Platos Apology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Platos Apology - Assignment Example Chaerephon, Socrates’ loyal friend went to the oracle and inquired the god Apollo if there was anyone wiser than Socrates; the Oracle’s answer was none. Socrates took this as a riddle and wanted to solve the paradox that an ignorant could be the wisest. And so this was his divine mission in light of the Oracle of Delphi’s pronouncement. The Socratic Method or the Elenchus is a Socratic technique of exposing false beliefs and eliciting the truth. It is a discussion or dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). It typically involves two speakers discussing a central issue by a series of questions, one leading the discussion and the other answering the questions or agreeing to certain assumptions laid before him for his acceptance or rejection. The best way to win in the discussion or debate is to make the opponent contradict himself in a way that proves the point of the inquirer. In the dialogue Euthyphro, this method is manifested in the main part of the dialogue which is the argument of the definition of piety. Here Socrates asks Euthyphro to put forth a definition of piety which Socrates rejected because it was not a definition but an example of piety. The second definition by Euthyphro was criticized by Socrates. The third definition by Euthyphro was an amendment from the second. Here Socrates made Euthyphro contradict himself without him realizing. Socrates often used the Elenchus in bringing out insufficiencies and contradictions of the opinion of others.

Nike vs Puma Essay Example for Free

Nike vs Puma Essay Nike vs Puma Easily the biggest grudge match in Germany this month will not be between two of the countries competing, but between homegrown Adidas and, of course, American arch-rivals Nike. The business media is already hot on the Stripes versus the Swoosh, with the German brand reportedly splashing out double Nikes estimated ? 60m World Cup marketing spend. But what about the shirts themselves? Which ones would you want to play in, and which should be left on the backs of the die-hards down the pub? Out of the six countries theyre dressing, including hosts Germany, and also France, the best Adidas shirt has to be Argentinas (above left). Perhaps not as recognizable as Brazils famous bright yellow, the subtle sky-blue and white stripes belied how fearsome Argentina were from the late 1970s through the 1980s. Kept simple, although a bit too shiny for my liking, the current shirt remains true to the great players who have previously worn one. As does Hollands shirt (above right), one of eight nations wearing Nike. While every other colour is sported by several teams, no-one but the Dutch really wear orange, and during the mid-1970s they played some of the sexiest football ever. Though theyve never managed to lift the trophy, this jersey echoes the heyday of the Dutch game when their brand of Total Football, as its known, narrowly lost the 1974 final to Germany. It has none of the unnecessary graphics that have plagued the brilliant orange kit of previous years, but again its kept simple and low-key, complete with a nod to the 1970s in the form of the collar. Thats the big boys, but its another German brand thats kitting out the most countries. Puma has deals with no less than 12 federations, including Italy, all of the African teams who qualified, as well as Saudi Arabia and Iran from the Middle East. The brand has taken the opposite approach to its larger competitors, embellishing most of its shirts with designs that reflect that countrys heritage. The Hawks of Togo are depicted, as is the Ivory Coasts nickname, Les Elephants. For me, Tunisias shirt (above left) works best, showing the Eagles of Carthage merged with a sort of camouflage design. Elsewhere, there are a handful of smaller brands providing some of the teams with their kit. Umbros heritage as makers of England shirts is well-known. They also make Swedens, but their best World Cup-related gear is designed by Kim Jones, which is featured elsewhere on Cool Hunting today. Italys Lotto and Spanish new-boys Joma are also after a piece of the action, supplying the likes of Ukraine (above right) and Costa Rica respectively. If you want to be really obscure next time you take to the pitch though, an Ecuador shirt (right), made by little-known company Marathon, wins hands down.

Analysis Of Small Enterprise: Jones Electrical Distribution

Analysis Of Small Enterprise: Jones Electrical Distribution Mr. Jones is having business in a large, fragmented and highly competitive environment. Profitability of his business depends heavily on sales volumes and costs. The sales are growing at around 18% per annum. However, the profit margin is not maintained at a constant level in terms of sales growth. Exhibit I shows that even though the sales growth was achieved in FY 2005-2006, the firm could not have higher operating profits. The sales revenue was nullified by huge rise in operating expenses. A close look at the profit and loss account reveals that the operating expenses are mainly consists of salaries and wages. It seems that in order to keep the fixed costs in control, the compensation of sales executives is quite high because of link to sales volumes. The sales growth has helped the employees to earn more than to the organization. Secondly, Mr. Jones is working with more than 100 suppliers. For such a small volume of business, 100 suppliers are in excess. This huge number of suppliers may create problems in tracking on accounts payable. The company is also having average days payable at 22.8 days in FY 2006, as compared to 9.8 days in FY 2005. During the last two years, Mr. Jones has not been able to take advantage of trade discounts. Mr. Jones is also making payments of $ 2000 per month to Mr. Verden, along with interest payment of 8% per annum. The face amount ($250000) can be considered as a long term loan for Mr. Jones. However, it is not evident from the P L account, that the interest paid on the loan taken from Mr. Verden is accounted for income statement. Mr. Jones is also building up fixed assets over a period of time; however, these assets were financed through his short term financing. It can be assumed that the short term finance was available readily for the operations, has been diverted to create long term assets and liquidating long term debts. These facts and assumptions imply the Mr. Jones is having a relatively aggressive approach in working capital financing of the firm. Main issue for Mr. Jones is to find a financing option for the firm. As the market is very dynamic and there is economy downturn, he is not able to forecast demand for his products for more than one year. Although, the following year looks quite promising and a good sale is forecasted, Mr. Jones is facing issue of liquidity. Mr. Jones is of opinion that the liquidity problem is causing the irregular cash flows and hence he need to borrow more money for daily operations. However the forecasted cash flow (Exhibit III) can show that there is no severe cash flow problem. A focused approach to accounts payable and accounts receivables will help Mr. Jones to overcome the liquidity problems. Around the main issue of arranging finance for the business, Mr. Jones has the additional issues of growing sales, reducing tension between the firm and suppliers, moderating salary for the sales staff and creating a strong relationship with the bankers. Looking at the financial statements (Exhibit I, II, III) we can say that the financial condition of Jones Electrical Distribution are satisfactory. The company is having steady growth in sales. The operating margins are also kept at optimal levels. However the company is facing problems managing their cash operations. A feel of cash crunch is guiding the firm to store more inventories, and as a result of that, the inventory levels have increased. The firm is also investing in fixed assets on regular basis. The firm is able to maintain the cost of goods sold to an optimal level since last few years. This has been the result of maintaining cordial relations with the suppliers. The firm is maintaining healthy liquidity ratios and growth ratios. However, the increase in days payable and inventory turnover is a bit of concern. Even if the cash conversion cycle is reducing, we can observe that days payable has exceeded the limit of 30 days. It means that if the relationship between the firm and supplier is not maintained, the firm can face the interest expenses for not managing their current assets. The firm is working on very thin operating margin. The increase in TIE (Times interest earned) over the years measurers that the operation income is declining and soon the firm will not be able to meet their annual interest costs. suggest of increasing sales volume on immediate basis to maintain profitability. The firm is also able to maintain retention rate of 100% after providing for the proprietorà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s salary. This made sure that the firm will take minimal finances from outside sources. The major problem for Jones Electric Distribution Company is to manage cash for the new financial year 2007. And this problem looks like a temporary problem. The firm is having stored huge inventories in expectation of sales growth for the New Year. The forecasted analysis shows that a onetime credit enhancement from bank will help the firm to manage their finances better. A higher credit will help the firm procure inventory and use them in business. With improved collections and cash at hand, the firm can now manage for trade discounts and save money. Secondly, the firm will be able to retain a huge sum of $201,000 at the end of FY 2007. These funds can be used to retire their personal loan with Mr. Varden. Retirement of this loan will help the firm to improve on its profitability and the bank finance will be easier. It is also observed that additional finance from bank is helping the firm to avail trade discounts. The nominal cost of not taking the discount when credit terms are 2/10, net 30 is 37.24 % [( 2/98)*(365/30-10)], which is much higher than the 8% interest charged by the bank. Hence, it is advisable for Mr. Jones to go for a bank finance and use the money for availing trade discounts. Even if Mr. Jones adopt a slow growth strategy (to grow at the rate of 8-10%), and can manage with the existing facility of USD 250000/-, he can avail trade discounts and increase his earnings. However, one time use of bank finance will make sure that in coming years, Mr. Jones can be debt free and his firmà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s financial performance will improve. Looking at the market growth and the risk appetite for Mr. Jones, we can advice him for taking an aggressive route and avail higher finances from Southern Bank and Trust. The financial projections are given below for various options. Following are the options available to Mr. Jones. Take Trade Discount and avail USD 350000/- Take Trade Discount and avail USD 250000/- Forgo Trade Discount and avail USD 350000/- Forgo Trade Discount and No Additional Financing We already seen that forgoing trade discount is a costly affair for the firm and hence cannot be used. So first two options are available for making a profitable decision. As Mr. Jones is forecasting the market as growing, he can use this opportunity to avail bank finance at USD 350000/-. This facility can be availed in two parts, Long Term and Short Term. Long term funds of USD 100000/- can be used with the cash received from business to retire the personal loan. Remaining USD 250000/- can be used for normal business transactions and avail trade discounts. These operations will make sure that Mr. Jones is having stable business operations in under one year. While going for financial restructuring, Mr. Jones can also look forward to change the salary structure of Sales Personnel. FRICTO Analysis. Flexibility : An additional finance of US $ 100000/- will help Mr. Jones to manage his future cash flows. Mr. Jones is already maintaining a healthy RR of 100%. This helps the firm to keep the Debt/Equity ratio in control. The continuous operations will make sure that Mr. Jones can avail more finance as and when required. Risk : Mr. Jones required reducing his number of suppliers and focusing on few major ones. With reduction of suppliers, it will be easier for him to manage accounts payable and he can demand better credit terms. Income : Cost reduction will be the focus area for Mr. Jones, in an attempt to increase profits for the firm. As the firm is working on very thin margins, any excess spending will hamper the profitability of the firm. Mr. Jones needs to give closer look on operating expenses, which are increasing ahead of sales growth. Control : Mr. Jones can decide on which option to choose for the betterment of the firm in long term. Timing : As the business is in growing stage, Mr. Jones is able to take risks, depending on his relations with supplier and buyers. It is also beneficial to avail additional finance when business is growing. Others : The risk appetite of Mr. Jones, his relation with the suppliers and an in depth knowledge of the industry is the key success factor for the firm. The success of the firm depends heavily on Mr. Jonesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ insights. Exhibit I Exhibit II Exhibit III Exhibit IV

Narrative- My Suppressed Wild Side :: Personal Narrative Writing

Narrative- My Suppressed Wild Side Ten years old: 1975, still in my boy body, my boy mind. Solid and strong with the endurance to play all day moving from the tangled, viney â€Å"jungle† on the far side of the pond to the secret play house in the damp dark basement of my best friend David’s house, to the high speed heroics played out on our banana-seated bikes. I was not a boy of course, but wanted to be. I climb trees, even ones sticky with sap. The smell of pine hangs on me as I lie in bed at night. I ride up the hill on Saturday, find David and set to digging a big hole in the dirt. We collect old pans and buckets from his mom’s messy kitchen and create a â€Å"hooey booey stew.† We are hobos having our meal by the tracks; we are Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone eating by the fire deep in the wilderness. The meal over, David and I pour our concoctions into the deep hole, add dirt and more water – he yells, â€Å"Get the hose!† – and then rolling up our â€Å"tuff jeans,† we stand in the muddy mix of grass and water and dirt, stomping up and down, giggling and falling over. What pleases me is to feel it between my toes and to feel the tightness of mud drying on my shins as we catch our breath lying by the hole – sun-baked. Afterwards, bellies to the ground, David and I crawl under the prickly, holly branches to get to our secret fort. It pleases me to taste the salty sweet of blood from a scrape that I refuse to get a band-aid for. Later, I ride my bike home from David’s full speed down the hill, but not fast enough to appease my full bladder. â€Å"Wonder what it would feel like to just pee as I ride my bike?† So I pee my pants and the sensation is a wonderful release – a naughty rule-breaking. And in the summer I jump with my brothers and sisters off a 25 foot high cliff down into the river where my dad waits for us. Oh†¦the force of the cold water on my skin and the strength of my father’s big hand as he guides each of us towards the rock to climb out. Summer nights I lie on the dewy grass, watch for shooting stars and try to the name the constellations as my dad has taught me.

Insights into Coming of Age in James Joyce’s “Araby” Essay

In James Joyce’s short story â€Å"Araby†, the nameless, first person main character states at the end, â€Å"Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger† (Joyce, page ? ). He reaches this insight only after allowing the object of his desire, Mangan’s sister, to overtake his dreams, his thoughts, and his entire life, describing such sentiments as seeing â€Å"the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side† (Joyce, page ? ) to the night he speaks with her about the Araby festival in the light from the porch which â€Å"caught the white border of a petticoat, just visible† (Joyce, page ? ). By the time he finally reaches the bazaar and finds it closing up for the night, he realizes that his quest to please the girl is not only irrational, but has caused him to forsake things such as his education, describing it as â€Å"ugly monotonous child’s play† (Joyce, page ? ). He had no care for his uncle, worrying only that the uncle would be in home in time so he could attend the festival. The narrator experiences such a let down when he arrives at Araby that a sudden truth emerges: he is not able to please Mangan’s sister and to allow this desire to overrun his life is both pointless and an exercise in vanity. In this respect, the narrator of â€Å"Araby† is much like Sammy in John Updike’s â€Å"A&P†. Sammy, too, begins the story by relating his interest in â€Å"Queenie†, the bikini-clad girl who is shopping in the A&P grocery store where he works. After Sammy witnesses the other patron’s shock and his boss’s rudeness, he is determined to stand up for the girl and her friends in the hope she will notice his bravery. In the end, however, the girls are long gone by the time Sammy quits his job and leaves the store. Sammy, much like the narrator in â€Å"Araby†, realizes his desire should not be the deciding force in his life, but rather it is his own convictions and beliefs which should dictate his behavior, determining â€Å"how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter† (Updike, 36). A key difference between the two main characters is the level of their devotion. The narrator in â€Å"Araby† necessarily exhibits a more distant, but more deep, level of emotion for the object of his desire, based on the time period and setting of the story. Because he is less worldly, he does not imagine anything more tantalizing than what her hair feels like or what her knees might look like beneath her petticoat. Sammy, on the other hand, is more desirous of seeing a lot more flesh and less interested in behaving romantically. Again, this is certainly due to the difference in years between the stories as well as the acceptable society norms of their respective time periods, but it also illustrates how much deeper a more innocent love can be.

One of the Most Memorable Moment in the Life

My sister wedding is one of the most memorable moment in my life.I was told that my sister will Married with her husband next week. This lead me to think about my Childhood memory. My elder Sister is eight years older than me. She is pretty and kind to everyone.My sister herself always take care family.She have high sense of responsibility.she knew household expenses was fell on the farther shoulder,therefore,She did part time job in order to reduce farther financial burden.She even will teach me did the homework And play with me once farther left to work at my younger age.I have mix feeling once I knew the wedding matter.I felt happy because she find her beloved, but also felt down since she will stay at Melaka.Sooner, The wedding dinner held on Janaury 2014.The event's atmosphere is full of happiness and touching.All attendants bless the newlywed will live Healthy And Love forever. The most memorable moment in my lifeMy sister wedding is one of the most memorable moment in my life. I was told that my sister will Married with her husband next week. This lead me to think about my Childhood memory. My elder Sister is eight years older than me. She is pretty and kind to everyone.My sister herself always take care family.She have high sense of responsibility.she knew household expenses was fell on the farther shoulder,therefore,She did part time job in order to reduce farther financial burden.She even will teach me did the homework And play with me once farther left to work at my younger age.I have mix feeling once I knew the wedding matter.I felt happy because she find her beloved, but also felt down since she will stay at Melaka.Sooner, The wedding dinner held on Janaury 2014.The event's atmosphere is full of happiness and touching.All attendants bless the newlywed will live Healthy And Love forever.