Funding Healthcare System, Sharing Risk and Portfolio Theory Thesis

Funding Healthcare System, Sharing Risk and Portfolio Theory - Thesis Example 10). These processes are vital for the policy makers as well as planners who often face challenges in designing health care funding systems towards meeting the specific social, economics, and political objectives. Many countries are ever under constant pressure in issues related to social policies since they often experience increased expenditure and scarce resources. Nonetheless, the policy makers must analyze the following three options: increasing health care funding and containing costs or both. The heath care funding and expenditure crisis have introduced radical changes in the organizational and funding mechanisms within the health care sectors (Grossman, 2011; pg. 12). Since the 1970s, the cost containment is the principal driving factor in the discussion of the health care policies especially in the industrialized nations. Despite the underlying challenges in funding health care systems, an articulated and a well balance budget will provide sufficient revenue towards managing health care systems. Notably, nations have restrained themselves from bulk revenue borrowing; otherwise, economies have shift to sound economic policies with focus on revenue policies. Can these changes produce sufficient and sustainable health care funding systems? Literature Review Government or associated organizations often pay the bulk of the funding of the health care services. The major part of these funds is generated from the tax collected from the citizens of such nations. For instance, in the United Kingdom has a single payer system that governs its healthcare systems (Grossman, 2011; pg. 72). The UK taxation and health care funding system take funds directly from the government to the health care systems. In other nations like Germany and France, the government collect tax from the citizens and only fund part of the health care systems towards paying individuals and employees among other involved costs. In other nations such as America, a certain portion of the health c are system is often market based. In the market based funding systems, the health care systems are paid for by the private entities including employers and individuals. Moreover, the market-based systems require governments to provide health care to the vulnerable persons (Elton and Gruber, 1999). For example, in the United States, it is the responsibility of the federal government to fund health care systems towards supporting the disable and the elderly through its federal supported Medicaid program. On the other hand, the federal and state supported Medicaid program aims at covering the health care services for the low-income earners. These two different health care funding approaches have their different distinct applicability within the health care sector. Individuals and private organizations generally deliver the market-based systems. Moreover, a part of the systems is usually subjected to a certain level of competition. Market base funding systems is often open to many suppl iers, providers, and payers as well as persons with insurance that aims at serving their specific medical needs (Glied and Smith, 2011). In such funding mechanisms, doctors may be given a benefit of practice as a guideline that direct them of when and what different treatment to be applied; however, they are ever free in making care decisions depending on

Strategic human resource management -2.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic human resource management -2.2 - Essay Example This orientation is important as it may be reflected in the training, socialization and attitude of the new employee affecting the performance of the organisation. The goal of Natural Knibbles is to create a company that provides attractive place to work, helps employees to fully utilise their potential  and  offer  secure,  long-term  employment  (Stone,  2008,  p.375).  The orientation program helps in portraying this image of the company. First, the orientation program provides a complete description of the environment and culture at Natural Knibbles. Second, important information related to the job such as responsibilities and duties is explained providing on-the-job training to the new employees under a process called ‘buddy system with experienced employees. Thus, the orientation program allows the new employees to explore their skills and abilities in a new environment which adds to the value and growth of the employees. What forms of training and devel opment do you believe would have been beneficial to (a) Kane (b) Lisa following their initial experiences at Natural Knibbles? According to Nankervis et al. (2011), the aim of training is to provide or maintain effective job level performance to achieve goals of organisation as well as personal. Given that Lisa and Kane were new entrants in the organisation, on-the-job training was a good decision but the way it was carried out was not at all progressive to them or the organisation. Continuous changing the roles was not beneficial for them as they could not adjust and fully understand any role or position. Since Lisa had TAFE training, she had a better understanding of the organisation’s processes which allowed her to excel in on-the-job training making it the best training and development option for her. On-the-job training as argued by Nankervis et al. (2011) develops practical work experiences and helps in building relations with the peers if the employee is a new entrant. In case of Kane, he did not possess any TAFE qualifications and worked in large company did not have any experience in working with a small family oriented company. Off-the-job training would have been a better option for him, which could have consisted of e-learning, simulation training or conference or classroom training (Nankervis et al. 2011). On-the-job training created confusion for him causing the peers to provide negative comments on his performance. What are the advantages and disadvantages of peer evaluation, and why would Natural Knibbles choose this approach as part of its performance management process? The performance management process needs to begin by taking in to consideration the strategic plan of organisation and penetrate every level of organisation to reach every employee (Nankervis et al. 2011). One such performance management process is peer evaluation. Peer evaluation has many advantages foremost being that the peers can relate well with the employee who is being evaluated. Peers, because work together, have the ability to evaluate the person whether he/she is doing well in the activity as others. Peers reviews can improve the quality of the work and performance of the employees as they can learn from each other. Because of the peer evaluation, company can also improve the performance management process if it seems that this performance measure is not providing a complete evaluation of the employee’

Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managment - Essay Example I am of the view that there must be efforts in place to counter the short-sightedness which is apparent in the working methodologies of the medics and staff and this must not be taken for granted since a lot of advancement has already been made in the said field and it would not be wrong if the same is applied to the field of my corporation for which I will be the manager. I will take care of the food and nutrition under my hold and guarantee that no such shortcoming could be expected from the people who would work under me as well as my own self. There will be zero tolerance as far as quality of food and nutrition is concerned and only 100% genuine and fresh quality products would be entertained while all others would be simply discarded off the table. Thus I would set proper measures as far as food and related undertakings are concerned. I would make it mandatory for all the staff related directly or indirectly with food within the organization to wash their hands thoroughly before they enter the premises. This would ignite a sense of cleanliness within them and our working regimes would be instilled with the best possible safety levels undoubtedly. I will make sure that these rules are followed to the core and there is no aspect of straying from the set rules under any situation whatsoever. Thus I plan to incorporate a plan of action as soon as I take charge in the capacity of manager which would guarantee that cleanliness and hygiene remains at the fore front of all food related activities. This would be attached with heavy fines, punishments and even suspensions from duty if adhering to the rules seem to be a problem for the staff. In essence, I plan to set such an environment which will get the ball rolling in the right direction. Safety and hygiene would continue to be taken in the most important stead within the organization and this would essentially change the related basis of safety and health system which is prevalent at the very moment. All my

Strategic human resource management -2.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic human resource management -2.2 - Essay Example This orientation is important as it may be reflected in the training, socialization and attitude of the new employee affecting the performance of the organisation. The goal of Natural Knibbles is to create a company that provides attractive place to work, helps employees to fully utilise their potential  and  offer  secure,  long-term  employment  (Stone,  2008,  p.375).  The orientation program helps in portraying this image of the company. First, the orientation program provides a complete description of the environment and culture at Natural Knibbles. Second, important information related to the job such as responsibilities and duties is explained providing on-the-job training to the new employees under a process called ‘buddy system with experienced employees. Thus, the orientation program allows the new employees to explore their skills and abilities in a new environment which adds to the value and growth of the employees. What forms of training and devel opment do you believe would have been beneficial to (a) Kane (b) Lisa following their initial experiences at Natural Knibbles? According to Nankervis et al. (2011), the aim of training is to provide or maintain effective job level performance to achieve goals of organisation as well as personal. Given that Lisa and Kane were new entrants in the organisation, on-the-job training was a good decision but the way it was carried out was not at all progressive to them or the organisation. Continuous changing the roles was not beneficial for them as they could not adjust and fully understand any role or position. Since Lisa had TAFE training, she had a better understanding of the organisation’s processes which allowed her to excel in on-the-job training making it the best training and development option for her. On-the-job training as argued by Nankervis et al. (2011) develops practical work experiences and helps in building relations with the peers if the employee is a new entrant. In case of Kane, he did not possess any TAFE qualifications and worked in large company did not have any experience in working with a small family oriented company. Off-the-job training would have been a better option for him, which could have consisted of e-learning, simulation training or conference or classroom training (Nankervis et al. 2011). On-the-job training created confusion for him causing the peers to provide negative comments on his performance. What are the advantages and disadvantages of peer evaluation, and why would Natural Knibbles choose this approach as part of its performance management process? The performance management process needs to begin by taking in to consideration the strategic plan of organisation and penetrate every level of organisation to reach every employee (Nankervis et al. 2011). One such performance management process is peer evaluation. Peer evaluation has many advantages foremost being that the peers can relate well with the employee who is being evaluated. Peers, because work together, have the ability to evaluate the person whether he/she is doing well in the activity as others. Peers reviews can improve the quality of the work and performance of the employees as they can learn from each other. Because of the peer evaluation, company can also improve the performance management process if it seems that this performance measure is not providing a complete evaluation of the employee’

The Importance of Innovation in Todays Changing Economy Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Innovation in Todays Changing Economy Essay In today’s cutthroat society, companies and organizations in various sectors s constantly need to improve their practices and strategies to cope with the changing times and the increasing competition. People—as individuals or in groups—always have to think about attracting new customers and keeping the old; fielding new methods while incorporating the best strategies from previous practices; and delivering quality outputs to thrive in world where things could change with the turn of a page or a click of a mouse.    Stagnation is detrimental to the health of companies and organizations because now, more than ever, thinking out of the box is crucial to make one stand out and deliver something substantial to an even more meticulous crowd. Steve McKie (2004) defined two types of innovation based on Bellon and Whittington’s description in Competing Through Innovation: Essential Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Firms: â€Å"new-old† and â€Å"new-new†.   In new-old innovation, one uses his current resources then improves and extends them.   New-old innovation would include â€Å"business models, processes, products, and services† that one is presently employing in his business endeavors. On the other hand, new-new innovation deals with jumping from what one already has into a pool of something that is really new.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Innovation generally deals with providing a solution to a problem.   When people innovate, they make the most of current resources and utilize them to generate better resources and assets for the future.   When individuals and groups begin to become more successful and better off with their innovations, a domino effect of such would boost the entire economy.   Innovation is beneficial to both individuals and groups because currently available products and services may no longer be the answers to dilemmas in the future.   Innovation paves the way for a more stable future for it allows the generation of ideas, products, and services that would meet the needs and demands of a world where, as the clichà © goes, â€Å"change is the only constant thing†. Reference: McKie, Steve.   â€Å"Let Innovation Thrive.† Intelligent Enterprise Magazine. 2004. Intelligent Enterpise. 15 Feb. 2007 http://www.intelligententerprise.com/040101/ 701feat2_1.jhtml

The Great Sphinx Of Ancient Egypt English Language Essay

The Great Sphinx Of Ancient Egypt English Language Essay Over 4, 500 years ago, an impressive creature was carved out of limestone on the Giza Plateau, Egypt. This large animal is called the Great Sphinx, complete with a lions body and a humans head. After being buried in the sand for many years, it was uncovered, and its grandiose height and width were revealed (Dunn 2, 3). The sphinx was also given many other names found in the earliest forms of Egyptian writing (Butler 3). The Great Sphinx is a stone figure surrounded by loads of history, myths and characteristics that make up its meaning. What is the Great Sphinx? The body is about 65 feet tall and 200 feet in length. The face of it is 13 feet wide and its eyes are 6 feet high (TourEgypt 3). In comparison to Ancient Greek sphinxes, who were females with wings, Egyptian sphinxes were males. There are small traces of red paint on the cheeks; evidence of its once bright color. Although the nose and beard are missing and its face is battered, the expression is able to be read. The watchful eyes and smile are easily seen (Berg 8, 10). The possible reason for the missing nose and beard is stated in Christopher Bergs article. There are several stories explaining the Sphinxs famous missing nose; one is that it fell off when Napoleons archaeologists were investigating the statue; another is that the Mameluke army used the Sphinx for target practice, and a lucky artillery shot blew it off. Neither of these tales are true. The nose was probably removed in the 8th century AD by a Sufi who considered the Sphinx a blasphemous idol, but all that can be said for certain, based on the tool marks that remain, is that it was deliberately pried off with chisels. The face is possibly that of Khafre, a pharaoh from the fourth dynasty who built one of the largest pyramids on the Giza triad. Its face could also be that of Khafres older brother or another pharaoh down the line of ancestors. Different names given to the Sphinx back in the ancient Egyptian times include Hor-em-akht (Horus in the Horizon), Bw-How (Place of Horus) and Ra-horakhty (Ra of Two Horizons). Horus was one of the oldest and most significant gods in the religion of ancient Egypt. This deity was the patron god of living Pharaohs, rulers, law, war, young men and others. Horus was often depicted as a falcon-headed man (most commonly), a falcon, a lion with the head of a falcon or a sphinx. Horus was worshipped widely throughout Egypt and there were many stories and myths told about him. The sphinx ages back to the kings of the 4th Dynasty, maybe even to an older time (Gray 10). The Sphinx Stela, an inscription on the Sphinx that dated back to 1400 BC, is the oldest evidence that is given for the date. What is the history and origin of the Sphinx? People in that time period represented their pharaohs as lions because of their physical strength. The Sphinx was developed as a result of this high view they had of their leaders (Trifter 1). Also, a lot of other Egyptian kings worshiped the Great Sphinx because they didnt know where it came from (Berg 2). It lived most of its history covered in sand. The first uncovering of the Sphinx was by Thutmose IV, as it was stated on the Sphinx Stela. The pharaoh Thutmose IV, sleeping beneath the head of the statue, was told in a dream to dig up the body of the Sphinx. In reward he was told he would be made a great king. Thutmose immediately began digging up the Great Sphinx, restoring it to its former glory. The next time it was restored was not until the 20th century (Butler p. 2, para. 4, 5). As for the origin of sphinxes in general, it is suggested that they came from the Babylonians or other races before the idea was adopted from the Egyptians. Another theory suggests the Babylonians took it from the Egyptians. The Babylonians believed of a flood from the Persian Gulf that marked the beginning of the world and was ruled by the great creatures called sphinxes. Because of the Niles annually flooding, it is believed that the Babylonians could have had a similar flood. That would raise this theory in both places, Egypt and Babylon. Besides the Great Sphinx, other statues and sculptures of different types of sphinxes were found. This leads to the theory that the Sphinx of Giza was not the first of its kind (Nichols 108). Underneath the Great Sphinx is a series of tunnels, doorways, stairs and even a circular temple. The passageways into the tunnels are outside and to the side of the Sphinx, possibly meaning the Sphinx was built after the underground construction, or perhaps even before. Also, a secret subway is thought to be snaked underground, connecting Khafres pyramid and the Sphinx. Because Khafre built the pyramid close by with chambers and passageways, the Sphinx was thought to be built similarly. These interior chambers and tunnels inside the Sphinx were searched for, but only a few passages with dead ends were found. Erosion is a popular discussed piece of information over the Sphinx. The head of the creature is disproportionate to its body. This definitely has something to do with the erosion because the Egyptians always made their sculptures and statues with as much perfection and symmetry as possible. Some parts of the body give evidence for wind erosion. Other parts look as if it was eroded by water. In addition, its body is very much so eroded, whether in natural occurrences or not. Its head on the other hand, is not. This suggests rain fall that pooled around its upper body while covered in sand. Also, a flood could have had a part in the erosion, but this is not for sure. It is also made up of different kinds of sandstone and limestone which affected the rate and kind of erosion (Orcutt 7). Whatever the reality of the results of erosion, the Sphinx has surely been altered in its form over the many years of its life. The mystery of the Great Sphinx is a debated subject as it involves why, how and for who it was built. The exact purpose for its existence is not known. It was possibly a guardian statue, or a memorial to a Pharaoh or god, or in some cases, it was even thought to be an astronomical observation device (Gray 15). In the book The Sphinx Mystery, the author, Robert Temple, talks about the purpose for the Sphinx. He believes that originally, the Sphinx was a statue of the ancient Egyptian deity called Anubis. Instead of a lion, it was shaped like a dog. Anubis was the protector of the underworld, which the author believed was right at Giza. This information would link to the location of the Sphinx, as it sits in that same area (Coppens 3). The Sphinx was also thought to be the image of a god or even goddess, representing the worshiped idol of the place and time period. Since other sphinxes of different kinds have been found, the theory is that each of them represented a god of their own p lace and time (Hastings 768). Not only this, but some believe it was guarding a tomb or tombs from evil forces. This theory is not as known and used as other ones, but still, a possibility. Some researchers have even suggested that the Sphinx originated from Africans living in Egypt and did not originate from Egyptians at all. As for the builder, the common theory is that it was Khafre, the builder of a huge pyramid close by. Other theories suggest Khafres father, brother or older kings building it. During the reign of Khafre, Egypt was a prosperous place and many things were developed including the Sphinx. This time period could easily tie in with the construction of this great creature. Also, the time of Khafres older brother (another possible builder of the Sphinx) was in similar condition. As for the construction, the Sphinx was carved right out of the limestone bedrock by many workers of the Pharaoh of that time. Considering the lack of modern tools, this project would have required many laborers and very challenging work. The leftover rock was most likely used for other projects such as temples or pyramids (Butler p. 2, para. 1, 2). The Great Sphinx was an incredible creature built long ago, during ancient Egyptian times. Sitting in the Giza Plateau, it watches over the surrounding pyramids and in some theories, acts as a guardian. Representing a pharaoh and his deities, it was worshiped as a god itself at times. The builder and the date of construction are not valid facts, but many ideas are presented. Even though this great creature lived most of its life being eroded and covered by sand, it stands proud and tall, continuing to watch over its land. Many continue to marvel at its awesome form and mysterious origins. Works Cited Butler, Allen. A History of the Great Sphinx of Giza. Associated Content Associatedcontent.com. Allen Butler, 2 Feb. 2006. Web. 2 Oct. 2010. a_history_of_the_great_sphinx_of_giza.html?cat=37>. Dunn, Jimmy. The Great Sphinx. InterCity Oz, Inc Interoz.com Web Publishers, Marketers and Designer Where the Web Leads. 1996. Web. 2 Oct. 2010. http://interoz.com/egypt/sphinx.htm. Gray, Martin. Great Sphinx. Sacred Sites: Places of Peace and Power. 1983-2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. http://www.sacredsites.com/africa/egypt/great-sphinx.html. AKNsolutions.com. The Great Sphinx. Egypt Travel, Tours, Vacations, Ancient Egypt from Tour Egypt. 1996-2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. . Ghaz, Mr. The Long Lived Lion: How The Great Sphinx Survived The Sands of Times | Trifter. Trifter | Travelers Sharing Hotel, Travel, Flight and Destination Tips. 28 Mar. 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. . Berg, Christopher. The Sphinx. Mazes, Educational Puzzles at Amazeing Art. 2001-2004. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. . Bayuk, Andrew. Guardians Sphinx. Guardians Egypt Main Gate. 1995-2005. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. . Coppens, Phillip. The Sphinx Mystery. Philip Coppens.com. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. . Orcutt, Larry. A Chamber Beneath the Sphinx? Catchpenny Mysteries of Ancient Egypt. 2000. Web. 30 Oct. 2010. . Nichols, John. The Gentlemens Magazine. Vol. 92. 1822. 2 Nov. 2010. Hastings, James. System of Synthetic Philosophy. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. Vol. 22. Edinburgh: [s.n.], 1908. Print. First Rough Draft Abbie Dennett Over 4, 500 years ago, a creature was crafted out of limestone on the Giza Plateau, Egypt. This large animal is called the Great Sphinx, complete with a lions body and a humans head (Dunn 3). After being buried in the sand for many years, it was uncovered, and its grandiose height and width were revealed (Dunn 2). The sphinx was also given many other names found in the earliest forms of Egyptian writing (Butler 3). The Great Sphinx is a stone figure surrounded by loads of history, myths and characteristics that make up its meaning. What is the Great Sphinx? The body is about 65 feet tall and 200 feet in length. The face of it is 13 feet wide and its eyes are 6 feet high (TourEgypt 3). Although the nose and beard are missing and its face is battered, the expression is able to be read. The watchful eyes and smile are easily seen (Berg 8, 10). The sphinx ages back to the 4th Dynasty, maybe even to an older time(Gray 10). Different names given to the Sphinx back in the ancient Egyptian times include Hor-em-akht (Horus in the Horizon), Bw-How (Place of Horus) and Ra-horakhty (Ra of Two Horizons). These facts are simply characteristics of the Sphinx, not yet getting into the deeper meanings. What consisted of the history during the time of the Sphinx? The people back in that time represented their pharaohs as lions because of their strength. Because of this, the sphinx was invented (Trifter 1). The Great Sphinx lived most of its history covered in sand. The first uncovering of the Sphinx was by Thutmose IV. The pharaoh Thutmose IV, sleeping beneath the head of the statue, was told in a dream to dig up the body of the Sphinx. In reward he was told he would be made a great king. Thutmose immediately began digging up the Great Sphinx, restoring it to its former glory. The next time it was restored was not until the 20th century (Butler p. 2, para. 4, 5). A lot of Egyptian kings worshiped the Great Sphinx because they didnt know where it came from (Berg 2). The construction of the Great Sphinx is obviously the base of the entire project. The purpose of the Sphinx is not known, but there are many ideas as to what that might be. Possibly a guardian statue, or a memorial to a Pharaoh or god, or in some cases, it was even thought to be an astronomical observation device (Gray 15). As for the builder, the common theory is that of Khafre, the builder of a huge pyramid close by. Other theories suggest Khafres father or older kings built it (Bayuk 4). The process used to make the Sphinx was carving. It was carved right out of the limestone bedrock, brick by brick. The leftover rock was most likely used for other projects such as temples or pyramids (Butler p. 2, para. 1, 2). The Great Sphinx was an incredible creature built long ago, during ancient Egyptian times. Sitting in the Giza Plateau, it watches over the surrounding pyramids and in some theories, acts as a guardian. Representing a pharaoh, it was worshiped as a god at times. The builder and the date of construction are not valid facts, but many ideas are presented. Even though this great creature lived most of its life being eroded and covered by sand, it stands proud and tall, continuing to watch over its land. Comments: For only being this far in your writing, the number of citations seems to be disproportionately large.Organize your writing; some paragraphs are very disjointed and discuss several different topics. In several places you start to repeat yourself. See the comments in the margin. Works Cited Butler, Allen. A History of the Great Sphinx of Giza. Associated Content Associatedcontent.com. Allen Butler, 2 Feb. 2006. Web. 2 Oct. 2010. a_history_of_the_great_sphinx_of_giza.html?cat=37>. Dunn, Jimmy. The Great Sphinx. InterCity Oz, Inc Interoz.com Web Publishers, Marketers and Designer Where the Web Leads. 1996. Web. 2 Oct. 2010. http://interoz.com/egypt/sphinx.htm. Gray, Martin. Great Sphinx. Sacred Sites: Places of Peace and Power. 1983-2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. http://www.sacredsites.com/africa/egypt/great-sphinx.html. AKNsolutions.com. The Great Sphinx. Egypt Travel, Tours, Vacations, Ancient Egypt from Tour Egypt. 1996-2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. . Ghaz, Mr. The Long Lived Lion: How The Great Sphinx Survived The Sands of Times | Trifter. Trifter | Travelers Sharing Hotel, Travel, Flight and Destination Tips. 28 Mar. 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. . Berg, Christopher. The Sphinx. Mazes, Educational Puzzles at Amazeing Art. 2001-2004. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. . Bayuk, Andrew. Guardians Sphinx. Guardians Egypt Main Gate. 1995-2005. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. . Second Rough Draft Abbie Dennett Over 4, 500 years ago, a creature was carved out of limestone on the Giza Plateau, Egypt. This large animal is called the Great Sphinx, complete with a lions body and a humans head. After being buried in the sand for many years, it was uncovered, and its grandiose height and width were revealed (Dunn 2, 3). The sphinx was also given many other names found in the earliest forms of Egyptian writing (Butler 3). The Great Sphinx is a stone figure surrounded by loads of history, myths and characteristics that make up its meaning. What is your thesis statement? What is the Great Sphinx? The body is about 65 feet tall and 200 feet in length. The face of it is 13 feet wide and its eyes are 6 feet high (TourEgypt 3). There are small traces of red paint on the cheeks; evidence of its once bright color. Although the nose and beard are missing and its face is battered, the expression is able to be read. The watchful eyes and smile are easily seen (Berg 8, 10). The possible reason for the missing nose and beard is stated in Christopher Bergs article. There are several stories explaining the Sphinxs famous missing nose; one is that it fell off when Napoleons archaeologists were investigating the statue; another is that the Mameluke army used the Sphinx for target practice, and a lucky artillery shot blew it off. Neither of these tales are true. The nose was probably removed in the 8th century AD by a Sufi who considered the Sphinx a blasphemous idol, but all that can be said for certain, based on the tool marks that remain, is that it was deliberat ely pried off with chisels. The face is possibly that of Chephren, a pharaoh from the fourth dynasty who built one of the lagest pyramids on the Giza triad. Different names given to the Sphinx back in the ancient Egyptian times include Hor-em-akht (Horus in the Horizon), Bw-How (Place of Horus) and Ra-horakhty (Ra of Two Horizons). The sphinx ages back to the kings of the 4th Dynasty, maybe even to an older time(Gray 10). Sphinx Stela, an inscription on the Sphinx that dated back to 1400 BC, is the oldest evidence that is given for the date. These facts are simply characteristics of the Sphinx; not yet getting into the deeper meanings. What is the history of the Sphinx? People in those days represented their pharaohs as lions because of their physical strength. The sphinx was developed as a result of this high view they had of their leaders (Trifter 1). Also, a lot of other Egyptian kings worshiped the Great Sphinx because they didnt know where it came from (Berg 2). It lived most of its history covered in sand. The first uncovering of the Sphinx was by Thutmose IV, as it was stated on the Sphinx Stela. The pharaoh Thutmose IV, sleeping beneath the head of the statue, was told in a dream to dig up the body of the Sphinx. In reward he was told he would be made a great king. Thutmose immediately began digging up the Great Sphinx, restoring it to its former glory. The next time it was restored was not until the 20th century (Butler p. 2, para. 4, 5). The mystery of the Great Sphinx is a debated subject as it involves why, how and for whom it was built. Chambers and tunnels underneath the Sphinx were thought to exist, but this is also a mystery. Its purpose is not known. Possibly a guardian statue, or a memorial to a Pharaoh or god, or in some cases, it was even thought to be an astronomical observation device (Gray 15). In the book, The Sphinx Mystery, the author, Robert Temple, talks about the purpose for the Sphinx. He believes that originally, the Sphinx was a statue of the ancient Egyptian deity called Anubis. Instead of a lion, it was shaped like a dog. Anubis was the protector of the underworld, which the author believed was right at Gizeh, which would also make sense for the location of the Sphinx (Coppens 3). As for the builder, the common theory is that it was Khafre, the builder of a huge pyramid close by. . Other theories suggest Khafres father or older kings built it. Because of Khafres pyramid, which contains two cha mbers, the Sphinx was also thought to have an entrance or a chamber. Only three entrances were found, but they were dead ends (Orcutt). The Sphinx was carved. It was carved right out of the limestone bedrock. The leftover rock was most likely used for other projects such as temples or pyramids (Butler p. 2, para. 1, 2). The Great Sphinx was an incredible creature built long ago, during ancient Egyptian times. Sitting in the Giza Plateau, it watches over the surrounding pyramids and in some theories, acts as a guardian. Representing a pharaoh, it was worshiped as a god at times. The builder and the date of construction are not valid facts, but many ideas are presented. Even though this great creature lived most of its life being eroded and covered by sand, it stands proud and tall, continuing to watch over its land. Comments: Looks like you are still having an issue with getting to a full five pages. In your works cited, I dont see any reference to hard (library) books, nor to a National Geographic magazine. Again, suggestions to lengthen this would include comparing to other sphinxes around the world (I believe I have heard of something similar somewhere, but the location escapes me just now), and further relating it to one of the nearby pyramids. Try Googling Babylonian Sphinx for starters.

World War II Essay -- World War II, World War Two

World War II was one of the most deadly wars we know in history, having as many as sixty million casualties, most of whom were civilians. It impacted a lot of countries, almost all the world, which is why the name is given. This war impacted many countries in the world, and damaged almost all of the countries involved greatly. It also led to the downfall of Western European countries as world powers, leaving it to the Soviet Union, and the United States. The war started in 1939 and ended in 1945, with the invasion of Poland and the Axis surrender, respectively. It changed the economy and the growth of big countries, including Germany, Great Britain, United States, Japan, Russia and France. Aside from this, Jews were greatly influenced too. They were damaged, but then gifted. The war started in September 1, 1939 when Germany invaded the territory of Poland, which was allied with Great Britain and France. German officials signed a peace treaty in August 24-25 with the Soviet Union to prevent them from acting in the invasion and to stay in peace between both countries. So Great Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany the day of September 3, 1939. After this event, Canada also declared war on Germany at September 10, 1939. Germany rapidly crushed Poland, since it had an incredible army with 100 infantry divisions and six armored divisions. Due to the peace treaty between Germans and Soviets, in September 17th the Soviet also invaded and took eastern Poland. Later in the year, on November 30th, the USSR invaded Finland while Great Britain and France where occupied with Germany. At this time, Japan was in the Far East, and had Asia in turmoil. Imperial Japan invaded china and various other territories ... ...ther atomic bomb, leaving Japan helpless. Japan surrendered in several places from September 7th to September 16th. Works Cited O’Neill, William L. World War II A Student Companion. 1 ed. William H. Chafe. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Britannica Online, Encyclopedia. "3." http://www.school.eb.com.proxygsu-scob.galileo.usg.edu/eb/article-53533 (accessed March, 2011). Stokes, Phil. "1." 1999. http://www.secondworldwar.co.uk/dates.html (accessed March, 2011). Stokesbury, James L. http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar610460&st=world+war (accessed march, 2011). Robinson, Bruce. April 23, 2004.http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ww2_summary_01.shtml (accessed march 30, 2011). worldwar-2.net, "War in Europe." 2006.http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/war-in-europe-index.htm (accessed march, 2011).