Herodotus, the Greek Historian

Herodotus, the Greek Historian Herodotus is known as  the father of history. We may think all the famous ancient Greeks came from Athens, but its not true. Like many important ancient Greeks, Herodotus was not only not born in Athens but wasnt even born in what we think of as Europe. He was born in the essentially Dorian (Hellenic or Greek, yes; but not Ionian) colony of Halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor, which at the time was part of the Persian Empire. Herodotus had not yet been born when Athens defeated Persia in the renowned Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.) and was only a young child when the Persians defeated the Spartans and allies at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.).​ Herodotus Homeland Lyxes, the father of Herodotus, was probably from Caria, in Asia Minor. So was Artemisia, the female despot of Halicarnassus who joined Xerxes in his expedition against Greece in the Persian Wars. Following victories over the Persians by the mainland Greeks, Halicarnassus rebelled against foreign rulers. In consequence of his part in rebellious actions, Herodotus was sent into exile to the Ionian island of Samos (homeland of Pythagoras), but then returned to Halicarnassus around 454 to take part in the overthrow of Artemisias son, Lygdamis. Herodotus of Thurii Herodotus calls himself Herodotus of Thurii rather than Halicarnassus because he was a citizen of the pan-Hellenic city of Thurii, which was founded in 444/3. One of his fellow colonists was the philosopher, Pythagoras of Samos, probably. Herodotus Travels the Known World Between the time of the overthrow of Artemisias son Lygdamis and Herodotus settling in Thurii, Herodotus traveled around most of the known world.  Herodotus traveled to learn about foreign countries. He traveled to have a look, the Greek word for looking is related to our English word theory. He also lived in Athens, spending time in the company of his friend, the renowned writer of great Greek tragedy Sophocles. The Athenians so appreciated Herodotus writing that in 445 B.C. he awarded him 10 talents- an enormous sum. The Father of History Despite major shortcomings in the area of accuracy, Herodotus is called the father of history even by his contemporaries. Sometimes, however, more accuracy-minded people describe him as the father of lies. In China, another man earned the father of history title, but he was centuries later: Sima Qian. Herodotus Histories Herodotus Histories, celebrating the Greek victory over the Persians, were written in the mid-fifth century B.C. Herodotus wanted to present as much information about the Persian War as he could. What sometimes reads like a travelogue, includes information on the entire Persian Empire, and simultaneously explains the origins (aitia) of the conflict, by reference to mythological prehistory. Even with the fascinating digressions and fantastic elements, Herodotus history was an advance over the previous writers of quasi-history, who are known as logographers.Sources East Is East And West Is West - Or Are They? National Stereotypes In HerodotusAncient History Sourcebook: 11th Brittanica: HerodotusCicero  De legibus 1.5: Herodotum patrem historiae

Obamacare Penalty and Minimum Insurance Requirements

Obamacare Penalty and Minimum Insurance Requirements The federal tax penalty for not being enrolled in an Affordable Care Act (ACA)-qualified health insurance plan was eliminated by the Donald Trump administration in 2019. However, persons who received a penalty for not having health insurance in 2018 will still have to pay the penalty on their 2019 tax returns. According to U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the 2018 tax penalty for not having health insurance is $695 for adults and $347.50 for children or 2% of your yearly income, whichever amount is more. While there will no longer be a federal tax penalty for going uninsured or choosing a plan that is not ACA-compliant after the 2019 tax filing season, several states, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, and the District of Columbia, have their own health insurance penalties that are assessed when people do not have insurance that complies with that state’s laws. The Now Phased-out Obamacare Tax Penalty By March 31, 2014, almost all Americans who could afford it were required by Obamacare - the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to have a health insurance plan or pay an annual tax penalty. Here is what you need to know about the Obamacare tax penalty and what kind of insurance coverage you need to avoid paying it. Obamacare is complicated. A wrong decision can cost you money. As a result, it is critical that all questions regarding Obamacare be directed to your health care provider, your health insurance plan or to your states Obamacare Health Insurance Marketplace.Questions can also be submitted by calling Healthcare.gov at toll-free 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.During the great Obamacare bill debate, Obamacare supporter Senator Nancy Pelosi (D-California) infamously said lawmakers needed to pass the bill so we can find out whats in it. She was right. Nearly five years after it became law, Obamacare continues to confuse Americans in great numbers. [ Yes, Obamacare Does Apply to Members of Congress ]Â   So complicated is the law, that each of the state Health Insurance Marketplaces will employ Obamacare Navigators to help uninsured people meet their Obamacare obligation by enrolling in the qualified health insurance plan that best meets their medical needs at an affordable cost. Minimum Insurance Coverage Required Whether you have health insurance now or buy it through one of the Obamacare state Insurance Marketplaces, your insurance plan must cover 10 minimum essential health care services. These are: outpatient services; emergency services; hospitalization; maternity/newborn care; mental health and substance abuse services; prescription drugs; rehabilitation (for injuries, disabilities or chronic conditions); lab services; preventive/wellness programs and chronic disease management; and pediatric services.If you have or buy a health plan that does not pay for those minimum essential services it may not qualify as coverage under Obamacare and you may have to pay the penalty.In general, the following types of health care plans will qualify as coverage: Any plan purchased through one of the state Insurance Marketplace and employer-provided insurance plans, including plans for retirees;Medicare and Medicaid;Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP);Military TRICARE;Veterans health care programs; andPeace Corps volunteer plans Other plans may also qualify and all questions regarding minimum coverage and plan qualification should be directed to your states insurance Marketplace Exchange. The Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Plans Health insurance plans available through all Obamacare state Insurance Marketplace offer four levels of coverage: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. While bronze and silver level plans will have the lowest monthly premium payments, out-of-pocked co-pay costs for things like doctor visits and prescriptions will be higher. Bronze and silver level plans will pay for about 60% to 70% of your medical costs.Gold and platinum plans will have higher monthly premiums, but lower co-pay costs, and will pay for about 80% to 90% of your medical costs.Under Obamacare, you cannot be turned down for health insurance or forced to pay more for it because you have an existing medical condition. In addition, once you have insurance, the plan cannot refuse to cover treatment for your pre-existing conditions. Coverage for pre-existing conditions begins immediately.Once again, it is the job of the Obamacare Navigators to help you select a plan offering the best coverage at a price you can afford.Very Important - Open Enrollment: Each year, there will be an annual open enrollment period after which you will not be able to purchase insurance through the state Insurance Marketplaces until the next annual open enrollment period, unless you have a qualifying life event. For 2014, the open enrollment period is October 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. For 2015 and later years, the open enrollment period will be October 15 to December 7 of the previous year. Who Does Not Have to Have Insurance? Some people are exempt from the requirement to have health insurance. These are: prison inmates, undocumented immigrants, members of federally-recognized American Indian tribes, persons with religious objections, and low-income persons not required to file federal income tax returns.Religious exemptions include members of health care sharing ministries and members of federally-recognized religious sect with religion-based objections to health insurance. The Penalty: Resistance is Futile and Expensive Attention health insurance procrastinators and resistors: As time goes by, the Obamacare penalty goes up.In 2014, the penalty for not having a qualified health insurance plan is 1% of your annual income or $95 per adult, whichever is higher. Have kids? The penalty for uninsured children in 2014 is $47.50 per child, with a maximum per-family penalty of $285.In 2015, the penalty increases to the higher of 2% of your annual income or $325 per adult.By 2016, the penalty goes up to 2.5% of income or $695 per adult, with a maximum penalty of $2,085 per family.After 2016, the amount of the penalty will be adjusted for inflation.The amount of the annual penalty is based on the number if days or months you go without health insurance after March 31. If you have insurance for part of the year, the penalty will be prorated and if you are covered for at least 9 months during the year, you will not pay a penalty.Along with paying the Obamacare penalty, uninsured persons will continue to be financ ially responsible for 100% of their health care costs. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that even in 2016, more than 6 million people will pay the government a combined $7 billion in Obamacare fines. Of course, revenue from these fines is essential to paying for many of the free health care services provided for under Obamacare. If You Need Financial Help To help make mandatory health insurance more affordable to people who cant afford it in the first place, the federal government is providing two subsides for qualifying low-income individuals and families. The two subsides are: tax credits, to help pay monthly premiums and cost-sharing to help out-of-pocket expenses. Individuals and families can qualify of either or both subsidies. Some people with very low incomes may wind up paying very small premiums or even no premiums at all.Qualifications for insurance subsidies are based on annual income and vary from state to state. The only way to apply for a subsidy is through one of the state insurance Marketplaces. When you apply for insurance, the Marketplace will help you calculate your modified adjusted gross income and determine of you qualify for a subsidy. The Exchange will also determine if you qualify for Medicare, Medicaid or a state-based health assistance plan.

Untitled (Society Portrait) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Untitled (Society Portrait) - Essay Example On the first gaze at the portrait, it seems that the lady definitely belongs to the aristocratic segment of the society. Lying half–seated on a couch, the lady seems a bit pensive in mood. The color of her skin, hair and eyes indicate that she is European by race. Interestingly, only very few colors are used in the portrait. Yellow, white, grey and shades of brown both deep and light are schematically used in the picture. At the same time, one can argue as that these coolers are building a theme for the portrait of the anonymous lady as well. Very interestingly, the background colors are very much different and the painter uses light and dark shades of blue along with tinge and shades of brown over it which is quite well synchronized and chosen deliberately as the color scheme of the portrait is on the lighter and drab side. Use of light is done meticulously throughout the portrait and the lines are so fine that nobody will ever find in determining the mood and gesture of the lady. The couch on the other hand is casted with the hue of red color and here too the use of brown both light and dark shades have been well organized keeping in mind the actual color scheme of the portrait. Taking a gaze at the socio-cultural aspect of the society portrait apart from its technical side, it can be well asserted that the hair style and the kind of wardrobe, the lady is putting up indicates a time frame of early half of the twentieth century. During that time, butterfly sleeves and use of shrugs, stoles and veils were very common. The lady is also putting up a necklace made of some yellow beads; the choice of simple yet exquisite jewelry in terms of both the necklace and the ear-ring and wristlet on the left hand is showing a mark of classy style. The lady is probably holding her bag or a veil black in color and very interestingly the side of the couch is having dark brown and black hues which is posited parallel to the lady’s black

Urban Polution In the 14th century Research Paper

Urban Polution In the 14th century - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that the rising concerns about pollution in America and Britain are not a new issue. By the 14th century, many European city dwellers had started showing their displeasure at the rising level of pollution in their towns. In the 1970s for example, many urban dwellers raised their voices in protest about the rising level of air pollution in their cities.   At this time, it was perceived that the main cause of the pollution was the motor vehicle. Fumes from the motor vehicles chocked people as they passed through traffic. This essay discusses that one thing that the American urban dwellers living in the 1970s forgot is that the auto’s main predecessor, the horse, was earlier perceived to be a worse option in respect of urban pollution. Many scholars decried the pollution that was in urban centers and in fact demanded that horses be banished from American cities. One authority noted that the horse was a taxing economic burden to humans and an affront to hygiene.   At this time, it was widely agreed that the â€Å"horseless carriage† be adopted as a solution to the pollution problem. The researcher states that in the 14th century, in Europe, the horse had been identified as a major cause of pollution. Based on Statistics, it was established by sanitary experts that a horse produces between 15 and 30 pounds of dung every day.  

Tasks that can be performed by Self-Managed teams Essay Example for Free

Tasks that can be performed by Self-Managed teams Essay Many organizations are enabling self-managed teams so that the costs of hiring senior managers and supervisors to handle the team are removed. The organization should also be aware that only some and not all of the tasks could be performed using self-management means. All autonomous jobs and tasks can be performed on a self-management basis. As one member is able to acquire and develop skills, the other members would be learning through interactions. In this way the entire team would be competent with performing several tasks in the organizations. Some of the difficult tasks, which are highly unstable and need use of highly specialized skills, may be difficult to be performed by self-managed groups. It may also be difficult for temporary teams and committees to perform self-managed tasks. In the field of nursing and medicine, the management has to ensure that the self-managed teams are not temporary or transient teams that are working for some kind of temporary project. The skills that a self-managed team possesses should be permanent and involve the much routine work (Silverman, 1996). Roles and Responsibilities of Self-Managed teams A self-managed team would be having several roles and responsibilities in the organization. These roles and responsibilities have to be met at various stages of development of the team self-management development. The organization’s culture should be supported by the seven roles of the self-managed team. The seven roles of the self-managed team include: Ensure that the principles and values of the organization are constantly met – these include performance of several tasks such as demonstrating behavior, making decisions and communicating with the customers and suppliers keeping in mind the basic values and principles of the organization. The team member has to also demonstrate personal behavior and values that are in track with those of the organization when communicating with other team members. All conflicts and problems should be handled keeping in and the principles and the values of the organization. Ensure that the various team-related processes are handled in an effective manner – This is closely related to the organization’s culture. The team that is functional should ensure that the characteristics of teamwork and team spirit are incorporated in all work performed. The team should identity the functions and processes that are needed for the work to be performed. The roles, responsibilities, areas of helping one another, etc need to be performed. The team members should know the rules, regulations, decision-making approach, etc, so that any barriers cannot hamper the work. Between the members of the team a mutual trust and understanding should exist. Each member of the team should be available to take over the functions of his fellow team member in case the need is required. The team would also have to closely evaluate and monitor its performance so that any obstacles that may be existent with the workflow is identified and addressed appropriately. Ensure that the team environment is conducive to work Complete the team’s work – Each of the team members should be aware of the various responsibilities of the members and the various processes that are existent. A team member should identity his responsibility and should complete it. They should priorities the work based on the urgency and ensure that all tasks are completed on time. The team members should be able to gather in a group and discuss the tasks and responsibilities to be shared by each team member. They should also be aware of the resources necessary to complete the work, and the manner in which the resources have to be obtained. Each staff member has to schedule his/her work accordingly, and obtain all necessary information to complete the tasks efficiently. The staff members should be able to respond to the information presented to them. They should be able to understand the information and accordingly act. The staff should participate in the organization wide-system – This is a linkage-directed work to ensure that the staff members are able to participate in examining organization-wide processes. The staff members would have to perform certain standardization functions such as purchasing the logistics, paying the taxes, etc. They would also have to collect the data regarding the organization-wide data, analyses it and provide it to the appropriate authorities as and when required. The team members should also give the organization ideas of any changes required in the policies. The other activities in this purview include participation in training and workshops, assessments, appraisals, audits, etc. The staff should participate in the organization wide-strategies – This is a vision-directed work and ensures that the organization’s vision is kept in mind. A team member would have to gather data regarding the environment the organization is functioning in. An organization would be having several inherent strengths and weakens. This would relate to the external environment in the form of opportunities and strengths. The vision statement of the organization should consider the opportunities that are existent in the future, as it has to be realistic and able to function in the external environment. The self-managed team would be the first to interact with the patriot, and hence data regarding the external environment would be available on a first hand basis to the self-managed team. The team would be able to relate the data regrind the external environment to the internal capabilities. In the future, this data could be utilized by the organization whilst strategizing. The self-management teams should be involved in the management by attending meetings conducted for business plans. (Silverman, 1996 Moss, 1996).

Analysis of Priceline.com :: Internet Online Purchasing E-Commerce Essays

Analysis of Priceline.com Incomplete Paper Priceline.com (PCLN) may have been able to bring a dynamic reverse auction model to the market, but a cloud of doubt now hangs over the company's headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut. Consumer adoption has been hurt by poor Web site functionality and a rigid bidding system that locks customers into buying products such as plane tickets without any control over specific flight details. On a bullish note, the company was recently reinstated into Connecticut's Better Business Bureau after making improvements to its Web site and customer service. But the bigger problem facing Priceline is a lack of support from investors, who have driven the company's stock down 98% from its 52-week high. Executive departures and layoffs aside, the company's delayed march toward profitability and inability to scale successfully might very well exemplify a doomed model, or a solution in search of a problem. Perhaps an emphasis on price has blinded Priceline to intangibles like quality service and a satisfying experience. It's unclear whether consumers are willing to sacrifice brand and product features to save a few bucks. The announcement in early October that the company's WebHouse Club subsidiary for groceries and gas would close, was a shot heard 'round the Web and Wall Street and signaled the model might be broken. Introduction Which is the one place where you can satisfy your every need (almost every need) at your price? Be it airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, mortgages, new automobiles, or even long distance calling time. The answer would be Priceline.com. All you have to do is know your need, state your terms, and make your offer. It doesn’t get easier than this! Priceline.com was one of the pioneer online companies to traverse the traditional limitations of the Internet and revolutionize online purchasing. It’s strategy – letting the consumer name his/her price, and matching it with a seller who is willing to fill the demand at that price and those conditions, there by providing the required service the consumer desires. Thus Priceline.com is basically an integrated, Web-based e-marketing automated system, which was one of its kinds when it started its business in the consumer marketplace. In simple word it is the ideal middleman, who gets you what you want, wh en you want it through a unique dotcom experience. Priceline.com was formed on April 6, 1998 as a limited liability company, but looking at its potential and rapid success it was soon converted into a corporation.

Famous Manager

NAME: PHILLIP H. KNIGHT Position: Chairman of Board of Directors in NIKE, INC The Nike boss wasn't a big fan of advertising, but the company's flair for promotion launched an athletic-shoe revolution. â€Å"Play by the rules. But be ferocious. â€Å"-Philip H. Knight In 1993, the man whom The Sporting News voted â€Å"the most powerful person in sports† wasn't an athlete, a manager or a team owner. He was Philip H. Knight, the dynamic iconoclast who for nearly 30 years has shod the feet of sports legends and â€Å"weekend warriors† alike.In less than a decade, his marketing savvy and uncompromising competitiveness had transformed the athletic-shoe industry and made Nike one of the most successful and widely recognized brand names in the world. Knight first came up with the blueprint for what would become the world's No. 1 athletic-shoe company while working on his master's degree at Stanford University. Assigned to write a term paper on starting a small business in an area he knew well, the former University of Oregon track star naturally chose running.He outlined a plan for breaking the stranglehold Adidas had on the running-shoe market by using cheap Japanese labor to manufacture a cheaper, better-quality running shoe. Shortly after graduating in 1962, Knight decided to put his plan into action. He flew to Japan to visit Onitsuka Tiger Co. , manufacturer of an Adidas knockoff sold in Japan. Introducing himself as the head of Blue Ribbon Sports, a company which existed only in his mind, Knight told Tiger executives that his firm was the ideal choice to import their shoes into the United States.He convinced Tiger to send him some samples, promising to place an order after his â€Å"partners† examined them. Back in the United States, Knight borrowed money from his father to pay for the samples, and he sent a few pairs to his former University of Oregon coach, Bill Bowerman, who quickly became his partner. Putting up $500 each, Bowerman and Knight officially formed Blue Ribbon Sports and purchased 200 pairs of Tigers, which Knight began selling from his car at high school track meets throughout the Pacific Northwest.By the early 1970s, sales had reached $3 million, and Knight decided it was time for Blue Ribbon to break with Tiger and start designing its own shoes. In 1972, Blue Ribbon launched its Nike line, named after the Greek goddess of victory. Emblazoned with a â€Å"swoosh† logo Knight paid a Portland State art student $35 to design, the shoes featured a unique â€Å"waffle sole†-created by Bowerman-that offered better traction with less weight. Knight's marketing strategy was simple.Rather than rely on advertising (which he admittedly loathed), he would get top athletes to endorse his shoes, and then let his sales force sell the product. His strategy and the timing of the launch couldn't have been better. That summer, the Olympic track and field trials were held in Eugene, Oregon, with none othe r than Bill Bowerman as coach of the American Olympic team. Knight took full advantage of the opportunity, putting Nikes on the feet of several top finishers. When they made national television, so did the shoes they were wearing.One of the most visible runners to wear Nikes was American record-holder Steve Prefontaine. A cocky, anti-establishment type, Prefontaine became the first of a team of edgy athletes Knight recruited to endorse his shoes. As Knight had planned, athlete endorsements played a major role in boosting Nike sales throughout the 1970s. For instance, after tennis â€Å"bad boy† John McEnroe hurt his ankle and began wearing Nike three-quarter-top shoes, sales of that style leapt from 10,000 pairs to over 1 million. And the sudden popularity of jogging combined with Nike's canny marketing created a demand where none existed before.No longer would any old pair of shoes do for that jog around the block; people wanted to wear what the best in the world were wearin g. and that was Nike (as Blue Ribbon was re-christened in 1978). Nike experienced continued success throughout the early 1980s, thanks mostly to the tremendous sales of its Air Jordan line. Commercials glorifying Michael Jordan's high-flying, slam-dunking antics made the gaudy black and red sneakers a hot item, selling more than $100 million worth in the first year alone.By 1986, total sales hit $1 billion, and Nike surpassed Adidas to become the No. 1 shoe manufacturer worldwide. Amazingly, Knight stumbled only once in his stellar career. In the late 1980s, Nike's strategy of focusing on hard-edged, hard-core athletes ignored the growing market for aerobics shoes. When British shoe manufacturer Reebok pitched their leather shoes as a fashion item for the trendy aerobic workout crowd, they quickly overtook Nike in the top spot. Between 1986 and 1987, Nike sales dropped 18 percent.Knight was forced to face the fact that while Nike technology appealed to sports professionals, other co nsumers might rank appearance over function. In response, Nike came up with Nike Air-a multipurpose shoe with an air cushion in the sole. The commercial produced to unveil the new line featured the Beatles' song â€Å"Revolution. † (The rights to which cost Nike $250,000. ) Nike Air may or may not have been a revolution in footwear, but it certainly revived sales. Nike regained the lead from Reebok in 1990 and has remained there ever since.But as Nike has grown into a huge multinational enterprise, it has become a magnet for controversy. In 1990, it came under fire from Jessie Jackson, who maintained that while African-Americans accounted for a large percentage of Nike's sales, Nike had no black vice presidents or board members. Jackson launched a boycott that led to the appointment of Nike's first black board member. That same year, stories of teenagers being killed for their Air Jordan's sparked outrage at what was perceived as Nike's overzealous promotion of its shoes.More recently, Knight has been accused of exploiting factory workers in Asia, some of whom are paid less than $2 per day by the subcontractors who manufacture Nikes. But despite this negative publicity, Nike sales have remained strong. Philip Knight, now in his late 50s, has come to be viewed as one of the master marketers of the age. When asked by a reporter how he achieved such fame, in a veiled reference to the Reebok torpedo that forced him to rethink his marketing strategy, Knight replied, â€Å"How did John Kennedy become a war hero? They sunk his boat. † Retrieved from www. ntrepreneur. com on April 10, 2013 As I can see on this article , we can obviously state that Phillip Knight became a good leader or manager. The qualities he have are (1)Perspective – he have the vision of what he wanted or desires for the company to be better (2) able to inspires, encourage and motivate other employer to do job proper and positive (3) able to communicate with his other co-membe r to produce more effectively plan (4) able to lead and control the company’s operation (5) Good in making effective decisions. Retrieved from www. entrepreneur. com