When a newborn baby enters the world

When a newborn baby enters the world, the farthest thing from the mind of a parent is the neurological development of the newborn babys brain. It is not likely that one would think of a babys brain as a jumble of neurons like a ball of yarn waiting to be sculpted into a work of art. However, one should be concerned and interested in the development of their childs brain as certain critical periods pass for developing skills in math and logic, music, emotions, language and movement. It should be stated that there are certain critical periods that comprise the growth and development of neurons as they wire the brain. If these neurons are used they become integrated into the circuitry of the brain by connecting to other neurons; if they are not used, they may die (Begley, 1996, p.65). One can safely assume that these windows of opportunity are a very critical time in the stimulation of the growth of brain activity. By age sixteen, the wiring of the neurons throughout the brain is almost complete, making it harder for adults to pick up new tasks easily. However, the adult brain is crisscrossed with approximately 100 billion neurons, allowing the brain to have over 100 trillion connections (Begley 1996). Genes often determine the brains main circuits, but the environment and a childs experiences in that environment shape trillions of finer connections, which can determine the personality characteristics that the child will bear (Begley 1996). Math and logic are necessities for developing spatial skills, both of which intertwine with music. After 19 preschoolers were given piano or singing lessons their spatial reasoning skills dramatically improved, along with their ability to complete mazes, draw geometric figures and copy patterns (Begley 1996). Music seems to excite the brain and enhance complex reasoning tasks, as nine string players brains were examined wit...

How to Make a Rainbow Rose (and How It Works)

How to Make a Rainbow Rose (and How It Works) Have you seen a rainbow rose? Its a real rose, grown to produce petals in rainbow colors. The colors are so vivid, you may think pictures of the roses are digitally enhanced, but the flowers really are that bright! So, you may be wondering how the colors are made and whether the rose bushes that produce these flowers always bloom in vibrant colors. Heres how it works and how you can make a rainbow rose yourself. How Real Rainbow Roses Work The rainbow rose was developed by  Peter van de Werken, the owner of a Dutch flower company. While special roses are used, the plants are not bred to produce the rich colors. Actually, the rose bush would ordinarily produce white roses, but the stems of the flowers are injected over time with dyes so that petals form in bright single colors. If the flower isnt treated as it is growing, the blooms are white, not ​rainbow. While the rainbow is a special version of the technique, other color patterns are also possible. Its not a science trick you can achieve quite so well with your home rose bush, at least not without a lot of experimentation and expense, because most pigment molecules are either too large to migrate into the petals or else too toxic for the rose to flower. Special proprietary organic dyes said to be made from plant extracts are used to color the roses. Making Rainbow Roses at Home While you cant duplicate the exact effect, you can get a lighter version of a rainbow using a white rose and food coloring.  The rainbow effect is much easier to achieve with white or light-colored flowers that arent as woody as a rose. Good examples to try at home include carnations and daisies. If it has to be a rose, you can do the same project, but expect it to take longer. Start with a white rose. Its best if it is a rosebud because the effect relies on capillary action, transpiration, and diffusion in the flower, which takes some time.Trim the stem of the rose so that it is not extremely long. It takes more time for color to travel up a longer stem.Carefully split the base of the stem into three sections. Make the cuts lengthwise up the stem 1-3 inches. Why three sections? The cut stem is fragile and likely to break if you cut it into more parts. You can use color science to achieve the full rainbow using three colors - red, blue, yellow or yellow, cyan, magenta - depending what dyes you have available.Carefully bend the cut sections slightly away from each other. Now, one way to apply the dyes would be to bend the stems into three contains (e.g., shot glasses), each containing a single color of dye and a bit of water, but this is hard to accomplish without breaking the stems. An easier method is to use 3 small plastic baggies, 3 rubber bands, and o ne tall glass to hold the flower upright. Into each bag, add a small amount of water and several (10-20) drops of one color of dye. Ease a section of the stem into the bag so that it is immersed in the dyed water, and secure the bag around the stem with a rubber band. Repeat the process with the other two bags and colors. Stand the flower in a glass. Check to make sure each stem section is immersed in the liquid since the flower needs water to live.You may start to see color in the petals as quickly as half an hour, but expect to let the rose soak up dye overnight or possibly for a couple of days. The petals will be the three colors, plus the mixed colors, for petals receiving water from two parts of the stem at once. This way, youll get the whole rainbow.Once the flower is colored, you can trim off the cut section of stem and keep it in fresh water or a homemade flower food solution. Helpful Tips Flowers take up warm water more quickly than cold water.Keep the rose away from light and heat, since these can cause it to wilt and die too quickly.If you want to try injecting flowers with natural colors, learn about natural pigments you can use.

Developing Leadership Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Developing Leadership Skills - Essay Example For this assignment, I observed my friend Carl who is a soccer captain and Jenny who is the head pharmacist at my local drug store. On this day, Carl had fallen out with his teammate Mark and it had escalated to a physical fight. Tensions had been brewing between the two because Mark had consistently challenged the captain’s decisions in front of his teammates. Mark is a very talented and hardworking player but has a high temper and is generally stubborn. He could have actually made captain but his mean tempered streak and sense of individualism stood in the way. Carl is also a talented player and a team player but is generally passive aggressive. He barely shows any emotion and has generally ignored Mark’s negative comments and public jabs to avoid fueling his anger. However, Carl had resulted to benching Mark during practice when the coach was not around to alienate him, decision that Mark had not taken kindly after missing out on several practice sessions. Constant a rguments had a cold war had gone on between the two till Mark finally confronted Carl and a fight ensued. The two now sat before the coach pleading their case and explaining what happened. Carl argued that Mark had constantly disrespected him and did not heed the advice of his peers during practice. Therefore he had been forced to make him sit out during practice and work with teammates who followed his lead. Mark on the other hand argued that he did not mean to be disrespectful and was only trying to have his voice heard. Being a good player and an avid reader on how to improve the way they played was only trying to get the captain to incorporate a few plays during practice. Carl interpreted this as a threat to his authority and hit back by alienating him from the team. Mark kept insisting that even though he has a short temper and sometimes speaks his mind in an assertive manner, he did not mean to fuel a feud between him and the captain. Carl appeared insecure about his abilities as a leader and did not act objectively. As a leader, he had identified that there was a problem based on how Mark behaved towards him. However, he did not deal with it effectively. Alienating him only fueled a feud between them and drove the team to take sides making it harder to work as a team. They had never evened out their differences and sat to talk about how they felt about each other. Luckily, this was an avenue to settle old scores and agree to work together as a team. Carl accepted that as the captain he could have stimulated participation and teamwork and allowed Mark to try some plays. Accepting Mark’s suggestions was not a threat to his authority. Carl used the paternalism leadership approach where anyone appearing question his authority was punished by being forced to sit out, a leadership style which drew the team apart and let to a physical fight. Jenny is the head pharmacist at the largest local retail pharmacy and has been lauded for her management and lead ership skills over the years. As the head of the largest pharmacy she has earned respect and is considered a mentor and role model among professional women. However, it has not always been an easy task as pharmacists can easily fall prey to the lure of money due to conflict of interest. On this day jenny sat before the owners of the pharmacy after a decision she had made to change drug suppliers from Hadleys pharmaceuticals to Clavam pharmaceuticals led to a crisis. The suppliers enjoyed a cordial relationship with the store owners and had been supplying drugs to the store since its inception. Jenny had recently signed a new contract with a different drug supplier and the old suppliers had reached out to the store owners to

Response papers for the film Smooth Talk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response papers for the film Smooth Talk - Essay Example The mother\ always has something nice to say about June, the elder sister, whereas Connie and her mother are always fighting and arguing. That is why Connie plays the proverbial rebel and â€Å"acts out,† so to speak, by defying her mother and going to places without informing her. The film, just like the story, takes a nasty turn when Arnold Friend, a man who spotted her at one such place, decides to pay her a visit when her parents are not at home. The film is very closely based on the story, though there are some differences, seeing how it was a feature film based on a short story, certain additions had to be made to accommodate for the length. The one place where the depiction of characters did not seem â€Å"fair† to me was that Laura Dern, who played Connie, did not look like a fifteen year old at all. What is more, she looked a lot older than the girls casted to play her friends. The story mentioned that Connie was pretty, and as far as that is concerned, Laura D ern fit the role well, however, nowhere does it mention that Connie looked older than her age. Another aspect where the film diverged from the original work is that in the story Connie’s father does not spend any time with his family; he does not have much time once he comes home and he does not talk to them much. However, in the film, Connie’s father not only spends time with his family, but also seems to treat Connie as her favorite child. This takes away from the story, in my opinion. When reading the story, one feels that Connie is completely isolated and feels like she is ignored, and that is why she does what she does: in a bid to get attention. When the film shows Connie’s father being especially attentive to her, it does not convey the sense of isolation that Connie feels, because clearly she does get attention. Her little trysts as well as her acting out does not make complete sense in this regard, and she comes out more as a spoilt teenager than an iso lated one. The rancor between Connie and her mother was aptly explored, however. The scene at the breakfast table, when Connie comes in to eat and her mother is on the phone, was especially poignant in that regard. Even though it seemed like Connie’s mother was castigating her for not picking up a plate, it did convey the exasperation that she felt at Connie not taking interest in anything being done at home. This was also very nicely shown when Connie’s mother castigates her for not remember to bring her the painting gear she needed (Connie’s mother is painting the house, and, what is more, she feels like she has to do it alone as Connie shows no interest in helping). When Connie and her friend go out separately with boys they have met at the burger joint, Connie is taken to a parking lot. Here she is shown to have engaged in a bit of sexual foreplay. This scene was especially important because Connie is dressed up in a sexy outfit, that makes her feel older th an she is (she even lies about being a sophomore to a boy), however, when the foreplay gets a little bit too â€Å"serious† she, being the young girl that she is, gets scared and does not know how to handle it. She says something along the lines of how she has never felt this excited before and that is why she is disturbed by the feelings the kissing and fondling evoke in her. I found that this clearly depicted the theme of the movie: a young girl who wants to grow up fast, but is actually just a scared little girl who cannot handle the emotional baggage

Motherhood no longer fitting in the schedule Essay Example for Free

Motherhood no longer fitting in the schedule Essay The younger generation of women are more highly educated than ever before and will continue to postpone child bearing until they are certain they have established a stable career and lifestyle. Another cause of this delay is the difficulty of balancing home life with work life. For too many Australians the choice to have children weighs heavily. When many people check their savings account, it is quite rational for them to delay or decide against having children. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of women put off having children and wait for a better time that simply never comes. The average age at which Australian women have their first child is now 29. This is because women come closest to equality with men when they do not have family responsibilities. As more and more women postpone having children, pursue education and improve their employment prospects, those who have their children young, and who have a lower socioeconomic background, tend to fall behind both socially and economically. So many women find themselves stuck. Having a career makes it harder to have children, but having children makes it increasingly necessary to have a career for support. Therefore it is not always women deciding not to have children, but it seems as though the decision has already been made. If women are provided with opportunities equivalent to men but these opportunities are severely limited by having children then women almost have no choice but to restrict the number of children they have. However this is not always the case. There are a small percentage of women who choose not to ever have children. These women want the benefits of stability in community life and financial independence, but at the same time are unwilling to pay the cost of giving up any degree of personal freedom. It may seem selfish, but who wouldnt? A modern womans desire for a successful career is simply a case of choosing luxury apartments and designer shoes over changing nappies. For many women, children do not quite fit in the image of the cosmopolitan lifestyle they wish to lead. They would prefer freedom, fun, independence, time and money rather than responsibility, restrictions, stress, worry, financial struggles and chaos. Ok, maybe in reality it isnt that black and white. Love is the only main advantage of having children but who can guarantee that that will always be the case? Is an uncertain love really worth it? For me, I dont know if Ill ever feel the joy of holding my own baby in my arms. Im sure most women had a similar opinion at one stage. For many women who decide not to ever have children, motherhood is viewed as a burden rather than an experience of personal fulfillment. Another significant factor of the reduction of the birth rate is the breakdown of long term relationships. Most women still want children in marriage, but with divorce rates so high and children being put off until later in life, relationships often end before the kids come along. No matter how happily married, statistically speaking, a woman still faces a greater than 40% chance of ending up a single parent. Many women who would like to have children may possibly not have yet found a suitable partner, further delaying childbirth. Now Australia must face the issue of increasing the birth rate once again. Demographers now realise that the accelerating trend in fertility decline is not a temporary phase but an indication of a long-term change. Most Australian women do want children but find it too difficult to balance family life and work. Conservatives will ask women to give up work to satisfy their notion of what is an ideal life. In my opinion, Australias birth rate is not about telling women to go back in to the kitchen. Promoting a better balance between work and family life, with some flexibility for all employees can be achieved without compromising productivity. The population debate in Australia must start by focusing on the family. A good family policy, particularly a better balance between the demands of work and child bearing responsibilities, will ultimately provide the start of a better future.

Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis :: Sinclair Lewis Arrowsmith

"Arrowsmith", by Sinclair Lewis In the novel "Arrowsmith", by Sinclair Lewis, written in 1925, one can read of our world's lack of idealism in science, most often found in the medical profession (Encarta, 1). This book portrays the times in terms of scientific advancement not being idealistic, mostly in the medical field. Our scientists could not come up with their own ideas and our progress was going nowhere, fast. Although, today we are advancing so rapidly that we have no choice but to move and experiment, there is no time to slow down and copy old works. Sinclair Lewis also combines his life and the life of a graduating microbiologists, who he interviewed to help him write this book, into his main character, Dr. Martin Arrowsmith. All of this goes into the book "Arrowsmith". Sinclair lewis was born on the seventh of February, 1885, in the town of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, to his warmhearted parents, Emma Kermont Lewis and Dr. Edwin J. Lewis. At a very young age Sinclair read widely in grade school and continued on in his studies for many years (Grebstein, 16). Lewis studied at Yale University form 1903 till 1906. There he studied literary writings and works to help him become a writer. His father had disagreed with his career choice, but he went on and did what he wanted to do most, write. At one time he was so disgusted with his father that he ran away and tried to join the Spanish-American War as a drummer boy (Cobletz, 248). He did not get far; his father caught him before he left town. Back to collage he went and even through collage Lewis still read many books. One professor was quoted as saying "He was drawing more books from the Yale library than, I believe, any undergraduates before or since." Lewis was known to read such books from authors Hardy, Meredith, James, Howells, Austen, Bronte, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Turgenev, Gogol, Flaubert, Zola, Huneker, Pinero, Jones, Shaw, d'Annunzio, Sudermann, Yeats, George Moore, Nietzsche, Haeckel, Huxley, Moody, Marx, Gorky, Blake, Pater, Shelley, Keats, Coleridge, Rossetti, Swinburne, Clough, and Ibsen. All of these authors were influential to him, but none more than the famous H. G. Wells (Grebstein 24). He accomplished all this during college while keeping two or more jobs at one time and writing for several papers along with his own books that he wrote. In October of 1906 he left school for a few months and stayed with his brother in his utopian colony in New Jersey. A few months later he remembered the work ethics his father taught him and went back to school and got his degree in 1907.

A Case Study of the H.B. Fuller Case on Honduras Essay

As the CEO of the H.B Fuller Company, I have a great degree of first-hand knowledge and can honestly say that when it comes to business ethics, few American corporations have a better image than the H.B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. We are a leading manufacturer of industrial glues, coatings and paints, having won various awards, honors and inclusion in a variety of socially conscious mutual funds, all of which attest to our standing as a good corporate citizen. Recently, however, its handling of a stubborn image-staining problem has tainted our reputation. Specifically, there was illegal abuse of its shoemaker’s glue by homeless Central American children who became addicted to the product’s intoxicating and dangerous fumes (Henriques, 1995, p. 1). By ignoring this very serious issue we are indirectly saying to businesses and stakeholders, the community and society in general that we are concerned with financial gain at the expense of people’s safety. Such perceptions, however, are in direct contrast to our vision statement and it is of the utmost importance that we make all necessary changes to restore the faith of both the public and private sectors. One of the ways that this can be accomplished is through a series of commercials that address the fatal affects of â€Å"huffing† glue and which will erase the pairing of our brand name to drug use. In conjunction with various subsidized drug awareness programs, we can save costs in combating our recent negative publicity, restoring our profits and, more importantly, saving lives. A first step will be to add a warning label or disclaimer directly to each tube of glue that may be harmful if inhaled. An additional and well-documented plan is to add oil of mustard to the product, which will make it less attractive to inhale. In addition, for approximately one year a portion of our proceeds will be reinvested into programs that will provide counseling to children about the dangers of drug abuse. Furthermore, we plan to work with the local government to educate locals about financial opportunities in their area, the lack of which is the primary cause of escape and overdosing. The overriding and primary plan will be to implement a well thought out CSR (corporate social responsibility) plan, the foundation of which has been outlined above. Our vision statement ought to serve as our guide. Vision StatementH.B. Fuller’s following vision statement includes our purpose  and mission to be a leader in our industry as well as our commitment to our stakeholders:Our purpose is to deliver value to our customers using knowledgeable people and the best technologies. Our mission is to be a leading worldwide formulator, manufacturer and marketer of technology-driven specialty chemical products and related services and solutions. We are committed to the balanced interests of our customers, employees, shareholders and communities. We will conduct business ethically and profitably, and exercise leadership as a responsible corporate citizen. Our commitment is to continually:Enhance our capabilities;Expand our presence in existing markets and our brand identities;Extend our reach geographically and through new businesses;Execute our strategies with urgency and discipline;Energize our employees by creating a culture that recognizes performance, values contributions, celebrates success, and respects work-life balance (H.B. Fuller, 2006, p. 1 – 2). H.B. Fuller’s environment, health and safety efforts are guided by the following missionstatement:†We will be a responsible company with respect to the environment, health, and safety by operating in a manner that protects our customers, employees, shareholders and communities. We will provide the resources and technology to develop, implement, and maintain environmental, health and safety programs that support the achievement of company goals† (H. B. Fuller, 2006, p. 1 -2). According to our vision and mission statements we are fundamentally responsible for the way we do business, â€Å"and the company’s progressive and proactive environment, health, and safety efforts reflect this philosophy† (H. B. Fuller, 2006, p. 2). One of our primary goals is to continually progress toward reducing, and where possible, eliminating, the release of substances that cause environmental damage by the use of â€Å"periodic self-examinations of manufacturing plants which help the company identify  risks and exposures that may exist or develop, so that best management practices can be proposed and implemented† (H. B., 2006, p. 2). Corporate Environment, Health and Safety ProgramWe have already implemented a corporate Environment, Health, and Safety program, including a team of experts who provide specialized expertise to all H.B. Fuller operations worldwide. â€Å"Standardized policies and practices, often more stringent than local regulations, are implemented and managed by regional and local EHS specialists around the world (H.B., 2006, p. 2). This team will be responsible for working with local drug agencies to provide public service anouncements. According to Jeffrey, â€Å"the H. B. Fuller Company’s employee profit sharing, corporate giving and funding of a University of Minnesota chair in corporate ethics won it rave reviews from the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) community and a listing in the book The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America† (1995, p.1). Elmer L. Andersen, founder and president of the H.B. Fuller Company which he bought in 1941, was a liberal Republican who as g overnor of Minnesota pressed for new park land and human rights and helped turn Fuller into a Fortune 500 company (â€Å"E. L. Andersen,† 2004, p. 1). However, â€Å"South of the Rà ­o Grande, this transnational with 1995 revenues of $1.1 billion supplied the drug of choice to Latin American street children seeking an escape from poverty, abuse and family disintegration (1995, p.1)? As such, it is important that we instill in the children the sense that their lives are not hopeless and that they do in fact have opportunities. According to Henriques, â€Å"some child welfare advocates have demanded for years that the company add a noxious oil to its glue to discourage abusers. The company had resisted that approach, possibly because it might reduce the glue’s effectiveness, possibly because the smell would be irritating to legitimate users.† We have done all we reasonably could to prevent abuse. But by some estimates, tens of thousands of Central American children sniff some sort of glue. These kids are often called resistoleros, a reference to Fuller’s Resistol glue† (par. 1995, p. 1). This is a dangero us association, which must be erased. By speaking with local and national news media, we can insist that the media not refer to those who sniff our glue as resistoleros. Although our main consumers are shoemakers and leather workers, a vast though unknown quantity ends up under the noses  of street kids. â€Å"The adhesive’s fumes go straight to the frontal lobes, the switchboard of the brain, and to brain areas that control emotions. Resistol turns off the brain’s connection to reality, neutralizing stress, pain and fear, taking the place of parental affection. Short-term use can produce nosebleeds, rashes and headaches. It can also lead to long-term use because toluene is psychologically addictive. Chronic abuse can cause neurological damage, kidney or liver failure, paralysis and death† (par. Jeffrey, 1995, p. 1).There is no doubt that our glue was designed for shoes, not immature brains, and although we are not responsible for product abuse, we do feel a moral and social responsibility to rectify this situation. ‘We don’t sell to street children. We sell to legitimate users who are manufacturing a product,†™ says Dick Johnson, Fuller’s executive vice president for investor relations. ‘If people, children or adults, get it illegitimately, that’s a concern to us, but you’ve got to remember that’s not our main focus'† (Jeffrey, 1995, p. 1). In contrast, activists argue that glue makers can speak to the abuse dilemma in the manufacturing process. In 1968, the U.S. based Testor Corporation became an industry model as soon as it added mustard oil to its model airplane glue. Mustard oil made the glue difficult to inhale, dramatically reducing Testor glue abuse and sales. Confronted with rising toluene addiction ten years ago, children’s activists in Central America requested manufacturers to learn from Testor’s case. Activists did not think that the additive would get rid of inhalant abuse, because hard-core users could turn to other substances. Instead, it was argued that additives would discourage first-time users and do away with the most available inhalant. Glue makers refused (par. Jeffrey, 1995, p. 1 – 2).Consequently, the Honduran Congress passed a law in 1989 that required the addition of mustard oil to toluene-based products to which we responded with a lobbying blitz. â€Å"David Calvert, an advocate for street children in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, stated that Fuller barraged shoemakers w ith claims that mustard oil would endanger our health, a tactic he called ‘a campaign of lies'† (Jeffrey, 1995, p. 2). In retrospect, the triple bottom line could actually be greater with the added mustard oil because of the positive publicity it would likely generate. In addition, by adding mustard oil, we can use this distinguishing factor as a selling point. Concerned friends and family who care about their loved ones would certainly  be more likely to purchase a product with the additive if they know it will deter the temptation for abuse. In conjunction with anti-drug campaigns we can bring the epidemic of inhaling chemicals to the surface. Once this issue is acknowledged, we can pair the additive with reduced levels of abuse. As such, there would likely be a subsidy for our commercials. We could recommend that people buy only glue with mustard oil, such as our particularly. Our lobbying campaign worked and a government commission decided that toluene products in Honduras do not have to contain any mustard oil. This resulted in controversy and poor media publicity. In 1992, a few days before NBC ‘Dateline’ was to tape a critical Fuller piece, we pledged to â€Å"discontinue its production of solvent adhesives where we are known to be abused† (Jeffrey, 1995, p. 2). In addition to this, any loss of profits could be remade by concerned people who do not want their loved ones to be tempted by inhalants. EconomyHonduras’ economy has a GDP per capita of $2,050.00 (U.S.) per year (1999). It has persisted to increase gradually but the sharing of wealth continues to be quite polarized; normal wages are persistently low. Economic growth is approximately 5 percent per year. Nevertheless, several people stay below the level of poverty. It is anticipated that there are over 1.2 million unemployed people. The rate of unemployment is 28 percent. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund recorded Honduras as eligible for debt relief. This debt relief was given in 2005 (par. Wikipedia, 2006, p.1).According to the Global Business Center, U.S. GDP per capita for 1999 was roughly $30,200.00 and the GNP was $8.083 trillion (GDP, 2001, p. 1). In addition, there is greater distribution of wealth among the U.S. population as well as a democratic form of government and free economy. In contrast, Honduras has a centralized government that shows little concern for the welfare of its people resulting in poor economic growth and lack of stabilization in that country. â€Å"Both the electricity services (ENEE) and land line telephone services (HONDUTEL) were run by government monopolies, with the ENEE receiving heavy subsidies from the government because of its chronic financial problems. HONDUTEL, however, is no longer a monopoly, the telecommunication sector having been opened after December 25, 2005†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Wikipedia, 2006). Although there is a somewhat overwhelming and even helpless sense of unemployment rate in Honduras, there are in fact opportunities. Regardless of education, the tourism industry is booming and if the locals are educated about such opportunities. With the knowledge of how to break into the tourism industry, kids and teenagers who are more likely to be attracted to drug abuse may realize that there are in fact other opportunities. Whether it be selling trinkets to tourists, taking them on guided tours or other opportunities, tourism can offer people from Honduras a constant flow of cash. With these opportunities the sense of hopelessness which breeds drug abuse in general and huffing of our glue in particular, will be greatly reduced. To implement such an educational program would not be very costly and could make a significant difference in many people’s lives. The Honduran government started to actively encourage tourism in the late 1960s (Ritchie et al 1965). Emphasis was placed on building three separate physical as well as cultural geographical areas which include the following: â€Å"the Mayan archeological site of Copà ¡n, the beaches and colonial history of the North Coast, and the coral reefs of the Bay Islands (ibid). La Mosquitia and the Rà ­o Plà ¡tano Biosphere Reserve were added as ecotourism became a popular world trend in the 1990s† (Rivas 1990). In the 1980s,the government of Honduras established a set of laws that established special â€Å"tourism zones.† These zones were helpful in drawing foreign investments by making available liberal tax and import enticement. Nonetheless, Article 107 of the Honduran Constitution prohibits foreign land ownership within 40 kilometers of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Fonseca as well as the international borders of Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Aware of this barrier, in 1990 the Honduran National Congress passed Decree Law 90/90 to permit foreign property purchases in specific tourism areas, recognized by the Ministry of Tourism. This was done to construct never-ending or vacation homes (Tourism as a Geographical Phenomenon, 2006)Regions all along the North Coast and the Bay Island were among the most well-liked for investment. Sustained speeding up of these â€Å"neoliberal† financial policies took place during the 1990s in particular with the formation of Tourism Free Zones in 1993 (Decree Number 98-93 1993). Tourism investors were give the  same benefits as the private Export Processing Zones. This includes 100 percent â€Å"foreign ownership of property, federal and municipal tax exemptions, tax free imports for any materials needed to further the industry† (Decree Number 98-93, 1993). Within the beginning five months of 1995 the tourism industry in Honduras produced $90 million US dollars, a 62 percent increase from 1994 (Durà ³n, 1995). The Bay Islands made up nearly 25 percent of this total. According to Maria Callejas de Durà ³n (1995), Senior Commercial Officer for Honduras, in 1995 tourism ranked fifth in the revenue generation for the country, but it did not reach its full potential. Despite the tourist attractions offered by the continuously warm weather, it was believed that the country still lacked supplemental motivation in the areas in which the flow of foreign visitors was the highest. â€Å"Nevertheless, with the institution of the Tourism Free Zone Law, ecotourism programs, and the national demand for additional tourism projects, she felt tourism had the potential to become the country’s leading industry (Durà ³n 1995). By 1997 tourism ranked third in foreign exchange earnings (US $ 143 million) behind coffee (US $330 million) and bananas† (US $ 239 million) (Tourism as a Geographical Phenomenon, 2006). Social ConscienceFuller claimed that that mustard oil was itself a toxic substance which cause harm to the respiratory system and mucous membranes stating that it did not make sense to add toxic chemicals to our products when our goal was to reduce overall toxicity. When asked about the Testor decision, Fuller responded ‘that maybe 50 percent of our sales of glue went down when we added oil of mustard. Were we only selling to abusers’ (par. Jeffrey, 1995).’The Fuller experience provides a textbook example of the thorny moral equations that lie beyond the simple arithmetic of the bottom line (Henriques, 1995). Did we leave themselves open for attack? Or does this case emphasize the importance of a corporation to live up its self-created image? â€Å"Fuller does repeatedly present itself as a good citizen. Year after year it sprinkles its annual reports with statements proclaiming that it has a commendable corporate conscience† (Henriques,  1995). Fuller mu st live up to its â€Å"good citizen† image if it wants to survive. â€Å"A September 1995 study by the Washington, D.C. based Social Investment Forum (SIF) found that $639 billion, or one out of every 11 professionally managed investment dollars, is held in a fund subject to some kind of ethical screen. More than 1,000 members of SIF, which includes large institutional investors, technical analysts, foundations and individual investors, pledge to invest responsibly by applying ‘honest, thorough and diligent methods of research and evaluation’ to investment picks. Interviews with SRI firms, many of which are bullish on Fuller stock, suggest that this pledge is easier to take than to practice† (Jeffrey, 1995). We are not the only company guilty of exaggerating its adherence to its â€Å"good citizen† principles. In addition, glue-sniffing is not a new issue for the makers of solvent-based adhesives. ‘The Testor Corporation added a noxious ingredient to discourage abuse of its hobby glue in July 1969. And Henkel, a German chemical company that competes with Fuller, stopped making certain toxic glues in Central America†¦in 1994†³ (Henriques, 1995) We too plan too add a similar additive to discourage such abuse. Nevertheless, our company dominates the Central American market with its Resistol brand of glue and it seems to have been singled out. If we had a lesser reputation we would be less of a target (Henriques, 1995).Finally, Fuller’s board adopted a resolution in 1992. â€Å"For years, the directors had been under pressure by a loose alliance of child advocacy groups concerned about the hazards of glue-sniffing among the homeless children of Central America. Then, on July 16, 1992, the board abruptly but unanimously voted to stop selling Resistol adhesives in Central America. As the company explained in its 1992 annual report: ‘Faced with the realizations that a suitable replacement product would not be available in the near future and that the illegitimate distribution was continuing, the Board of Directors decided that our Central American operations should stop selling those solvent-based Resistol adhesives that were commonly being abused by children'† (Henriques, 1995). Unfortunately, â€Å"by October 1992, the advocates had learned that we had not stopped selling Resistol in Central America — and did not intend to. It no  longer sold the glue to retailers and small-scale users in Honduras and Guatemala, but it did sell large tubs and barrels of it to industrial customers in those countries, and to a broader list of commercial and industrial users in neighboring countries† (Henriques, 1995). Consequently, we have since taken other steps to address the abuse. We have â€Å"changed the product’s formula, dropping the sweet-smelling but highly toxic solvent toluene and substituting the slightly less toxic chemical cyclohexane. It has tried to develop a water-based glue, which is not intoxicating. It has studied the issue ‘thoroughly and carefully’ and has contributed to community programs for homeless children in Central America† (Henriques, 1995). Many of our critics and experts in business ethics have accused the company of image polishing but â€Å"the company has been praised for a high level of corporate philanthropy, including giving 5 percent of its profits to charity in each country where it operates† (Henriques, 1995). Nevertheless, â€Å"on Jan. 3, 1995, Mr. Hendler and a co-counsel, Michael Brickman of Charleston, S.C., filed a wrongful-death claim against Fuller in state court in Dallas which was eventually dismissed. We stopped distributing solvent-based glues in Latin America on November 30, 1999. We spent the better part of the past decade trying to make our solvent-based glues harder for children to obtain and less attractive to inhale, while at the same time developing water-based alternatives (par. Kokmen, 2000). Industry watchers, however, suspected that our change in policy may also have to do with shifts in Fuller management. The president and chairman retired and I was brought in to head the firm. Another theory is that the company pulled out of Latin America for fear of litigation and poor sales due to the change in the formula (par. Kokmen, 2000). ConclusionAfter failing to keep our initial heralded promise to withdraw abused adhesives, we eventually pulled our glue off the market. â€Å"Even with such skillful management, another company might not have been able to escape further scrutiny. But Fuller has a bid advantage: Its good name, its dollars, and its employees are woven so deeply into local politics, business, media, and nonprofits that to tug at its reputation means to rip big holes into the fabric of Minnesota Nice. In addition to its network of community and business connections, Fuller has taken advantage of a key  principle of corporate relations: Get your story out first, and your critics will bear the burden of refuting it. That’s how the glue issue could be defined as a â€Å"blemish† on an otherwise spotless reputation, rather than as one of the problems created by a large, multinational chemical company† (N’Kauoa, 1993). â€Å"The solution is not for Fuller and other companies to stop selling toxic glues, but rather to help get children off the streets and into productive lives. Fuller has said previously that its goal is to help get children off the streets in Central America. It donates thousands of dollars each year to children’s groups aiding in that effort† (Kurschner, 1995). Like Central America and the Honduras, the US also has social issues such as illicit drug use and homeless children. Fuller and other companies should use their resources for improving the quality of life for the citizens of the US and Central America. And we have the money to do just that. According to Shah, Fuller’s global adhesive revenues grew 13% for its fiscal first quarter ended February 2005 and our sales were strong in Europe, as well, during the quarter (Shah, 2005). We plan to help children by introducing them to opportunities such as tourism; this will hopefully allow them to realize that there is in fact hope for the future. In partnership with anti-drug campaigns, we can raise awareness of the dangers of a inhaling glues and the benefits of buying only products that contain mustard oil and which are simultaneously less harmful. In short, we will c onvince and prove to the public that our product is safer and less likely to be abused. References Andersen, E.L. 95, Ex-Minnesota Governor. (2004, November 17). The New YorkTimes. p. A27. â€Å"GDP.† (2001, January 2). Global Business Center [Online]. Retrieved September 26,2006, from http://www.glreach.com/gbc/en/Englishphp3†³H. B. Fuller, About Us.† (2006, September 24). This is H.B. Fuller [Online]. RetrievedSeptember 24, 2006, from http://www.hbfuller.com/About_Us/index.shtml#P0_0Henriques, D. B. (1995, November 26). Black Mark for a â€Å"Good Citizen.† Money andBusiness/Financial Desk: The New York Times, p. NA. Jeffrey, P. (1995, December). Glue Maker’s Image Won’t Stick [Online]. RetrievedSeptember 24, 2006 from http://pangaea.org/street_children/latin/fuller.htmlKokmen, L. (2000, February 9). Coming Unglued. City Pages Online [Online]. Retrieved September 26, 2006, fromhttp://www.citypages.com/databank/21/1001/article8414.aspKurschner, D. (1995 July/August). Product Liability: Is Resistol Too Sticky For H. B. Fuller To Handle: Litigators want to paste company with â€Å"wrongfuldeath† suit over child’s misuse of product. Business Ethics [Online]. RetrievedSeptember 27, 2006, from http://pangaea.org/street_children/latin/ethics.htmLee, L. (1996, August 30). Free, unlimited energy brightens rural Honduras — but at acost. Honduras This Week [Online]. Retrieved September 26, 2006 from,http://www.marrder.com/htw/aug96/national.htmlN’Kaoua, L. (1993, August 11). The Sweet Smell of Success (Part 2 of 2) [Online]. Retrieved September 23, 2006 from,http://pangaea.org/street_children/latin/citypg2.htmlShah, V. (2005, September 28). Prices Rise, But So Do Costs. Chemical Week, 167, 42Honduras. (2006, September 24). Wikipedia Encyclopedia RetrievedSeptember 24, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras

Children of Abraham

Laura Laws, Nick Skinner, Sarah Swain INT – 244 Collaborative Learning Assignment Professor Anthony Colombo March 24, 2013 Children of Abraham The Exodus event laid an important foundation for God’s redemption plan for humanity and it is clearly recognized in Islam, Judaism and Christianity. The purpose of this essay will be to discuss the historical, social and spiritual metaphor for the Exodus experience for Judaism throughout the ages. We will also discuss the ways in which the Exodus experience might parallel the salvation, conversion and the sanctification experience in Christianity.Finally we will discuss the way Islam views the Exodus experience different from that of Judaism and Christianity. By answering each of these questions effectively we hope to gain a new understanding of what God was doing for future generations through each belief. While researching the history of Judaism we see that God lays out the plan and purpose for His chosen people; we also see t he people proving their lack of desire to live according to this purpose.Even though the people of Israel were God’s chosen people, they continually failed to meet His expectations and often did whatever they wanted because they could; this included worshipping other gods. As time went on the influence became stronger until the voice and purpose of God could only be heard by a few. The teachings of Judaism are often centered on ethical or ethical-historical monotheism; meaning that professing Jews, of various backgrounds, believe in the one and only God, the God of Israel (Baron, 2011). The Exodus can be seen as prophesy as far back as Abraham.God spoke to Abraham about the bondage of Israel in Egypt and said that after a time of servitude, there would be relief. God used the great darkness and the smoking furnace to let Abraham know that their servitude to Egypt would last four hundred years and then â€Å"they will come away with great wealth† (Genesis 15:14, NLT). G od knew that there were many trials ahead under Pharaoh’s empire but in the end the Israelites would overcome (The Exodus, 2010). The social experiences began when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. Through Moses, God commanded this large body of water to recede and let the people pass on dry land.Once they were through to safety God allowed the water to fall on their enemies and take them out. It was time for celebration; they were a free people with nothing else to fear but God; at this point the stopped to celebrate their first Passover. While leaving in such a hurry their bread had not had time to rise so every year when the Passover is celebrated we remember by not eating anything with yeast in it. When the Israelites began to travel they were led by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. Since food and water were not always available to them God provided them with Manna and spiritual water.These two things reminded them (and us) that God is always provid ing for us the things we need: physically and spiritually (Deem, 2008). The journey also brought them closer together as people. They were all suffering the same and so they were able to cling to one another and reach out for guidance. As God lead the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery He began to test them to see how faithful they would hold to Him. They were faced with a harsh and relentless environment that yielded little food and scarce water. They had to turn to God to provide for them because if not, they all would have perished in months.God provided daily manna for food and water from a rock; as long as the people relied on Him, He provided. The Exodus experience not only provided a historical, social and spiritual metaphor for Judaism but it also became the foundation for the salvation, sanctification, and conversion experience in Christianity. The Exodus experience shows us an interesting parallel with the metamorphosis of salvation in the Bible. The Old Testament story o f redemption provides a pathway for the New Testament metaphor of spiritual deliverance (Ryken, 1998).God lead the Israelites out of slavery and guided them safely throughout the challenges that they faced as a nation. Now, by accepting Jesus, the Holy Spirit will lead us throughout the trials that face us. The prophecies throughout the Old Testament show how God sanctified the people of Israel after leaving Egypt. It starts in Genesis 12:1,2 â€Å" The Lord said to Abraham leave your country, your people, and your fathers household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be blessed. This promise made by God sets the stage for the Israelites to be brought out of Egypt. I feel this experience can be compared to sanctification because God made Abraham and his decedents holy. Sanctification is to become holy. Exodus 31:33 tells us â€Å"You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, abo ve all you shall keep my Sabbaths, and for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. † Exodus 26:2 says â€Å"Consecrate to me all the first born, whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast it is mine. Also in Exodus 30:25 â€Å"You shall concrete them, that they may be most holy, whatever touches them will become holy. † I think the most important piece of scripture showing how the Exodus experience parallel’s sanctification can be found in Exodus 29:34: â€Å"There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. † The act of conversion is to accept God. In the time of the Exodus experience many in the land were pagans. God would use things like the bringing the Israelites out of Egypt to the people he is real, this was for anyone that did not believe in him.Exodus 11:3 tells us â€Å"and Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. † Ephesians 2:8 tells us â€Å"For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. † Mark 16:16 says â€Å"Whatever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whatever does not believe will be condemned. † God shows us his awesomeness over and over again thru different stories in the Bible. These stories in ancient times when they happened they showed others the power of God. In today’s society these stories still serve to show people God’s greatness and bring them to Christ.When it comes to the Exodus experience there are some significant differences in views between that of the Christian and Judaism faith compared to that of the Muslim faith. The Christians, Jews, and the Muslims agree that Pharaoh had enslaved and oppressed the Jews. They also agree that Moses was used to help gain their freedom and led the Jews out of Egypt. It is in the description of these events that these religions share different views on. These differences range from important details about some of the people found in Exodus as well as the omission of some very important events.Starting with some of the smaller differences for example, one of the first discrepancies is that of the caretaker of Moses. According to the Holy Bible, Moses was placed in a basket and then put into the river. He was later found by Pharaoh’s daughter who in turn paid Moses’ mother to nurse him. He was then later returned to Pharaoh’s daughter to be raised (Exodus 2:5-9). The Qur’an states that Moses was found by Pharaoh’s household and was raised by Pharaoh’s wife (The Exodus, n. d. ).These small differences continue in the fact that the Qur’an does not mention the city of Ramses when it describes the Jews Exodus from Egypt. Although these differences in views seem minor, they begin to add up when looking at the big picture. Some o f the real different in views began with the description of the plagues. While the book of Exodus in the Holy Bible describes in great detail the ten plagues used by God to bring down divine chastisement on Pharaoh and his people, the Qur’an briefly mentions five plagues that can be an exaggeration of natural phenomena: flooding, locusts, lice, frogs and blood (The Exodus, 2010).The most important difference in views of the plagues would have to be the plague of Death of the Firstborn. While the Qur’an does not mention this, it can be found in (Exodus 11:4-5). It was this plague that the Jews sacrificed a lamb, using its blood to mark the door of their households so that the angel of death would pass over their house, sparing the life of the firstborn. This plague would lead to the celebration of Passover and be a foreshadowing of the Sacrifice that Jesus would make for the sins of man.While both Judaism and Islam fail to see Jesus Christ as the Son of God, both Judais m and Christians feel it is important to have a personable relationship with God. The religion of Islam is different in the fact that salvation does not come through a personable relationship with Allah and can only be found in abiding by the four pillars. That being said, for Christians and Jews Exodus is more about a God who saved them from slavery because He cares for His people and wants a personable relationship with them.While for the Muslims, Exodus is more about the persecution of Pharaoh who caused depravity among Allah’s people. The Exodus experience offered a new hope for the people of Israel and a foundation for Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Even though several differences are seen between the religions, they all pulled from the same experience. From this we can learn that not everyone views an experience the same but what they take from it is equally important. It was an enlightening experience for all of Israel that can still be seen today.References The Exo dus. (2010) Retreved March 18, 2013, from, http://jews-for-allah. org/israel/archaeology/exodus-moses-bible-quran. htm Ryken, L. , Wilhoit, J. , and Longman III, T. (ed. ’s), (1998), Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, USA:Intervarsity Press. Deem, R. (2008). Evidence for God, retrieved March 16, 2011 from http://www. godandscience. org/apologetics/christianity_is_too_old-fashioned. html Baron, S. (2011). The History of Judaism retrieved March 16, 2011 fromhttp://history-world. org/history_of_judaism. htm.

Exploration of the New World essays

Exploration of the New World essays 1. The most significant change to Europeans and Native Americans both were disease. Disease from both cultures, each had their own effects on the other but no matter what the effects the diseases devastated both populations, none more than the native Americans. When the Europeans first arrived they brought along many new and different things the natives had never heard of or seen, one of these things was smallpox, this disease was disastrous in Europe when it first showed up so when brought to the new world they took over the natives and wiped them out. This affected the native population in everyway socially, economically, and culturally. When some of the survivors had built immunity to these diseases they were forever changed to have to now live by European control. The Europeans brought back with them syphilis, a std, that was contracted by having sex with the native women. When taken back to Europe the women and men their had no idea what had happened and had to adjust medically and physically to accommodate the disease. 2. Exploration in itself was one of the greatest changes to both cultures. With the Europeans expanding out to find trade routes to the east they stumbled upon the new world. With this they met the natives of the land. It changed European culture, now instead of having a single minded approach they found that there were other people who did different things. The biggest change to the Europeans was economically because now they had slavery a cheap and easy way to get a lot of work done. With the addition of slavery to Europe landowners could get many things done for very little price. The natives culture however changed for the worse, with slavery came the breaking up of families and the shipping of men and women across the Atlantic, some of which never survived the trip. 3. Finally the third most significant change, was exploration. Europeans used exploration to search out and claim new ...

The Social Theory of Decentering

The Social Theory of Decentering Decentering is a way of understanding the world in its social and psychological aspects that holds that there is no single way to read an event, or institution, or text. Gathering varied experiences from many individuals produces greater fidelity, such that an explanation of an event based on a decentered approach will acknowledge many different interpretations from many different individuals. In Relation to Technology The explosion in social media in the second decade of the 21st Century has been a boom to the theory of decentering. For example, the events of the so-called Arab Spring following the popular revolution in Egypt in 2011 played out vividly on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites. The multiplicity of voices and viewpoints created a wide field of data for understanding not just the facts of the events, but their underlying meaning to a cross-section of Middle Eastern people. Other examples of decentering could be seen in popular movements in Europe and the Americas. Groups like 15-M in Spain, Occupy Wall Street in the United States, and Yo soy 132 in Mexico organized similarly to the Arab Spring on social media. Activists in these groups called for greater transparency of their governments and teamed up with movements in different countries to address common problems all over the world, including the environment, health, immigration, and other important issues. In Relation to Crowdsourcing Crowdsourcing, the process coined in 2005, is another aspect of decentering as it relates to production. Instead of outsourcing work to a determined group of laborers, crowdsourcing relies on the talents and perspectives of an undefined group of contributors who often donate their time or expertise. Crowdsourced journalism, with its multiplicity of viewpoints, has advantages over traditional writing and reporting because of its decentered approach. Decentering Power One effect of social decentering is the opportunity it presents to expose aspects of power dynamics that remained previously hidden. The exposure of thousands of classified documents on WikiLeaks in 2010 had the effect of decentering official government positions on various events and personages, as the secret diplomatic cables about them were made available for all to analyze.

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci - Essay Example Actually, Mona Lisa was not also famous until nineteenth century when some of the artists who were believed to be in a symbolist movement began appreciating it. This portrait has been in existence for many years that even the artists wonder. This is one of the reasons as to why a lot of speculation is being carried out concerning Mona Lisa. Subject and title According to the researches carried out by various artists, the name given to Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait belonged to one of the members of the Gherardini family. This family comprised of Tuscany, Florence and a very wealthy merchant’s wife by then. This portrait was actually meant for the celebration of their second born and their new home. There are those artists who do not also agree to this concept and are arguing out that the name was derived from an Italian word â€Å"Madonna† which means â€Å"my lady†. Though these ideological differences tend to exist among artists, the fact remains that the name was from the Gherardini family (Claire, 425). This is so because of the ascertainment of identity that was made at the University of Heidelberg. Aesthetics A pyramid design was used by Leonardo to put Mona Lisa calmly in the space of the art. The folded hands of Mona Lisa make the uppermost corner of the pyramid. The glow of light on her hands tends to be in the same model with that of the neck and breast. The same light provides an underlying geometric spheres and circles to the variety of living surfaces. By doing this kind of setting, Leonardo wanted to make a good visual impression to the observers. The portrait of Mona Lisa seems a live to most of the views or observers. Leonardo achieved this by not drawing or including outlines in his painting. Researches show that Leonardo was the first artist to use the aerial perspective whereby Mona Lisa in the painting is portrayed to be seated in a loggia that is open and with dark pillars. The background of the portrait was also d esigned in a way that may artist think to be a Chinese style. Mona Lisa actually a portrait that speaks out some of the traits in relation to its design. The smile on her face actually shows that she is a woman that is full of joy and intelligent. On the other hand, the posture at which she sits also shows how she is in a cool and free atmosphere. Leonardo achieved all these by the colors he used on the portrait. Each color had its effect on the picture and this is one of Leonardo’s success tips. Frame In history, Mona Lisa has been into many frames of difference materials. This is because the portrait underwent some warping because it changed with humidity (Kemp, 302). The warping was mainly experience during the World War II. Mona Lisa was fitted in beech crosspieces in the year 1951 but this did not prevent it from warping as the crosspieces were infested with insects after some time. After testing all the materials, the portrait was later fitted into a metallic frame that prevented it from warping. The frame in this case acts as a protector to the portrait as it prevents breakage. Even though the frames were fitted one after the other, no part of the portrait was trimmed and this was to maintain the originality of the portrait. Conclusion All the three parts