Homevestors of America franchise profile Research Paper

Homevestors of America franchise profile - Research Paper Example Kenneth D’Angelo created HomeVestors Company, with the main aim being to utilize franchised services as the route towards sustainable real estate business. Indeed, the franchising operations of the company began in 1996, where the company’s initial venture involved the buying of worn out houses, repairing and selling them at a profit. On this note, the company embarks on buying houses of people who are moving due to job transfers, retirements or shifts and renovating the houses to be resold to potential buyers who may want to buy the houses. To date, the company has purchased more than 45000 homes in the United States since it began operations, and its high-ranking services will continue to boost its operations and create better avenues for franchising. One of the most profound benefits of franchising operations is the fact that the capital requirements are much lower when opening new departmental stores or branches. Indeed, a company seeking to expand its operations through franchising incurs fewer costs, as opposed to committing funds and get new stalls (Campbell, and Lafili 93). On this note, the business creates independent owners who assume all the costs associated with operations, only leaving fewer responsibilities to the parent company. Further, the parent company experiences increased rates of expansion, mainly due to the facts that the costs of such a venture are reduced. As opposed to commitment of huge amounts of cash in budgets as capital requirements to open up new businesses or branches, companies under franchise can reopen many times the number of stores or businesses with the same amount of capital, which may facilitate rapid expansion even into the untapped markets in the industry. Looking at the disadvantages of such an idea to the parent company, it is evident that setting up branches in diverse geographical locations may require increased variation of products.

Minor Assignment Marketing Mix Essay Example for Free

Minor Assignment Marketing Mix Essay Introduction This report has been compiled in order to describe the four most common elements of the marketing mix which are described by Elliot, Rundle-Thiele and Waller (2010 p.18-21) in the following few sentences. * Product – â€Å"A good, service or idea offered to the market for exchange.† (p.18) * Price – â€Å"The amount of money a business demands in exchange for its offerings.† (p.20) * Promotion – â€Å"The marketing activities that make potential customers, partners and society aware of and attracted to the business’s offerings. † (p.20) * Place (Distribution) – â€Å"The means of making the offering available to the customer at the right time and place† (p.21) In conjunction with these descriptions, all four marketing mix elements will be analysed and shown how they can be applied to retail petrol outlets and the products which are made available to customers. The Marketing Mix Elliot et. al describe the marketing mix as â€Å"the different elements that marketers need to consider.† (2010 p. 18) When using the marketing mix to market retail petrol outlets such as Caltex Woolworths or Coles Express, marketers need to consider the Product, Price, Promotion and Distribution (Place) of not only petrol, but many other consumer and specialty products which retail petrol outlets offer. Product It can be seen in retail petrol stations that other than the expected fuels like unleaded and diesel which are generally relatively low in terms of their profit margin, â€Å"some oil firms claim that supermarkets sell petrol at a loss in order to attract customers.† (The Economist, 1996 p.58) Other products are required in order to boost profits for the retail petrol chains’ owner. These other products are mostly the convenience type and can range from the daily newspaper and chewing gum, to a bottle of orange juice or a loaf of bread. There are three categories of convenience products outlined by Elliot et al. which are all found in retail petrol outlets and include staple products, impulse products and emergency products. (2010 p. 207) * Staple products – These are considered to be everyday grocery products like bread and milk, purchased regularly by consumers and therefore aren’t heavily promoted * Impulse products – These are considered to be only purchased when seen, like confectionary or magazines which are eye catching and are usually found around the cash register. * Emergency products – These are considered to be those products which are only purchased when really needed, like a raincoat or an umbrella. Although there are a lot of products sold by retail petrol outlets like Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express, the obvious product centred on all retail petrol outlets is the fuel supplied to consumers. The varieties of fuels which can be purchased can include: * E10 – 10% Ethanol. * E85 – 85% Ethanol. * E95 – 95% Ethanol. * Unleaded – Standard fuel. * Hi Octane – Offered for high performance vehicles. * LPG – Alternative to liquid fuel, a Gas product. * Diesel – More efficient lower sulphur producing by product. There is a vast selection of fuels for consumers to choose from and although the blends of fuels stay similar, the names and descriptions of these fuels tend to change from outlet to outlet. For example, when you drive into a Caltex Woolworths you are confronted with the choice of â€Å"Caltex Vortex 95 or 98,† both are hi octane blends offered to a prospective purchaser. (Woolworths fuels, Website.) Price When dealing with topic of pricing in retail petrol stores, the outcome of the price has to be both beneficial to the seller, and seen as a good deal to the buyer, otherwise no trades will take place. As stated previously, petrol itself tends to have a lower margin for profit which means the strategic pricing of other products in-store needs to be addressed as well as ensuring that the price of petrol is not seen as out of balance with other suppliers. There is an obvious demand for petrol, as almost everyone who is able, drives or rides a vehicle which requires fuel to run. So it could be argued that retail petrol stations don’t necessarily set their own prices, but go off supplier guidelines which base their fuel pricing strategy on demand, â€Å"Demand based pricing sets prices according to the level of aggregate or individual customer demand in the market.† (Elliott et al. 2010 p. 250) Elliott et al. also continue to write that both Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express hold more than 60% of the Australian fuel market share (2010 p.268) so high demand from their suppliers will enable them to lower their fuel prices and therefore gain more customers, earning higher profits. Pricing of other products offered by retail petrol outlets such as bread or milk tend to have the opportunity to be competitive and more fairly priced than a standard petrol station, the major grocery companies behind retail petrol outlets like Woolworths and Coles focus on gaining more ground off one and other, price drops are reflected in store and this also proves more profitable, because consumers are drawn into purchasing something they wouldn’t normally associate with their petrol. Promotion An important aspect in the success of retail petrol outlets is in their promotion, or the way in which their fuels and other products are portrayed to potential customers. There are many numbers of ways in which retail petrol outlets use promotional tools to make the public more aware of what their outlet has to offer. Using the Coles Express website for example, it can be seen that promotion plays a major role in the marketing of retail petrol outlets, on the homepage can be found five key promotional campaigns designed to catch the eye of potential customers. The opportunity to win â€Å"the ultimate weekend Ferrari drive experience† or â€Å"two Cadbury chocolate bars for four dollars† (Coles Express, website) are two examples of how Coles Express use promotion as a tool to gain the interest of potential customers. The use of shopper dockets and rewards cards are also a major way in which retail petrol outlets have promoted themselves, using incentives of cheaper fuel by spending amounts of money in store or purchasing earlier in their supermarkets and bringing the docket to the petrol station in order to gain the fuel discount. In the recent past, retail petrol outlets have encouraged shoppers to buy big in store in order to earn big discounts off fuel â€Å"motorists who spend more than $300 during one supermarket visit during the next three days receive a 40 cent per litre petrol discount. Shoppers who spend more than $200 or more receive a 25 cent a litre discount, while those who spend $100 or more get a 10 cent a litre discount.† (Cranston 2009) Woolworths have the â€Å"Everyday Rewards† program, and Coles have the â€Å"Fly buys† rewards program. Both these programs offer rewards point in exchange for purchases made in their outlets. Another way in which retail petrol outlets can promote their product is through sponsorship, Coles Express for example are sponsoring Daffodil day, a program not normally associated with fuel but this can help to grow an organisations image, by supporting such a worthy cause, Coles express may gain respect from the community and in turn boost their profits. Place (Distribution) The transportation and distribution of products including fuel to retail petrol outlets operates under the marketing mix category of â€Å"Place.† â€Å"The science (or art) of ensuring products are in the right place at the right time in the right quantity is known as logistics and the various partners that contribute to the process make up is called the supply chain.† (Elliot et al. 2010 p.21) Retail petrol outlets operate somewhat differently to conventional service stations, the retail petrol outlets are often situated near to a parent supermarket company (in the same complex) which makes supply of products other than fuel relatively easy as the distance for stock to travel is minimal. When looking at the fuel aspect, it can be seen that the logistics tend to become a lot more involved and a more defined supply chain emerges. * First fuel is sourced from their respective supplier (Caltex or Shell) on a relatively routine basis, as fuel is a required product for most of the community. * The fuel is then transported by truck from oil refineries which are based in more coastal areas (Caltex oil refinery in Kurnell NSW) which makes it easier to transfer oil from overseas oil barges when new shipments arrive. * When the trucks reach the retail petrol outlet the fuel is then pumped into underground holding tanks, where the fuel can now be distributed to the customer via the petrol pump and now exchange of fuels can be made for a profit. Conclusion This report was compiled in order to describe the four elements of the marketing mix: * Product * Price * Promotion * Place (distribution) The descriptions of these marketing mix elements were also shown in application; how they are applied when breaking down the four aspects in relation to retail petrol outlets. Focusing on the Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express partnerships it was able to be shown how the marketing mix elements are applied. Products have been broken down into specific fuels and other items which are available to potential customers, these products have also been categorised as either: Staple, Impulse or Emergency. Price has been shown to be of vital importance, and the outcome of the price has to be both beneficial to the seller, and seen as a good deal to the buyer. Promotion has also proven to be of high importance to the overall marketing of retail petrol outlets, the use of shopper dockets for discounts, and sponsorship for awareness and image are important promotional tools outlined above. Place (Distribution) outlines the logistics and supply chain which is in place for retail petrol outlets to gain their product in order to forward it onto the paying public to gain an overall profit. All four of these marketing mix elements play their own equally pivotal role in ensuring the successful operation of retail petrol outlets. References Coles Express website www.colesexpress.com.au Cranston, B. (2009) NSW: ACCC investigating supermarket petrol promotion. AAP Australian National News wire Elliott, G. Rundle-Thiele, S. Waller, D. (2010) Marketing. Pump Action, The Economist. (1996) Vol. 338 Issue 7950, page 58 Woolworths petrol website www.woolworthspetrol.com.au

Ricardian Trade Theory: Overview and Analysis

Ricardian Trade Theory: Overview and Analysis The Classical trade theory: Ricardian Trade Theory (Comparative advantage trade theory) Introduction Ricardian Trade Theory David Ricardo points out the Ricardian Model in 1817. Different countries had differences in productivity and technology. Hence, those differences would cause comparative advantage trade. There are two mainly points of Ricardian Model; firstly, the different rates of labor productivity between different countries had important position in international trade. Secondly, the model of trade is dependent on comparative advantage, not absolute advantage. On the other words, According to Evans, H. D (1989), comparing two countries, a country had absolute advantage in the production of two goods, and the other on was in absolute inferiority. The assumption is: the two goods had different productivity in both countries (one goods productivity is more efficiency than the other one in a country). The advantage country got comparative advantage in one advantage good, and inferiority country got comparative advantage in one disadvantage good. Both countries produce their comparative advantage go ods, moreover, both countries export the comparative advantage good and import comparative disadvantage good, then both countries could got benefits from this international trade. This is the principle of Ricardian comparative advantage trade theory. As lecture notes point out and Porter,M.E (1998) concluded, the Ricardian Comparative advantage trade theory is based on the assumptions followed: 1, there are only two countries, A and B. 2, both countries are only produced two goods. 3, when the goods were producing, there are different technology between two countries, A and B. Hence the different degrees of technology level affect different productivity and capital. 4, this model only got the goods to goods trade assumption. There is no complicate trading. (Both goods got same price, however the cost of production was not equal). 5, labor market supply was fixed. 6, labour can mobile inside the country, however, is not mobile across countries. 7, in countries, goods and markets are perfect competition. 8, there is no tariff and transportation cost. 9, productivity of labor is fixed. (Means the degree of technology would not increase during trading.) The theory generally assumes that the relative supplies of these two particular commodities are based on their relative productivity and technology. Hence, every country got varies productivity or technology; the endowments were the factor of their relative the productivity. This theory presented two countries are endowed with different level or degree of the production factors, and the naturally determined endowments, country would follow the endowments to trade the comparative advantage goods to the other one. These affect the two countries international trade more efficient and decrease the cost of capital for both countries. Moreover, with constant productivity, both countries could benefit from the free international trade even one country is in absolute disadvantage. Takumi Naito (2012) concluded the Ricardian model of trade and growth. He concluded from the assumption and gets one results: if two countries got larger comparative advantage, the benefit for both countries are ge tting huger. We can easily contact the relationship between advance country and developing country. With the simple example, United Kingdom and India trade with the grains and textile during the law of comparative advantage coming out. Hence, the textile production in UK requires less labour hours required in the grains producing: UK got the comparative in producing cheese. Same as India, India has comparative advantage producing grains. Therefore, there are gain from international trade if UK product the textile and India product grains. The Ricardian Model really proved UK free international trade in grains. Under those assumptions, Ricardian model ignores many product factors besides labor. David Ricardo explained the reason of international trade under different efficient of labor production. There are huge advantages for developing the international trade with this classic model. Firstly, this model comes from the law of comparative advantage, and help the United Kingdom got the solution to the grain crisis from 1815. Secondly, although Ricardian Model only showed its pedagogical importance, the classical emphasis on different productivity and the cost of labor has been utilized by the neoclassical focus on factor endowments. (Stephen S.G, 2000) thirdly, older tests, such as MacDougall, 1951 and Stern, 1962 were highly successful. Hence, it is valuable for us to know how this basic pedagogical model performs empirically with the large recent data. The empirical Validity of the Model and the Relevance of the Empirical Work In these parts, this paper would show the strengths and weaknesses of Ricardian Model, from the points of empirical. The core meaning as mention before: follow the law of comparative advantage; the country would to do specialized production for only one goods which is comparative advantage good. We cannot reject this theory points with the literature evidence; however, we could prove some empirical evidence to discuss the advantage and disadvantage for the international trade. Basic Ricardian Model The Ricardian Model focus on the technology and labour productivity. As the comparative advantage theory mentioned, the labour costs also is the important elements of this model. Now, based on the research of Stephen S.G (2000) we represent ‘Aa’ to the labor requirements of every single unit in country a, and ‘Qa’ is the value-added in country a. represent the ‘La’ as the labour employment in country a: We can see easily, the Aa is unit labor requirements, that means the value of Aa get higher, the productivity of country a getting lower. Hence, the main points of ricardian model are increasing total productivity of whole country, the Aa needed to lower. Coming from the assumption of Ricardian Model, the labour is fixed and not crosses to the other country. Therefore, the La is fixed, we keep the La constant. So, the productivity is dependent on the totally value-added Qa. Hence, we can conclude: Ricardian Model would success, there would be a huge enough different productivity between two countries. Or there would not gain from the free trade. We could also use b to represent the country b. hence, Ab, Lb, and Qb are all represent same means in country b. as the labour cost we can defined as the Ca and Cb. Then, Wa and Wb represent as the wage of employees in countries a and b. we assume the exchange rate between a and b is 1:1. We use ‘Rab’ as the rate of Ca and Cb. The function can be showed: We can see, if Rab smaller than 1, that means country a cost lower than country b, country a got comparative advantage good that should export goods. If Rab bigger than 1, that means country a should import goods. (All the functions are all represent one same good between two countries) From this function, we can see one possible: Rab is equal to 1. Hence, there is no comparative advantage between country a and b (the absolute advantage country got same rate in both goods with the absolute disadvantage country), which means, there is equal disadvantage and equal advantage. This is one of the disadvantages of Ricartian Model. Empirical work of Ricardian Model With the basic Ricardian Model, we could learn from the empirical studies to find out the strengths and weaknesses. First of all, this paper would discuss the empirical theory from MacDougall (1951). This case study used the ratio of US exports to UK exports. The dependent variable can be presented as both exports. And he used the productivity as the main independent variable. He used the total exports between US and UK. He collected 25 industries from UK and US in 1937. With his findings, he set the hypothesis: the wage rate is the same level as the labour productivity between US and UK. He used the 1937 data; those data showed US wage rate is double to UK wage rate. And we can follow the function in top; there is same reason that US got the comparative advantage in exports. Then he used the simple measures, he found the results that 20 of the 25 products follow the ratio. There are bigger than one. Hence the results are support the Ricardian Model. Secondly, the case study of Stern (1962) same as MacDougall, they both compare the totally exports between US and UK during different periods. And both used the productivity as the main independent variable. The results is 33 of the 39 sectors follow this ratios, as same as results of MacDougall could support for Ricardian Model. Thirdly, case study of Balassa (1963) points out the bilateral trade from UK and US to the third markets. Different with Stern and MacDougall, he relative both labor cost and productivity as explanatory variable. With the bilateral trade, there are three characteristics: speed fast, huger scope and sustainable sequencing. With the Song (1996) points out, there are some problem between the Balassa studies, which is the transportation cost and the tariffs. Under the developing countries, there are huge different between the tariffs and transportation cost. The only way is to fix the free trade strategy to bilateral trade. tariffs and transportation cost are ag ainst the assumption of Ricardian Model. With the bilateral trade, Balassa chose the data from 1950 to post 1970. As the results, this is also can prove the prediction of Ricardian Model. Although the bilateral trade is following the comparative advantage, this paper would use the overall export ratio of Stephen (2000) as in MacDougall and Stern. The radio is exports to third markets. Stehen choose 39 manufacturing sectors from 1970 to 1990. He got the database from OECD Structural Analysis Industrial (STAN) and Bilateral Trade (BT). Figure one and two are showed. He collected the purchasing-power-parity (PPPs) exchange rate. There are three PPPs shows on second Figure, frist is common PPPs, Second is sector-specific final expenditure PPPs from ICP, and last is sector-specific manufacturing PPPs from ICOP projects. (Stephen S.G ,2000).

Celtic Druids :: European History Essays

Evidence of the Celts first came about 400 BCE from Northern Italy. More evidence or encounters were found during the young Roman Empire. Many of the accounts we hear of them come from Greek and Roman writers, such as Julius Caesar and Diodorus. There were various tribes to this group, many of them called Galli by the Romans and Galataoir Keltoi by the Greeks, these terms meant Barbarian. The Greek word Keltoi was what Celts came from, this is the reason the C is pronounced as a K. As languages went there was one language that tied all of them together, Old Celtic which is the descendent of the original Ur-Lnaguage. "Welsh, Breton the language of Brittany, in France- and the variants of Gaelic spoken in Ireland and Scotland are all Celtic languages"(Stokstad 485). Celtic Druids Evidence of their culture is basically archeological, it has also come from oral tradition, dating back to shortly before the fifth century AD. Knowledge of all the Druids besides the Celtic ones has been found from and around the third century BC to the fourth century AD. Blacksmithing was an important craft to the Celts. Tools of knives, shears and axe-heads were made to stock patterns across the Celtic World. Iron was also used to make decorative and functional pieces which were very elaborate. Iron again was used for spears, swords and defensive mounting of wooden shields. Bronze workers used a lot of copper and tin to make their intricately designed ornaments. The theme of the Celtic warrior played an important part, with the practice of single combat, the warriors feast and the prize of severed heads of defeated foes. Writing in the Celtic society was sort of restricted, it was not used for imaginative or traditional literature. Before the Roman conquest a state of conditional literacy intermittently existed among the Gaulish upper classes (Piggott 51). Greek letters were occasionally used. However in Celtic societies other than the Druids it seemed opposite. Greek Letters were used in the Book of Mathew, Book Of Kells , in Stoktads book there is an example of how finely the craftsmanship is with the Chi Rho Iota page. This translated into "Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about" (Mathew 1:18).Many abbreviations of Latin words were used as well which had to be memorized by scribes. The page seems abstract at first glance but if you look closely you can see the fine detail of figures in it.

Beauty vs Truth Essay

Is truth or beauty more important when communicating information. It is my argument that beauty is more important when communicating information. Beauty is defined as The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of formation or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality. How does this relate to communication? †¢ Communicating information is more than just exchanging words. Just as in the definition of the word â€Å"beauty†, when communicating with a certain amount of eloquence it paints a mental picture that gives pleasure to our minds and wakes up our senses. The way words are used in the process of communication is what holds attention and causes an audience to become engaged. It’s the beauty in a message and the expression in the words which we tend to remember. This is not to say that truth is not important in communication but mere stating mere facts may not be enough to get the point across or keeping the attention of an audience. †¢ Beauty is more important in communication because it is what leads us to the truth. Sometimes the truth is too ugly and mind blowing and in some instances too much truth all at once can cause pain. Everyone should know the truth but using a certain diplomacy and finesse with one’s words can make all the difference in how the truth is received. That is why beauty in communication is important . ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON TRUTH AND BEAUTY †¢ A story doesn’t necessarily have to be true to be entertaining, or to teach a lesson. How many of us as children or have even possibly told our own children about the tortoise and hair? ? A tortoise and a hare enter a race, the hare boasting about how he is faster, and will therefore win. The hare foolishly over-estimates his speed, and it ends up costing him the race. With the moral of the story being that over – confidence can sometimes back fire. or the boy who cried wolf? ? The story of a boy who thought it was fun to alert the town of a wolf when there wasn’t really one. And when he finally does see a wolf no one comes to help him. The lesson being that telling too many lies will cause people to stop believing anything you say. My point is that these stories may not necessarily be true but such tales have been told for centuries for the purpose in teaching life lessons. †¢ When listening to a story, I personally always remember the characteristics and tidbits of a story which brought the message to life. An eloquently told story, whether it is told for entertainment or simply for sharing information draws a person in to want to hear more. When you’re listening to a story filled with grandeur and elaborate details, it’s easy to become captivated and interested. Why is being drawn in by the beauty of a message important? †¢ How many of us have tried a product not because of what the announcer on the commercial said the product could do, but because we were drawn in by something appealing we saw in the commercial. o An example of this would be weight loss commercials †¢ It’s what grabs your attention enough to the truth. Another perspective†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The Boy Who Called Wolf This fable is about a small boy who thinks it’s fun to alert the town of a wolf when there is none. When a wolf actually appears, no one comes to the boy’s aid. . Eloquence added to an ordinary story is keeps interesting. . It’s the initial phase of the communication process in which your senses become engage. When communicating information to be interesting to capture the audience’s attention. . Once your attention has been grabbed by an interesting, story, or some form of communication, you can then decide if what your listening to or looking at is worth your time.. Tell all the Truth but tell it slant — Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind — A funny TV commercial or a commercial that endorsed by your favorite actor is more easily remembered than serious, factual ones that constantly appear. images, stories and songs much easier and find them far more enjoyable than just listening to words.

Medicine and Ayurveda

Ayurveda  (Sanskrit:   ;  Ayurveda, â€Å"the knowledge for long life†;  /? a?.? r? ve? d? /[2]) or  ayurvedic medicine  is a Hindu system of  traditional medicine native to  India  and a form of  alternative medicine. The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the  Vedic period  in India,[3]  i. e. , in the mid-second millennium BCE. The  Susruta Sa? hita  and the  Charaka Sa? hita, encyclopedias of medicine compiled from various sources from the mid-first millennium BCE to about 500 CE,[4]  are among the foundational works of Ayurveda.Over the following centuries, ayurvedic practitioners developed a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for the treatment of various ailments. [5]  Current practices derived (or reportedly derived) from Ayurvedic medicine are regarded as part of  complementary and alternative medicine. [6] Safety concerns have been raised about Ayurveda, with two U. S. studies find ing about 20 percent of Ayurvedic Indian-manufactured  patent medicines contained toxic levels of heavy metals such as  lead,  mercury  and  arsenic.Other concerns include the use of herbs containing toxic compounds and the lack of quality control in Ayurvedic facilities. At an early period[when? ], Ayurveda adopted the physics of the â€Å"five  elements† (Devanagari: [ ] ); earth (P? thvi), water (Jala), fire (Agni), air (Vayu) and space (Akasa) that compose the  universe, including the human body. [9]  Ayurveda describes seven types of tissues of the body, known as thesaptadhatu  (Devanagari: ). They are plasma (rasa dhatu), blood (rakta dhatu),  flesh  (ma? a dhatu), adipose (medha dhatu),  bone  (asthi dhatu),marrow  and nervous (majja dhatu), and reproductive (semen  or  female reproductive tissue) (sukra dhatu). [10]  Ayurvedic literature deals elaborately with measures of healthful living during the entire span of life and its vario us phases. Ayurveda stresses a balance of three elemental energies or  humors:Vayu / vata  (air & space – â€Å"wind†),  pitta  (fire & water – â€Å"bile†) and  kapha  (water & earth – â€Å"phlegm†). According to ayurvedic medical theory, these three substances —  do? as (Devanagari: —are important for health, because when they exist in equal quantities, the body will be healthy, and when they are not in equal amounts, the body will be unhealthy in various ways. One ayurvedic theory asserts that each human possesses a unique combination of  do? as  that define that person's temperament and characteristics. Another view, also present in the ancient literature, asserts that humoral equality is identical to health, and that persons with preponderances of humours are proportionately unhealthy, and that this is not their natural temperament.In ayurveda, unlike the Sa? khya philosophical system, there are 20 fund amental qualities,  gu? a  (Devanagari: , meaning qualities) inherent in all substances. [11]  While surgery and surgical instruments were employed from a very early period, Ayurvedic theory asserts that building a healthy metabolic system, attaining good  digestion, and proper  excretion  lead to vitality. [11]  Ayurveda also focuses on exercise,  yoga, and  meditation. [12] The practice of  panchakarma  (Devanagari: is a therapeutic way of eliminating toxic elements from the body. [13] As early as the  Mahabharata, ayurveda was called â€Å"the science of eight components† (Skt. a a? ga,  Devanagari: ), a classification that became canonical for ayurveda. They are:[14] 1. Internal medicine  (Kaya-cikitsa) 2. Paediatrics  (Kaumarabh? tyam) 3. Surgery  (Salya-cikitsa) 4. Opthalmology  and  ENT  (Salakya tantra) 5. Psychiatry  has been called  Bhuta vidya  . [3] 6. Toxicology  (Agadatantram) 7. Prevention of diseases and improvi ng  immunity  and  rejuvenation  (rasayana) 8.Aphrodisiacs  and improving health of progeny (Vajikaranam) In Hindu mythology, the origin of ayurvedic medicine is attributed to  Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods. [15] ————————————————- Practices Several philosophers in India combined religion and traditional medicine—notable examples being that of  Hinduism  and ayurveda. Shown in the image is the philosopher  Nagarjuna—known chiefly for his doctrine of the  Madhyamaka  (middle path)—who wrote medical works  The Hundred Prescriptions  and  The Precious Collection, among others. [16] [edit]BalanceHinduism  and  Buddhism  have been an influence on the development of many of ayurveda's central ideas – particularly its fascination with balance, known in Buddhism as  Madhyathmaka  (Devanagari: ). [17]  Bal ance is emphasized; suppressing natural urges is seen to be unhealthy, and doing so claimed to lead to illness. [17]  However, people are cautioned to stay within the limits of reasonable balance and measure. [17]  For example, emphasis is placed on moderation of food intake,[9]  sleep, sexual intercourse. [17] [edit]Diagnosis Ayurvedic practitioners approach diagnosis by using all five senses. 18]  Hearing is used to observe the condition of breathing and speech. [10]  The study of the lethal points or  marman marma  is of special importance. [11]  Ayurvedic doctors regard physical and mental existence together with personality as a unit, each element having the capacity to influence the others. One of the fundamental aspects of ayurvedic medicine is to take this into account during diagnosis and therapy. [edit]Hygiene Hygiene  is a central practice of ayurvedic medicine. Hygienic living involves regular bathing, cleansing of teeth, skin care, and eye washing. 10] [edit]Treatments Ayurveda stresses the use of plant-based medicines and treatments. Hundreds of plant-based medicines are employed, including  cardamom  and cinnamon. Some animal products may also be used, for example milk,  bones, and  gallstones. In addition, fats are used both for consumption and for external use. Minerals, including  sulfur,  arsenic, lead,  copper sulfate  and gold are also consumed as prescribed. [10]  This practice of adding minerals to herbal medicine is known as  rasa shastra. In some cases, alcohol was used as a  narcotic  for the patient undergoing an operation.The advent of Islam introduced  opium  as a narcotic. [14]  Both oil and tar were used to stop bleeding. [10]  Traumatic bleeding was said to be stopped by four different methods:  ligation  of the  blood vessel;  cauterisation by heat; using different herbal or animal preparations locally which could facilitate  clotting; and different medical preparation s which could  constrict  the bleeding or oozing vessels. Various oils could be used in a number of ways, including regular consumption as a part of food, anointing, smearing,  head massage, and prescribed application to infected areas. 19][page  needed] [edit]Srotas Ensuring the proper functions of channels (srotas) that transport fluids from one point to another is a vital goal of ayurvedic medicine, because the lack of healthy srotas is thought to cause  rheumatism,  epilepsy,  autism,  paralysis,  convulsions, and  insanity. Practitioners induce sweating and prescribe steam-based treatments as a means to open up the channels and dilute the  do? as[clarification needed]  that cause the blockages and lead to disease. [20] ————————————————- [edit]HistoryOne view of the early history of ayurveda asserts that around 1500  BC, ayurveda's fundamental and applied principles got organized and enunciated. In this historical construction, Ayurveda traces its origins to the  Vedas,  Atharvaveda  in particular, and is connected to Hindu religion. Atharvaveda  (one of the four most ancient books of Indian knowledge, wisdom and culture) contains 114 hymns or formulations for the treatment of diseases. Ayurveda originated in and developed from these hymns. In this sense, ayurveda is considered by some to have divine origin.Indian medicine has a long history, and is one of the oldest organised systems of medicine. Its earliest concepts are set out in the sacred writings called the Vedas, especially in the metrical passages of the  Atharvaveda, which may possibly date as far back as the 2nd millennium BC. According to a later writer, the system of medicine was received by  Dhanvantari  from  Brahma, and Dhanvantari was deified as the god of medicine. In later times his status was gradually reduced, until he was credited wi th having been an earthly king[10]  named  Divodasa. 22] Underwood ; Rhodes (2008) hold that this early phase of traditional Indian medicine identified â€Å"fever (takman), cough,  consumption, diarrhea,  dropsy,  abscesses,  seizures, tumours, and skin diseases (including  leprosy)†. [10]  Treatment of complex ailments, including  angina pectoris,  diabetes,  hypertension, and  stones, also ensued during this period. [5][24]  Plastic surgery,  couching  (a form of cataract surgery), puncturing to release fluids in the  abdomen, extraction of foreign elements, treatment of  anal fistulas, treating fractures,  amputations,  cesarean sections, and stitching of wounds were known. 10]  The use of herbs and surgical instruments became widespread. [10]  The  Charaka Samhita  text is arguably the principal classic reference. It gives emphasis to the triune nature of each person: body care, mental regulation, and spiritual/consciousness refinement. Other early works of ayurveda include the  Charaka Samhita, attributed to  Charaka. [10]  The earliest surviving excavated written material which contains references to the works of Sushruta is the  Bower Manuscript, dated to the 6th century  AD. The Bower manuscript is of special interest to historians due to the presence of Indian medicine and its concepts in Central Asia. 25]  Vagbhata, the son of a senior doctor by the name of Simhagupta,[26]  also compiled his works on traditional medicine. [10]  Early ayurveda had a school of physicians and a school of surgeons. [3]  Tradition holds that the text  Agnivesh tantra, written by the sage Agnivesh, a student of the sage  Bharadwaja, influenced the writings of ayurveda. [27] The Chinese pilgrim  Fa Hsien  (ca. 337–422 AD) wrote about the health care system of the  Gupta empire  (320–550) and described the institutional approach of Indian medicine, also visible in the works of C haraka, who mentions a clinic and how it should be equipped. 28]  Madhava (fl. 700), Sarngadhara (fl. 1300), and Bhavamisra (fl. 1500) compiled works on Indian medicine. [25]  The medical works of both Sushruta and Charaka were translated into the  Arabic language  during the  Abbasid Caliphate  (ca. 750). [29]  These Arabic works made their way into Europe via intermediaries. [29]  InItaly, the Branca family of  Sicily  and Gaspare Tagliacozzi (Bologna) became familiar with the techniques of Sushruta. [29] British physicians traveled to India to see  rhinoplasty  being performed by native methods. 30]  Reports on Indian rhinoplasty were published in the  Gentleman's Magazine  in 1794. [30]  Joseph Constantine Carpue  spent 20 years in India studying local plastic surgery methods. [30]  Carpue was able to perform the first major surgery in the western world in 1815. [31]  Instruments described in the  Sushruta Samhita  were further modified in the Western World. [31] ————————————————- [edit]Current status [edit]India According to some sources up to 80 percent of people in India use some form of traditional medicines, a category which includes Ayurveda. 32] In 1970, the Indian Medical Central Council Act which aims to standardize qualifications for ayurveda and provide accredited institutions for its study and research was passed by the  Parliament of India. [33]  In India, over 100 colleges offer degrees in traditional ayurvedic medicine. [12]  The Indian government supports research and teaching in ayurveda through many channels at both the national and state levels, and helps institutionalize traditional medicine so that it can be studied in major towns and cities. [34]  The state-sponsored  Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences  (CCRAS) has been set up to research the subject. 35]à ‚  To fight  biopiracy  and unethical patents, the  Government of India, in 2001, set up the  Traditional Knowledge Digital Libraryas repository of 1200 formulations of various systems of Indian medicine, such as ayurveda,  unani  and  siddha. [36][37]  The library also has 50 traditional ayurveda books digitized and available online. [38] Central Council of Indian Medicine  (CCIM) a statutory body established in 1971, under  Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy  (AYUSH),  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,  Government of India, monitors higher education in ayurveda. 39]  Many clinics in urban and rural areas are run by professionals who qualify from these institutes. [33] [edit]Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan tradition of Ayurveda is very similar to the Indian tradition. Practitioners of Ayurveda in Sri Lanka refer to texts on the subject written in  Sanskrit, which are common to both countries. However, they do diff er in some aspects, particularly in the herbs used. The Sri Lankan government has established a Ministry of Indigenous Medicine (established in 1980) to revive and regulate the practice within the country[40]  The Institute of Indigenous Medicine (affiliated to the  University of Colombo  currently ffers undergraduate, postgraduate, and MD degrees in the practice of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery, and similar degrees in  unani  medicine. [41] There are currently 62 Ayurvedic Hospitals and 208 central dispensaries in the public system, and they served almost 3 million people (approximately 11 percent of Sri Lanka's total population) in 2010. In total there are currently approximately 20,000 registered practitioners of Ayurveda in the country. [42][43] Many Sri Lankan hotels and resorts offer Ayurveda themed packages, where guests are treated to a wide array of Ayurveda treatments during their stay. edit]Outside South Asia Due to different laws and medical regulations in the rest of the world, the unregulated practice and commercialization of ayurvedic medicine has raised ethical and legal issues; in some cases, this damages the reputation of ayurvedic medicine outside India. [44][45][46] ————————————————- [edit]Scientific appraisal In studies in mice, the leaves ofTerminalia arjuna  have been shown to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. [47] As a  traditional medicine, many ayurveda products have not been tested in rigorous scientific studies and  clinical trials.In India, research in ayurveda is undertaken by the statutory body of the  Central Government, the  Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha  (CCRAS), through a national network of research institutes. [48]  A systematic review of ayurveda treatments for rheumatoid  arthritis  concluded that there was insufficient evidence, as most of the tri als were not done properly, and the one high-quality trial showed no benefits. [49]  A review of ayurveda and  cardiovascular diseaseconcluded that the evidence for ayurveda was not convincing, though some herbs seemed promising. 50] Two varieties of  Salvia  have been tested in small trials; one trial provided evidence that  Salvia lavandulifolia  (Spanish sage) may improve word recall in young adults,[51]  and another provided evidence that  Salvia officinalis  (Common sage) may improve symptoms in  Alzheimer's  patients. [52]  Many plants used as  rasayana  (rejuvenation) medications are potent antioxidants. [53]  Neem  appears to have beneficial pharmacological properties. [54] ————————————————- [edit]Safety Rasa shastra, the practice of adding metals, minerals or gems to herbs, may have toxic heavy metals such as  lead,  mercury   and  arsenic. 7]  Adverse reactions to herbs due to their pharmacology are described in traditional ayurvedic texts, but ayurvedic practitioners are reluctant to admit that herbs could be toxic and that reliable information on herbal toxicity is not readily available. And there is communication gap between modern medicine practitioners and Ayurvedic practitioners[55] According to a 1990 study on ayurvedic medicines in India, 41 percent of the products tested contained arsenic, and 64 percent contained lead and mercury. 32]  A 2004 study found toxic levels of heavy metals in 20 percent of ayurvedic preparations made in South Asia and sold in the Boston area, and concluded that ayurvedic products posed serious health risks and should be tested for heavy-metal contamination. [56]  A 2008 study of more than 230 products found that approximately 20 percent of remedies (and 40 percent of  rasa shastra  medicines) purchased over the Internet from both US and Indian suppliers co ntained lead, mercury or arsenic. 7][57][58]  In 2012 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Washington states in its report that Ayurvedic drugs has links to lead poisoning on the basis of some cases presented where some pregnant woman had taken Ayurvedic drugs toxic materials were found in their blood. [59] Ayurvedic proponents believe that the toxicity of these materials is reduced through purification processes such as  samskaras  or  shodhanas  (for metals), similar to the Chinese  pao zhi, although the ayurvedic technique is more complex and may involve prayers as well as physical pharmacy techniques.However, these products have nonetheless caused severe  lead poisoning  and other toxic effects. [7][57] Due to these concerns, the Government of India ruled that ayurvedic products must specify their metallic content directly on the labels of the product,[8]  but, writing on the subject for  Current Science, a publication of the  Indian Academy o f Sciences, M. S. Valiathan noted that â€Å"the absence of post-market surveillance and the paucity of test laboratory facilities [in India] make the quality control of Ayurvedic medicines exceedingly difficult at this time. [8]Ayurveda can be defined as a system, which uses the inherent principles of nature, to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. What is the Origin of Ayurveda? : Widely regarded as the oldest form of healthcare in the world, Ayurveda is an intricate medical system that originated in India thousands of years ago. The fundamentals of Ayurveda can be found in Hindu scriptures called the  Vedas  Ã¢â‚¬â€ the ancient Indian books of wisdom. The  Rig Veda, which was written over 6,000 years ago, contains a series of prescriptions that can help humans overcome various ailments.What does Ayurveda do to you? : The aim of this system is to prevent illness, heal the sick and preserve li fe. This can be summed up as follows: * To protect health and prolong life (â€Å"Swasthyas swasthya rakshanam†) * To eliminate diseases and dysfunctions of the body (â€Å"Aturasya vikar prashamanamcha†) What are the Basic Principles of Ayurveda? : Ayurveda is based on the premise that the universe is made up of five elements: air, fire, water, earth and ether. These elements are represented in humans by three â€Å"doshas†, or energies:  Vata, Pitta  and  Kapha.When any of the  doshas  accumulate in the body beyond the desirable limit, the body loses its balance. Every individual has a distinct balance, and our health and well-being depend on getting a right balance of the three  doshas  (â€Å"tridoshas†). Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to help individuals reduce the excess  dosha. A healthy person, as defined in  Sushrut Samhita,  one of the primary works on Ayurveda, is â€Å"he whose  doshas  are in balance, appetite is good, all tissues of the body and all natural urges are functioning properly, and whose mind, body and spirit are cheerful†¦ What is ‘Tridosha' or the Theory of Bio-energies? : The three  doshas, or bio-energies found in our body are: * Vata  pertains to air and ether elements. This energy is generally seen as the force, which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination. * Kapha  pertains to water and earth elements. Kapha  is responsible for growth and protection. The mucousal lining of the stomach, and the cerebral-spinal fluid that protects the brain and spinal column are examples of  kapha. * Pitta  pertains to fire and water elements.This  dosha  governs metabolism, e. g. , the transformation of foods into nutrients. Pitta  is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems. What is ‘Panchakarma' or the Therapy of Purification? : If toxins in the body are abundant, then a clean sing process known as  panchakarma  is recommended to purge these unwanted toxins. This fivefold purification therapy is a classical form of treatment in ayurveda. These specialized procedures consist of the following: * Therapeutic vomiting or emesis (Vaman) * Purgation (Virechan) Enema (Basti) * Elimination of toxins through the nose (Nasya) * Bloodletting or detoxification of the blood (Rakta moksha) The roots of ayurveda| | | | Ayurveda,the oldest system of medicine in the world, traces its roots to the Vedic period in ancient India. The  Vedas  contain practical and scientific information on various subjects beneficial to the humanity like health, philosophy, engineering, astrology etc. Vedic Brahmans  were not only priests performing religious rites and ceremonies, they also became the  Vaidyas (Ayurvedic Physicians).The Sage- Physician- Surgeons of that time were the same sages or seers, deeply devoted holy people , who saw health as an integral part of spiritual life. It is said, that they received their training of  Ayurveda  through direct cognition during meditation. In other words, the knowledge of the use of various methods of healing, prevention, longevity and surgery came through Divine revelation . These revelations were transcribed from the oral tradition into book form, interspersed with the other aspects of life. | | |   |   | | | Consequently  Ayurveda  grew into a respected and widely used system of healing in India.Around CA. 1500 Before. Common era. Ayurveda  was delineated into eight specific branches of medicine and there were two main schools –  Atreya, the school of physicians, and  Dhanvantari  , the school of surgeons. These two schools made  Ayurveda  a more scientifically verifiable and classifiable medical system. People from numerous countries came to Indian Ayurvedic schools to learn this medical science. They came from China, Tibet, Greece, Rome, Egypt ,Afghanistan, Persia etc. to le arn the complete wisdom and bring it back to their own countries.Ayurvedic texts were translated in Arabic and   physicians such as Avicenna and Razi Sempion, who both quoted Ayurvedic texts , established Islamic Medicine. This medicine became popular in Europe and helped to form the foundation of the European tradition in medicine. In the 16th  Century Europe , Paracelsus , who is known as the father of modern Western medicine, practiced and propagated a system of medicine which borrowed heavily from  Ayurveda.. | | Principles of Ayurveda| | | | |   |   |   | | | Ayurveda  is a holistic healing science which comprises of two words,  Ayu  and  Veda.Ayu means life and  Vedameans knowledge or science. So the literal meaning of the word  Ayurveda  is the science of life. Ayurveda  is a science dealing not only with treatment of some diseases but is a complete way of life. Ayurveda  aims at making a happy, healthy and peaceful society. The two most importan t aims of  Ayurveda  are:   + To maintain the health of healthy people + To cure the diseases of sick peopleA Person is seen in  Ayurveda  as a unique individual made up of five primary elements. These elements are ether (space), air, fire,water and earth. Just as in nature, we too have these five elements in us.When any of these elements are imbalanced   in the environment , they will in turn have an influence on us. The foods we eat and the weather are just two examples of the influence of these elements . While we are a composite of these five primary elements, certain elements are seen to have an ability to combine to create various physiological functions. The elements combine with Ether and Air in dominence to form what is known in  Ayurveda  as  Vata Dosha. Vatagoverns the principle of movement and therefore can be seen as the force which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration and elemination etc. The elements with Fire and Water in dominence combi ne to form the  Pitta Dosha  . The  Pitta Dosha  is responsible for the process of transformation or metabolism. The transformation of foods into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate is an example of a Pitta function. Pitta  is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well as cellular metabolism. Finally, it is predominantly the water and earth elements which combine to form the  Kapha Dosha. Kapha  is responsible for growth, adding structure unit by unit.It also offers protection , for example, in form of the cerebral-spinal fluid,which protects the brain and spinal column. The mucousal lining of the stomach is another example of the function of Kapha Dosha protecting the tissues. |   Ã‚  | | We are all made up of unique proportions of  Vata,Pitta and Kapha. These ratios of the Doshas vary in each individual and because of this  Ayurveda  sees each person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity. Ayurveda  gives us a model to look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas and to thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a persons health challenges.When any of the doshas become accumulated,  Ayurveda  will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing the dosha that has become excessive. Also herbal medicines will be suggested , to cure the imbalance and the disease. Understanding this main principle of  Ayurveda  , it offers us an explanation as to why one person responds differently to a treatment or diet than another and why persons with the same disease might yet require different treatments and medications. | | |      Ã‚  |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  |      Ã‚  Ã‚  | Other important basic principles of  Ayurveda  which are briefly mentioned here are: 1. Dhatus- These are the basic tissues which maintain and nourish the body. They are seven in number namely- rasa(chyle), raktha(blood), m amsa(muscles),meda(fatty tissue), asthi(bone), majja(marrow) and sukla(reprodutive tissue). Proper amount of each dhatu and their balanced function is very important for good health. 2. Mala- These are the waste materials produced as a result of various metabolic activities in the body. They are mainly urine, feaces, sweat etc.Proper elimination of the malas is equally important for good health. Accumulation of malas causes many diseases in the body. 3. Srotas- These are different types of channels which are responsible for transportation of food,  dhatus,malas  and  doshas. Proper functioning of  srotas  is necessary for transporting different materials to the site of their requirement. Blockage of  srotas  causes many diseases. 4. Agni- These are different types of enzymes responsible for digestion and transforming one material to another. All these factors should function in a proper balance for good health.They are inter-related and are directly or indirectly respo nsible for maintaining equilibrium of the tridoshas. Balance and Harmony of the Three Doshas When the three Doshas are well harmonised and function in a balanced manner, it results in good nourishment and well-being of the individual . But when there is imbalance or disharmony within or between them, it will result in elemental imbalance , leading to various kinds of ailments. The Ayurvedic concept of physical health revolves round these three Doshas and its primary purpose is to help maintain them in a balanced state and thus to prevent disease.This humoral theory is not unique to the ancient Indian Medicine : The Yin and Yang theory in chinese medicine and the Hippocratic theory of four humours in Greek medicine are also very similar. |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | | The Qualities of the Three Doshas The three Doshas possess qualities and their increase or decrease in the system depends upon the similar or antagonistic qualities of everything ingested. Vata  is : dry, cold, light, mobi le, clear, rough, subtle Pitta  is : slightly oily, hot, intense, light, fluid,free flowing, foul smelling. Kapha  is: oily, cold, heavy, stable, viscid, smooth, soft Both  Vata  and  Pitta  are light and only Kapha is heavy.Both  Vata  and  Kapha  are cold and only Pitta is hot. Both  Pitta  and  Kapha  are moist and oily and only Vata is dry. |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | | Anything dry almost always increases  Vata  , anything hot increases  Pitta  and anything heavy ,  Kapha. Puffed rice is dry, cold light and rough – overindulgence in puffed rice therefore is likely to increase Vata in the overindulger. Mustard oil is oily , hot , intense , fluid , strong-smelling and liquid and increases Pitta in the consumer. Yoghurt , which , being creamy, cold, heavy, viscid, smooth and soft , is the very image of Kapha , adds to the body's Kapha when eaten.All Five elemets , as expressed through  Vata, Pitta and Kapha  , are essential to life, working together to create health or produce disease. No one dosha can produce or sustain life – all three must work together , each in its own way. | | | PURIFICATION THERAPY| | | ‘Health is purity and disease is impurity So purification is the treatment. ’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (old Indian saying)| | | Purification therapy is a unique feature of  Ayurveda  by which the  complete cure and non recurrence of disease is made possible.The functional components (doshas, namely  vatha, pitha & kapha  ) move all around the body through the channels of circulation to do the normal physiological activities. The disease is the result of imbalance in the quantity and quality of the doshas. During the disease process, the unbalanced doshas get lodged in the weak parts of the channels of circulation and produce the disease symptoms. If the channels of circulation are pure and healthy, even the aggravated doshas cannot loc ate anywhere and produce disease   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ayurveda  offers two measures in the management of a disease 😠 | | . Pacifying therapy  :-  in which the unbalanced  doshas  are pacified with in the body itself. As this therapy don’t cleanse the channels of circulation, there is the possibility of reprovocation when exposed to similar causative factors. This therapy is suited in conditions in which there is not much vitiation of the doshas. 2. Purification therapy  :-  It is aimed at the complete expulsion of the unbalanced  doshas  and the purification of the channels of circulation. As the channels are cleansed and strengthened by this process, the chance of recurrence is nil.   |   | Purification therapy can be implemented not only for curing diseases but to maintain health. No other systems of medicine can offer such an effective treatment measure. So we can proudly declare our superiority of Ayurveda to any other systems on account of its purification therapy. The purification otherwise called  Ã¢â‚¬ËœPancha karma therapy'  is    implemented in five ways. | | | 1. Enema therapy :-  It is best for vatha imbalance. 2. Purgation therapy :-  Best for pitha imbalance. 3. Emesis therapy :-  For kapha imbalance. 4. Nasal drops :-  For all diseases above the neck. 5.Blood letting :-  Best for removing blood impurities. | | |   |   | | Stages of the treatment|   | | First stage  :-  This includes the external and internal application oils followed with fomentation or sudation. By this the unbalanced doshas lodged in the weak parts of the channels are liquified and loosened. Main or second stage  :-  In this stage the loosened and liquified doshas are expelled out of the body by the appropriate purifactory procedure. Post therapy  :-  This includes the regimens to be practised after the purification. This is mainly intended to augment the digestive fire. | |

Technology, Changing our lives essays

Technology, Changing our lives essays The 21st century was never predicted to be what it is by our founding fathers. The truth is nobody ever expected our country to come down to the way we see it today. Computers and technology are now part of our daily lives. Weve come upon to depend on them to function and to live. Today in airports and other facilities we all must go through a metal detector or have someone pass over us a hand-held detector. Who wouldve thought that wed ever have such a thing like hidden cameras, or motion sensors? Nobody expected it, but now its part of us. The fourth amendment protects us as citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. Probable cause and warrants must be issued before entering a civilians home. However the bill of rights was written in 1787, thats almost 200 years ago. Do the same principles and understandings still apply today? More Exceptions than rules? Justice Lewis Powell has even admitted that certain parts of Fourth Amendment law are intolerably confusing. Some of the cases being presented before our judges today seem unreasonable and confusing. They find themselves making exceptions to the fourth amendment. Some of the things we have today wouldve shocked and scared the hell out of the people who wrote the fourth amendment. Guns and drugs are a big problem to our country and being in the safety of your house may not always prove effective against law-enforcement. Communication technology is very useful for those who want to pass information quickly and effectively. However, what if this is used against the greater good? Criminals can easily set up plans and use technology to their advantage. Also drug dealers with their pagers and cell phones can make quick money in a matter of a few seconds. Did the people who wrote the fourth amendment take these things into account? ...

Top 7 Job Market Trends That Will Help You Find a Job in 2017

Top 7 Job Market Trends That Will Help You Find a Job in 2017 So you want a new job for 2017. That’s great! Unemployment is lower than it has been in 7 years, at 5%- and even lower if you have a bachelor’s degree or higher. It’s also a great time to get a raise. Studies show workers might be able to expect a 3.1% raise this year- even higher if you’re a top performer. Here are a few job market and hiring trends to keep in mind as you head into the new year.1. There’s more out there than tech and healthcare.Those sectors are always growing, but they aren’t the only places hiring. There are plenty of opportunities for new jobs and long-range career growth in fields like marketing, sales, transportation, and finance. Aside from nursing, software development, and network/computer system admin, marketing and sales management, industrial engineering, construction, and financial management are all booming.2. If you are in software development, congratulations!This is going to be a great year for you. Almost 1 out of every 20 job postings will be right up your alley. Your skills are in incredibly high demand, particularly if you have any expertise in data analytics.3. Marketing management  is your entrance into the tech world.Some of the biggest companies like Amazon and Facebook need marketing managers. It’s the second highest volume job opportunity after software development. And it’s becoming more and more about digital consumer advertising. Beef up your analytics skills and transition into the tech field with your marketing chops.4. Millennials, your time is coming.Nearly 30% of managers these days are millennials- and we can expect that to go up in the coming year. Within the next 10 years, nearly half of these positions could be occupied by millennials- even senior and executive positions.5. Look out for an increase in video recruitment.Video is a great medium to convey company culture and to generate excitement and understanding of a company’s mission or prod uct or services. There’ll be lots more of this- even videos shot on cell phones- used for recruitment purposes. There might very well be video job postings and even actual video job offers.6. Companies are turning to data-driven recruiting.Did we mention data is key? New technology will help recruiters optimize the process, with data guiding them to better, more qualified candidates and more streamlined methods of recruiting and hiring.7. There will be a Mid-Atlantic and Southeast boom.These areas will experience the biggest hiring uptick- up from as much as 40% from last year. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic or the Southeast, or are willing to move there, your odds of getting hired just went up.

A Review Article on Concept Mapping

A Review Article on Concept Mapping A concept is a perceived regularity in events or objects designated by a label. Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge in networks of concepts and linking statements about a problem or subject (Novak one for pathophysiology and one for care planning. It is sometimes easier to follow a care map if diagnoses, goals and interventions are placed in different shaped figures such as circles, octagons, and triangles. Concept mapping is used broadly in nursing education. Nursing faculty may employ them as a teaching strategy in the classroom and students may use them as a note taking or study tool. There are multiple structures used for concept mapping. They are an effective way to teach learners how to think about concepts and to see the big picture of how the many facts and variables in a situation fit together. Objectives Concept maps have been used in nursing education as a method for students to organize and analyze data. This review article examine s empirical studies on the use of concept maps as a metacognitive tool, as a tool improve students’ critical thinking abilities and as a teaching-learning method in nursing and discusses the effectiveness of using concept mapping in the nursing education. Its implications to research and implications for nursing education will also be discussed.

Analyze nonverbal communications and gender Essay

Analyze nonverbal communications and gender - Essay Example This is probably based on the evolutionary principle of "fight or flight" response. "When we experience excessive stress-whether from internal worry or external circumstance-a bodily reaction is triggered, called the "fight or flight" response. Originally discovered by the great Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm" (Neimark, 2009, pgh. 2). According to Kleinman (2007), "What scientists do know that you may not, is that human touch can actually improve your mental and physical health, lengthen your life, and even boost your career performance" (pgh. 1). This is not an uncommon happening, and from the moment babies are born they are being bombarded with external stimuli. Just like adults, "Babies differ in their perceptual styles and types of defenses. Some respond to auditory stimulation with a large repertoire of reactions while others respond with only single or global bodily responses" (Kernberg, et. al., 2000, pp. 102). Have you ever wondered if you can just tell the true em... Have you ever wondered if you can just tell the true emotions of someone just by looking at them It is true that you can generally guess what someone is thinking by looking at their face for contextual clues. As seen in the reading online, flight attendants usually faked smiles even when telling passengers unpleasant or negative comments. However, they realized that as long as they said whatever they had to say with a smile, it didn't really matter what exactly it was they were saying to the customer. "Flight Attendants must learn to interact with people from around the world, respecting individual customs and cultures while recognizing different comfort levels people have with flying. Two important traits you will need to succeed as a flight attendant are flexibility and a positive attitude" ("Flight Attendant-Express Jet," 2009). Also, from just looking at someone's face and body language, I was also able to detect the winner of a basketball game. The winner generally looked confident, appeared happy (as he was smiling), and held his body in a posture that exuded self-confidence. "According to a study comparing the reactions of blind and sighted competitors in the Olympics and Paralympics, the expressions of pride and shame may have evolved to be programmed into human behavior" ("Body Language of Winners, Losers Determined By Genetics," 2009). The loser, meanwhile, looked a bit slumped over, had a grumpy face (with a frown), and obviously looked upset that he had lost. III. The Human Body Appearances say a lot when it comes to men and women. "Studies examining women's satisfaction with their appearances frequently measure the linear effects of isolated variables on women's feelings. Previous research has examined the impact of

Management(various non-typical intangible assets which can help a Essay

Management(various non-typical intangible assets which can help a manager) - Essay Example It can be noticed that intangible assets of an organization are not things which can be acquired or bought but are rather developed. These are a set of instructions, knowledge etc which along with the tangible assets of the organization, help in running the organization and completing day to day activities. Intangible assets bring a new configuration of the things making it more valuable and accessible. Apart from all the above mentioned intangible resources this paper will discuss managerial intangible resources which a manager draws upon to fulfil his role. This paper discusses and evaluated how intangible resources can be used to legitimise management authority in organizations. In order to do so, the paper describes what intangible assets are and what management is. Later, it discusses what is meant by management and what the connection between management authority and intangible assets is. Management is an art. It is an art of planning, organizing, directing and monitoring. It is an art of managing people. It is also science. Science is how you mange to do all this. It can also be said as an act of directing, controlling, coordinating and harmonizing people towards the accomplishment of a goal. It also comprises of deployment and proper use of human resources, technological resources and financial resources. Those people or groups of people who manage these things are the management. In the late seventies an... Science is how you mange to do all this. It can also be said as an act of directing, controlling, coordinating and harmonizing people towards the accomplishment of a goal. It also comprises of deployment and proper use of human resources, technological resources and financial resources. Those people or groups of people who manage these things are the management. In the late seventies and eighties management was considered as an engineering. Any company was considered as a machine, the managers were the operators and the workers, merely pawns. Today management has a whole new concept (McCrimmon: 2007, n.p). The efficiency in the workers reflects the efficiency of the manager. If the manager is incompetent then the efficiency of the workers does not change, rather in some cases it goes down. Managers take responsibility of what they do. They are creative and analyzing. Managers discover what is unique about a person and then use his unique quality to achieve their goals. The job of a manager is to achieve performance using a person's talent (Buckingham, n.p. 2005). However, in order for the manager to do his job, it is very important for him to have some authority over his employees. This authority is not only given to him by the higher management when he is hired, he also makes use of intangible assets and resources to legitimise this authori ty such as skills and knowledge. A manager has a bird's eye view of the entire system and the entire organization. He is the one who makes use of this knowledge and expertise to not only take strategic decisions, but also prove that he is capable for this position (Buckingham, n.p. 2005). An important part of intangible assets which a manger makes use of is leadership qualities which help him legitimise authority in

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Communication - Essay Example Professional communication skills, especially strategic, leadership and organizational communication help individuals to develop competence in communication in their areas of expertise (Birkinshaw, 10). Most individuals who take up Masters’ degree classes in Communication are professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in communication beyond basic communication. Aside from training students on essential communication skills, the institution works to instill a passion for theoretical and intellectual discovery that goes beyond the expectations of the course and the career objectives of students. The UCCS encourages students to undertake their own research into communication as a discipline. This research is supplementary to the lessons learnt in class that are ascribed to communication such as essential skills of effective communication and the application of these skills to different relevant settings (McKay & Martha, 79). According to the program’s homepage, the expectation upon graduation is that every student will possess an advanced and broad-based understanding and knowledge of the processes of communication and the theories concerning organizational communication relevant to the student’s area of interest. This is important, considering the fact that in any career, communication is imperative to performing well (Birkinshaw, 18). Knowledge and understanding of organizational communication enables a professional to relate well with his or her colleagues at the workplace. Issues such as the effective delivery of instructions espouse satisfactory performance, which leads to effectiveness in undertaking duties (Worth, 40). The program also intends to equip every student with communication skills. Communication skills entail the analysis of contexts and critical thinking. With regard to critical thinking, students are taught to process

Art and the Patron Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Art and the Patron - Essay Example In the dying embers of this world, artists began to come into fashion, creating a refined position within culture. Artists have been subject to the morality, philosophy, and social construction of their time and American artists have had to navigate these frameworks in order to find their place within the cultural context. Art has had to balance a double sided card for most of its existence, the expression of the artist tempered by the desires of the patron or authority over the artist to dictate the theme and representations that the artist uses. It is a rare moment in time when an artist has true control over those things that he or she wishes to depict within his or her art. The hidden elements that are not always obvious to the patron or the controlling party have been one of the joys that artists have been able to use to express their individual point of view within a dictated framework. As time has progressed, the types of hold that patrons have had over the theme and content o f the work has changed, but artists are often subjected to control in order to appease those who are willing to support their work. The privilege of total freedom is rare and has been denied to artists even within the expectations placed upon American art. The nature of artistic freedom has been subjected to morality, flattery, and the need to represent themes that suited the national rhetorical discourse. The economic needs of the individual to survive have been in tension with the need to express artistic vision throughout history. In New England in the 17th century, the trend of portraiture followed from England as a form of artistic employment, artists needing the patronage of those who desired their portraits to be done by them in order to create a form of wage for their work. Craven (1998) discusses the idea that the concept of the portrait as a commercial product was dependent upon a sufficient number of elite in the region who were willing to spend money on such a transactio n. He goes on to discuss how very talented artists came to American with the realization that their former training and income resource was likely to not be profitable enough in the new land in order to make a living so they were forced to take on other similar work such as painting signs or the interiors of houses. Because of the influx of immigrants that were of Dutch origins, there is evidence of the influences of Dutch portraiture aesthetics in many of the works from the 17th century American artists. Therefore, there is a long history of competent and extensive studies on Dutch art from American scholars (Liedtke, 2000). The influences of Dutch portraiture can be seen in the beginnings of a developing style in early American-European settlements as in evidence by the Freake portraitures. According to Roark (2003) the Freake portraits, done by an unknown artist, is the largest existing collection of artworks from this region and from this time in American history. The paintings share similar characteristics that suggest training in the art of portraiture as well as a defined perspective on how to represent the individual. Craven (1998) discusses the nature of the paintings in reference to the way in which they make social statements about the subjects of the paintings, the hair of the patriarch of the family, John Freake wore his hair naturally and shoulder

School Media Centers as Instructional Resources Research Paper

School Media Centers as Instructional Resources - Research Paper Example In order to realize this noble and challenging task, three major hurdles have always been on the way to successfully attain this mission. One, the ability and capacity of capturing information at its ‘rawest’ and at the appropriate time, so that it is not tempered with, for this the more the raw the data the better and more accurate it is, a proven fact. Because the reverse is very true, that when information is left unattended then it is prone to destruction if not getting lost. Secondly designing and developing systems that are able to store the data in the best form. The best form meaning been able to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the data. This includes provision of enough space of storage and the necessary media that is able to contain the huge and expanding volumes (Yetter, 1994). The last and not the least challenge is coming up with a methodology that is convenient and effective in accessing the information with ease. The above highlighted challenges can be collectively be addressed by the idea of an effective library media center. In the recent times, notably the role of library media has exponentially increased and tangible results are now clearly been witnessed. As we speak, one of the recurring matters of concerns especially in institutions is how to fully utilize the precious resource found in the library media to greatly impact student achievement (Crowley, 1995). This paper critically analyses the evolving role of library to improve student achievement for a brighter tomorrow. ... As a matter of fact they can collegiality show improvements, attitude and behavior of the students. Library media specialists are better placed to consider fresh ideas and are able to support one another for the benefit of the student (Gehlken, 1994). Research studies have showed that the integrated library programs positively impact on leadership, collaboration and student achievement when the library staff has the same experience as the classroom teacher, with the same qualification, information and learning resources, and problem solving and strategies in the ongoing job instructional plan. In deed library media specialists can exhibit leadership skills that can improve school forward in tackling some of the complex issues of this age of information (Crowley, 1995). They possess strong vision and values for their schools and area of specialization. They are positive models for the students and even other teachers as they understand the curriculum and the school very well. They own contact and influence with administrators and teachers and can extensively promote communication within and without school for the well being of the student. The preparation and recruitment of qualified and competent library workforce is a critical procedure in the success of the library media. This is because no matter how heavy investment is channel to other resources if human capital is not competent then this means that they will be a major loophole in the process and the required achievement among the students would not be achieved. The library staff shall be responsible for the daily operations of the facility as well as enactment of the various changes that need to be implemented so that the

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Communication - Essay Example Professional communication skills, especially strategic, leadership and organizational communication help individuals to develop competence in communication in their areas of expertise (Birkinshaw, 10). Most individuals who take up Masters’ degree classes in Communication are professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in communication beyond basic communication. Aside from training students on essential communication skills, the institution works to instill a passion for theoretical and intellectual discovery that goes beyond the expectations of the course and the career objectives of students. The UCCS encourages students to undertake their own research into communication as a discipline. This research is supplementary to the lessons learnt in class that are ascribed to communication such as essential skills of effective communication and the application of these skills to different relevant settings (McKay & Martha, 79). According to the program’s homepage, the expectation upon graduation is that every student will possess an advanced and broad-based understanding and knowledge of the processes of communication and the theories concerning organizational communication relevant to the student’s area of interest. This is important, considering the fact that in any career, communication is imperative to performing well (Birkinshaw, 18). Knowledge and understanding of organizational communication enables a professional to relate well with his or her colleagues at the workplace. Issues such as the effective delivery of instructions espouse satisfactory performance, which leads to effectiveness in undertaking duties (Worth, 40). The program also intends to equip every student with communication skills. Communication skills entail the analysis of contexts and critical thinking. With regard to critical thinking, students are taught to process

School Media Centers as Instructional Resources Research Paper

School Media Centers as Instructional Resources - Research Paper Example In order to realize this noble and challenging task, three major hurdles have always been on the way to successfully attain this mission. One, the ability and capacity of capturing information at its ‘rawest’ and at the appropriate time, so that it is not tempered with, for this the more the raw the data the better and more accurate it is, a proven fact. Because the reverse is very true, that when information is left unattended then it is prone to destruction if not getting lost. Secondly designing and developing systems that are able to store the data in the best form. The best form meaning been able to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the data. This includes provision of enough space of storage and the necessary media that is able to contain the huge and expanding volumes (Yetter, 1994). The last and not the least challenge is coming up with a methodology that is convenient and effective in accessing the information with ease. The above highlighted challenges can be collectively be addressed by the idea of an effective library media center. In the recent times, notably the role of library media has exponentially increased and tangible results are now clearly been witnessed. As we speak, one of the recurring matters of concerns especially in institutions is how to fully utilize the precious resource found in the library media to greatly impact student achievement (Crowley, 1995). This paper critically analyses the evolving role of library to improve student achievement for a brighter tomorrow. ... As a matter of fact they can collegiality show improvements, attitude and behavior of the students. Library media specialists are better placed to consider fresh ideas and are able to support one another for the benefit of the student (Gehlken, 1994). Research studies have showed that the integrated library programs positively impact on leadership, collaboration and student achievement when the library staff has the same experience as the classroom teacher, with the same qualification, information and learning resources, and problem solving and strategies in the ongoing job instructional plan. In deed library media specialists can exhibit leadership skills that can improve school forward in tackling some of the complex issues of this age of information (Crowley, 1995). They possess strong vision and values for their schools and area of specialization. They are positive models for the students and even other teachers as they understand the curriculum and the school very well. They own contact and influence with administrators and teachers and can extensively promote communication within and without school for the well being of the student. The preparation and recruitment of qualified and competent library workforce is a critical procedure in the success of the library media. This is because no matter how heavy investment is channel to other resources if human capital is not competent then this means that they will be a major loophole in the process and the required achievement among the students would not be achieved. The library staff shall be responsible for the daily operations of the facility as well as enactment of the various changes that need to be implemented so that the

American Has Too Many Malls Essay Example for Free

American Has Too Many Malls Essay Many traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are being threatened with economic destruction by their online competition. I’ve had the opportunity to spend some time looking at this issue, and I believe we’re seeing clear signs that the e-commerce revolution is seriously impacting commercial real estate and will continue to do so. Online retailers are relentlessly acquiring success in many retail categories. As a result, many offline businesses are fighting to survive for their economic life. A number of physical retailers have already succumbed to online competition including Circuit City, Borders, CompUSA, Tower Records and Blockbuster. Many other physical businesses are also showing signs of serious economic distress. While many of these large businesses collapsed due to their inability to compete online, The shopping mall is also in danger from the online shopping revolution. Many malls are closing stores by the thousands, and there are few large physical chains opening stores to take their place. The recession in 2008 was the catalyst for bringing down many of these businesses, but competition from online retailers continued the financial difficulties for many offline retailers. The mall business isnt economically healthy either. Most professionals understand that profound changes are afoot. Don Wood, CEO of federal realty investment trust, says there is too much retail supply in this country. The wall street journal reports: green street advisor (forecasts) that 10 percent of the roughly 1,000 large malls in the U. S. will fail within the next 10 years †¦. Thats a conservative estimate. Many mall CEOs predict the failure rate will be higher. I agree with the above perspectives. A report from Co-Star observes that there are more than 200 malls that have vacancy rates of 35 percent or higher. This is a clear marker for shopping center distress. In short, These malls are becoming ghost towns. They are not economically successful now and will only get less so as online business continues to steal retail sales from physical stores. Hundreds of malls will soon need to be repurposed or demolished. Strong malls will stay successful for a while since retailers are willing to pay for foot traffic and customers, but even they stand in the path of the shift of retail spending from offline to online. However, despite the decline of physical commerce, there has been a huge rise in online commerce. If I were thinking of starting a new retail brand right now, I would unquestionably start it online. many very talented entrepreneurs are doing just this. I personally shop at Bonobos for pants, J. Hilburn for sweaters, Ledbury for shirts and Warby Parker for eyeglasses. In the past, these retailers have started in the mall but they now are starting online. This is a trend that will undoubtedly continue. There will clearly be fewer new offline retailers to take the space vacated by the disappearing brick-and-mortar chains. This puts further pressure on malls to try and make money. While doing research for this article, I came across a fascinating website called deadmalls. com. it is a site that chronicles the stories of hundreds of already or soon-to-be dead malls. Unfortunately for mall owners and people who work inside them, the content on deadmalls. com is about to expand substantially. There just are too many malls in America, and this will only get worse.

Impact of Aristotle on Education

Impact of Aristotle on Education Aristotle Education and Plato Through the life of Aristotle, one would wonder how a mere thought of philosophy could impact the way education is practiced today as we know it. Aristotles way of life reflected the way he thought and what he wrote for people to view and educate upon today. He has many philosophies that are brought right into the classroom today without anyone knowing they are. His philosophies are truly remarkable. When a person creates something or teaches something, the philosophies brought in the classroom become so innate that people who use it dont even know it exists. Realism is an educational philosophy, which stresses knowledge that develops from ones own senses. Under this philosophy the idea exists that there is a real world not constructed by human minds, that can be known by ones own mind. It is through experiencing the world around everyone in which one learns the guiding principles and social conduct of life. Reality is what one experiences in the physical world. Therefore, everything one can learn and know comes from experiencing the world around us. Aristotle is considered by most to be one of the greatest pagan philosophers. He was born in a Grecian colony at Stagira, 384 B.C.E. At birth he was born into a set life. His father, Nicomachus, had a position under the King Amyntas of Macedonia as court physician. Therefore, this could relate to how his education started off. It was thought that his ancestors held the same position under the King because this way the area of court physician could become hereditary. As physician, Aristotle was taught in the area of medicines and was also trained for the position of court physician. It was here that he was clearly educated with a developing mind to entertain the many questions that arose in his head and the direction he would take to answer them. It is also clear that with each time Aristotle traveled from one place to another, it had some sort of impact on him: his thinking, his writings, and the way that philosophy is viewed today. With each place he traveled to, he was able to gain, share, teach, and experience the knowledge of philosophy. It was from when he was eighteen till he was about thirty-seven that he studied under the guidance of Plato as his pupil in Athens. He was held as a distinguished student among the group that studied with him in the Grove of Academus. The only problem that seemed to arise in his years of study was his relation with his teacher. Now these instances are not clear but it is known that both Aristotle and Plato had each their own ideas about certain views and philosophies. Therefore, it is only nature for them to bump heads a little in arguments over whether either side was justifiable with their ideas, beliefs, and/or views. There was still no reason to believe that the two did not have any form a friendship, since they both had such high views toward life. Legend reflected poorly and unfavorably upon Aristotle but legend has not been viewed that way as it is today. But it was shown even after Platos death in 347 B.C.E. that Aristotle still held Plato in high respects. He never gave any lack of cordial appreciation to him, when all people expected him to do once he died. The death of someone important in his life probably also affected the way he thought about certain ideas. After his teachers death, Aristotle went to Atarneus in Asia Minor where he met with the ruler, Hermias. There he would be married to Hermias adopted daughter Pythias. This may not seem relevant to how it influenced realism in education, but if one were to think about it, how can marriage not change the way someone thinks in some sort of way? A few years passed, Hermias was murdered due to rebellion and King Philip II of Macedon called upon Aristotle to return to Stagira. It was here that he would become the tutor of Alexander the Great, who was only thirteen years old. This had a great impact on history, as people know it. Aristotle taught him the knowledge of ethics and politics, as well as many secrets of philosophy in which many people probably would have trouble comprehending. Alexander the Great profited from the knowledge passed on from Aristotle along with Aristotle influencing the mind of the young prince to his benefit, and that is how history was affected by this contact between these two people. Once Alexander took the throne, Aristotle returned to Athens and there opened a school of philosophy. Later he followed in the footsteps of his teacher, Plato. He formed a school, Lyceum, in a gymnasium, where he gave regular instruction in philosophy. It was here that for thirteen years (335-322B.C.E.) as a teacher at the Lyceum, he came up with the greater number of his writings. He came up with dialogues, which were writings that Aristotle frequently wrote that are still read today and were then by his pupils. When teaching at the Lyceum, Aristotle had a habit of walking about as he taught. It was in connection with this that his followers became known in later years as the peripatetics, meaning, to walk about. Besides, he composed the several treatises on physics, metaphysics, and so forth, in which the exposition is a language more technical than in the dialogues. These writings show how much of a great influence they have, such as the way they impacted Alexander whom later became known as Alexander the Great. They show in particular how he succeeded in bringing together the works of his predecessors in Greek philosophy, and how he spared neither pains nor expense in pursuing, either personally or through others, his investigations in the realm of natural Phenomena. When Alexanders death became known at Athens, and the outbreak occurred which led to the Lamian war; Aristotle was obliged to share in the general unpopularity of the Macedonians. The charge of impiety, which had been brought against Anaxagoras and Socrates, was now, with even less reason, brought against him. He left the city, saying (according to many ancient authorities) that he would not give the Athenians a chance to sin a third time against Philosophy. He took up his residence at his country house, at Chalcis, in Euboea, and there he died the following year, 322B.C.E. His death was due to a disease from which he had long suffered. The story that his death was due to hemlock poisoning, as well as the legend, saying they he threw himself into the sea are absolutely without historical foundation. There are numerous ways that the theories, philosophies, ethics, writings, and styles of teaching of Aristotle have influenced education today and most likely will continue to in the future. Aristotle believed strongly in the importance of an education that studies the real world and then draws conclusions and gains knowledge through analytical exercises. With practically everything that is done today and taught today, there is some relevant relation to that of Aristotle and his beliefs. Through some of Aristotles books of Politics, one is able to see how education could be influenced and affected by what Aristotle says in his writings. Aristotles ethical theory is expressed through many aspects. Aristotle tends to express his feeling towards virtue in a way where it can go two ways. He talks of how virtue is divided into moral and intellectual virtue. Excellence of character deals with the good life and happiness. People are concerned with their character and getting the golden mean, which is true happiness, in life. One whom educates would be affected by this golden mean because they must learn to stray away from this aspect. They have to learn to educate for the sole purpose of those who are being taught to thrive as to what they are being taught. In a way, all these are interrelated with each other. Aristotle also explains the relation between ethics and politics, which leads to the implication for nature of morality and well living. Virtue, to Aristotle, is interpreted as the excellence of an object and that the object will perform its function effectively. This goes for people as well. For example a virtuous educator will successfully teach their students information they need to comprehend in order to go forward with their education. Aristotle divides human virtue into two types. One is moral virtue and the other is intellectual virtue. Although, it is hard to give an exact definition of each type, one would hope that an educator of today would lean toward the more moral virtuous side. Virtue is also a state of character that is concerned with choice with the golden mean. This leads to discussing the mean according to Aristotle. People who are morally virtuous are always making their decisions according to the golden mean. Of course not everyone is the same, different people have different means. This brings about the point that the good life is a life of happiness. Aristotle says such a life can be achieved by excellence in the two areas of virtue, but people are all aiming at some type of good in life. Some just may have higher expectations in their goal. People with virtual excellence want to have the good life that, according to them, is the excellence of character. The good life is referred to as being happy with life. Happiness must have two concepts included to fit Aristotles definition. Someone must exercise his or her thought of reason. He calls this activity of soul. Happiness also must have quality in the performance of the virtue, and it is the chief goal that everyone wishes to accomplish. Aristotle argued that the goal of human beings is happiness, and that we achieve happiness when we fulfill our function, or purpose of life. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what our function is. The function of a thing is what it can alone do, or what it can do best. This here is a key point in which an educator must understand. This key point of understanding is one of the most influential things Aristotle elaborates upon in my opinion. When he implies that the function is what one can do best, he implies that if someone is best at teaching, than they are to teach as their purpose in life. As a result of this function, they would than achieve happiness, but only if they were to do it in a virtuous way would they achieve happiness. Happiness is something that must be aligned with perfect virtue. This also goes along with the excellence of character. If someone is to have excellence of character he or she want or try to be happy and have the good life. If they achieve this then they will have the excellence of character. Some of these aspects are interrelated with each other. For instance, happiness is an activity of the soul that is along side of perfect virtue. Aristotle al so says that virtue must be a state of character because of a persons desire to act in a way that would ensure that golden mean. Virtue, excellence, the mean, the good life, happiness, and character are all interrelated within each other to be happy with life and achieve the golden mean. With all of this intertwined, the influence placed upon education, as a whole, is how an educator actually teaches. One may not realize it, but just think about what Aristotle shows through his views. Dont people go to school to learn morals, virtues, build character, find what they wish to do with their life, what they find to be enjoyable in life, etc. Every single thing an educator does to a student, as a whole, is based upon Aristotle ethics and politics with happiness. Another aspect in which Aristotle influenced education today is his views on realism. According to a realists point of view, the purpose of education would be to learn behavior in our society and guidelines to live our lives by. Throughout its long varied history, realism has had a common theme, which is called the principle or thesis of independence. This theme holds that reality, knowledge, and value exists independently of the human mind. This means that realism rejects the idealist view that only ideas are real. Matter exists even though there is no mind to perceive them, such as the classic question about the tree falling in the woods. To the realist, matter is certainly an independent reality, however, the realist also considers ideas to be part of the thesis. The role of the educator would be more of a guide or advisor to the students rather than an actual teacher. The whole idea of a realist is to learn by experience, so the students need a guide than a teacher so they can encounter it for themselves. Doing this, the students can determine what kind of knowledge they are inquiring, and how they can apply it to their lives. Therefore, an educators responsibility would be to teach students to learn from the world around them, not just out of books and from history. While performing this role, the educator needs to present the subject in a exceedingly organized and precise manner. While the educators are explaining how to learn from the real world, they might use many different kinds of methods from outside the classroom, such as field trips. This would let the students practice this knowledge themselves without have an adult stand up in front of a class and lecture about it. A realist would also present their material in a systematic and organized way and would also teach that these are clearly defined criteria for making judgments in art, economics, politics, etc. The children need to learn through trial and error, and experiencing joy and pain from naturally occurring experiences in their lives. Realists also like to examine physical characteristics of an object. They like to know the base of the subject and debate over its physical characteristics, rather than debate whether it exists or not. Many realists do like structure in their view of education. A realist educator needs to use lectures, demonstrations, sensory experiences, and teaching machines during their class. They usually approve of competencies, performance based teaching, and accountability. With this idea of using field experience instead of classroom lectures brings many controversial issues. A weakness in realism is that the curriculum for the class must be one that is rich in ideas for the conceptions to be tested. An educator must also be able to classify and categorize characteristics with similarities and differences. Others also say that the curriculum has to be organized in separate subjects in order to create an efficient and effective way of learning about our real world. Realism also fails to deal with social change quite frequently, being that no one knows what will be tomorrow, so therefore it is more of a teaching based upon the present and past. Being more in the outside world than in the classroom would make a student more universally aware, and maybe have more common sense, but not as truer book smarts. This question raises another idea of which student would be more effective, one who spends all their time in the classroom, or one who is working out in the work field? Should we even be going to school, or should we all just study all that is around us to be more educated. This is a question, which may never be answered, but according to a realist, the answer lies in the real world. For in the real world you can learn anything, more than you ever could in a classroom. In discussing Aristotles ethical theory, I found that he saw virtue as the excellence of an object and that the object will perform its function effectively. He also talked of the two types that people are classified into. Morally virtuous people base their life on finding the golden mean. Aristotle argues how the good life is a life of happiness and that everyone is aiming for that. Happiness, explained by Aristotle, is the chief good desirable to everyone. Excellence of character is achieved when someone has taken part in the good life and is truly happy. It was shown how all of these aspects are interrelated with each other in the sense that they all need each other to discuss a theory. Also, his realist point of view ties in to what the real world experience has to offer. Yes, ethics should be taught in class, but the outside world can not be ignored. Realism is a fundamental aspect to teaching and to a students life whether able to be noticed or not. Aristotle talked of many thi ngs that people have and will continue to discuss for years to come. Work Cited Aristotle (384-322 BCE): General Introduction. 2006. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. May 1st 2007 . Aristotle 384 BC 322 BC. February 1999. JOC/EFR. May 1st 2007 Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.). 1994-2007. Regents of the University of California. May 1st 2007 Ross, David. Aristotle. New York: Routledge, 1996. Lear, Johnathan. Aristotle: the desire to understand. The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambrige, United Kingdom: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1999.