New Student Photo Series 2011 Post #5 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

New Student Photo Series 2011 â€" Post #5 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Photos from incoming students continue to roll in.   Enjoy. Name: Nameera Nuzhat Admission in: MPA Pictures taken in: Bangladesh The Bengali New Year known as “Pohela Boishakh” is celebrated very big in Bangladesh by people of all religions and caste in union. As opposed to the western New Year where celebrations begin at midnight, the Bengali ritual is to rejoice at the break of dawn with traditional dance, music and food. This is at six thirty in the morning when performers and audience gathered for some entertainment, “Pohela Boishakh” style. Little ones are super excited and dressed up in Sarees to perform in shows celebrating the arrival of spring. “Bashonti” (yellow and Orange) is the color of “Boshonto” (spring) and everyone around the country dress in yellow attire on the first day of the month of “Falgun” to welcome spring and youth. Weavers of Roopganj (literally means the village of beauty), beside the Shitalakkhya river are the only people apt at making this special kind of fabric called Dhakai Jamdani. A saree (six metres of fabric) of such intricacy takes about 3 months to make and draws about   US $ 350 at a fine store/ boutique. Sadly the poor weavers have to be satisfied with $ 80 at most for a piece that is sold for so much higher. Name:   Tanita María Preston Bertie. Program:   MPA My hand Taken by my other hand in Lahore, Pakistan, on December 27th. As women inside the house got prepared to attend the wedding main purpose of the trip   the streets were adorned with marching women remembering Benazir Bhutto.   This picture always makes me remember too. Sunrise in the Atlantic ocean on a regatta to San Blas, Panama. I have no words I just like this picture. Nature framing nature, I took this one scuba diving in the Cayman Islands by the waylove Scuba Diving!

What Makes Stalkers Kill

Not all stalkers are killers, but most killers are stalkers. Determining the factors that differentiate the violent stalker from the nonviolent stalker is complex. Statistical data is skewed because many cases that begin as stalking escalate to more serious crimes and are then classified as such. For example, a criminal who stalked his victim for two years and then murdered them is often statistically classified as only a murderer. While state reporting is improving in this area, it is a flaw in a lot of the statistical data that is currently available. It is thus difficult to obtain hard data as to how many murders were the end result of stalking behavior. Another issue with the current data is that about 50 percent of stalking crimes go unreported by the victims. This is particularly true in the cases of stalking between intimate partners or when a stalker who is known to the victim. Victims who do not report being stalked often cite their reasons as fearing reprisal from the stalker or their belief that the police cannot help. Lastly, stalkers being under-identified by the criminal justice system has added to the inaccuracies in the data. An Office of Justice Programs survey of criminal justice practitioners found that stalkers continue to be charged and sentenced under harassment, intimidation, or other related laws instead of under a states anti-stalking statute. Stalking Defined Prior to 1990, there were no anti-stalking laws in the United States. California was the first state to criminalize stalking after several high-profile stalking cases including the attempted murder of actress Theresa Saldana, the 1988 mass murder at ESL Incorporated by a former employee and stalker Richard Farley, and the 1989 murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer by stalker Robert John Bardo. Other states were quick to follow suit and, by the end of 1993, all states had anti-stalking laws. Stalking is largely defined by the National Institute of Justice as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated (two or more occasions) visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof, that would cause a reasonable person fear. Though recognized as a crime throughout the United States, stalking varies widely in statute definition, scope, crime classification, and penalty. Stalker and Victim Relationship While the criminalization of stalking is relatively new, stalking is not a new human behavior. While there are many studies performed in reference to the victims of stalkers, the research on stalkers is more limited. Why people become stalkers is complicated and multifaceted. However, recent forensic research has helped to understand different patterns of stalking behavior. This research has aided in identifying those stalkers who are likely to be the most dangerous and high risk for injuring or murdering their victims. The relationship between the stalker and the victim has proven a key factor in understanding the level of risks to the victims. Forensic research has broken down the relationships into three groups. Former intimate partners. This includes current and former husbands, cohabitants, and boyfriends and girlfriends.Friends, family members, and acquaintances,A private stranger which includes public figures. The former intimate partner group is the largest category of stalking cases. It is also the group where the highest risks exist for the stalkers to become violent. Several studies have identified a significant association between intimate partner stalking and sexual assault. Classifying Stalker Behavior In 1993, stalker expert Paul Mullen, who was the director and chief psychiatrist at Forensicare in Victoria, Australia, performed extensive studies on the behavior of stalkers. The research was designed to help diagnose and categorize stalkers, and it included the typical triggers that cause their behavior to become more volatile. Furthermore, these studies included recommended treatment plans. Mullen and his research team came up with five categories of stalkers: Rejected Stalker Rejected stalking is seen in cases where there is an unwanted breakdown of a close relationship, most often with a romantic partner, but it can include family members, friends, and work associates. The desire to seek revenge becomes an alternative when the stalker’s hope for reconciliation with his victim is diminished. The stalker will characteristically use stalking as a substitute for the lost relationship. Stalking provides the opportunity for continued contact with the victim. It also allows the stalker to feel more control over the victim and provides a way to nurse the stalker’s damaged self-esteem. Intimacy Seeker Stalkers classified as intimacy seekers are driven by loneliness and mental illness. They are delusional and often believe that they are in love with a complete stranger and that the feeling is reciprocated (erotomanic delusions). Intimacy seekers are generally socially awkward and intellectually weak. They will emulate what they believe is normal behavior for a couple in love. They will buy their true love flowers, send them intimate gifts and write them an excessive amount of love letters. Intimacy seekers are often unable to recognize that their attention is unwanted because of their belief that they share a special bond with their victim. Incompetent Stalker The incompetent stalkers and intimacy seekers share some of the same characteristics in that they both tend to be socially awkward and intellectually challenged and their targets are strangers.  Unlike intimacy stalkers, incompetent stalkers are not looking for a long lasting relationship, but rather for something short term like a date or a brief sexual encounter. They recognize when their victims are rejecting them, but this only fuels their efforts to win them over. At this stage, their methods become increasingly negative and fearful to the victim. For example, a love note at this stage may say Im watching you rather than I love you. Resentful Stalker Resentful stalkers want revenge, not a relationship, with their victims. They often feel that they have been belittled, humiliated, or mistreated. They consider themselves the victim rather than the person they are stalking. According to Mullen, resentful stalkers suffer from paranoia and they often had fathers who were intensely controlling. They will compulsively dwell on the times in their lives when they experienced extreme distress. They act out in the present day the negative emotions that their past experiences have caused. They attach responsibility for the painful experiences they suffered in the past the victims they are targeting in the present. Predator Stalker Like the resentful stalker, the predator stalker does not seek a relationship with his victim, but instead finds satisfaction in feeling power and control over their victims. Research proves that the predator stalker is the most violent type of stalker in that they often fantasize about physically harming their victims, often in a sexual way. They find immense pleasure in letting their victims know that they can harm them at any time. They often collect personal information about their victims and will involve the victims family members or professional contacts in their stalking behavior, usually in some derogatory way. Stalking and Mental Illness Not all stalkers have a mental disorder, but it is not uncommon. At least 50 percent of stalkers that suffer from mental disorders have often had some involvement with the criminal justice or mental health services. They suffer from disorders such as personality disorders, schizophrenia, depression, with substance abuse being the most common disorder. Mullens research suggests that most stalkers should not be treated as criminals but rather people who are suffering from mental disorders and who are in need of professional help. Resources and Further Reading Mohandie, Meloy, Green-McGowan, Williams (2006). Journal of Forensic Sciences 51, 147-155)

The Taklamakan Desert in China

In the Uigur language, Taklamakan may mean you can get into it but can never get out, according to Travel Guide China. We cant verify whether or not the translation is accurate, but the label fits such a large, dry, dangerous place for humans and most animals. Large lakes, including Lop Nor and Kara Koschun, have dried up, so over the millennia, the area of the desert has increased. The Taklamakan Desert is an inhospitable approximately 1000x500 km (193,051 sq. mi.) oval. It is far from any ocean, and so hot, dry, and cold, by turns, with shifting sand dunes covering 85% of the surface, propelled by northerly winds, and sandstorms. Alternate Spellings:  Taklimakan and Teklimakan Lack of Rainfall Wang Yue and Dong Guangrun of the Desert Research Institute in Lanzhou, China, say that in the Taklamakan Desert the average annual rainfall is less than 40 mm (1.57 inches). It is about 10 mm—thats just over a third of an inch—in the center and 100 mm at the bases of the mountains, according to Terrestrial Ecoregions—Taklimakan desert. Bordering Countries While it is in China, and bordered by various mountain ranges (Kunlun, Pamir, and Tian Shan), there are other countries around it: Tibet, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and India. Ancient Inhabitants People would have lived there comfortably 4000 years ago. Mummies were found in the region, perfectly preserved by the arid conditions, are presumed to be Indo-European-speaking Caucasians. Science, in a 2009 article, reports: In the northeastern edge of the desert, archaeologists from 2002 until 2005 excavated an extraordinary cemetery called Xiaohe, which has been radiocarbon-dated to as early as 2000 B.C.E.... A vast oval sand hill covering 25 hectares, the site is a forest of 140 standing poles marking the graves of long-lost society and environment. The poles, wood coffins, and carved wooden statues with pronounced noses come from the poplar forests of a far cooler and wetter climate. Silk Road Trade Routes One of the worlds largest deserts, the Taklamakan, is located in the northwest region of modern China, in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. There are oases located on two routes around the desert that served as important trading spots on the Silk Road. Along the north, the route went by the Tien Shan Mountains and along the south, the Kunlun Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau. Economist Andrà © Gunder Frank, who traveled along the northern route with UNESCO, says the southern route was most used in ancient times. It joined up with the northern route at Kashgar to head into India/Pakistan, Samarkand, and Bactria. Sources Archaeology in China: Bridging East and West, by Andrew Lawler; Science 21 August 2009: Vol. 325 no. 5943 pp. 940-943.News and Short Contributions, by Derrold W. Holcomb; Journal of Field Archaeology.On the Silk Road: An Academic Travelogue Andre Gunder Frank Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 25, No. 46 (Nov. 17, 1990), pp. 2536-2539.Sand Sea History of the Taklimakan for the Past 30,000 Years. by Wang Yue and Dong Guangrun Geografiska Annaler. Series A, Physical Geography Vol. 76, No. 3 (1994), pp. 131-141.Ancient Inner Asian Nomads: Their Economic Basis and Its Significance in Chinese History, by Nicola Di Cosmo; The Journal of Asian Studies Vol. 53, No. 4 (Nov. 1994), pp. 1092-1126.

The Dietary Patterns Of Americans Essay - 1291 Words

â€Å"Dietary patterns of Americans differ widely, but most Americans eat a diet that could best be described as in need of improvement†. Compared to other countries, the American diet is very different. I have first hand experienced how much different Americans eat from other countries. For a brief, but very beneficial and productive time, I lived in Barcelona, Spain with my host family. Over in Spain, they eat much more fresh, organic food. There was a lot more seafood in the average diet. The meal configuration over there is also different than ours. Lunch is the largest meal eaten every day; different than America, where dinner is the largest. On average, Americans eat 2,000 pounds of food every year, each. The question posed by the scientists of the study I read about was: â€Å"Why Americans Eat What They Do: Taste, Nutrition, Cost, Convenience, and Weight Control Concerns as Influences on Food Consumption?† I chose this study because I was/am interested in why A mericans eat what they do. Unfortunately, I could not find a popular account linked to this scientific study, so this is purely based off of the study. There were three hypotheses of the experiment. The first was, â€Å"we expect that demographic factors will predict the importance of taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control to individual persons†. This means that they (the scientist involved) believed that the personal characteristics (age, gender, income, and race) will affect the flavor of food, benefitsShow MoreRelatedHealthy Behavior Is Associated With Healthy Eating996 Words   |  4 Pagesis associated with healthy eating. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is to promote a healthy eating pattern and help reduce the risks of diseases though the nutrients intake. â€Å"The goal of the Dietary Guidelines is for individuals throughout all stages of the lifespan to have eating patterns that promote overall health and help prevent chronic disease.† A ccording to Dietary Guideline for Americans their ultimate goal is to stimulate a healthy eating pattern by which they mean that eating in timeRead MoreThe Dietary Guidelines For Americans911 Words   |  4 PagesThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans,2010 contains recommendations for healthy food choices and physical activity for the nation. This report is updated and issued every 5 years by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The information that is presented is fostered by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee which consists of scientific experts. The goal of the document is to increase knowledge and to put what is learned into action by facilitatingRead MoreThe Dietary Guidelines For Americans760 Words   |  4 Pageshalf of all American grown-up have one or more preventable, diet-related chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes, and overweight and obesity. In any case, a huge assortment of confirmation now demonstrates that adhering to a good diet examples and customary physical action can individuals accomplish and keep up great wellbeing and decrease the danger of endless sickness all through all phases of the lifespan. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans mirrors thisRead MoreEssay On Diabetes1149 Words   |  5 Pagesgut microbiome and the association of nutrients. Due to the compound genetic view of T2DM, the function of nutrients and dietary patterns in the etiopathogenesis of this disease will most likely be multifactorial at the molecular level (Berna et al., 2014). In an overview, the epidemic of T2DM has been attributed to urbanisation and environmental transitions such as work patterns shifts from heavy to sedentary activities, increased computerisation and mechanisation, and improved transportation. InRead MorePersonal Health Organization Defines Good Nutrition1556 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy should help me identify my nutritional problem areas to improve my overall health. Comparison of Personal Intake with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends that a person should include foods from the vegetable, fruit, grain, protein, and dairy food groups every day (USDHHS and USDA, 2015). On day one and two, my dietary intake included all of these food groups except dairy. On day three, I included all of the food groups except vegetables. OverRead MoreHigh Blood Pressure Essays1571 Words   |  7 Pagesof infiltration of lipids into the arterial wall, worsen endothelial damage and enhance atherosclerotic deposition (Thomas Bishop, 2007). The most significant influences are obesity, excess alcohol and excess salt intake (Williams et al., 2004). Dietary modifications are proven to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Apple, 1997). A review showed that among overweight hypertensive people, a weight reduction of 3–9% is associated with a decrease of about 3 mmHg in systolic and diastolic bloodRead MoreThe Dietary Guidelines For Nutrition And Human Needs868 Words   |à ‚  4 PagesAccording to the History of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , In 1977 after years of scientific review and controversy the US Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, led by Senator George McGovern, recommended Dietary Goals for the American people (US Senate Select Committee, 1977). The Goals included complementary nutrient-based and food-based recommendations. The first goal aim attention at energy balance and urged that, to prevent overweight, Americans should endure only as muchRead MoreEating Habits And Lifestyle Of The Field Of Dietetics / Nutrition New Diets1532 Words   |  7 Pagestwo points of view: 1) People should follow the dietary guidelines set by the government; 2) People should imitate the diet of humans from over 10,000 years ago. I will present a brief history and description on both sides of the argument followed by my opinion. I will end by arguing that the paleo diet is very restrictive and there needs to be more research done to pr ove that this diet will lead to overall wellness. Throughout the years, American diet has become more processed, chemicals are addedRead Moreitem using a system of how many times they consume the food, from never to once a month or even800 Words   |  4 Pagestotal energy intake from food for each day by the total weight of the reported food intake (Schroder). No drinks were included in the calculations of the test. The team used the most recent dietary reference intakes for the United States to calculate the proportion of people that meet an adequate dietary intake of the vital ingredients needed to be healthy (Carbs, Fat, Protein, Fiber, Vitamins, etc†¦). This study provided the team with adequate information about the topic. â€Å"The main findingRead MoreOverview of the Arab Culture Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesName of Culture Arab is not a race, but is a group of individuals that are united by their culture and history (ADC, 2014). There are many different variations commonly based on a particular individual’s country of origin such as Arab Americans. Other variations are based on their social class, the level of their education, if they live urbanely or rurally, or the time they have spent in the United States (Lipson Dubble, 2007). Most Arabs also practice Islamic religion and are Muslim. When

Evelyn Lau Essay Example For Students

Evelyn Lau Essay Evelyn Lau is an author with which I can identify with. Her lack of humilitygives rise to self-awareness. She does not hide under a mask of sorrow, shesimply puts into words how she reacts and feels towards her lifes struggles. She does not convey a deep sense of hostility or arrogance, but merely addressesthe conflicts through out her life with a graceful, honest manner. One can seehow Evelyn allows herself to let go of all inhibitions and secrets througheach of her works. She can face her past, and acknowledge her pain, unlike mostpeople. Her ability to do this is what gives every person an identity they canrelate with; whether it be living on the streets, coping with a drug addiction,or dealing with a dysfunctional family. Evelyn, unlike most people, canpin point her torment. Her father was the center of her universe (Details 3),always loving, compassionate and with someone she could share her childhooddreams. However, their relationship ended abruptly while she was only ten yearsold. This severed bond caused her much grief. She longed for love and affection,which her mother could not provide. Evelyns self loathing began while she wasa per-adolescent ( Details 2). Her fathers emotional passivity caused E velyn todestroy herself physically. She chose her body as her tool of destruction, forshe felt, no one could control her body, not even her neurotic mother (Details2). I do not think that Evelyn blames her fathers lack of love, on the fact thathe lost his job(2). It seems to me that he lost himself, for he saw his daughteras a young woman; not as a child. This realization may have been the reason hefaded from her life. He lost touch with Evelyns child hood, and couldnt copewith the idea that his little girl was now a blossoming young lady. Hisselfishness caused her so much angst. She began to believe that her father andmother both disliked her presence, as a part of their family. (Details 3). Atthe age of nine Evelyn began reading Harlequin Romance novels(Details 4) as away to vicariously feel love. This love enabled her to escape the harshreality that was her life. However ,it ruined my idea of male femalerelationships (Details 2) Evelyn began to believe that women were supposed to be weak, dependent creatures. And men were supposed to be older, handsome,stronger, ideal mates for the weak woman. Her notions of this streered hertowards bulimia. Her bulimia took over her life. It was the one thing shethought she could control, and the one thing she thought she could hide. But herperfect vision was one where she could continue her weak womanly characteristics(bulimia) and have a father figure mend her emotional scars. Her longingfor love is what drew her to self-mutilation. In a sick sense I can see why shemight have done this. She longed for the father she had as a young girl, toswoop her into his arms and caress her nightmares into oblivion. As a result oflittle fatherly love, Evelyn began her search for lovers which she classified asthe father figure, like those in the romance novels, I always had thisthing for older menI look for father figures all the time (Details 2). She openly admits that her search for men which can love her like a daughter isa perverse one, and one which causes many problems in the relationship (2). However, she continues this fantasy, and divulges her true feelings aboutchildren I hate childrenI cant imagine getting pregnant and having achild. I think that would be horrible.. (1). This quote reveals to me that asa person Evelyn is selfish. She does not wish to share her fatherly loverwith that of a child, for then both the child and the mother would be graspingfor the fathers attention. As I read through Evelyns works, I have come tothe conclusion that although she is able to pronounce her hatred she still hasmany skeletons in the closet. She will not face her father to this day, allowingregret, guilt, and anger to build inside of her (2). Evelyn had reason to feelsuppressed by her parents, but as a rising star one mustnt succumb to theidea that ones past is fiction in ones novel. And she has yet to reachthat pinnacle of understanding.

Home Products stock and bond valuatio free essay sample

In all textbooks, the valuation of stocks and bonds is simply stated as the present value of all the future cash flows expected from the security. The concept is logical, straightforward, and deceptively simple. The valuation of bonds is usually presented first, since the relatively certain cash flows are broken into an annuity and a payment of the par value at some specific date in the future. Preferred stock valuation follows bond valuation and the value of preferred stock is shown to be the present value of perpetual annuity. The cash flows from the constant-size dividend is fairly certain, and most preferred stock does not have a maturity date. Finally, common stock is presented but neither the future cash flows (from dividends) nor the final value is known with any degree of certainty, Generally students seem to understand the bond and preferred stock valuation techniques, but they tend to be very skeptical of the common stock valuation model. We will write a custom essay sample on Home Products stock and bond valuatio or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Using the discounted cash flow models on an actual company can help dispel some of the doubts, but more importantly it can indicate how the models explain price behavior. HOME PRODUCTS, INC. Home Products, Inc, (HPI) is a leading manufacturer of prescription and ethical drugs; specialty foods and candies; and proprietary drugs. Important product names include Advil, Anacin, Dimetapp, Norplant, and Robitussin. Total revenues in the last fiscal year were in excess of $9 billion. Long-Term Debt The company has a capital structure that is made up of 34 percent long-term debt, 3 percent preferred stock, and 63 percent common stock. One of the two largest domestic long-term debt issues is an 8.5 percent coupon bond (semi-annual) that is due in 15 years. This debenture is currently selling for $1020. The bond is callable in seven years and if called will be redeemed at a price of 1040. The other large publicly held bond is a 8. 0 percent coupon bond that is due in nine years. This debenture is selling for $990. Both of these bonds are rated A by Moodys. Preferred Stock The preferred stock has a $2. 40 annual dividend with a stated value of $30. 00, but it is currently selling for $31 per share. More than 5.5 million shares were issued in February 2003 in connection with the merger of FDS Holding Company into a subsidiary of HPI. The preferred stock has no voting rights unless the company is in arrears on six or more quarterly dividends, and then each shareholder is entitled to one-quarter vote per share. Common Stock Returns from common stock come from the cash dividend payment and/or changes in the price of the stock. Investors receiving dividends can expect them to grow over time, but some stocks do not pay dividends, especially during their early growth years. As firms mature, they typically start paying dividends and then management is very reluctant to reduce the dividend. For the firms that do not pay dividends, the normal assumption is that the earnings are being retained by the firm to promote growth; thus, the stock price should grow at a higher rate than firms that have high payout ratios. Two major factors that affect the price of stock are changes in the required rate of return, caused primarily by changes in the risk, and change in the growth rate of earnings, which in turn create changes in the growth rate of dividends. The common stock of Home Products currently has over 95 million shares of $3. 125 par value stock outstanding. A share of common stock presently sells for $43. 00 and pays a quarterly dividend of $0. 30 ($1. 20 per year). A consensus estimate (Zacks and IBES) indicates that earnings and dividends are expected to grow at an annual rate of 6 percent for the next five years. The common shares have no preemptive rights. Stockholders of HPI have the opportunity to buy additional shares of common stock through a plan of automatic dividend reinvestment and optional cash purchase. This plan allows stockholders to have their dividends reinvested in shares of common stock, and they can purchase additional shares at the market price (with no commission) each month. Shareholders who participate in this plan are limited to a total of $1,000 per month that they can use to purchase additional shares. QUESTIONS 1. Look at the 8. 5 percent coupon bond. What is its current yield, its yield-to-first call, and its yield-to-maturity? 2. Do you think this bond will be called? Why or why not? 3. What would be the value of the 8.5 percent coupon bond if the time to maturity was 10 years rather than 15 years? (use your yield to maturity answer in #1) 4. What is the required rate of return for the preferred stock? How does this rate compare to the YTM for the HPI 8. 5 percent bond? Is this difference what you would have expected from a risk/return standpoint? Why or why not? 5. What is the expected dividend yield and the expected capital gains yield for HPI common stock? 6. Giv en that HPI is selling for $43, what is its required rate of return? (Use the constant growth valuation model. ) 7. Assume that the risk-free rate is 5. 0 percent and that the expected return of the market is 10 percent. According to the security market line valuation model, what is the required rate of return for HPI common stock if its beta is 1. 3? 8. Using the constant growth valuation model, find the present value of HPI common stock. Would you buy or sell? Problema 1 Problema 2 Problema 3 Problema 4 Problema 5 Problema 6 Problema 7 Problema 8

Gods Omnipotence Essay Example

Gods Omnipotence Essay Example Gods Omnipotence Essay Gods Omnipotence Essay Some people refer God as the Omnipotent, that is to say a being that has unlimited power, and is able to do everything. God has four different attributes, he is omniscient, simple, eternal and omnipotent. The latter raises some difficulties, and paradoxes. In a first part I will show how omnipotence can be defined differently, how radical omnipotence differs with limited omnipotence and the issue with logic. Then I will show how God’s omnipotence raises some paradoxes and contradictions, by relying on the paradox of the stone and the problem of evil. Finally I will try to answer some questions concerning God’s ability to sin, to bring about the past, and to do things not done by him. Does God’s powers have a limit, could it then be possible that God’s omnipotence isn’t logic ? The concept of omnipotence and God is not that easily understood. Indeed many philosophers have different conceptions of God’s extent of power. Omnipotence is a kind of supremacy, all-powerfulness. Following that definition, the omnipotence of God   is an absolute, and radical one. This is Descartes’ view, according to him God can do the logically possible as well as the logically impossible, he can make a square circle and change the laws of mathematics. Indeed, ‘God can do whatever we are able to understand, but not that He cannot do what we are unable to understand. For it would be presumptuous to think that our imagination extends as far as His power’ (Descartes,   1630). In other words, it is for us Humans impossible to imagine and understand a notion as illogical as a square circle, however God created everything, and that includes logic. : Therefore it is for him perfectly possible and coherent to draw a square circle, or make the number 2 higher than the number 9. However Aquinas claims that ‘this phrase, God can do all things, is rightly understood to mean that God can do all things that are possible’ (Peterson, 2001, p. 124). The definition of omnipotence being God is able to do everything, is now limited to God can do everything that is possible. And by everything that is possible, Aquinas means everything that is logically possible. As a result it is incoherent for God to draw a square circle. However his inability to do so does not prevent God from being omnipotent ‘it does not come within the scope of divine omnipotence’ (ibid, p. 125), indeed this self contradictory phrase represents a ‘non-question’. Richard Swinburne has the same position as Aquinas and argues that ‘ a logically impossible is not an action. It is what is described by a form of words which purport to describe an action, but do not describe anything which it is coherent to suppose could be done’(Swinburne, 1993, p. 153). Therefore it would not be coherent to construct a spherical cube, as it is only two words put together   which does not represent anything. Moreover Swinburne believes that certain actions are logical, such as getting married, but they become logically impossible when they are performed by a certain kind of people, for instance : get married to a bachelor. So the action itself is not considered logically impossible, but it is the combination of the person and the situation, that makes it logically impossible. So being omnipotent is not only being possible to do everything logically possible but is an â€Å"ability to bring about any logically possible state of affairs† (Swinburne, 1993, p. 150). According to this view, God’s omnipotence is a coherent idea. Can God create a stone heavier that he can lift ? Considering that God is omnipotent, he is able to create such a stone, however he is not able to lift it. If he cannot lift it, then he is not omnipotent This act seems illogical and self-contradictory, Mavrodes states that such acts are ‘pseudo-tasks’, ‘the fact that they cannot be performed implies no limits on the power of god’(Mavrodes, 2005, p. 262), but as Aquinas pointed out, the act of lifting this stone requires an illogical power, therefore God cannot lift it as he is able to do everything that is logically coherent. But it does not derive him from being omnipotent. Moreover if God is radically omnipotent, he is not bound by logical laws, therefore the illogical act of creating the stone is possible, consequently the illogical act of lifting it is possible as well. We can also imagine that t1 is the time when God creates the stone, and t2 the time he lifts it. At t1, God’s omnipotence allows him to create the stone, then the stone being created he can lift it at t2. Indeed Mavrodes (2005) argues that ‘nothing in the argument required the theologian to admit any limit on God’s power with regard to the lifting of the stones And if God’s power to lift is infinite, then his power to create may run to infinity also without outstripping the first power’(Mavrodes, 2005, p119). In other words those two actions are successively possible, as God’s power is infinite in both cases. Yet some would argue that in t2 the stone still cannot be lifted by God as he created it being this way. The paradox of the stone shows that there is an incoherence concerning God and omnipotence. There has to be some limits to his power. But where do those limits extend? As well as being omnipotent, God is morally good and benevolent. How could there be evil in the world if God is omnipotent, his power should prevent any existence of evil as he is morally good. Those attributes combined should eliminate evil. Yet, everyday we witness evil. To understand the presence of evil in the world one has to either admit that God is not omnipotent, or that his omnipotence is incoherent ; or admit that he is not benevolent. However it can be argued that for good to exist, evil has to exist and that it would be illogical to think that good could exist on its own. (Mackie, 1955)The claim that ‘evil is necessary as a counterpart to good’ (Mackie, 1955, p. 03) errs, indeed we can again assert that as God made the laws of logic it would be possible for only good to exist in the world. Nevertheless the existence of evil in the world is required to prove what good really is. Without evil, everything, every actions are considered good. But if good is everywhere, it becomes difficult to measure it, and we cannot compare i t with other actions. To be good is to possess and display moral virtue, but how can we do that if evil does not exist ? Good has to be opposed to evil, for it to exist. It then does not distract it with God’s omnipotence. Mackie (1955) reckons that first order evil such as ‘pain and misery’ contrasts with first order good ‘pleasure and happiness’. Moreover a second order good such as ‘sympathy’ can only exist if there is a second order evil ‘suffering’, similarly with ‘heroism in facing danger’ (Mackie, 1955, p. 206). But according to Mackie this claim fails, in fact the second order evil that is ‘cowardice’ or ‘cruelty’ (Mackie, 1955, p. 207) is rising as much as another second order good. And if God were omnipotent and morally good he would try and eliminate those evils. Regarding evil and omnipotence many philosophers have taken the position that human have freewill and are independent of God. And that would explain why there is evil and how god remains omnipotent. Freedom is considered as good for the society and humans. If humans were not free, it would undermine god’s morally good attribute. Thus it is logic for him to create humans who are free. Yet Mackie (1955) argues that if God could create humans who are free to choose between evil and good, he could therefore help them into choosing what is good. However this view can be reconsidered, in fact it would be an illogical action to create free agents and then to force them to always lean towards what is good. Besides Swinburne (1993) insists on how the creation of a world where humans are forced to act a certain way would deprive humans of fulfilling themselves, and benefiting from interactions with each other. According to the thinker a ‘A good God, like a good father, will delegate responsibility. In order to allow creatures to share in creation, he will allow them the choice of hurting and maiming, or frustrating the divine plan. ’(1993, p. 1) Thus human freewill does not detract God from his omnipotence, but it limits it. Indeed, God is benevolent so freedom has to exist in order for humans to experience and learn from their consequences. As Swinburne puts it ‘as parents we regard it as a good thing that our children have power to do free actions of moral significance even if the consequence is that they som etimes do evil actions. ’ (1993, p. 76) The relationship between omnipotence and benevolence clashes once again when we wonder if God is able to sin. Indeed, God is able to do everything, therefore he should be able to sin. But God is morally good, so he cannot sin. Therefore God is not omnipotent. However it is not logically possible for God to sin and to be omnipotent, and according to Aquinas this is a non-question, it does not derive God from his omnipotence. Besides God is a perfect being, he cannot allow anything that would cause and imply any imperfection of his being. We can assert that it is god’s omnipotence that prevents him from sinning ‘to sin is to fall short of a perfect action; hence to be able to sin is the be able to fall short in action, which is repugnant to omnipotence’ (Aquinas, 2001, p. 125). Yet, one can argue that God is able to sin but chooses not to. Indeed how could God be morally good if he does not have the choice to sin ? The fact that he is able to sin but chooses not to makes him benevolent, and does not derive him from his omnipotence. Finally, we can raise two problems concerning god’s omnipotence. Is he able to bring about the past ? Is he able to do things not done by god ? According to Aquinas God can affect actions before they are performed, for instance he can decide for Socrates not to run before he has ran ‘therefore, when he has run, God could effect that he did not run’(Aquinas, 1265-1274). However Aquinas points out that Socrates cannot be sitting, and not sitting at the same moment, consequently it is self contradictory to say that Socrates sat and did not sit. It is highly illogical and it ‘does not fall under the scope of God’s omnipotence anything that implies a contradiction’. (Ibid)   If we consider (1) ‘There is a table which has not been made by an omnipotent being’, can we say that this table has been created by God ? If God could not create this table he is not omnipotent. However God could have possibly created that table, then maybe God is omnipotent. Van der Brink, 1994). Aquinas claims that ‘His will is the cause of all things ; nor is that will naturally and from any necessity determined to those things’ (1265-1274) in other words God is able to do things not done by him considering that he made everything, ‘the determinist might reply that anyone who makes anything determines its ways of acting, and so determines its subsequent behaviour’ (Mackie, 1955, p. 211). This makes it clear that God can do things that non omnipotent beings do. God’s omnipotence is confronted to many contradictions and paradoxes. But does it make it incoherent? I trust that God’s omnipotence is coherent. Indeed I believe that God can create a square circle, a stone heavier that he can lift, and he can do things not done by him, as he created the laws of logic. However when concerning human beings, I believe that God is bound by logical laws but it does not derive him from his omnipotence. Indeed, as Swinburne (1993) stated, it would be impossible for someone to marry a bachelor, it is self contradictory, besides it logically impossible for God to bring about the past. Furthermore, as evil is necessary for the notion of good to exist and God is able to sin but chooses not to, I assume that God can be omnipotent and benevolent. It can be assumed that an omnipotent being is not someone who does everything because he is all powerful, in fact ‘a being may remain omnipotent for ever because he never exercises his power to create stones too heavy to lift forces too strong to resist or universes too wayward to control’ (Swinburne, 1993, p161).