Risks and Loyalties

As Markham was summoned into the conference room to begin his presentation to the board of the state pension fund, he was wrestling with whether or not to raise the liability issue. He knew there were risks either way. There was the risk that his client would choose to take their business elsewhere if he told them what he believed to be the fund’s financial reality. Furthermore, such a move would not only result in lost business, but would likely be interpreted as disloyalty towards his firm. But then he thought about what didn’t happen during the 2008 financial crisis, and this reality gnawed at him: When the subprime crisis played out everybody was asking why, even though there were all these people that had a role in making it happen, no one spoke up? And so does somebody who is playing a bit part in creating a reprise of the last crisis have a responsibility to speak up on behalf of the pensioners themselves even though this is contrary to the wishes of their employer and the board of trustees who has hired their employer to provide investment advice? We all commonly find ourselves in a position where we have to tell someone something they don’t want to hear. We face this kind of communication dilemmas all the time; at home, with friends and at workplace. The range can fall between just telling a friend about his look to the case with Harry Makham, who was facing the problem of telling the board of directors about the wrong liability numbers. There are usually 2 ways of responding to this kind of dilemmas, either â€Å"saying it just right† and falling into the category of confident communicator, or failing to inform and falling into the category of unethical cheater. There are at least 5 different approaches for overcoming ethical issues concerning communication dilemma: * The Utilitarian Approach – action that provides the most good or the least harm for all who are affected-customers, employees, shareholders, the community and the environment. * The Rights Approach- action that best protects and respects the moral rights of those affected * The Justice Approach- ethical actions that treat all human beings equally, or if unequally, then fairy based on some standard that is defensible. but there is a debate over CEO salaries that are hundreds of times larger than the pay of others) * The Common Good Approach- actions that lead to the welfare of everyone in community. * The Virtue Approach – actions that are consistent with certain ideal virtues and are consistent with your own values. Regarding the issue of telling clients things they don’t want to hear the Utilitarian Approach may be more useful, and certain factors should b e taken into consideration: * harm to the clients * harm to the firm * harm to the public * harm to environment * harm to yourself (your ethical views)

The Birthday Boys by Beryl Bainbridge

Through the ‘Birthday Boys' Beryl Bainbridge has written the accounts of five very different men and their heroic fight to achieve indissoluble greatness. Fascinatingly this straightforward expedition reveals some of the most complex revelations about Edwardian society and its misplaced British class system. Even more interesting is the morals and opinions of the five men and how their desire, whatever it was, drove them to their deaths. We see how Captain Scott, possibly one of the most well-known British heroes, miscalculated time and time again, and learn through the other narrations how he begins to lose the initial trust of his men. Heroism and the values surrounding it were somewhat different then to what they are now. Heroism was far more special and idiosyncratic as the final narrative of captain Oates reveals to us. When reading the book it never feels like a team effort. It is one where the reader follows each individual and their plight for what they wish to achieve. I think the heroism present in the ‘Birthday Boys' is so idiosyncratic because there does not appear to be a common goal. With the exception of Dr. Wilson, these men were not going to the South Pole for Scientific Research, they were there for the glory, and they were there for the chance to be a hero. This drove them on. Temperatures in the Antarctic reached below -60iC, which was more than most of them had ever dreamt of suffering. It took more than just physical strength to survive those conditions; it was their mental strength, courage and belief. Each man had different ideas of what this heroic status would mean. Taff Evans explains how when he returns from the pole he will be in a position to quit being a sailor and ‘buy a little pub in Cardigan bay'. He saw this simple, honest ambition as being an ample reward for becoming a hero. Scott of the Antarctic', perhaps one of the most controversial of British Heroes, is very carefully examined by Beryl Bainbridge. Those readers who thought he was an unlucky explorer, caught out by nature but a great leader, are refuted. Those who thought that he was an inhumane, terrible leader are shown his good points. Bainbridge manages to bring a certain realism to the portrayal of a hero whom many have formed strong opinions with very little foundation. He is a very determined and positive leader yet when setting out to an unexplored continent he needs a lot more than determination and a will to succeed. It is easy to feel that Scott has overlooked this. He lacks carefully planned routes and he never has a backup plan when the least he should have is a backup plan for the backup plan! His optimism, in my opinion, is his greatest downfall. He opens his narrative: Having to sail on past Cape Crozier came as a frightful blow. I'd banked on establishing our winter quarters there, but it proved impossible to land owing to the swell. These two sentences sum up Scott's inadequacies. Firstly, we see there's no direct self-blame. He affirms this constantly through his narrative – when it is obviously his fault no-one holds responsibility, and when it is not clear who is to blame he would use names: I blamed Gran, Oates, Meares – especially Meares. Secondly, he doesn't particularly worry about the fact that they will have to locate a new Winter Camp. It was merely a frightful blow, that's all. He does not dwell on it, in fact by the next paragraph he is already talking about their new location. Finally, perhaps the most unforgivable examples of Scots' lack of preparation was that they were unable to moor at Cape Crozier was because the sea had waves on it! Scots idiocy was one of the main reasons for the fate of the Polar Party. For two years he had been setting up supply camps for their return journey to cater for four people, and then decided that five could go along. One would hope a child would not make that sort of mistake let alone an experienced explorer. Despite this no one made any objections. There was a clear hierarchy amongst these men. This hierarchy meant that few decisions were questioned and inevitably when people disagree with a decision, like dropping the skis due to a change of terrain, they lose confidence in their leader and morale drops. The Birthday Boys' by Beryl Bainbridge is a carefully written analysis of the Edwardian society, picking up on their naivety, their disjointed class system and their wish to gain respect through becoming a hero. The book is called the birthday boys because the author has captured the child-like qualities of the 1910 expedition so perfectly. It is clear that the death of these men was not needed – yet, by dying, they did achieve the indissoluble greatness they desired and one can only feel that this temptation may itself have contributed to their fate.

The Importance of Logistics in Providing

Logistics involves controlling and managing the movement of goods and services, information and products from the point where they are produced up to the market place.   In other words, it deals with the information and physical flows of the raw materials to the final distribution of finished products.   Logistics also involves the management of information and storage of materials, parts of the finished goods in the chains of supply, through procurement stages, work-in-progress to the final distribution. According to cooper (1994), the goal of logistics is to maximize future and current profitability in order to acquire customer satisfaction and also satisfying their orders through the cost effective analysis (Rushton, Oxley & Croucher, 2000). Customer service and Logistics Majority of today’s companies consider customer service as a very crucial phenomenon in their businesses.   In the past customer service was mainly based on the needs of the customer without taking in consideration what real requirements or even the perceptions of these customers.   It is therefore necessary to comprehend the customer requirements and service will always differ not only between industries and companies but also between the market segments that a business might seem to have (Rushton, Oxley & Croucher, 2000). Complexity of the provision of customer service is also another important requirement that needs to be noted and understood clearly.   This is because customer service links the processes of logistics and distribution and many influences relevant to customer service may evolve within these processes; such as the range from ease of ordering stock that is available to the reliability of delivery. It is also important to balance the cost of provision with the level of service provided.   High costs of providing customer service that is even greater than what a customer actually requires has resulted in the downfall of many service offerings in companies. Therefore, the key to attaining quality and successful customer service policy is through the development of appropriate policies and objectives which involves liaison with these customers.   It is also important to monitor, control and measure all the set up procedures (Rushton, Oxley & Croucher, 2000). The components of the logistics customer service may be identified as a transaction –related elements with emphasis being placed on specific service that is provided for instance on time delivery.   It may also be viewed as functional attributes related to the entire aspects consisting of the order fulfillment such as taking of orders. In order to reflect the timing and nature of particular service requirements transaction elements are usually put into three categories: Pre-transaction elements, transaction elements and post-transaction elements. Pre-transaction elements consist of customer service factors brought about as a result of the actual transaction that takes place. They involve: accessibility of order personnel, method of ordering, system flexibility, written customer service policy single order contact point, transaction elements organizational structure and order size constraints. Transaction elements on the other hand are the elements that are related to those other elements mostly concerned with logistics and distribution.   These elements include: delivery of complete order, delivery time, order preparation, delivery reliability, order cycle time, availability of inventory, condition of goods, order status information and delivery alternatives. The post-transaction elements consist of those elements that arise after the process of delivery has been fulfilled.   These elements include: call-out time, returns policy, availability of spares, product tracing, involving procedures, customer complaints and procedures, claims procedures and involving accuracy. Another classification of customer service elements is that one of multifunctional dimensions.   This classification has the objective of assessing the various components of customer service available across a range of the whole functions of the company so as to strive to gain a seamless service provision.   For instance, time is made up of a single requirement which covers the whole range of span from the placement of order to the delivery of the order – the order cycle. This approach has the impact of enabling the delivery of some very relevant measures of logistics.   The multifunctional dimensions include: dependability which means the guaranteed accurate and fixed delivery time, flexibility which is the logistics customer services ability to identify and respond to the changing needs of customers’ time that is usually order cycle time and communication which helps in the easy of order taking processes (Rushton, Oxley & Croucher, 2000). There elements of customer service differ and their significance will also vary according to the company, concerned market and the product.   Therefore, it is important that a customer service policy exists which will help in the undertaking of the various segments of the market that exists. The customer service policy also involve the awareness of the needs of customers or those of the segmentation; identification of clearly defined quantifiable standards available for customer service, understanding any trade – off that may exist between the levels of customer service and that of the costs, measuring the service that is provided and lastly liaison with customers so as to enhance an appreciated and understanding of the provided service (Rushton, Oxley & Croucher, 2000). How logistics customer service affect a company’s sales and customer loyalty Customer service involves ways in which an organization deals with its customers and it is mostly seen in sales and after-sale service.   Customer service in logistics should also include all the processes that are involved in the value chain.   To acquire customer focus, there is need to obtain a good customer service.   Poor customer relations on the other hand are as a result of the availability of poor customer service (Peck & Christopher, 2003). Increasing levels of competitive pressure and difficulty with the aim of maintaining and increasing profitability is what most of today’s companies face.   The management of these companies are being faced with the challenges of innovating and seeking strategies that could help in the advancement of the competitive advantage and profitability of their awareness of the significance of logistics in their organizations hence the need for a specialist. Logistics customer service plays a very crucial role in the overall outcome of a company’s sales and customer loyalty.   The outcome could be negative or positive depending on the quality of the customer service that is being provided by an organization.   Poor customer service in logistics could result in poor customer loyal.   The poor services include high costs, poor delivery time, and poor goods that the company could be offering, lack of enough inventory among other things.   This not only affects customer relations and loyalty but also the sales of the company (Peck & Christopher, 2003). The earlier on discussed elements of logistics customer service play a very crucial role to the buyers of the products in the company.   Lack of adherence to these elements by an organization often leads to the fall in the overall company’s sales and customer loyalty.   Profitability of the firm depends on how a company handles carriers out these elements. An organization is bound to gain loyalty from its customers when it strives to strengthen the relationship between them as this will enhance the company’s sales hence profitability is increased.   This relationship involves good communication and honesty from the logistics customer care service loyalty can only be enhanced through good customer service provision.   Customer loyalty is bound to deteriorate if they are offered with poor services or the company’s sales are such that they are too high as compared to their expectations of the goods and services that a company provides (Peck & Christopher, 2003). Customer service plays a vital role in logistics hence its major concern.   The level and quality of logistic customer service provided will directly impact on the company’s cost and implication, its profitability and the market share.   Poor logistic customer service will result in the company’s lose of customer hence losing their loyalty as well.   The end result therefore means that the company will have to incur high costs in trying to shape its image and also in the recruitment of other personnel. The company has also got to strive in order to increase its market share.   On the other hand effective logistic customer care will result in the improved market share, profitability and low cost incurred by an organization (Peck & Christopher, 2003). Customer service in logistics and be viewed as an activity which means what a company actually provides for its customer service department that mostly handles special orders, billing, complaints among other things.   Similarly the provision of customer service can also be viewed as a measure of a company’s performance.   For instance if a company can deliver completed orders at least 24 hours of the receipt and 95% on time, this means that this company provides good customer service. It is therefore, important that the logistics customer service provides quality service in the manner in which they handle customer’s complaints, handling their orders and the speed of delivery.   This will have a positive impact on the company’s sale and customer loyalty (Gourdin, 2006). In addition, if the logistics customer service system is managed in a way that it can provide the customers the level and standard of services that they require, this will   result into customer satisfaction hence accompany is able to reap maximum benefits and at the same time retain the loyalty of its customers. Another factor that determines how logistic customer service impacts on company’s sales and customer loyalty is honesty.   Honesty means that an organization should be able to fulfill its promises to its customers.   If a company pledges more than what it can guarantee, it means that the customers will get dissatisfied.   This as a result, will lead to the fall of the number of customers that a company has hence, losing the customer’s loyalty and this eventually leads to a fall in the company’s sales.   It is therefore important that manager do not overstate the services they intend to offer their customers (Gourdin, 2006) To conclude, in today’s market, competition is stiff and customers are more demanding with regards to goods and services that are offered by companies.   The expectations concerning service provisions and this therefore calls for the understanding of what is valued by the customers and also a company needs to focus on the processes so that this value is delivery consistently. References Gourdin, K., (2006) Glogal Logistics Management: A Competitive Advantage for the 21st Century. Blackwell Publishing, ISBN 1405127139. Peak, H. & Christopher, M. (2003) Marketing Logistics. Elsevier. ISBN 0750652241. Rushton, A., Oxley, J., & Croucher, P., (2000).   The Handbook of Logistics and Distribution Manage.   Kogan Page. ISBN 0749433655.

Analysis of Organizational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Organizational Behaviour - Essay Example These writers stress the importance of both ethical understanding and self-efficacy, stating that in order to ensure good ethical practice it is important that the leader and decision maker has sound knowledge and the necessary experience. However, experience gained in one cultural situation may well be different from those in another culture. The executive in Japan, for instance, will have a very different knowledge set from one who has worked only in Arabia. I can back this up from my personal experience of working in a multi-cultural situation. Kuwait has more or less equal numbers of Kuwaiti nationals and foreigners. The non-nationals come from a variety of countries and this results in a mixture of ideologies, religions and general outlook on life. For example, someone from Lebanon will see his work and go about his tasks is different from an Indian employee. The same is true for many others ex-patriates. There are of course similarities, but always some differences between for example Asians and Arabians. In such a multi-cultural environment the wisdom and efficiency of leaders in building and maintaining good ethical codes and practices are very important. As he uses the knowledge and experience he already has and is gaining over time, a leader gets ever stronger and gains confidence when it comes to making ethical decisions. Confidence in one’s own ability and strengths means a greater ability to be a strong and confident leader when dealing with a variety of situations. In our organization practicing good ethics is not easy. This is not because of leadership deficiencies when it comes to decision, but because of the variations in cultural outlooks of employees despite good communications. The authors cited have talked about the problems of global business with its mix of cultures and ethical ideas.

Critical Approaches to Human Resource Management Essay - 2

Critical Approaches to Human Resource Management - Essay Example Only then, the dominance and position of the organization, operating in any segment, might retain in the market for a longer period of time among other contenders. However, in order to do so, it is quite essential to communicate within them in order to know their inner desires and likings. After knowing the inner desires and feelings, the management of the organization might act accordingly in order to accomplish it. As a result, the performance of the employees might get enhanced and it may improve the productivity and total sale of the organization.   Other than this, in order to retain the experienced staffs for the longer period of time, implementation of effective training methods is also highly effective in nature. By doing so, the inner skills and talents of the employees might get enhanced that may augment his or her career objectives as well. Moreover, due to the execution of various types of training programs, the level of efficiency of the employees’ improves in such a extent that may amplify its portfolio in the market among many other rival contenders. Due to execution of varied types of training programs, the level of satisfaction and inner morale of the employees improves that declines the scope the turnover rate. This essay mainly describes the topic, whether the amounts of revenue spend over training is effective or in-effective (Beardwell & Claydon, 2010, pp. 223-245). After analyzing this concept with the help of various approaches of HRM, a final opinion is attained as conclusion. The term training is described as the systematic improvement of the knowledge, skills, attitude and behavior of an individual so as to fulfill the assigned duties and responsibilities in an effective way. Only then, the level of performance and productivity of the employee might get enhanced and may amplify the profit margin of the organization. Due to

Skill Acquisition Worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skill Acquisition Worksheet - Essay Example Therefore, perfect coordination of footwork is very essential to reach the target. Gross body coordination: the body is in continuous motion during the play. Therefore, the movement of hand, eye, foot and back should be coordinated to hit the stroke at the right place and the right time. Stamina: undoubtedly, tennis is the sport that requires the greatest stamina. Therefore in order to sustain the energy level, breathing and cardiovascular effort is very important in addition to physical fitness. The information-processing theory basically tells about the cognitive development of an individual. The leaning of new things by the human mind is analyzed in this theory, which states that the sensory preceptors of the human mind receives information, which is then encoded and analyzed based on the perceptions and past experiences. This information is then stored in short term or long term memory depending on the nature of information. Whenever, a person learns new things, first he retrieves the previous information on the basis of which, he/she constructs new strategy to learn new things. a. ANTICIPATION: the information-processing theory helps an individual to take responsive action in course of particular situation. This response/decision is made on the basis of anticipation. Anticipation can be classified into two types: acceptor anticipation and receptor anticipation. Acceptor anticipation tells how much time an individual will take to coordinate the movement of his/her limbs. While receptor anticipation estimates the time required by a particular event to happen. The ability to anticipate the time and motion correctly is heavily dependent on past experiences and training. Human mind processes information/stimuli stored in short term and long term memory which is used to anticipate the information present in the environment on the basis of which the interceptor actions/responses are

Answer the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Answer the question - Essay Example urniture is covered, then the furniture should be part of the sale – only in so far that a definite and accurate amount is expressly indicated and agreed upon by both parties. Accordingly, the legal course of law on negotiations and contract discloses that â€Å"a contract is legally binding only if its terms are sufficiently definite to enable a court to understand the parties’ obligations†¦ Restatement (Second) of Contracts  § 33(2) (1981) (reveals that) if an alleged agreement is so indefinite as to make it impossible for a court to fix the legal obligations and liabilities of the parties, it cannot constitute an enforceable contract† (TERMS OF CONTRACT MUST BE DEFINITE TO ASSURE ENFORCEABILITY pars. 1 & 2). In this regard, if the parties cannot resolve their dispute, all the more the court cannot determine the price for them; since the stipulation of a price that would be amenable to both would be subject to diverse factors including the time frame, fair market value and the date within which the parties have to agree on the indicated

Rehabilitation of the Injured Athlete Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Rehabilitation of the Injured Athlete - Essay Example The program will encompass total recovery, involving pre-habilitation and the actual rehabilitation process – including targeted treatment and exercises, aimed at returning Simon to his rugby team and game as soon as possible. The shoulder consists of three bones the clavicle, scapula, and humerus, and two joints, the acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints (Quinn, 2006). The bones are connected to each other by ligaments, while they are connected to muscles by tendons (Quinn, 2006). These structures, along with the rotator cuff muscles, cooperate to provide motion, mobility, and strength to the very movable shoulder joint which is quite unstable and prone to injury from impact (Quinn, 2006). Nevertheless, the 13 muscles in the shoulder joint, offer biomechanical protection which provides a measure of stability to this vulnerable and unstable joint (Funk, 2011). Simon’s collision caused his dislocated shoulder joint, where an extreme rotation occurred violently twisti ng his shoulder upward and backward, causing the humerus to jump out of the glenoid, and delivering intense pain and weakness in the arm, presumably because the rotator cuff was damaged during the impact (Cunha, 2011). The four tendons in the rotator cuff are connected to four muscles which turn the arm inward, upward, and outward (Cunha, 2011), and are responsible for stabilizing the humerus in the socket (Erstad, 2010). Simon’s collision caused the joint capsule, cartilage, and rotator cuff ligaments, which keep the shoulder intact, to tear (Wedro, 2011). The resultant pain signalled the need for medical attention. The injured shoulder would first have been tied in a makeshift sling, before Simon was rushed to a doctor (Cunha, 2011) (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2009). Most likely he was given pain killers and then quickly examined by the doctor, who probably touched the shoulder from the side to see whether the humeral head was in position (Cunha, 2011). Simon probably grimaced at t he pain in the front of the shoulder, caused when the doctor bent his elbow or turned his wrist, indicating a SLAP lesion (Pesic, 2011). The doctor would then x-ray the injury to confirm the diagnosis and ascertain whether there were broken bones (Cunha, 2011). Having found no broken bones, the doctor would first determine whether the SLAP lesion could be treated non-surgically through shoulder rest and medication to lessen inflammation (Pesic, 2011). Simon would naturally be removed from active play (Pesic, 2011). SLAP lesion physical therapy would be done by stretching and strengthening the muscles surrounding the rotator cuff and scapula, through special exercises (Pesic, 2011). Cold therapy, which can be a three-hour application of ice packs or a massage, could also be done to reduce swelling and pain (Pesic, 2011). The RICE technique of rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the shoulder would also be applied (â€Å"Cold Therapy,† 2011). If those measures are not succe ssful, surgery would be scheduled. Maunder (2011) feels that Simon should be prepared mentally and physically for surgery to increase his chances of success. Prehabilitation would give him an opportunity to ask questions and learn

(((p))) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

(((p))) - Essay Example In my belief, DAP enables teachers to be free in making decisions about what children require developmentally to make the most out of their educational experiences. Hence, I really feel that DAP offers trained teachers with enough autonomy to teach young children in the best way possible not only to individual development but also to the general curriculum development as well. According to Copple (2006), teachers who utilize DAP to teach young children meet the young learners where they are and not necessarily where learners want to be hence promoting curriculum development. This makes the teachers consider all the curriculum development areas of child in the learning process which are physical, social cognitive and emotional. DAP makes teachers provide young children with learning opportunities that challenge the children and yet the challenges are achievable when working with Zone of Proximal Development (Arce, 2012). In terms of pedagogy, I feel the strength of DAP as a method and practice of teaching makes teachers identify learners as children who have individual differences, stores of experience and different backgrounds. More specifically, I believe that DAP as a method and practice of teaching makes it possible to teach children while making teaching decisions that adapt to experience, age, interest and the abilities of children of a certain age bracket. Hence, DAP makes it possible for teachers to focus on how young ones learn best. This implies that policy makers in the education sector need to be aware of DAP since if they ignore DAP; it will be counterproductive for them because it will be akin to ignoring the way children are wired to develop naturally (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2009). Children will learn the best through following when using DAP as a method and practice of teaching. In my view, when using DAP,

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - Essay Example These are not only concerning financial dealings but also about the readiness of an individual to own up actions, learn from mistakes and strive for improvement. Here again, supervisor can give a value judgment. Format devised above relies substantially upon measurable parameters on the one hand and upon the assessment of supervisor which itself has a direct relationship with the measurable parameters, thus eliminating subjectivity to a large extent. Greater emphasis is laid on behavioral aspects of an employee compared to traits since the former has a direct and greater bearing upon the success of the individual and his team in achieving the performance targets. Based on the elements of evaluation, in association with the line supervisor concerned, I will develop format for periodical recording of performance. These records are to be maintained by the supervisor for on-going review and also overall review at the time of annual assessment. For annual assessment, I will devise a separate format (again based on the same elements of evaluation) which will be filled-in by the supervisor. This format will have not only the supervisor’s assessment but also a record of his interaction with the employee on the assessment itself and the employee’s own remarks. This will commit the employee for owning up his shortfalls (if any) and spur him to greater efforts in areas of deficiency. Thus, I will work towards an open and transparent system of appraisal, which will meet the due process of assessment. Team performance appraisals are not very relevant in the sales department of an auto company unless the sales persons are grouped as teams. Assuming that Luxurion Auto has teams of salesmen (divided on some basis like a territory or a market segment) and group targets are set for such teams, I will certainly create team performance appraisal

Magnesium calcium lithium, Sodium, and Potassium Essay Example for Free

Magnesium calcium lithium, Sodium, and Potassium Essay In this lab, six different metals were tested for their reactivity in water. From less reactive to most reactive, the metals were as follows: Aluminum, Magnesium, Calcium, Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium. A pattern found in the periodic table explaining the reactivity of metals is the further down in a family, and the further left in a period, the more reactive the metal will be. Aluminum and Magnesium were both the less reactive. Neither of the metals produced hydrogen, or not enough to have a positive test to prove it was there. Metals + H O H + Metal Hydroxide Calcium gave off a large amount of Hydrogen gas. Lighting a splint, placing it in the test tube, and hearing a loud pop proved this. When the calcium was placed in the water, it caused the temperature to rise to such a high level it was not possible to hold with bare hands. This could be because the electrons are moving so quickly that it causes the temperature to rise. The calcium formed a white, powder-like precipitate at the bottom of the test tube. Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium all had very violent reactions in water. Phenolphthalein was added to the beakers after the metals had reacted, and the water turned a pink/ purple color proving that these metals make bases, and therefore have a pH between eight and. Common reactions between metals were they all formed hydrogen gas, even if it was a very small amount. Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium all tested positive to be a base with phenolphthalein, and all had an oily surface. A pattern found in the periodic table explaining the reactivity of metals is the further down in a family, and the further left in a period, the more reactive the metal will be. This is because the elements in period I, Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium, only have one valence electron, and it is quite simple to lose it. Also, the further down the family, the more the ionization energy decreases because of the shielding effect (the inner electrons block the attraction of the nucleus for outer electrons) and atomic radius (the greater the distance between the nucleus and the outer electron). However, the further to the right of the periodic table, the more the ionization energy increase because of the nuclear charge, electron arrangement ( an electron in a full of a half full energy level requires additional energy to be removed), and atomic radius. This explains why Aluminum was the least reactive, and Potassium was the most reactive.

Early Childhood Education Essay Example for Free

Early Childhood Education Essay Children are our future. This explains to you, the reader, why I chose to dive into the career path of Early Childhood Education. In this essay I will explain to you what the job of an early Childhood professional is, what training they need and what standards they are expected to maintain. These are all important facts in becoming an Early Childhood professional. First of all, what is the job of an Early Childhood professional? Well, their job is to nourish the growth of children, support families, and work closely with coworkers. Their work with children begins before the first child arrives, and continues until after the last child leaves. Early Childhood educators spend a lot of time with not only the children, but with the families of the children. The book, Who Am I in the Lives of Children states that young children cannot be separated from the context of their homes, so relating to and working with families is an important part of the role of the Early Childhood educator. If your not a people person, this job may not be for you. Educators provide a safe and secure environment for the children, allowing them to grow and blossom into an independent child, with a personality of their own. Early Childhood education may take a number of faces including family childcare providers and nannies, teacher aides or teacher assistants, assistant teachers or assistant care givers, teachers or care givers, master teachers or head teachers and lastly, directors. Members of this field share a mission, commitment and set of values. Also, they have agreed on standards, in the form of a code of ethics. In one single day, an Early Childhood professional may function as a teacher, friend, secretary, parent, colleague, nurse, janitor, counselor, entertainer, and a diplomat. Second of all, what training are Early Childhood professionals expected to have? Well, paraphrasing from the book, Who Am I in the Lives of Children, the training and experience required will be determined by program licensing. Requirements vary from state to state. In some states being in good health and having a diploma are all that is necessary. Most states require that teachers and care givers in center based programs be qualified for their jobs through training, either by having a college degree, or a CDA credential(Child Development Associate). From what I know you need approximately 12 units of ECE training to go into the field of Early Childhood education. Lastly, what standards are Early Childhood professionals expected to maintain? I think the core values of early childhood education are very important to maintain. These core values are: appreciating childhood as a unique a valuable stage of the human life cycle basing our work with children on knowledge of child development appreciating and supporting the close ties between the child and the family recognizing that children are best understood in the context of family, culture and society Respecting the dignity, worth and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member and colleague) Helping children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust, respect and positive reguard. The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct is also important is the field of Early Childhood education. (A copy of the code is found in the appendix of, Who Am I in the Lives of Children) These two things are important because young children are vulnerable and lack the power to defend themselves. In conclusion, when people say that you just babysit kids they are wrong. Being an Early Childhood professional is a very important job. You are helping shape and raise our futures leaders.

Causes of Luminescence and Chemiluminescence

Causes of Luminescence and Chemiluminescence 1.1. Luminescence Phenomena Luminescence is the phenomenon of emission of electromagnetic radiation in excess of thermal radiation. The radiation is usually in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, however, since the same basic processes may yield infrared or ultra violet radiation. Luminescence is observed with all phases of matter: gases, liquids and solids both organic and inorganic[1]. Luminescence is an umbrella term for those kinds of events where light emission is not the result of high temperature. In fact with increasing temperature the competing nonradiative de – excitation processes become more probable and the intensity of the luminescent emission decreases. Luminescence in living organisms has been reported as far back as 1500 BC. In Chinese literature, the best known examples being the emission of light from fireflies and glow – worms[2, 3]. 1.1.1Types of Luminescence Classification according to the means by which energy is supplied to excite the luminescent molecule[4-8].Table 1.1 Table (1-1):- Different types of luminescence phenomena Excitation source Luminescence type Produced from irradiation Absorption of Uv-vis or near IR radiation. (Conversion of light energy to chemical energy). Photoluminescence Emission produced from irradiation of ÃŽ ² particles. Cathodoluminescence Emission produced from irradiation of ÃŽ ± particle. Anodoluminescence Radiation-induced chemical excitation (irradiation of ÃŽ ³ particles. Radiodoluminescence Produced from heating. Emission from incandescent solids Candoluminescence Caused by solid subjected to mild heating. Thermoluminescence Flame-excited metal atoms Pyroluminescence Produced from structural rearrangements in solids Emission from shaking, rubbing, or crushing crystals. Triboluminescence Emission from crystallization. Crystalloluminescence Excitation induced from dissolution of an irradiated or other energy-donating solid. Lyoluminescence Produced from electrical phenomena. Radiative recombination of electrons and holes in material (emission from electrical discharge) Electroluminescence Emission during electrolysis Galvanoluminescence Excitation of compounds by ultra-sonication. Sonoluminescence Emission from fractional charge separation at the crystal surface. Piezoluminescence Produced from chemical reactions Emission from luminous organisms. Bioluminescence Chemical excitation of compounds. Chemiluminescence 1.2. Chemiluminescence The term chemiluminescence (CL.) was first coined by Eilhardt Weidman in 1888. Chemiluminescence is defined as the production of electromagnetic radiation observed when a chemical reaction yields an electronically excited intermediate or product. CL-reactions emit light of varying degrees of intensity and lifetime. With colors that spare the visible spectrum [9-11]. Analytically, the CL-reactions are attractive due to: excellent detection limits results from the absence of source of noise and scattering, suitable to both batch and flow techniques highly sensitive, determinable over a wide range of concentrations, easy to operate, simplicity, absence of unwanted background so the only background signal is that of the PMT dark current and no excitation source or optical filters are required as compared to other optical or photo luminescence methods [12, 13]. However, some disadvantages are to be considered as well; A chemiluminescence reagent may yield significant emission not just for one unique analyte i.e. a lack of selectivity may occur. Moreover, chemiluminescence emission intensities are sensitive to a variety of environmental factors such as temperature, solvent, ionic strength, pH and other species present in the system. As a result, a separation condition (HPLC, capillary electrophoresis (CE), may not always match the optimum CL-emission conditions. Third, as the emission intensity from a CL-reaction varies with time,light flash composed of signal increase after reagent mixing, passing through a maximum, then decreasing back to the base – line, thus the CL- emission versus time profile differs from one compound to another and care has to be taken to detect the signal in the flowing stream during strictly defined periods [14].chemiluminescence technique is versatile for determination of a wide variety of species that can participate in the CL-reaction such as; CL-substrates or CL-precursors responsible for the excited state [15], the necessary reagent for the CL-reactions (usually an oxidant) [16] , some species that enhance the rate or sensitivity of the CL-reaction[17] ,activators such as catalysts (enzymes[18] or metal ions[19] CL. analysis found a wide application not only in the organic technology, medicine, food testing, but also in environmental monitoring and material science [20-24]. CL-reactions can be coupled as a detection technique [25] in chromatography [26, 27], capillary electrophoresis [28-30], or immunoassay, providing qualitative and / or quantitative information [31, 32]. 1.2.1. Mechanisms of Chemiluminescence Reaction Figure (1-2) shows the types of the CL-reaction mechanisms. In general CL-reactions can be generated by two basis mechanisms: Figure (1-2):- Types of CL-reactions. P, product; F, fluorescing substance Direct CL-reactions: a substrate (A) and an oxidant (B) in the presence of cofactors react to form an intermediate product in an electronically excited state which relaxes to the ground state with a photon emission. The catalyst is an enzyme or metal ions, reduces the activation energy and provides an adequate environment for producing high CL-efficiency out of the process.Cofactors sometimes are necessary to convert one or more of the substrates into a form capable of reacting and interacting with the catalyst,or to provide an efficient leaving group if bond cleavage is required to produce the excited emitter [33]. An alternative for compounds producing ultra-weak CL-emission is: Indirect or sensitized CL reactions: Since not all excited states of CL-reactions products are effective â€Å"emitters† in any case, thus the excited state energy can be transferred to an â€Å" effective â€Å" flourophore added to the system, in –order to increase the CL-intensity substantially . The most salient asset of chemical excitation is the low background noise involved, which results in very low detection limits (in the sub femtomole of region) [34,35]. Enhanced CL- reactions (ECL): describes the phenomenon which has been observed in a wide range of chemi and bioluminescence reactions. Enhancement of light emission from the luminol-hydrogen peroxide reaction at alkaline pH has been achieved by the addition of various organic compounds generally containing oxonium group. Enhancement of CL. Reaction led to intense light emission, prolonged light emission and low background[36]. Spontaneous light emission during reaction requires the presence of the following conditions[37]: The reaction must be highly exothermic (40-70 kcal/mole) in order that the CL-reaction occurred in the visible region (400 nm (violet) – 750nm (red). These exothermic conditions associated with redox reactions using Oxygen, Ozone andhydrogen peroxide or similar potential oxidants. The reaction pathway must be a favorable to channel the energy for the formation of an electronically excited state. Photon emission must be favorable deactivation process of the excited product in relation to other competitive non-radiative processes that may appear in low proportion. There are several ways for an electronically excited state species to lose its extra energy, either by reacting with another molecule, molecular dissociation, and collision with its surrounding molecules or luminescence. In the latter case it can react to liberate sufficient energy to produce photon of visible light, figure (1-3). Figure (1-3):-possible de-excitation pathways of excited molecule 1.2.2. Main Chemiluminescence-systems for analytical processes 1.2.2.1. Gas- phase chemiluminescence reactions. The development of Chemiluminescence Methods for determining components of a gas is largely originated from the need to determine atmospheric pollutants such as Ozone, Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur compounds[45, 46].The best known and most frequently used is the reaction of nitrogen oxide withOzone.CL-NOXanalyzers have been shown to respond to a number of nitrogenous pollutants besides NO and NO2. [40].Some analytical methods based on CL- reactions have been proposed for the determination of sulfur monoxide and unsaturated hydrocarbons such as Alkenes, alkynes and aromatics at high temperature,several of these are as follows[41-44]. NO+ O3NO2* + O2NO2 + hÃŽ ½(600-2800 nm)(1) (2) (3) Oxygen atoms also been applied as strong oxidants when reacted with a wide range of analyst, although not so frequently used. The reaction with nitric oxide produces a yellow- green CL-emission that has been used for measuring concentration of Oxygen atoms in kinetics experiments[45]. (4) Some CL. Reactions are based on the light emission produced in flame, rather than the cold CL-emission. Molecular emission cavity analysis (MECA) is a CL-technique in which molecular emission are generated within a cavity that is introduced into a hydrogen diffusion flame. This flame acts as the environments of radicals, atoms and molecules which promote the chemical reactions (i.e. high temperature of flame promote of chemical reactions that form key reaction intermediates and provide additional thermal excitation of the emitting species).The cavity acts as the environment for stabilizing the emitting species. MECA has been used for selective detection of compounds containing sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorous, antimony, arsenic,.Tin and halogens [46-54]. 1.2.2.2. Liquid- phase chemiluminescence reactions There are some well – established CL-reagents that have been used for solution – phase CL-reactions, their attraction include high sensitivity, wide dynamic range and simplicity [55].The Chemiluminescence of luminal and the cyclic hydrazides of aromatic and heterocyclic acids is one of the classical and still studied in CL-reactions [56]. Although hydrazides in general are Chemiluminescent, onlyhydrazides related to luminol (5 – aminophthalyhydrazide) can be considered the most commonly used. The CL. of luminol was first described by Albrecht in 1928. This compound reacts with potent oxidizing agents in the presence of catalyst in alkaline medium to yield 3 – amino phthalate in an excited electronic state which returned to the ground state; with the production ofblue emission at 425 nm.The reaction is catalyzed by metal ions.Alternatively, it has been proposed that the metal ion forms a complex with the hydrazide which is then oxidized[57–59]. Lophin(2,4,5 – triphenylimidazole) is the most representative of the imidazole CL-precursors . A yellow CL-emission is produced at 525 nm. by oxidation of Luphin in aqueous alkaline mediums[60]. Lucigenine(10, 10 dimethyl – 9, 9 -biascridiniumnitrate) is one of the most efficient CL-substances which emit an intense green emission at 470 nm. When oxidized in an alkaline medium [61]. In relation to indirect CL., one of the more efficient non – biological system that are used is based on and so – called peroxy oxalate CL-reaction (PO – CL ) which involves the hydrogen peroxide oxidation of an aryl oxalate ester in the presence of a fluorophore .Bis–( 2,4,6 – trichloro phenyl )oxalate (TCPO) and bis – ( 2,4– dinitro phenyl ) oxalate (DNPO ) are commonly used oxalates. These compounds are insoluble in water which requires the use of organic solvents such as acetonitrilies ,dioxane and ethyl acetate [62]. Another CL-system frequently applied involves the use of Ru [bpy]3+2 which produces an orange emission at 610 nm.From the excited state (Ru [bpy]3+2)* that can be obtained by different reactions which imply electron transfer and regeneration of Ru[bpy ]3+2 species. Recently , the higher CL-emission generated by a similar complex , Ru[phen]3+2(phen = 1,10 – phenanthroline) during oxidation ofRu [bpy ]3+2 by Ce(IV) in sulfuric acid medium Ru [bpy]3+2 is the most studied as an inorganic compound used in electro generated CL (ECL)[60,63]. 1.2.2.3.Solid Phase Chemiluminescence [35]. Some polymers exhibit weak CL. in the visible range when heated up in the presence of inert gas (air or oxygen). For the first time this phenomenon was observed by Ashby in 1961, from polypropylene. Emission of light during oxidation of polymers is called oxy- luminescence or oxychemiluminescence. And for CL. of polymers to be observed, oxygen must be present in the process. 1.2.3.Electro Generated Chemiluminescence (ECL) ECL : is the process in accordance with which , species generated at electrodes undergo high – energy electron – transfer reactions to form excited states that emit light , it occurs in the visible region of spectrum as a consequence of fast and highly exo-energetic electron . Transfer between a strong electron donor and electronacceptor which in turn results in generation of excited states [7].In general, electrically generated reactants diffuse from one or more electrodes, and undergo high – energy electron transfer reactions either with one other or with chemicals in solution. This process yields excited state molecules, which produce a CL- emission in the vicinity of the electrode surface. Application of ECL have almost exclusively focused on the reaction of tris(2, 2 – bipyridire) ruthenium Ru[bpy]3+2 the reaction takes place at room temperature . Wide pH range and in the presence of oxygen and many other impurities[64].Ru [bpy]3+2 itself can undergo electron transfer reactions to produce ECL as follows [65]. Luminol can undergo an ECL reaction due to its versatility in analytical determinations. in alkaline solution luminol anion undergoes a single electron electro-oxidation to form diazaquinine , which is further oxidized by peroxide or super oxide to give 3 – amino phthalate in an excited state , which emits light at 425 nm . Luminol ECL has been used for determination of species such as phenyl alanine, ibuprofen and hisidine [9]. 1.3. Fluorescence Photoluminescence becomes visible as optical radiation accompanied by the emission of photon depending on the duration of the phenomenon, i.e. life time of the excited state. Fluorescence is the spontaneous emission of light during transition of the system from its lowest vibrational energy level of an excited singlet state S1 back to the ground state S0,thus it’s a spin allowed process. Absorption and fluorescence don’t require any spin reorientation however; intersystem crossing and phosphorescence require a spin reorientation therefore; absorbance and fluorescence are much faster than phosphorescence. The processes that occur between the absorption and emission of light are usually illustrated by Jobalonski diagram [66, 67]; figure (1-4). Figure (1-4):- Perrin- Jobalonski diagram and illustration of the relative positions of absorption (Abs), fluorescence (F), andphosphorescence (Ph.) Fluorescence is the result of three stages process that occurs in certain molecules called fluorophores [67]. Excitation: a photon is supplied by an external source and absorbed by the fluorophore creating an excited electronic singlet state S1. This stage distinguishes fluorescence from chemiluminescence, in which the excited state is populated by a chemical reaction. State life time:fluorescence life time is typically 1-10 Nano sec. during this time the fluorophore undergoes conformational changes and is also subjected to a multitude of possible interactions with its molecular environment such as collisional quenching and intersystem crossing. Fluorescence emission: when a photon of energy is emitted returning the fluorophore to the ground stat S0. Figure (1-5) shows these three stages. Figure (1-5):- three stages of fluorescence emission process 1.3.1. Characteristics of fluorescence emission [68-70] Emission spectra are typically independent of the excitation wave length due to the partial dissipation of excitation energy during the excited state life time, this known as Kasha’s rule. The emission intensity is proportional to the amplitude of the fluorescence excitation spectrum at the excitation wavelength; figure (1-6). Figure (1-6):- emission spectra are typically independent of the excitation wavelength Stokes shift: due to the energy dissipation during the excited state life time, the energy of this photon is lower and therefore; of longer wavelength than the excitation photon (i.e.fluorescence light is a red-shift). This difference in energy or wavelength is known as stokes shift.† The difference in wavelength between positions of the band maxima of the absorption and emission spectra of the same electronic transition; figure (1-7). Solvent effects and excited state reactions can also affect the magnitude of stokes shift. Figure (1-7):-stokes shift of band maxima E = hÃŽ ½ = hÃâ€"c / ÃŽ » (1) h = Planck constant = 6.63 Ãâ€" 10-34 J.sec-1 c = light velocity ÃŽ ½ = light frequency Sec-1 or Hz ÃŽ » = wave length nm. Absorption energy EAbs.= hÃâ€"c / ÃŽ »Abs. (2) Emission energy Eem.= hÃâ€"c / ÃŽ »em. (3) Since: EemAbs. (4)so: ÃŽ »em.>ÃŽ »Abs (5) ÃŽ »em.,ÃŽ »Abs: emission and absorption spectra peaks respectively. When absorption and/or the emission spectra of a flourophore possess two or more bands, stokes shift is equal to the difference that separates the two most intense bands of the two spectra, figure (1-8). Figure (1-8):-stokes shift in a flourophore possess two bands If thermal energy is added to an excited state or compound has many highly populated vibrational energy levels, emission at shorter wavelengths than those of absorption occurs, this is called an anti-stokes shift and its often observed in dilute gasses at high temperatures. A key feature of fluorescence is the molecule spends a measurable Amount of time in the singlet state. Fluorescence life time refers to the average time that the molecule stays in its excited state before emitting a photon for fluorescence; it’s typically in the range (1-10 nsec.). Fluorescence radiant power (F) is proportional to the absorbed radiant power. F = É ¸ (P0 – P) - (6) É ¸: Fluorescence efficiency. P0: incident power. P: transmitted power. The relationship between the absorbed radiant power and concentration can be obtained from beers law P/P0 = 10-A- (7) P = P0 Ãâ€" 10-Ɇºbc - (8)F = É ¸ P0 (1–10-Ɇºbc)- (9) Structural factors. Fluorescence is expected in molecules that are aromatic or multiple conjugated double bonds with a high degree of resonance stability, it’s also expected with poly cyclic aromatic

The Culture of Talk Shows Essay -- Talk Shows Television Media Essays

The Culture of Talk Shows If social order is not a given, if it is not encoded in our DNA, then to some extent we are always in the process of producing "virtual realities," some more functional than others. Habits, routines, and institutions are the patterns that create the "world taken for granted." Knowledge of how to behave is contained in cultural scripts that are themselves products of human interaction and communication about the nature of "reality." Shame, guilt, embarrassment are controlling feelings that arise from "speaking the unspeakable" and from violating cultural taboos. Society is a result of its boundaries,of what it will and won't allow. As we watch, listen, and are entertained, TV talk shows are rewriting our cultural scripts, altering our perceptions, our social relationships, and our relationships to the natural world. TV talk shows offer us a world of blurred boundaries. Cultural distinctions between public and private, credible and incredible witnesses, truth and falseness, good and evil, sickness and irresponsibility, normal and abnormal, therapy and exploitation, intimate and stranger, fragmentation and community are manipulated and erased for our distraction and entertainment. A community in real time and place exhibits longevity, an interdependence based on common interests, daily concerns, mutual obligations, norms, kinship, friendship, loyalty, and local knowledge, and real physical structures, not just shared information. If your neighbor's house is on fire, you are motivated to help put it out, or at least interested in having it put out, because you care about your neighbor and the fire is a threat to your own house. Television talk shows create an ersatz community, without any of the social and personal responsibilities that are attached to real life. Therapy as entertainment is the appeal of these shows. The so-called hosts rely on the cynical use of the therapeutic model for psychological sound bites. The need to educate and inform the audience is the voiced rationale for getting the so-called guests to give ever more titillating details of their misdeeds, or of the misdeeds done to them by family or friends (often not on the show). The underlying assumption -- that most social pathology is the result of a medical problem beyond the control of t... ...rs. Traditional expectations of polite formalities and barriers are constantly breached within the action of the play. The husband, at one point says, "Aww, that was nice, I think we've been having a, a real good evening, all things considered. We've sat around, and got to know each other, and had fun and games . . ." Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, however disconcerting to the audience, is just a play with actors. Television talk shows are arenas for real people. Their manipulation by "hosts," who alternate between mocking, a patronizing cynicism ("I want to be as smart as you someday" -- Phil), and a carefully constructed verisimilitude of caring ("Thank you for sharing that with us" -- Oprah) must have repercussions for the "guests" after the show is over. These people may really be seeking help or understanding. Appropriate reactions seem virtually impossible under the circumstances. We the viewing audience have entertained ourselves at the disasters of real lives. This is one of the more shameless aspects of the talk show spectacle. As passive witnesses, we consume others' misfortunes without feeling any responsibility to do anything to intervene.

The Butterfly Effect :: Personal Narrative Essays

The Butterfly Effect If you hold a piece of string between your hands you have an "end" in each hand, but in more ways than one each end can also be called a beginning: The beginning of the string, the beginning of the transition from string to hand, or the beginning of the transition from string to air. Quantum physics has taught us that nothing is absolutely any one thing. The string--be it nylon, hemp, or cotton--has electrons, and those electrons, busy critters, move, flux, and orbit, constantly redefining the space of that piece of string. The electrons of your hand, too, constantly shape and reshape your "personal space" by their activity. In the resultant intermingling of the subatomic parts of your body and the string you become, to some extent, an extension of that piece of string and it becomes a part of you. Astronomers speak of a similar idea called "The Mediocrity Principle." This idea says that, at this time, the view of the universe from earth is no better or no worse than from anywhere else in the universe. As Chet Raymo says in his book The Virgin and the Mousetrap: "We're cosmically mediocre." But because the universe continues to expand, there must have been a time when it began to expand. Though with today's technology they have no way of knowing when exactly this occurred, astronomers have formed a hypothetical idea called zero time. Even this, zero time, is not the beginning of the universe, however; that's just when it began to take its current shape. You can trace the evolution of a loaf of bread back to when it was just a lump of ingredients, and you can trace it to a time when the ingredients came together, but even beyond that all the ingredients were still there; they just hadn't come together yet. Cosmologists differ on what they think the universe was before the ingred ients came together or how they got there in the first place, but even the strictest of evolutionists believe in the literal truth of at least one bible passage: Ecclesiastes 1:9: "That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun." For the past twenty-five years or so Chaos Theory has been one of the hottest, most interesting fields of scientific study.

Essay --

Superbugs: Overcoming the Resistance Bio 1M03 PBL Project March 11, 2014 This report has been edited and approved by all contributing group members before submission. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has presented many problems in our society, including an increased chance of fatality due to infections that could have otherwise been treated with success. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, but overexposure to these drugs give the bacteria more opportunities to mutate, forming resistant strains. Through natural selection, those few mutated bacteria are able to survive treatments of antibiotics and then pass on their genes to other bacterial cells through lateral gene transfer (Zhaxybayeva, 2011). Once resistance builds in one patient, it is possible for the strain to be transmitted to others through improper hygiene and failure to isolate patients in hospitals. Resistance arises from mutations that are not under the control of humans, but the evolution of bacteria has been sped along by the overexposure of antibiotics to both people and animals. The number of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in an area is closely related to the frequency that antibiotics that are prescribed (Todar, 2012). Patients often unnecessarily demand antibiotics to treat common colds or simple illnesses that are not caused by bacteria. Instead, these infections are caused by viruses which, unlike bacteria, are unaffected by antibiotics. Incorrect diagnosis can also lead patients to using unnecessary antibiotics, which can sometimes be even more dangerous than otherwise left untreated. Besides the fact that antibiotics kill off beneficial bacteria in the intestines, misuse of antibiotics provides an opportunity ... ... antibiotic resistance has quickly become an increasing concern in recent times due to the growing use of antibiotics. To combat this problem, we propose that healthy intestinal floras be maintained after antibiotic resistance using fecal bacteriotherapy, and that processes of lateral gene transfer be disrupted before antibiotic resistance through the use of copper surfaces and after antibiotic resistance through synthesized CSPs. Continuing research in these solutions as well as implementing these strategies into mainstream medicine will certainly reduce the frequency of antibiotic resistance along with incidences of serious disease outbreaks in hospitals. With a better understanding of the causes of antibiotic resistance and the role that patients and doctors play in these causes, it is time to move forward and attempt to eradicate this problem once and for all.

Nivea Family Brand Essay

1. What is the market’s perception of the Nivea family brand on each of the following dimensions? †¢ Performance- Nivea-primarily through Nivea Crà ¨me-had acquired a unique, widely understood brand identity as â€Å"caretaker† of skin. Since 1911, Nivea has been making the first water-in-oil emulsion that is a reliable top selling product. They used superior and innovative ingredients. Consumers see Nivea as a quality brand. †¢ Imagery- Nivea has a strong brand personality which is emotionally involving based on childhood, trust and love. The product imagery represented caring, pure, gentle, family values, trust, mildness and fair price. The product is used for dry skin and all skincare needs. †¢ Judgments – Most users grew up with Nivea and learned that it was a product that could be used by the entire family to satisfy all kinds of needs. Because of consumers’ own personal history with the brand and the company’s advertising, Nivea had become strongly associated with shared family experiences and had a rich set of other brand associations such as â€Å"care,† â€Å"protection,† â€Å"mildness† etc. †¢ Feelings- Nivea evokes feeling of caring, fun, security, gentleness and pureness. The brand is closely linked with consumers. Nivea is a global brand with a wide assortment of products catering to the full spectrum of consumer segments 2. Identify the brand associations (individual brands under the family umbrella) for the following 3 sub brands: Visage, Vital, Beaute. What role does each sub brand play in entering the respective product-markets? In other words, why shouldn’t the company just use the family brand without individual brands? †¢ Visage: Nivea Visage focused on mildness. Cosmed upgraded Nivea Visage’s image through a series of actions. Firstly, it remains close to the Nivea brand image of pureness and gentleness, targeted for the face with a more sophisticated image. Secondly, the company improved its product, offering day and night crà ¨me. To support this they changed the packaging and logo. Their advertisements aimed at more at the scientific and research aspects coupled with the historic trust in the brand. †¢ Vital: Vital targets women over 50 years old. The advertisements are less family angled and utilize older female models that the target market can easily identify with. The packaging, logo and colors were redesigned for this different target market. The colors chosen for the logo were red and gold to represent energy and femininity. Natural and recognizable ingredients were added to the product line, such as: soy proteins and primrose oil. †¢ Beaute: Beaute is positioned with primary focus on the skin-care attributes of the products by using the slogan â€Å"Colors that Care†. The products were packaged in stylish containers made with deep-blue hues that resonated with the Nivea Crà ¨me packaging. Each product specialized in meeting the needs of different consumers. Prices were higher to compete with their biggest competitors

Agree or Disagree: Was the Us Civil War the 2nd American Revolution Essay

The United States Civil War was the second American Revolution. Both wars’ focal point was to acquire freedom from their oppressive governments. The Civil War and the American Revolution possess similarities. Such as they had not many men, not that much money, and not that much firepower; but they still fought for independence. The American Revolution or the American Revolutionary War, some may call it, was started from a decade-long growing tension between Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies and the British government. The British government was trying to raise revenue by taxing the colonists using bills including: the Stamp Act, Townshend Tariffs, Tea Act, etc. Using the Stamp Act, the government tried to reduce some of their enormous debt. Stamp Act was passed and it required that every legal document be written on stamped paper showing proof of payment. In response the colonists organized the Stamp Act Congress to voice their disagreement to the bill. Another bill they passed was the Quartering Act, which in a nutshell required colonist to house British soldiers. The British government used this bill because of the increased defense cost in America and they felt that the colonist should help with the financial burden of housing and feeding the soldier since they helped them during the war. Plus they wanted to show who the boss was. In response to this, the colonists in New York argued that the bill was unfair and that they should be asked and not told what to do, so Parliament passed the New York Restraining Act, which stopped the passing of any laws until the assembly went over the law. The soldiers were forced to pitch tents in the middle of Boston Common, making the colonist not that excited either. The British government was now known for passing insane laws, but when the government passed the Coercive Acts the colonists had enough. The Coercive Acts were also known as the Intolerable Acts. They closed the port of Boston to trade except for food and firewood until the colonists paid for the tea they destroyed at the Boston Tea Party with the Boston Port Act. It created British military rule in Massachusetts and made town meetings forbidden without approval with the Massachusetts Government Act. It gave protection to British officials being prosecuted in Massachusetts and allowed them to be prosecuted in England or any other colony that wasn’t Massachusetts with the Administration of Justice Act. The bill renewed the Quartering Act and gave the French in Quebec control of the Ohio Valley and made the Roman Catholic Church the official church of the area with the Quebec Act. In Lexington and Concord British troops and the colonies’ militiamen were getting into scuffles and that was how to armed conflict started. In response to this the colonists created an event known as the First Continental Congress in 1774. At this event all colonies, excluding Georgia, sent representatives to the First Continental Congress making it the first national meeting of the colonies. They came together in opposition with the bills the British government was passing so they issued two new documents. The Declaration of Rights, which opposed Parliament’s right to tax the colonies, but affirmed allegiance to the British, and the Articles of Association, which asked the colonies to make British imports illegal if the Coercive Acts were not eliminated. It took three major battles to lead up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Battle of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. The Declaration declared the colonies independent from Great Britain. The American Revolution ended with the Treaty of Paris, but now before another three more major battles. The American Civil War was sparked by difficulties in the spreading of power and who was more powerful, the state or federal authority. The North, at the time, was industrialized and running smoothly, while the South was more agricultural. The North had factories, while the South had farms. The South was dependent on slave labor; it was their root to running their economy. The North didn’t want slavery to spread across the rest of the lands and the South was in fear that their economy would essentially fail without slave labor. So in 1854 the United States Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which opened all the new territories to slavery, but allowed them to choose whether they wanted slavery or not, this was called popular sovereignty. Both sides, anti-slavery and pro-slavery were in disagreement with this new law, which led up to the formation of the Republican Party. The Republican Party was a new political group based on the opposition of the expansion of slavery to western lands. The Dred Scott case confirmed the North’s worse fears, and confirmed the South’s dreams. The Dred Scott v. Sanford case took place in Missouri. Scott argued that because he lived in the free state he would therefore have emancipation from his owner. Unfortunately his case brought to a rabid supporter of slavery, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney who disagreed. The court claimed that no African Americans, free or enslaved, could become a legal U.S. citizen, hence not being able to file a petition for freedom. This case made rising tension between the North and South climb to new heights. So when an abolitionist named John Brown and a few of his supporters raided Harper’s Ferry in 1859 the South was convinced that the North was fixed on the destruction of slavery. John Brown had hopes that the local slaves would join in and raid with him and his supporters, but they didn’t. Brown’s plan was foiled when he and his supporters were captured by Colonel Robert E. Lee’s US Marines. He was sent to court, charged with treason, and was given the death sentences. Brown was hanged for his ‘crimes’ on December 2nd, 1859. The South was looking for reason to leave their polar opposites. So when Abraham Lincoln was elected to presidency it was the last straw for the seven southern states and the seceded from the United States. Lincoln’s election led to danger for Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. April 12th, 1861 Lincoln sent a fleet to deliver supplies to Sumter, during their visit the Confederate Army fired the first shots of the event that came to be known as the Civil War. After just two days of gunfire, Sumter commander Major Robert Anderson surrendered, leaving Sumter in the control of Confederate forces; who were led by Pierre G.T. Beauregard. After Sumter, four more Southern states, including: Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee, joined the Confederate Army. The North had advantages, like an enormous population and factories to build weapon supplies in, and railroads. The South had military traditions and some of the best soldiers, but even they couldn’t surpass the North in numbers and supplies. The next major battle took place in Manassas, Virginia. This battle was known as the First Battle of Bull Run. General McDowell led 28,000 men from the Union Army in a fight against General Beauregard’s 33,000 Confederate soldiers. The Union Army marched toward Richmond, but was met by the Confederate forces emerging north from Manassas. The battle lasted five hours. During that five hours the Union soldiers had most of the Confederate soldiers retreating, except the team led by General Jackson. Jackson had a great ability holding his ground, which is why people had come to call him â€Å"Stonewall.† His technique helped the Confederate soldiers hold up until reinforcements arrived, then they were able to drive the Union Army back to Washington. Both sides faced heavy casualties, but in the end the South claimed victory. The next battle was led by General B. McClellan. McClellan was slow to advance and that angered Lincoln. Finally McClellan led the Potomac Army to the peninsula between the York and James Rivers and captured Yorktown on May 4. Robert E. Lee and General Jackson joined forces and drove out the Potomac Army in the Seven Days’ Battle, which lasted from June 25th, 1862 to July 1st, 1862. During the battle McClellan called for reinforcements twice, the second time Lincoln refused and instead withdrew the Army to Washington. Soon after the battle McClellan was replaced by Henry W. Halleck. There were a lot of battles after this one, but the war ended with Lincoln passing the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves, and his assassination on April 14th. Some similarities within the two wars were the leaders involved with the wars. The leaders tended to be former soldiers who were dedicated to their jobs, they were focused, and most of them possessed a useful skill that helped them win. Another similarity between the two wars would have to be the cause of war. Both of the wars were the response to an oppressive government and the problem of setting boundaries between people and government. Both wars were always on American land and Americans fought other Americans. Although the wars were fairly short they ended with unity. Some differences within between the two wars would be the parties included in the wars. The American Revolution was the colonists versus the British government, while the Civil War was the North versus the South. The Civil War had far more advanced weaponry, while the American Revolution had close range fighting equipment, more medieval. Overall the statement that the Civil War was the second American Revolution is completely true. They had common factors that contributed to the spark of the wars and they both ended in a common unity between all the participants. Works Cited â€Å"American Civil War à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts.† History.com à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  History Made Every Day à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  American & World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Battle of Bull Run or Manassas.† ThinkQuest : Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Exactly what was taxed by the Stamp Act of 1765? Aren’t we more heavily taxed now?.† Ask questions, Find answers – Askville. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . III, John J. Fox. â€Å"Civil War Battles.† History Net: Where History Comes Alive – World & US History Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"John Brown’s Harpers Ferry Raid.† Civil War Trust: Saving America’s Civil War Battlefields. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . Reeves, Diane. â€Å"Lesson Plan on Similarities and Differences Between the American Revolutionary Warand the American Civil War.† ADPRIMA Education – Informa tion for new and future teachers. N.p., 21 July 1999. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"The Stamp Act.† Ventura Unified School District . N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"The contrast and compare of the American Revolution and the Civil War? – Yahoo! Answers.† Yahoo! Answers – Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. .

Civilization vs. Savagery Essay

Counterpoint is a common literary device used by many authors in a variety of forms of literature. It gives the work contrast and interest as well as a diverse insight into two completely different ideas or opposites. The main counterpoint presented in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies would be the idea of civilization vs. savagery. This motif is presented throughout the novel. The idea that humans are constantly battling their feral instincts and civilized ideals is a theme that is deeply and extensively explored. Golding acquaints civilization with good, and savagery with evil. He uses symbolic characters and objects in order to convey his themes and ideas. He represents the opposing forces of civilization and savagery with the two main characters: Ralph, the protagonist, who represents order and leadership; and Jack, the antagonist, who represents savagery and the desire for power. Among these characters there are many others who react to the conflict in different ways. T he conflict between these opposites is the driving force of the novel. When it comes down to the idea of civilization, Golding implies that civilization is something forced upon humans by society, and not something one is instinctively drawn to. Civilization is merely just a mask of ones instincts. Ralph is the perfect example of the desire for civilization among the boys of the island. He expresses this quality when he states, â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything† (Golding 2.192). The boys still desire their previous, ordered life they left back in England. Ralph is the symbol of supressing one’s natural savage instincts, he feels the thrill and exhilaration of barbarity but manages to subdue these spirits. Piggy is also an example of the human need for civilization. Not once in the novel does he display savage feelings or undertones. This shows just how badly the human race strives for civilization, but it is not something org anic. The counterpoint to the idea of civilization in Lord of the Flies would be the theme of savagery. Golding seems to suggest throughout the novel that a humans savage instincts are far more powerful then the desire for civilization. The perfect character to acquaint to the theme of savagery would be Jack. Jack thrives off of dominance and power. He exemplifies these traits during the murder of Simon: The sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise something about a body on the hill. The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws. (Golding 9.89-99) The boys revert to their instinctive ferocious roots, having no mercy on their fellow human. They cruelly murder Simon as if he were a wild animal. Roger is also a good example of savagery in the novel. As the idea of civilization on the island begins to become a distant memory, Roger lets himself become victim of his most basic human instincts. This is first apparent to the reader when Roger throws rocks at the littluns, and after his murder of the pig which was much more brutal then necessary. Roger is also the leading culprit in the loss of Piggy. He was the one who pushed the boulder down the hill inevitably causing Piggy’s death. While Jack feeds off the idea of power, Roger revolves around causing pain. He symbolizes the sadistic instincts of mankind, and having to suppress the desire to hurt others in order to function in society. William Golding uses counterpoint to his advantage in the writing of his novel Lord of the Flies. He clearly expresses the conflict between the complex human need for civilization and mankind’s savage instincts. He expresses the struggle extensively using the characters in the novel to portray both sides. Savages vs. those who struggle to keep civility. The novel deeply explores the concept of human instincts overpowering one’s facade of civilization put on for the rest of society. How, when left up to their own devices, humans are capable of doing the unthinkable. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber and Faber, 1954.

Gap Year After Graduation Essay

Nowadays, students leaving high school regularly travel, do voluntary work or a job in a gap year before going on to higher education. Undoubtedly, students occupy various benefits from experiments in gap year. It is apparent that after rigorous terms, a gap year which students possibly travel, volunteer society or do temporary work before deciding to join in higher education stimulates positively their practical and adaptive capability. Initially, those dynamic activities possibly enhance empirical ability of youngsters who passively acquire knowledge during high school. In evidence, learners feasibly comprehend miracles of foreign languages when they practice experimentally via travelling or voluntary work in abroad. More significantly, not only can a gap year improves practical ability but also enhances communication skill through youngster’s real factual experiences. Only by adapting to a changeable and flexible environment can students expend their personal skill and learn how to communicate effectively. Accordingly, a period time which students perform them after high school period effects advantageously to their practical and soft skill. That the young experience in gap year is not only a principal platforms which help them choose higher education form but also a chance to become more mature. A gap year with profound considerations cumulated by real experiments justifies what kind of higher education they are advisedly appropriate for. The young who are able to apply into universities and passionate studying advanced knowledge identify accurately their choice. Nevertheless, others who are appropriate for practicing in actual life also ascertain that their selection is vocation. Additionally, facing to challenge of real life leads them to be awareness profoundly of the changing world. Hardly can the young be mature when they always are protected carefully by parents and are not responsible for themselves. Briefly, a gap year is precious chances which support the young identify what they real want. Therefore, challenge in real life which students pass in a gap year is also valuable experiments for developing in the future.

Audit Client Considerations

With this particular case study I will discuss several questions and facts regarding audit client considerations. 1) A brief summary of the case. 2) Identify key behaviors, attitudes and ethical dilemmas (if any) faced by the auditors. 3) Assess the philosophical and practical alternatives summarized in the case questions and evaluations of those solutions. 4) Briefly summarize what I would do faced with this situation in real life. The case is that of a CPA firm, Cardinal Coyote, located in Phoenix, Arizona and centers around three personnel members. Yancy Corliss is a new partner with the firm that is summoned into the managing partner’s office, Sharon Rules. Rules indicates that Jost Furniture is looking for a new auditing and she has been approached to submit a bid. Before committing to a bid Rules would like Corliss to conduct a background check to assess the potential risk of obtaining Jost as a client. The contract could prove to be quite lucrative for the firm as the company will need advice on international expansion. Since the bid is due to close fairly quickly she gives Corliss three days to report back to her. Corliss assembles his team which includes Lanny Beaudean who worked for the IRS for two years before joining the firm. Beaudean hopes to gain international experience with the firm so as to further his dream of becoming a CEO. The other two members of the team are Vinnie Gabelli and Jacki Oloff both of whom are not Arizona natives. After discussing their respective duties the team met at the end of the day to discuss their findings. After following a checklist of risk assessment they followed all except for the Verify the circumstances of any prior auditor’s dismissal1. The team felt that Yancy Corliss would be better suited to obtain this information. After non response from the firm’s attorney and sidestep answer of personality conflicts from Jost the team did receive permission to speak with previous auditors. They discovered that since there had been a modified opinion of the 2006 financial statements, where the auditors raised questions of going concern. The company had suffered persistent losses and the lack of cash flow was impairing their ability to secure financing. They also learned that subsequent auditors had been dismissed also for apparently coming to the same conclusion as the predecessor firm. Upon further investigation the team found that a million dollar loan covenant had been violated by neglect to keep a minimum balance due to the fact that the owner had withdrawn $500,000. 00 out of the company account to place a down payment on his home. The next time the covenant was broken the bank started foreclosure on the loan. The behaviors and attitudes of the auditor’s was very professional in exercising due diligence and proper training in the following manners. Oloff tried to contact the attorney several times by phone, left five messages and when she inquired about voice mail and email received a no answer to both types of technology. She also tried to set an appointment but was fended off of this type of communication as well. Corliss was put off about speaking with the previous auditors by the owner citing that there were personality conflicts and his concern was they would speak ill of the company. Corliss reminded him that it is required part of the procedure to accept them as a client. Gabelli investigated the going concern aspect, in doing so he found out that a loan to Phoenix Second Bank had begun foreclosure proceedings and the reasons behind this. He also found that by the time the foreclosure process had been completed the loan had been paid off. Finally Beaudean expressed his and the team’s concerns about taking on Jost as a client. All of these actions are in accordance with GAAS requirements on due diligence and appropriate training2. However had the situation arisen that is stated in question 2 of the case study there would be a serious issue that would be faced by Rules and Beaudean both. Question 2 asks what if Corliss had recommended that Jost be taken on as a client which surprises Beaudean and he asks what other factors did he consider and his response is â€Å"I am a new partner in the firm. I have to bring in new business. This client is a slam dunk. If we make a reasonably competitive bid, we will get the account. † â€Å". This presents a problem for Rules and Beaudean. It is abundantly clear that in this scenario Corliss is placing his needs above that of the society (in this case the firm). This as we have learned places him at Stage 2 of Kohlberg’s Model and violates all of the Six Pillars of Character. If Beaudean decides to follow the ethical choice of reporting his team’s findings to Rules the trust that was given to Corliss by assigning him the task of doing a thorough investigation. Due diligence and professional care are two of the core foundations upon with not only GAAP is founded upon but GAAS as well. Every accountant whether he/she is a Certified Auditor, CPA or CMA is required not only by law but by Ethical Standards to practice in our profession2,34. If the decision were to go ahead and submit a bid it would violate the standards by which we practice and are ethically bound to abide. In conclusion I would have done exactly as the auditor’s did. I would strongly recommend against taking on Jost as a client not only due to the going concern but also because of the red flags that appeared during a background investigation. Who knows what would further show up that was either unethical or illegal or both. In my personal opinion no contract is worth tainting my professional integrity and reputation. If Corliss were to recommend taking Jost on as a client I would raise my concerns with Rules and outline all that we had learned as well as strongly recommend against taking on Jost as a client.

How have media technologies changed our experience of space, and how Essay

How have media technologies changed our experience of space, and how have these changes been represented - Essay Example Inasmuch as pre-modern art was based on fetish techniques adopted by individual artists, messages contained in each artistic medium did not contradict standards of rationality. Rutsky (1999) mentioned that contents of traditional media represented perennial happiness and perceptive inclination of both artists and audiences. Those perceptive inclinations constrict individuals to adopt a uniform rationality of ideas contained in media channels. However, contemporary media possess substantial difference from its traditional versions. Today, incorporation of technology in media has significantly changed the audiences’ perception of space and time. Media technologies today are constantly evolving. Consequently, contents of media continue affecting audiences’ lives in a complex manner. The media environment together with its representation of space and time causes a substantial impact on social, economic and political aspects of human life. Increasing dynamics within the media’s virtual environment presents temporary ramifications of time and space orientation. According to Frederick and Mast (2007), current contents of digital media throws consumers into a strange environment of ordered and linear coordinates of space and time scales. As acknowledged earlier, traditional media demonstrated uniformity and objectivity in terms of content representation. However, digital media today represents concepts by immersing then into inconceivable spatial dimensions. This creates a situation where consumers are in constant quest for the difference between real and virtual representation of life aspects. Rutsky (1999) added t hat spatial dimensions in digital media take consumers into environments with contents that cannot be comprehended through simple sensory perceptions. Meaning of digital contents does not result from immediate experience. Rather, understanding them requires mediation between concepts of rationalism and instrumentalism. In order to understand

Questions for American Business History Questions Essay

Questions for American Business History Questions - Essay Example Each one of these steps required imagination and inventiveness. The application of the steam engine as a power source demanded that inventors create new machines that could utilize the improved power and speed of the mechanization. In essence, the world was changing from a set of manual tools over to a system that was powered. Harvesting wheat became a mechanized process of cutting, raking, reaping, and separating the wheat from the chafe. This required a number of machines, and they all required new inventions. The most important technological development that was introduced during the Industrial Revolution was the steam engine. The steam engine made the entire manufacturing process more compact, faster, and far more efficient than the use of manual labor. Within a few decades of the introduction of the steam engine, the textile industry was transformed from a cottage industry into a large-scale factory operation (Mathias, 2001, p.115). According to Stearns (1998), "the industrial revolution progressively replaced humans and animals as the power sources of production with motors" and "steadily increased the proportion of the process accomplished by equipment without direct human guidance" (p.5). The steam engine could be adapted to almost any other machine that had previously depended on human, animal, or water power.

Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Buddhism - Research Paper Example Buddhism Buddhism is a common religion that originated in northern India but is practiced throughout the world, making it the fourth largest religion. Though the exact date of its founding is unknown, many scholars believe that Buddhism was formed during the fifth century.Narrowing down the exact date is made difficult due to the fact that most people do not know when Buddhism officially began. Its beginning might have been when Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism who would later become known as Buddha, first began his journey to Enlightenment, or after he became enlightened and journeyed through India to share his teachings. Regardless of when Buddhism found its origin, it has become a way of life and a philosophy that has helped many people to grow in their spirituality. Considered less of a religion and more of a philosophy or spiritual path, Buddhism sets out to provide people with guidelines on how to live a happy, peaceful, and moralistic life. Even followers of other r eligious traditions can utilize the teachings of Buddhism to strengthen their primary beliefs and improve their lives. The main tenets of this tranquil tradition that are incorporated into daily life are found in two doctrines: the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhism and state that life is suffering; suffering is caused by desire; suffering can be brought to an end; and the Eightfold Path is the path to follow to bring about the end of suffering. The Eightfold Path, as previously stated, is followed with the intention of bringing an end to suffering, but these eight concepts can be followed in any life or religious practice to promote happiness. Right View requires the follower to learn to see reality as it is, without illusions or wishes of how they want their life to look. Right Intention means to act morally and ethically for the good of everyone. Right Speech involves not being deceitful, not speaking maliciously or with the intention of hurting someone, but to focus on speaking only words of kindness and compassion. Right Action and Right Livelihood promote abstaining from harming sentient beings, which also means to avoid becoming involved in activities that may cause harm to others, such as working in meat production or manufacturing weapons. Right Effort means to relinquish unwholesome qualities and habits, and to develop wholesome qualities. Right Mindfulness is to be in contemplation of the present moment, which can be aided by Right Concentration, or the practice of meditation. Since Buddhism promotes the importance of all life, from a human to a tree to an ant, a concept like euthanasia is one that is looked down upon. Even though euthanasia is a voluntary procedure done for the sake of a suffering individual, it requires taking a life. Willingly or not, Buddhism finds value in each life and considers it bad karma for the individual taking the life and the individual willingly live giving u p their life (Knott, 2000). On the other hand, something like an organ transplant would be considered in an opposite light. A person who has already died would be receiving good karma by allowing their organs to save the life of another. However, an organ transplant as a result of euthanasia would be a complex scenario, one that would be open to many interpretations from many seasoned Buddhist practitioners. Outside of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the beliefs of Buddhism are minimal, though may increase depending on which branch of Buddhism is being observed. The only other two tenets that are adhered by all Buddhism branches concern life and death. Reincarnation is a primary belief in Buddhism, so life does not necessarily have a beginning or and end, but â€Å"is a continuum with do discernible starting point. Birth and death are like a revolving door through which an individual passes again and again (Keown, 2009).† A new life beings when another life dies ; when another life dies, in lieu of an afterlife, it becomes reborn as another life. This cycle