore the clothes they wore in the movies; you bought the furniture you saw on the screen.You joined a congregation composed of every strata of society. And you shared your adulation with Shanghai, Sydney and Santiago. For your favourite pastime had become the most powerful cultural influence in the world — exceeding even that of the Press. The silent film was not only a vigorous popular art; it was a universal language — Esperanto for the eyes. Although the genre of silent movie faded it the 30’s it left us plenty of short and feature-length comedies created by four greatest silent screen actors: Charles Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Harry Langdon.The most beloved of the four, the most appreciated by critics, Charles Chaplin, was the first to win general acclaim. Chaplin was a master of pantomime. His virtuoso improvisations quickly attracted the attention of American film-makers. At first he turned down all offers but in 1913 he finally joined Mack Sennet's film company. His success with the public was truly unique. This fact opened great opportunities for him to start his own business. He showed rare versatility in acting as the producer-director-script-writer-musician-leading actor of his own comedies.His most famous films are â€Å"The Kid†, â€Å"The Gold Rush†, â€Å"The Circ us† ,†City Lights†, â€Å"Modern Times†. Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton’s contribution to the genre has been profound as well. Both comedians used story material of a young American trying to be successful as a man, in his love and in his business. Though they were both gifted and original actors and they could match Chaplin in his skill it took them longer to receive recognition that could compete with Chaplin's fame.However by the early 1920's both Lloyd and Keaton were already well-known to the public and could start producing feature films, which meant that they were very successful at the box-office. The fourth actor, Harry Langdon, was noted for his man-child portrait that made him different from the other major comedians of his time. The four great comedians created a great comic tradition that was carried on with the sound age. They have given us masterpieces that will never fade, and they will influence the film comedies yet to be born. Silent Movies (Summary) SILENT MOVIES Talk to people who saw films for the first time when they were silent, and they will tell you the experience was magic. The silent film, with music, had extraordinary powers to draw an audience into the story, and an equally potent capacity to make their imagination work. They had to supply the voices and the sound effects, and because their minds were engaged, they appreciated the experience all the more. The audience was the final creative contributor to the process of making a film. The films have gained a charm and other worldliness with age but, inevitably, they have also lost something.The impression they made when there was no rival to the moving picture was more profound, more intense; compared to the easily accessible pictures of today, it was the blow of a two-handed axe, against the blunt scraping of a tableknife. The silent period may be known as â€Å"The Age of Innocence† but it included years unrivalled for their dedicated viciousness. In Europe, b etween 1914 and 1918 more men were killed to less purpose than at any other time in history. In publications of the time, one reads horrified reactions against films showing â€Å"life as it is†.You did not leave the problems at home mere1? to encounter them again at the movies. You paid your money initially, for forgetfulness. Gradually movie-going altered from relaxation to ritual. In the big cities, you went to massive picture palaces, floating through incense-laden air to the strains of organ music, to worship at the Cathedral of Light. You paid homage to your favourite star; you dutifully communed with the fan magazines. You wore the clothes they wore in the movies; you bought the furniture you saw on the screen.You joined a congregation composed of every strata of society. And you shared your adulation with Shanghai, Sydney and Santiago. For your favourite pastime had become the most powerful cultural influence in the world — exceeding even that of the Press. The silent film was not only a vigorous popular art; it was a universal language — Esperanto for the eyes. Although the genre of silent movie faded it the 30’s it left us plenty of short and feature-length comedies created by four greatest silent screen actors: Charles Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Harry Langdon.The most beloved of the four, the most appreciated by critics, Charles Chaplin, was the first to win general acclaim. Chaplin was a master of pantomime. His virtuoso improvisations quickly attracted the attention of American film-makers. At first he turned down all offers but in 1913 he finally joined Mack Sennet's film company. His success with the public was truly unique. This fact opened great opportunities for him to start his own business. He showed rare versatility in acting as the producer-director-script-writer-musician-leading actor of his own comedies.His most famous films are â€Å"The Kid†, â€Å"The Gold Rush†, â€Å"The Circ us† ,†City Lights†, â€Å"Modern Times†. Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton’s contribution to the genre has been profound as well. Both comedians used story material of a young American trying to be successful as a man, in his love and in his business. Though they were both gifted and original actors and they could match Chaplin in his skill it took them longer to receive recognition that could compete with Chaplin's fame.However by the early 1920's both Lloyd and Keaton were already well-known to the public and could start producing feature films, which meant that they were very successful at the box-office. The fourth actor, Harry Langdon, was noted for his man-child portrait that made him different from the other major comedians of his time. The four great comedians created a great comic tradition that was carried on with the sound age. They have given us masterpieces that will never fade, and they will influence the film comedies yet to be born.