Ray Bradbury Research Paper Essay

Ray Douglas Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on August 22, 1920. He is the son of Leonard Spaulding Bradbury and Esther Marie Moberg Bradbury. Ray attended Los Angeles High School. He was active in the drama club and planned to be an actor. Bradbury’s formal education ended with his high school graduation in 1938. However, he continued to educate himself by spending his nights in the library. One of Bradbury’s best-known works, Fahrenheit 451, was released in 1953. It is set in the future in which a totalitarian government has banned the written word. Today, Ray and Maggie Bradbury continue to live in Los Angeles. Ray Bradbury still writes daily and occasionally lectures. At an age when most men rest on their laurels, Bradbury remains a dynamic storyteller and contributor of â€Å"obvious answers to impossible futures.†(Jepsen and Johnson 4) Ray Bradbury’s writing style has always been known to be poetic without being pretentious; it communicates abstract ideas with layman terms and engages our senses. (Ray Bradbury Board) I enjoy Bradbury’s use of irony in stories, but especially in A Sound of Thunder when the killing of a butterfly changes all of civilization. The short story is about this wealthy man named Eckles who pays this time traveling company to take him back to prehistoric times, so he can hunt for a dinosaur. These dinosaurs have been selected because a previous survey indicated that they would die very soon anyway. Although this supposedly gets around the ripple effect, it quite obviously does not—a flaw in logic that Bradbury himself undoubtedly recognized. â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† is about a wealthy man who has purchased a spot in a hunting trip named Eckles. The time traveling company doesn’t want diseases brought to the past, so they will wear environmental suits and they will also be required to walk on an elevated platform. Bradbury provides an excellent description of the ripple effect, showing how one minor change can multiply over thousands of generations until it has the potential to change the world beyond recognition. Only marked dinosaurs are allowed to be killed. Surveys are conducted to see which dinosaurs should be marked and would die naturally anyway. Then, Eckles panics from seeing a tyrannosaurus appear, thus falling off the platform. The creature is dead, but the guide is still angry because Eckles could have changed the future. Before they traveled back in time, a heated election ends with a would-be dictator losing, but upon returning, there are few changes in the room, which the group notices as differences for reasons that Bradbury never explains. The most profound difference is that the election outcome is different. The alteration of history occurred because, when Eckles left the path, he inadvertently stepped on and killed a butterfly. (Don D’Ammassa 1) When reading A Sound of Thunder, I noticed parts when Bradbury used foreshadowing. One example of foreshadowing in Bradbury’s short story is Lesperance’s explanation to Eckles on the dangers of small changes in the past having catastrophic effects on the future foreshadow the changes that occur. The constant warnings to stay off the path indicate that Eckles will leave the path. Another archetype of foreshadowing is when Eckles says, â€Å"Does this safari guarantee I come back alive?† They reply, â€Å"We guarantee nothing!† This in my opinion gives me the idea that the safari must be quite dangerous and anyone doing such an activity needs a plethora of courage. There are many examples of foreshadowing in A Sound of Thunder. Ray Bradbury remains a dynamic storyteller and contributor of â€Å"obvious answers to impossible futures.†(Jepsen and Johnson 4) He writes stories in compelling ways that involve very complex ideas and he makes it simple to understand while still being in an intelligent way. One particular quote Bradbury has stated that I enjoy is, â€Å"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion, I spent the rest of the day putting the pieces together.†(Ray Bradbury Quote 1) Bradbury’s use of irony is probably one of his most famous writing traits; along with his way of being poetic, without being pretentious. In conclusion, Ray Bradbury will go down in history as one of the most famed science fiction writers of all time; even though, he never considered himself a science fiction writer. How ironic? Sources Page D’Ammassa, Don â€Å"A Sound of Thunder Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Facts on File, Inc., 2005 Chris Jepsen, and Richard Johnson. Facts about Ray Bradbury: www.spaceagecity.com/bradbury/bio.htm Ray Bradbury: Xplore Inc, 2012. http://www.brainyquote.com/quote/authors/r/ray_bradbury.html Ray Brabury Message Board: http://www.raybradbury.com/ubb/Forum1 /HTML/000463.html Bleiler, Richard Science Fiction Writers: 2nd ed. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons Mittnacht, Veronica 10 Things you didn’t know about Ray Bradbury: http://flavorwire.come/106189/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-ray-bradbury

The Host Chapter 11: Dehydrated

Okay! You were right, you were right!† I said the words out loud. There was no one around to hear me. Melanie wasn't saying â€Å"I told you so.† Not in so many words. But I could feel the accusation in her silence. I was still unwilling to leave the car, though it was useless to me now. When the gas ran out, I had let it roll forward with the remaining momentum until it took a nosedive into a shallow gorge-a thick rivulet cut by the last big rain. Now I stared out the windshield at the vast, vacant plain and felt my stomach twist with panic. We have to move, Wanderer. It's only going to get hotter. If I hadn't wasted more than a quarter of a tank of gas stubbornly pushing on to the very base of the second landmark-only to find that the third milestone was no longer visible from that vantage and to have to turn around and backtrack-we would have been so much farther down this sandy wash, so much closer to our next goal. Thanks to me, we were going to have to travel on foot now. I loaded the water, one bottle at a time, into the pack, my motions unnecessarily deliberate; I added the remaining granola bars just as slowly. All the while, Melanie ached for me to hurry. Her impatience made it hard to think, hard to concentrate on anything. Like what was going to happen to us. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, she chanted until I lurched, stiff and awkward, out of the car. My back throbbed as I straightened up. It hurt from sleeping so contorted last night, not from the weight of the pack; the pack wasn't that heavy when I used my shoulders to lift it. Now cover the car, she instructed, picturing me ripping thorny branches from the nearby creosotes and palo verdes and draping them over the silver top of the car. â€Å"Why?† Her tone implied that I was quite stupid for not understanding. So no one finds us. But what if I want to be found? What if there's nothing out here but heat and dirt? We have no way to get home! Home? she questioned, throwing cheerless images at me: the vacant apartment in San Diego, the Seeker's most obnoxious expression, the dot that marked Tucson on the map†¦ a brief, happier flash of the red canyon that slipped in by accident. Where would that be? I turned my back on the car, ignoring her advice. I was in too far already. I wasn't going to give up all hope of return. Maybe someone would find the car and then find me. I could easily and honestly explain what I was doing here to any rescuer: I was lost. I'd lost my way†¦ lost my control†¦ lost my mind. I followed the wash at first, letting my body fall into its natural long-strided rhythm. It wasn't the way I walked on the sidewalks to and from the university-it wasn't my walk at all. But it fit the rugged terrain here and moved me smoothly forward with a speed that surprised me until I got used to it. â€Å"What if I hadn't come this way?† I wondered as I walked farther into the desert waste. â€Å"What if Healer Fords were still in Chicago? What if my path hadn't taken us so close to them?† It was that urgency, that lure-the thought that Jared and Jamie might be right here, somewhere in this empty place-that had made it impossible to resist this senseless plan. I'm not sure, Melanie admitted. I think I might still have tried, but I was afraid while the other souls were near. I'm still afraid. Trusting you could kill them both. We flinched together at the thought. But being here, so close†¦ It seemed like I had to try. Please-and suddenly she was pleading with me, begging me, no trace of resentment in her thoughts-please don't use this to hurt them. Please. â€Å"I don't want to†¦ I don't know if I can hurt them. I'd rather†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What? Die myself? Than give a few stray humans up to the Seekers? Again we flinched at the thought, but my revulsion at the idea comforted her. And it frightened me more than it soothed her. When the wash started angling too far toward the north, Melanie suggested that we forget the flat, ashen path and take the direct line to the third landmark, the eastern spur of rock that seemed to point, fingerlike, toward the cloudless sky. I didn't like leaving the wash, just as I'd resisted leaving the car. I could follow this wash all the way back to the road, and the road back to the highway. It was miles and miles, and it would take me days to traverse, but once I stepped off this wash I was officially adrift. Have faith, Wanderer. We'll find Uncle Jeb, or he'll find us. If he's still alive, I added, sighing and loping off my simple path into the brush that was identical in every direction. Faith isn't a familiar concept for me. I don't know that I buy into it. Trust, then? In who? You? I laughed. The hot air baked my throat when I inhaled. Just think, she said, changing the subject, maybe we'll see them by tonight. The yearning belonged to us both; the image of their faces, one man, one child, came from both memories. When I walked faster, I wasn't sure that I was completely in command of the motion. It did get hotter-and then hotter, and then hotter still. Sweat plastered my hair to my scalp and made my pale yellow T-shirt cling unpleasantly wherever it touched. In the afternoon, scorching gusts of wind kicked up, blowing sand in my face. The dry air sucked the sweat away, crusted my hair with grit, and fanned my shirt out from my body; it moved as stiffly as cardboard with the dried salt. I kept walking. I drank water more often than Melanie wanted me to. She begrudged me every mouthful, threatening me that we would want it much more tomorrow. But I'd already given her so much today that I was in no mood to listen. I drank when I was thirsty, which was most of the time. My legs moved me forward without any thought on my part. The crunching rhythm of my steps was background music, low and tedious. There was nothing to see; one twisted, brittle shrub looked exactly the same as the next. The empty homogeny lulled me into a sort of daze-I was only really aware of the shape of the mountains' silhouettes against the pale, bleached sky. I read their outlines every few steps, till I knew them so well I could have drawn them blindfolded. The view seemed frozen in place. I constantly whipped my head around, searching for the fourth marker-a big dome-shaped peak with a missing piece, a curved absence scooped from its side that Melanie had only shown me this morning-as if the perspective would have changed from my last step. I hoped this last clue was it, because we'd be lucky to get that far. But I had a sense that Melanie was keeping more from me, and our journey's end was impossibly distant. I snacked on my granola bars through the afternoon, not realizing until it was too late that I'd finished the last one. When the sun set, the night descended with the same speed as it had yesterday. Melanie was prepared, already scouting out a place to stop. Here, she told me. We'll want to stay as far from the cholla as possible. You toss in your sleep. I eyed the fluffy-looking cactus in the failing light, so thick with bone-colored needles that it resembled fur, and shuddered. You want me to just sleep on the ground? Right here? You see another option? She felt my panic, and her tone softened, as if with pity. Look-it's better than the car. At least it's flat. It's too hot for any critters to be attracted to your body heat and – â€Å"Critters?† I demanded aloud. â€Å"Critters?† There were brief, very unpleasant flashes of deadly-looking insects and coiled serpents in her memories. Don't worry. She tried to soothe me as I arched up on my tiptoes, away from anything that might be hiding in the sand below, my eyes searching the blackness for some escape. Nothing's going to bother you unless you bother it first. After all, you're bigger than anything else out here. Another flash of memory, this time a medium-size canine scavenger, a coyote, flitted through our thoughts. â€Å"Perfect,† I moaned, sinking down into a crouch, though I was still afraid of the black ground beneath me. â€Å"Killed by wild dogs. Who would have thought it would end so†¦ so trivially? How anticlimactic. The claw beast on the Mists Planet, sure. At least there'd be some dignity in being taken down by that.† Melanie's answering tone made me picture her rolling her eyes. Stop being a baby. Nothing is going to eat you. Now lie down and get some rest. Tomorrow will be harder than today. â€Å"Thanks for the good news,† I grumbled. She was turning into a tyrant. It made me think of the human axiom Give him an inch and he'll take a mile. But I was more exhausted than I realized, and as I settled unwillingly to the ground, I found it impossible not to slump down on the rough, gravelly dirt and let my eyes close. It seemed like just minutes later when the morning dawned, blindingly bright and already hot enough to have me sweating. I was crusted in dirt and rocks when I woke; my right arm was pinned under me and had lost feeling. I shook out the tingles and then reached into my pack for some water. Melanie did not approve, but I ignored her. I looked for the half-empty bottle I'd last drunk from, rummaging through the fulls and empties until I began to see a pattern. With a slowly growing sense of alarm, I started counting. I counted twice. There were two more empties than there were fulls. I'd already used up more than half my water supply. I told you that you were drinking too much. I didn't answer her, but I pulled the pack on without taking a drink. My mouth felt horrible, dry and sandy and tasting of bile. I tried to ignore that, tried to stop running my sandpaper tongue over my gritty teeth, and started walking. My stomach was harder to ignore than my mouth as the sun rose higher and hotter above me. It twisted and contracted at regular intervals, anticipating meals that didn't appear. By afternoon, the hunger had gone from uncomfortable to painful. This is nothing, Melanie reminded me wryly. We've been hungrier. You have, I retorted. I didn't feel like being an audience to her endurance memories right now. I was beginning to despair when the good news came. As I swung my head across the horizon with a routine, halfhearted movement, the bulbous shape of the dome jumped out at me from the middle of a northern line of small peaks. The missing part was only a faint indentation from this vantage point. Close enough, Melanie decided, as thrilled as I was to be making some progress. I turned north eagerly, my steps lengthening. Keep a lookout for the next. She remembered another formation for me, and I started craning my head around at once, though I knew it was useless to search for it this early. It would be to the east. North and then east and then north again. That was the pattern. The lift of finding another milestone kept me moving despite the growing weariness in my legs. Melanie urged me on, chanting encouragements when I slowed, thinking of Jared and Jamie when I turned apathetic. My progress was steady, and I waited till Melanie okayed each drink, even though the inside of my throat felt as though it was blistering. I had to admit that I was proud of myself for being so tough. When the dirt road appeared, it seemed like a reward. It snaked toward the north, the direction I was already headed, but Melanie was skittish. I don't like the look of it, she insisted. The road was just a sallow line through the scrub, defined only by its smoother texture and lack of vegetation. Ancient tire tracks made a double depression, centered in the single lane. When it goes the wrong way, we'll leave it. I was already walking down the middle of the tracks. It's easier than weaving through the creosote and watching out for cholla. She didn't answer, but her unease made me feel a little paranoid. I kept up my search for the next formation-a perfect M, two matching volcanic points-but I also watched the desert around me more carefully than before. Because I was paying extra attention, I noticed the gray smudge in the distance long before I could make out what it was. I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me and blinked against the dust that clouded them. The color seemed wrong for a rock, and the shape too solid for a tree. I squinted into the brightness, making guesses. Then I blinked again, and the smudge suddenly jumped into a structured shape, closer than I'd been thinking. It was some kind of house or building, small and weathered to a dull gray. Melanie's spike of panic had me dancing off the narrow lane and into the dubious cover of the barren brush. Hold on, I told her. I'm sure it's abandoned. How do you know? She was holding back so hard that I had to concentrate on my feet before I could move them forward. Who would live out here? We souls live for society. I heard the bitter edge to my explanation and knew it was because of where I now stood-physically and metaphorically in the middle of nowhere. Why did I no longer belong to the society of souls? Why did I feel like I didn't†¦ like I didn't want to belong? Had I ever really been a part of the community that was meant to be my own, or was that the reason behind my long line of lives lived in transience? Had I always been an aberration, or was this something Melanie was making me into? Had this planet changed me, or revealed me for what I already was? Melanie had no patience for my personal crisis-she wanted me to get far away from that building as fast as possible. Her thoughts yanked and twisted at mine, pulling me out of my introspection. Calm down, I ordered, trying to focus my thoughts, to separate them from hers. If there is anything that actually lives here, it would be human. Trust me on this; there is no such thing as a hermit among souls. Maybe your Uncle Jeb – She rejected that thought harshly. No one could survive out in the open like this. Your kind would have searched any habitation thoroughly. Whoever lived here ran or became one of you. Uncle Jeb would have a better hiding place. And if whoever lived here became one of us, I assured her, then they left this place. Only a human would live this way†¦ I trailed off, suddenly afraid, too. What? She reacted strongly to my fright, freezing us in place. She scanned my thoughts, looking for something I'd seen to upset me. But I'd seen nothing new. Melanie, what if there are humans out here-not Uncle Jeb and Jared and Jamie? What if someone else found us? She absorbed the idea slowly, thinking it through. You're right. They'd kill us immediately. Of course. I tried to swallow, to wash the taste of terror from my dry mouth. There won't be anyone else. How could there be? she reasoned. Your kind are far too thorough. Only someone already in hiding would have had a chance. So let's go check it out-you're sure there are none of you, and I'm sure there are none of me. Maybe we can find something helpful, something we can use as a weapon. I shuddered at her thoughts of sharp knives and long metal tools that could be turned into clubs. No weapons. Ugh. How did such spineless creatures beat us? Stealth and superior numbers. Any one of you, even your young, is a hundred times as dangerous as one of us. But you're like one termite in an anthill. There are millions of us, all working together in perfect harmony toward our goal. Again, as I described the unity, I felt the dragging sense of panic and disorientation. Who was I? We kept to the creosote as we approached the little structure. It looked to be a house, just a small shack beside the road, with no hint at all of any other purpose. The reason for its location here was a mystery-this spot had nothing to offer but emptiness and heat. There was no sign of recent habitation. The door frame gaped, doorless, and only a few shards of glass clung to the empty window frames. Dust gathered on the threshold and spilled inside. The gray weathered walls seemed to lean away from the wind, as if it always blew from the same direction here. I was able to contain my anxiety as I walked hesitantly to the vacant door frame; we must be just as alone here as we had been all day and all yesterday. The shade the dark entry promised drew me forward, trumping my fears with its appeal. I still listened intently, but my feet moved ahead with swift, sure steps. I darted through the doorway, moving quickly to one side so as to have a wall at my back. This was instinctual, a product of Melanie's scavenging days. I stood frozen there, unnerved by my blindness, waiting for my eyes to adjust. The little shack was empty, as we'd known it would be. There were no more signs of occupation inside than out. A broken table slanted down from its two good legs in the middle of the room, with one rusted metal chair beside it. Patches of concrete showed through big holes in the worn, grimy carpet. A kitchenette lined the wall with a rusted sink, a row of cabinets-some doorless-and a waist-high refrigerator that hung open, revealing its moldy black insides. A couch frame sat against the far wall, all the cushions gone. Still mounted above the couch, only a little crooked, was a framed print of dogs playing poker. Homey, Melanie thought, relieved enough to be sarcastic. It's got more decor than your apartment. I was already moving for the sink. Dream on, Melanie added helpfully. Of course it would be wasteful to have water running to this secluded place; the souls managed details like that better than to leave such an anomaly behind. I still had to twist the ancient knobs. One broke off in my hand, rusted through. I turned to the cupboards next, kneeling on the nasty carpet to peek carefully inside. I leaned away as I opened the door, afraid I might be disturbing one of the venomous desert animals in its lair. The first was empty, backless, so that I could see the wooden slats of the outside wall. The next had no door, but there was a stack of antique newspapers inside, covered with dust. I pulled one out, curious, shaking the dirt to the dirtier floor, and read the date. From human times, I noted. Not that I needed a date to tell me that. â€Å"Man Burns Three-Year-Old Daughter to Death,† the headline screamed at me, accompanied by a picture of an angelic blond child. This wasn't the front page. The horror detailed here was not so hideous as to rate priority coverage. Beneath this was the face of a man wanted for the murders of his wife and two children two years before the print date; the story was about a possible sighting of the man in Mexico. Two people killed and three injured in a drunk-driving accident. A fraud and murder investigation into the alleged suicide of a prominent local banker. A suppressed confession setting an admitted child molester free. House pets found slaughtered in a trash bin. I cringed, shoving the paper away from me, back into the dark cupboard. Those were the exceptions, not the norm, Melanie thought quietly, trying to keep the fresh horror of my reaction from seeping into her memories of those years and recoloring them. Can you see how we thought we might be able to do better, though? How we could have supposed that maybe you didn't deserve all the excellent things of this world? Her answer was acidic. If you wanted to cleanse the planet, you could have blown it up. Despite what your science fiction writers dream, we simply don't have the technology. She didn't think my joke was funny. Besides, I added, that would have been such a waste. It's a lovely planet. This unspeakable desert excepted, of course. That's how we realized you were here, you know, she said, thinking of the sickening news headlines again. When the evening news was nothing but inspiring human-interest stories, when pedophiles and junkies were lining up at the hospitals to turn themselves in, when everything morphed into Mayberry, that's when you tipped your hand. â€Å"What an awful alteration!† I said dryly, turning to the next cupboard. I pulled the stiff door back and found the mother lode. â€Å"Crackers!† I shouted, seizing the discolored, half-smashed box of Saltines. There was another box behind it, one that looked like someone had stepped on it. â€Å"Twinkies!† I crowed. Look! Melanie urged, pointing a mental finger at three dusty bottles of bleach at the very back of the cupboard. What do you want bleach for? I asked, already ripping into the cracker box. To throw in someone's eyes? Or to brain them with the bottle? To my delight, the crackers, though reduced to crumbs, were still inside their plastic sleeves. I tore one open and started shaking the crumbs into my mouth, swallowing them half chewed. I couldn't get them into my stomach fast enough. Open a bottle and smell it, she instructed, ignoring my commentary. That's how my dad used to store water in the garage. The bleach residue kept the water from growing anything. In a minute. I finished one sleeve of crumbs and started on the next. They were very stale, but compared to the taste in my mouth, they were ambrosia. When I finished the third, I became aware that the salt was burning the cracks in my lips and at the corners of my mouth. I heaved out one of the bleach bottles, hoping Melanie was right. My arms felt weak and noodley, barely able to lift it. This concerned us both. How much had our condition deteriorated already? How much farther would we be able to go? The bottle's cap was so tight, I wondered if it had melted into place. Finally, though, I was able to twist it off with my teeth. I sniffed at the opening carefully, not especially wanting to pass out from bleach fumes. The chemical scent was very faint. I sniffed deeper. It was water, definitely. Stagnant, musty water, but water all the same. I took a small mouthful. Not a fresh mountain stream, but wet. I started guzzling. Easy there, Melanie warned me, and I had to agree. We'd lucked into this cache, but it made no sense to squander it. Besides, I wanted something solid now that the salt burn had eased. I turned to the box of Twinkies and licked three of the smooshed-up cakes from the inside of the wrappers. The last cupboard was empty. As soon as the hunger pangs had eased slightly, Melanie's impatience began to leak into my thoughts. Feeling no resistance this time, I quickly loaded my spoils into my pack, pitching the empty water bottles into the sink to make room. The bleach jugs were heavy, but theirs was a comforting weight. It meant I wouldn't stretch out to sleep on the desert floor thirsty and hungry again tonight. With the sugar energy beginning to buzz through my veins, I loped back out into the bright afternoon.

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The Future of Home Landscape - Essay Example This discussion stresses that most contemporary land designers have adopted classy home outlooks with emphasis on the exterior outlook of the houses that are made to appear more unique, natural, and attractive. The incorporation of modern elements such as outdoor benches can be useful as meeting places during hot weather; additionally, swimming pools provide exquisite refreshment zones. Formal and ornamental splashes are used to decorate the house and serve human purposes where individuals experience the feeling of change while in the building. The Lurie Garden is an example of exquisite outdoor elements of home landscapes. Despite the modernization of home landscape, the infrastructure faces major challenges regarding the sustainability of their originality in case the indigenous designer is no longer present to oversee maintenance. Most of the previously exquisite features currently appear to be extinct due to negligence.As the paper discusses  in the U.S., landscape architecture is an inherently ephemeral art form that is adapted for the exhibition.   Home landscape designs in modern cities are utilizing the vast amount of waste to turn trash into treasures through recycling and reusing the wastes for exterior decorations.   The outdoor space is given more attention by designers. It is manicured into front lawns, stone paver pathway, and intricate garden designs.  Prospective landscaping architects are aiming to incorporate more beautiful gardens to remodel the exterior appearance of the houses and reduce wastage of space.

MGT answer the question in the attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGT answer the question in the attachment - Essay Example ses of the company include massive debt and overheads from now defunct brands whose discontinuation will be reflected positively through lower expenses on their income statement and other financial statements in the next financial cycle. The Liz Claiborne Company’s plan of action has been to trim down on organizational size with respect to work force and brands. The three brands which were retained were all priced as high end, affordable apparel which is currently safe from the disinterest of the consumers. It’s actually the middle tier apparel industry which was taken aback with penny wise consumers and so Liz Claiborne decided to sell those unprofitable brands to companies like J.C. Penney Co. and Bluestar Alliance. Yes, the action being taken by Liz Claiborne is most definitely strategic. They’ve given a lifeline to the company by trimming its burden of many loss-enduring brands and thus shaking off massive amounts of debt. These moves have also touched investors the right way. Share price of Liz Claiborne rose by 32 cents, equivalent to 3.8%, to $8.59 after the sale of Liz Claiborne and Monet Brands to J.C. Penney Co. was completed on the 2nd of November, 2011. Also, the company has announced that it will be renamed following the sale of the Liz Claiborne brand itself. This move is aimed to give fresh wind to the company, both in lieu of investor and consumer relations

A research paper on the representation of the goddess Isis in Ancient Term

A research on the representation of the goddess Isis in Ancient Egypt from Old Kingdom to New Kingdom - Term Paper Example The people sought the support and benevolence of various gods and goddesses for peace, prosperity, love, war, fertility, health, protection, traveling and other fields and activities of life. For instance, Zeus is viewed as the mighty king of all gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, while Apollo is believed to be the god of the sun and music and Mars is the god of war, while Eurybia is the sea goddess. The same is applied to the Egyptian civilization of ancient times, where the people had developed faith in supernatural powers, and sought their help at every hour of need. Hence, the innate human instinct also forced the financially affluent and politically powerful Egyptians of ancient times to call for the divine support on domestic, personal, professional and collective matters. Somehow, the Egyptians lacked hegemony and cohesion in views and beliefs; which was partly because of the social, geographical and strategic division of the population, which did not accept the subjugation under one political authority and one single deity as well. â€Å"Egyptian mythology is of highly complex character, and cannot be considered apart from its racial and historical aspects. The Egyptians were, as a Hebrew prophet has declared, a "mingled people", and this view has been confirmed by recent ethnological research.† Consequently, they had developed belief in the multiplicity of gods and goddesses on the basis of clans and tribes on the one hand, and in the light of the traditions accredited to different deities on the other. (Mackenzie, 2002:2) The goddess Isis is also one among the long list of deities, which were worshipped by the ancient people of Egyptian peninsula with great religious fervor and enthusiasm. Being an extremely benevolent and compassionate goddess, she enjoys distinguished status in the ancient Egyptian mythology. Though the goddess maintained a universal status in the country, yet she got popularity and position in the southern regions of Egyp t, which was not only the center of social, political and economic activities, but also dominated the rest of the region. â€Å"Currently there is a strong indication that Southern or Upper Egypt had gained a cultural ascendancy over Northern or Lower Egypt by c.3500 BC. In archaeological terms this southern culture is described as Naqada II.† (Hart, 2005:3) Hence, southern Egyptians declared their peace and prosperity as the outcome of the special bounties of the goddess upon them, which also motivated the northern areas of the country to imitate their footprints in spiritualism and faith. Isis is regarded as the goddess of motherhood, feminism, civil liberty, magic and fertility, and is revered and adored for displaying sheer affection and motherly attitude towards the Egyptian subjects without exhibiting any prejudice and discrimination towards any specific group or stratum of society. Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt portrays Isis as the queen and mother of all the Eg yptians, which looked for bestowing maximum bounties and blessings upon the people to fill their life with countless joys in the form of abundance in food, children, pelf, possession and properties. â€Å"Isis had been a potent goddess as early as the third millennium B. C. She was the sister-wife of Osiris, with whom she mated in the womb of their mother, Nuit, the sky goddess.† (Mathews, 2001:25) Being the motherly deity, the goddess appears to be showering her unabated love on all and sundry, with special concentration of

Role of Unions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Role of Unions - Research Paper Example ition, the unions’ role in shielding workers from increased inflation, growing unemployment and in influencing government policies in issues as health and other social factors is necessary (Serrano, 2011). Every organization has a HRM department that is mandated with the duty of hiring and looking at the welfare of the policies. In executing this role, the department influences the relationship between the employees and the organization. The department therefore has a role of achieving a cordial relationship between the organization and the employees by designing fair compensation, ensuring better working conditions, having better bargain, adhering to the labor laws and involving the employees’ emissaries in the formulation and implementation of organizations polices (Serrano, 2011). Through these, the employees’ relationship will be enhanced and their loyalty to the origination will be improved. Besides, the government also plays a significant role in ensuring workers plight are upheld. The government has a role of setting fair wage rates by altering minimum wage and in promulgating laws that protect the rights of the workers. The role will include that of penalizing organizations that breach the set regulations (Serrano, 2011). Simultaneously, the government should take interventionary measures between organizations and their workers in resolving labor disputes. In conclusion, the HRM department, government and the workers representatives must all play their roles in ensuring smooth relationship in the work force. Failure by any party to perform their tasks may result into labor disputes that will impair the functioning of the general

Dynamic Universe 1 Journal Essay Example for Free

Dynamic Universe 1 Journal Essay From the very beginning, the studying for the universe has been accompanied with numerous misconceptions and myths: from flat structure of the earth and earth-centered model of the universe to contemporary astrology and horoscopes. From the critical perspective, if the early explanations about the universe and our place in it could be explained due to known technological limitations of the ancients, modern astrology does not have any viable explanations. As Phil Plait argues on his website Badastronomy. com, modern astrology cannot be considered a science a priori and there are many reasons to make us support this statement. Unlike astronomy, which is based on universally developed methodologies, derived primarily from physics, chemistry, and mathematics, astronomy does not use any of them. The latter lacks even universally agreed method, as Phil Plait explains, some astrologists claim that â€Å"the moment of birth is important, others say its the month, etc†¦ but they all operate under a very broad working assumption: there is some sort of force from the heavens that influences us here on Earth. † Although during the development of the astronomy there have been various differences in theories and ideas, for instance Big Bang model, all of them were developed on the thorough scientific analysis of data and mathematical models coupled with specific methodologies. With some deviations, astrology can be compared to Sun worship practices during the ancient times. Naturally, Sun worship originated in agricultural areas due to the people’s heavy dependence of the sun light for the crop. If assessed critically, Sun worship has been a dominated religious practice. Wikipedia online encyclopedia indicates that Sun worship has been characteristic for Egyptian, Japanese and Nordic mythologies. Ancient Greeks also worshiped Helios, God of the Sun. Simultaneously, the list of solar deities provides even more evidence about the dominance of Sun worship during the early periods of ancient civilizations. Surprisingly, Smithbrad traces important connections of Sun worship and astronomical basis to the Christian religion, indicating both historical and scriptural evidence. For observers from the earth, the Sun and the Moon represent two most bright objects on the sky. However, from the critical perspective, these objects are not unique, not only by their form but also by the characteristics of their light. Practically, the story of star formation is a study in contradictions. It starts with atoms, molecules, and dust particles floating aimlessly in the dark and frigid depths of interstellar space. Out of the cold and empty expanses, gravity brings these scattered particles together to form stars. Over hundreds of millions of years, these gas and dust particles congregate into enormous clouds that can span hundreds of light-years. The two lightest elements hydrogen and helium dominate these clouds, accounting for about 92 percent and eight percent of the atoms, respectively (NASA, 2005). Dust grains account for about one percent of a clouds total mass. Astronomers call these clouds giant molecular clouds because they also contain trace amounts of molecules such as water, alcohol, ammonia, and various carbon-based organic compounds, which represent raw components of life. All in all, the clouds contain enough material to form tens of thousands of new stars. Magnetic fields and the random motions of gas molecules prevent the cloud from collapsing under its own weight. The various gas and dust particles jostle about, but eventually, enough mass congregates in one region to initiate gravitational collapse in a small portion of the cloud. Astronomers once thought that cloud collapse was usually triggered by external disturbances, such as supernova shock waves or stellar winds. Nowadays, however, most astronomers think that cloud collapse usually happens on its own, although triggering mechanisms can still play an important role (NASA,2005). Over the course of several millennia, a collapsing gas cloud fragments into tens to thousands of relatively dense, rotating clumps of gas that will ultimately form newborn stars. Emission and reflection nebulae are abundant in the universe, though not observed with the naked eye. Practically, emission nebulae, â€Å"cloud of gas and dust floating in space,† emit their own light, due to the presence of ultraviolet radiation coming from the hot star or star clusters stars (Nebulae, 2005). The very hot star emits highly energetic radiation of the invisible part of the electro-magnetic spectrum, and the emission nebula re-emits the radiation in the visible light (M42, 2005). Unlike the reflection nebulae, in the emission nebulae the atoms of the dust are energized by the radiation (ultraviolet) and start emitting (not reflecting) their own radiation as atoms fall back into lower energy states. This process of the radiation emission can be compared to the Sun, with the only deviation that the latter emits radiation and light due to the processes which occur in the Sun’s core without any impact from the outside object. Simultaneously, reflection nebulae reflect the light coming from the star or star cluster. This process can be compared to the Moon, as it also reflects the light coming from the Sun, not emitting its own radiation. From its own origin when being formulated by LemaÐ ¾tre and proved by Hubble, the Big Bang theory evidenced many contributions, objections and simplifications. The Hubble Law states that galaxies in every direction are distancing away from us with speeds proportional to their distance. The major contribution to the Big Bang theory has been made with the data obtained from satellites COBE and WMAP, and the Hubble Space Telescope. The data allowed scientists to formulate the statement that the universe has been formed 14 billion years ago in a hot, dense, event known as the â€Å"Big Bang. † Practically, what the theory of â€Å"Big Bang† provides is the explanation of nature and major characteristics of the universe. There is no edge or boundaries in the universe. The expansion of the universe is occurring at all points simultaneously. Therefore, as Richard Powell explains the most of 350 billion galaxies which contains the universe are moving away from one another. However, it does not necessarily mean that the Earth or our galaxy is moving. As it is known, galaxies are distributed not universally. The systems similar to our Solar System and the Milky Way are formed from under the gravity and thus are restrained from moving apart. However, 350 billion galaxies and 3. 5 trillion dwarf galaxies in the universe are collected into vast sheets, clusters and superclusters of galaxies surrounding large voids. Bibliography Phil Plait. Astrology, available at http://www. badastronomy. com/bad/misc/astrology. html Accessed Oct 3, 2005 The resource is dedicated to various misconceptions in the astronomy, including numerous myths and beliefs, like astrology, pseudoscience and science portrayal in contemporary movie industry. Wikipedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Solar Deity† available http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Solar_deity Accessed Oct 3, 2005 World Largest Open Encyclopedia, which offers explanations on various issues, including the astronomy and related subjects. Though not cited, this resource http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Big_Bang#Hubble. 27s_law_expansion became very useful for the journal preparation. Smithbrad â€Å"Sun Worship† Available http://smithbrad. nventure. com/sunworship. htm Accessed Oct 3, 2005 Resource aims to provide connections between Christian faith and practices with the Sun worship tradition as the most ancient tradition among all religions. The resource provides both scientific and scriptural evidence for its statements. â€Å"Nebulae† Available http://www. seasky. org/cosmic/sky7a05. html Accessed Oct 3, 2005 Web resource is dedicated primarily for concise and practical explanations of astronomical terms and phenomena. It offers graphic and photo illustrations to explains various issues in the astronomical science. NASA. â€Å"Imagine the Universe† Available http://imagine. gsfc. nasa. gov This resource provides information for star life cycle patterns, which was useful for conducting the journal, particularly on the questions on emission and reflection nebulae. â€Å"M42† Available http://www. seds. org/messier/m/m042. html Accessed Oct 3, 2005 The resource is a part of the Messier Catalog. It became useful for the journal discussion on reflection and emission nebulae, offering photo illustrations and discovery history of Orion Nebula, also known as M42 Richard Powell â€Å"Atlas of the Universe† Available http://anzwers. org/free/universe Accessed Oct 3, 2005 It is the most useful resource for general explanation of the Big Bang theory, providing graphical illustrations of its major concepts and problematic moments. Maps compiled by Mr. Powell has been used for journal explanations and references.

Independence Day Celebrations in India

Independence Day Celebrations in India Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 to commemorate its independence from the British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation on that day in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. It is celebrated all over the country through flag-hoisting ceremony and distribution of sweets. The main celebration takes place in New Delhi, where the Prime Minister hoists the National Flag at the Red Fort and delivers a nationally televised speech from its ramparts. In his speech, he highlights the achievements of his government during the past year, raises important issues and gives a call for further development. The Prime Minister also pays his tribute to leaders of the freedom struggle. On 3 June 1947, Viscount Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British Governor-General of India, announced the partitioning of the British Indian Empire into India and Pakistan, under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947. At the stroke of midnight, on 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation. This was preceded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrus famous speech titled Tryst with destiny. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again. Prime Minister Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel invited Lord Mountbatten to continue as Governor General of India. He was replaced in June 1948 by Chakravarti Rajagopalachari. Patel took on the responsibility of unifying 565 princely states, steering efforts by his â€Å"iron fist in a velvet glove† policies, exemplified by the use of military force to integrate Junagadh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Hyderabad state into India. JK became a part of India when Pakistan laid siege and the then king Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with India to save JK from Pakistan. India responded on behalf of JK by sending in its armed forces to counteract the Pakistani attack. Later PM Nehru went to UN and a cease fire was declared. Pakistan has not withdrawn its military forces from the occupied Kashmir, and the territory termed as POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) has ever since been a cause of contention between India and Pakistan. The Constituent Assembly completed the work of drafting the constitution on 26 November 1949; on 26 January 1950 the Republic of India was officially proclaimed. The Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India, taking over from Governor General Rajgopalachari. Subsequently, a free and sovereign India absorbed two other territories: Goa (liberated from Portuguese control in 1961) and Pondicherry (which the French ceded in 1954). In 1952, India held its first general elections, with a voter turnout exceeding 62%; in practice, this made India the worlds largest democratic country in the history of the modern and ancient world. Celebrations Prime Minister of India hoists the Indian flag on the ramparts of the this historial site, Red Fort, Delhi, On August 15th. 15th August is a National holiday of India. In the capital New Delhi most of the Government Offices are lit up. Flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs take place in all the state capitals. In the cities around the country the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is done by politicians belonging to that constituency. In various private organisations the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is carried out by a Senior officer of that organisation. Schools and colleges around the country organise flag hoisting ceremony and various cultural activities within their respective premises. Families and friends get together for lunch or dinner, or for an outing. Housing colonies, cultural centres, clubs and societies hold entertainment programmes and competitions, usually based on the freedom theme. Kite Flying Throughout varyng regions of India, there is a popular tradition of flying kites on the Independence Day. The sky is dotted with hundreds of colourful kites and people engage in kite-flying competitions. Children and adults alike, try to cut the others kite threads and make others kites fall to the ground while their own stays in the air. Balconies and roof-tops of houses are full of people flying kites and one can hear cheerful shouts of children in the evening as the kites soar in the sky.

Industrial Revolution :: essays research papers

Industrial Revolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the previous class, we learned the changes of the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution had changed literally everything. Lives changed, roles changed, education changed, homes changed, health changed, romance changed; everything had changed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The elements of the home changed in quite a few ways. The home was always filled with the people that lived there because they spend their time at home. The home was made of things that you could find locally or that you could make by hand. Houses were made out of mud, wood, and straw. The family had basically slept in the same bed for less consumption of space and for warmth. Not only did they live with the entire family, however they lived with fleas, rats, and lice. This allowed diseases to be spread and in effect, the population was very little because of the severity of the diseases. After the Revolution, the home is filled with less people because the people transport to other places. The home is filled with things that you can find all over the world. Houses are made out of steel frames, wood, glass windows, and very sturdy materials in addition to the idea that specialized workers made your home. The refrigerator and toilet were invented and people slept i n different beds causing an increase in the population due to the decrease in disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The elements of man and woman had changed as well. Man and woman married each other for survival. Man and woman needed each other for children and for each other’s work labor. Therefore, sex was a necessity for survival. Children were only acquired after marriage, if the child was born any other time, the couple was shunned by the community. Marriages were arranged by the parents and the husband between a money agreement. Once the couple married, no one left the farm but mainly lived their lives on the farm. Women married at the age of 14-16 and men in their mid 20s and 30s. This is because the women had a better chance of survival through childbirth at the age of 14, 15, and 16. After the Industrial Revolution, sex is pleasurable and couples do it for pleasure and not for survival. Sex is done before marriage in some cases and also advertised in movies. Couples marry as a result of love and attraction for one another. There is no longer a need for each oth er as a means of survival.

Euthanasia: The Right to a Peaceful and Merciful Death Essay -- Medici

The arrogance of mankind has dampened the hope that individuals can achieve a dignified death. "Science says: 'We must live,' and seeks the means of prolonging, increasing, facilitating, and amplifying life, of making it tolerable and acceptable, wisdom says: 'We must die' and seeks how to make us die well." - M. De Unamund sss. Whoosh. Hum. Beep. Slurp. A clock alerts her. Time to flip him over. The tired woman struggles to lift the six-foot, four-inch skeleton for the fifth time that day. Time to suction the massive bedsores filled with pustules. Slurp up the puss again. "Ed, do you want to try to eat today?" No response. The eyes are vacant, and the expression is infantile. The tongue hangs from the mouth, and a string of saliva drools onto the bed sheets. The woman inserts liquid food into the feeding tube once again. Hsss. Whoosh. Hum. Beep. Slurp. "Ed, it's time to see if you've done your duty yet." The woman peers into his diaper and sadly realizes that for the seventeenth day in a row he has not had a bowel movement. Insert the suppository into his rectum again. Hsss. Whoosh. Hum. Beep. Slurp. This woman, once a strong-willed professional and competent mother and grandmother, has lost fifteen years of her life to the task of caring for someone who no longer recognizes her. Euthanasia is the process of mercifully ending a person's life, allowing that individual to escape terminal illness or an undignified death. The term has taken on many new meanings in this modern age of medical technological advancement. Scientists have devised numerous inventions to help prevent the death of humans faced with medical tragedy. The question is just how long humans should undergo life-saving and life-prolonging treatments befor... ...ave this world. No matter how much we wish to believe they are immortal, we must realize that our bodies cannot sustain life infinitely. Works Cited Branegan, Jay. "I Want to Draw the Line Myself." Time 17 Mar. 1997: 30. Caplan, Arthur L. "Future Directions in Medical Ethics." Microsoft Encarta 4.0 (2000). Microsoft. CD-ROM. Goodman, Ellen. "Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Decides?" Rpt. in Current Issues & Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 560-566. Huttman, Barbara. "A Crime of Compassion." Rpt. in Current Issues & Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 555-557. Marker, Rita L. "Kids and Euthanasia." Human Life Review 26 (2000): 30-36. Schaeffer, Pamela. "Rigali Intervenes: Feeding Tube Must Stay." National Catholic Reporter 37 (2000): 5-7. Euthanasia: The Right to a Peaceful and Merciful Death Essay -- Medici The arrogance of mankind has dampened the hope that individuals can achieve a dignified death. "Science says: 'We must live,' and seeks the means of prolonging, increasing, facilitating, and amplifying life, of making it tolerable and acceptable, wisdom says: 'We must die' and seeks how to make us die well." - M. De Unamund sss. Whoosh. Hum. Beep. Slurp. A clock alerts her. Time to flip him over. The tired woman struggles to lift the six-foot, four-inch skeleton for the fifth time that day. Time to suction the massive bedsores filled with pustules. Slurp up the puss again. "Ed, do you want to try to eat today?" No response. The eyes are vacant, and the expression is infantile. The tongue hangs from the mouth, and a string of saliva drools onto the bed sheets. The woman inserts liquid food into the feeding tube once again. Hsss. Whoosh. Hum. Beep. Slurp. "Ed, it's time to see if you've done your duty yet." The woman peers into his diaper and sadly realizes that for the seventeenth day in a row he has not had a bowel movement. Insert the suppository into his rectum again. Hsss. Whoosh. Hum. Beep. Slurp. This woman, once a strong-willed professional and competent mother and grandmother, has lost fifteen years of her life to the task of caring for someone who no longer recognizes her. Euthanasia is the process of mercifully ending a person's life, allowing that individual to escape terminal illness or an undignified death. The term has taken on many new meanings in this modern age of medical technological advancement. Scientists have devised numerous inventions to help prevent the death of humans faced with medical tragedy. The question is just how long humans should undergo life-saving and life-prolonging treatments befor... ...ave this world. No matter how much we wish to believe they are immortal, we must realize that our bodies cannot sustain life infinitely. Works Cited Branegan, Jay. "I Want to Draw the Line Myself." Time 17 Mar. 1997: 30. Caplan, Arthur L. "Future Directions in Medical Ethics." Microsoft Encarta 4.0 (2000). Microsoft. CD-ROM. Goodman, Ellen. "Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Decides?" Rpt. in Current Issues & Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 560-566. Huttman, Barbara. "A Crime of Compassion." Rpt. in Current Issues & Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 555-557. Marker, Rita L. "Kids and Euthanasia." Human Life Review 26 (2000): 30-36. Schaeffer, Pamela. "Rigali Intervenes: Feeding Tube Must Stay." National Catholic Reporter 37 (2000): 5-7.

Management Concepts Essay

Case for critical thinking: A flood of decisions 1. What information sources (or potential information sources) could have been used to assist with the decision-making process for Wivenhoe Dam in this case? Potential information sources that could have been used to assist with the decision-making process for Wivenhoe Dam -SEQWater -Sought advice from Water Grid Manager -Water Commission -DERM (Department of Environmental Resource Management) Managerial decision-making Problem avoiders Problem solvers Problem seekers Approaches to decision making Classical decision model Behavioral decision model Judgmental decision model 2. With references to decision-making theory covered in the chapter, describe the type of managerial decision-making evident in this case, and the conditions under which decisions were made. Managerial Decision Making *Problem avoidably *Problem solvers *Problem seekers Decision conditions: *Certain environment *Risk environment *Uncertain environment 3. Evaluate the decisions made in the case in relation to the classical, behavioural and judgmental heuristics approaches to decision-making that are outlined in the chapter. Which model do you believe best describes the situation and subsequent decision-making process in this case? Justify your answer? Approaches to decision making ^Classical decision model ^Behavioral decision model ^Judgmental decision model Case decision *Classical decision model Problem: it was the flood that damage Brisbane and Ipswich Possible alternative: Not releasing flood waters. Consequently threatened stability of dam Optimizing decision: Release of flood waters being aware of potential damage. SWOT Analysis: Strengths: *New technology *They set priorities *Manage time Weakness: Lack of communication Misunderstanding Misconduct Problem solving Crisis Opportunities: *Professional engineer *Employment Threats: Natural disaster (climate change) Damage roads and homes. Conclusion People should make wise decision to save the lifes of the others.

Food intake 3 day Essay

We’ve heard time and time again during our lives how important it is to eat fruits and vegetables or to have a well-balanced diet. We also know how hard it can be to ensure that you are eating enough of the right thing. Are fast food restaurants as bad as people make them seem? How do you know if your diet contains all of the essential vitamins and minerals? The answers to both of these questions lie in the results from the three-day food intake assignment I participated in. Using the information I recorded in IProfile, I was able to record my intake of protein, carbohydrates and lipids, the amount of fiber intake, and notice pattern or trends in my diet that could be modified. Initially, I was able to record my intake of protein, carbohydrates and lipids. Of the foods I consumed over the course of three days, mostly from fast food restaurants, the foods that provided the most protein were the Burger King sausage and cheese crossanwich, the Captain D’s 3-piece chicken d inner, a Burger King Whopper Jr. sandwich, hard-boiled eggs, fish on bun, Popeye’s shrimp, fried eggs, a McDonalds crispy chicken sandwich and a Five Guys burger. The foods that provided the most carbohydrates are the Burger King sausage and cheese crossanwich, Captain D’s 3-piece chicken dinner, Pepsi cola, Welch’s 100% grape juice, Five Guys fries and Coca-Cola. Lastly, the foods that provided the most lipids were the Burger King sausage and cheese crossanwich, the hard boiled eggs, fried eggs, pork sausage, a McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich and French fries. According to the aforementioned information my daily intake for protein was about 93 grams, 422 grams per day of carbohydrates and 11.16 grams daily for lipids. In comparison, the recommendations of the dietary reference intake (DRI) for protein is 82-286 grams daily, 367-531 grams daily for carbohydrates and 18.6 grams per day of lipids. In conclusion, my lipid intake is extremely too low, with my carbohydrate and protein intake being in range with the DRI recommendations. To avoid illness or poor health, this part of my diet should be carefully monitored and modified. According to  NutritionMD.org, macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fat (or lipids) are essential for growth, health and immune function. â€Å"Too little or too much of any of these macronutrients may result in poor health and a variety of diseases† (NutritionMD.org). Protein is important for growth and provides amino acids with are very important for building cells; protein is important for warding off diseases. For example, individuals with liver disease cannot produce enough amino acids to support the body, while a normal individual can; this is most likely a direct correlation to protein intake. Furthermore, using IProfile I was able to monitor my fiber intake. According to my intake spreadsheet my fiber intake does not meet 100% of the recommendation for me as calculated on the IProfile website. My total fiber intake was 21 grams daily, which is about 55.7% of the daily recommendation meaning my fiber consumption is too low. Fiber is important because it helps the body rid itself of waste, which means I will have to take precautions to ensure that I adjust my fiber intake in my diet. Based on my IProfile spreadsheets, the foods in my three-day diet that provided the most fiber were apples, French fries, and red beans with rice. The foods providing the least fiber in my meals were the soda, watermelon, eggs, and pork sausage. My lack of fiber is most likely a direct correlation with the lack of fruit and vegetables in my diet which needs immediate modification. Additionally, using the three-day food intake spreadsheet I was able to pin point patterns or trends in my food con sumption which helps with the much needed modification of my diet. One noticeable trend was that most of the (fast) food I consumed was high in sodium. I also noticed that majority of my sugar and moisture intake along with half of my fluoride intake came from the sodas I consumed. My meals also did not include many fiber-rich bean dishes; I only consumed beans once in the course of three days. Based on the trends found, I plan to incorporate more lipid and fiber rich foods into my diet such as beans and green leafy vegetables, as well as avoid foods that have unhealthy amounts of sodium. For example, according to whfoods.org, eating whole fruit instead of drinking a fruit juice and make a healthy impact on your fiber increase because they provide you with more nutrients such as fiber and essential vitamins as well as less calories than fruit juice. In  conclusion, by recording my food intake for the course of three-days on IProfile, I was able to monitor the amounts of macronutrients and fiber I consumed, as well as positive and negative trends in my diet. This information is extremely vital for living a healthy and illness or disease free lifestyle. I am now aware of the various modifications I should make to my diet in order to have a healthier lifestyle, such as avoiding fast food high in sodium and adding more fiber-rich beans and vegetables to my diet. Ensuring you are receiving enough nutrients isn’t only important for losing weight but also important for warding off poor health in general as well as several diseases. â€Å"The worst thing we can do is neglect our bodies† (health.com) References NutritionMD,org: Micronutrients in Health and Disease. http://www.nutritionmd.org/heath_care_providers/general_nutrition/micronutrients.html Whfoods.org Birt, D. F.; Pelling, J. C.; Nair, S., and Lepley, D. Diet intervention for modifying cancer risk. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1996; 395:223-34.

Baby Bottle Syndrome

Baby-Bottle Syndrome Putting an infant to bed with a bottle can result in aspiration or decay of all the upper teeth and the lower posterior teeth (Nainar & Mohummed, 2004); (Fig. 28. 21). Decay occurs because while an infant sleeps, liquid from the propped bottle continuously soaks the upper front teeth and lower back teeth (the lower front teeth are protected by the tongue). The problem, called baby-bottle syndrome, is most serious when the bottle is filled with sugar water, formula, milk, or fruit juice. The carbohydrate in these solutions ferments to organic acids that demineralize the tooth enamel until it decays.To prevent this problem, advise parents never to put their baby to bed with a bottle. If parents insist a bottle is necessary to allow a baby to fall asleep, encourage them to fill it with water and use a nipple with a smaller hole to prevent the baby from receiving a large amount of fluid. If the baby refuses to drink anything but milk, the parents might dilute the mil k with water more and more each night until the bottle is down to water only. | | |FIGURE 28. 21 Baby-bottle syndrome. Notice the extensive decay in the upper teeth. (K. L.Boyd, DDS/Custom Medical Stock Photo. ) | Obesity in Infants Obesity in infants is defined as a weight greater than the 90th to 95th percentile on a standardized height/weight chart. Obesity occurs when there is an increase in the number of fat cells due to excessive calorie intake. Preventing obesity in infants is important because the extra fat cells formed at this time are likely to remain throughout childhood and even into adulthood. If a child becomes obese because of overingesting milk, iron-deficiency anemia may also be present because of the low iron content of both breast and commercial milk.Once infant obesity begins, it is difficult to reverse, so prevention is the key (Benton, 2004). Overfeeding in infancy often occurs because parents were taught to eat everything on their plate, and they continue to i nstill this concept in their children. This appears to be the case most often with formula-fed infants whose parents urge them to empty their bottle or finish a cereal serving. It can occur any time parents automatically feed an infant when the child cries, rather than investigating what the cry might really mean. As a general rule, an infant should take no more than 32 oz of formula daily.When solid food is introduced, a bottle of water can be substituted for formula at one feeding. Nonfat milk should not be given because it contains so little fat that essential fatty acid requirements may not be sufficient to ensure cell growth. Another way to help prevent obesity is to add a source of fiber, such as whole-grain cereal and raw fruit, to an infant's diet. These prolong the stomach-emptying time, so they can help reduce food intake. Caution parents about giving obese infants foods with high amounts of refined sugars, such as pudding, cake, cookies, and candy.Encourage parents to lea rn more about balanced nutrition and to provide this for their entire family. Care of Teeth It is well accepted that exposing developing teeth to fluoride is one of the most effective ways to promote healthy tooth formation and prevent tooth decay. The most important time for children to receive fluoride is between 6 months and 12 years of age. A water level of 0. 6 ppm fluoride is recommended because this is the level that protects tooth enamel yet does not lead to staining of teeth.In communities where the water supply does not provide enough fluoride, the use of an oral fluoride supplement beginning at 6 months or the use of fluoride toothpaste or rinses after tooth eruption is recommended (AAP, 2001). P. 849 Teach parents to ask about the presence of fluoride in the drinking water in their community and help them to determine what, if any, supplementation is necessary. Breast-fed infants do not receive a great deal of fluoride from breast milk, so it may be recommended they be g iven fluoride drops once a day.Teach parents to begin â€Å"brushing† even before teeth erupt by rubbing a soft washcloth over the gum pads. This eliminates plaque and reduces the presence of bacteria, creating a clean environment for the arrival of the first teeth. Once teeth erupt, all surfaces should be brushed with a soft brush or washcloth once or twice a day. Children lack the coordination to brush effectively until they are school-age, so parents must be responsible for this activity well past infancy. Toothpaste is not necessary for an infant, because it is the scrubbing that removes the plaque.

A war between the United States and Iran Essay

Preparations for a massive military strike on Iran are in full swing by the United States of America. But will these preparations convert to actual bombing on the ground? Are the two countries going to be embroiled in a war soon? These are the questions that are being asked everywhere, in hushed tones if it is the Pentagon corridors and terrified glances if it is the streets of Tehran. With Iran defying the UN’s call for restraint in its nuclear programme openly, it has only become successful in intensifying the speculations about the war. The issue here is â€Å"Is it inevitable? † Before we get in to the nitty-gritty of the Iranian crisis, let us look into the different causes of the wars that have been raged in the recent future. The twentieth century started with World War I in 1914 and since then, it is interesting to note that the wars have a particular pattern. The causes have always been dependent on three factors: Systemic factors, domestic politics and the role of the Decision maker. Hence, we would also try to view the US-Iran issue through this prism. However, comparing the pre-nuclear wars in a pre-nuclear age with wars in post-nuclear age would be a waste of space. Instead, it would do well if we look into the causes that can trigger a war in the present times where possessing nuclear power is not only a stark reality but also the bone of contention in this particular case. It is the claim by the Iranian government that they are ready to start developing nuclear weapons is what has triggered the whole issue. And ironically, it is the very reason that is playing a deterrent in the war. Remarkable is the fact that it is only America that is concerned with Iran trying to possess the deadly weapon. The first and foremost question that would help us in determining the fate of this discussion would be: Why is America so bothered? America, the self-declared big brother of all the nations on this planet, takes up the â€Å"burden† of maintaining peace on earth. To quote Eisenhower, â€Å"Freedom is indivisible.. †. America takes it as its personal duty to ensure that â€Å"Freedom† is maintained all over the world. If it was â€Å"Communism† that was a threat against â€Å"Freedom† during the cold war, today it is the irresponsible rulers of nations that possess or aspire to possess nuclear weapons that are threatening the â€Å"Freedom† in the world. And when Truman declared that â€Å"We cannot hope to maintain our freedom, if freedom elsewhere is wiped out†, he meant it. However, the reasons why Israeli attack on Palestine killing hundreds of civilians is not wiping out â€Å"Freedom† but North Korea developing nuclear capability is has interesting reasons. History has been witness to this characteristic of America where it deems it is her right to attack any country it wills to protect the attacked country’s â€Å"freedom†. According to Jutta Welders (Pg 37, culture of insecurity), the compelling reason for America to act in this fashion is to maintain its supremacy in the world. An act of aggression under the cloak of â€Å"Freedom fighters† becomes a necessity to project itself as a strong nation which can not only defend itself but protect other countries as well. A bright example would be the Cuban missile crisis. When this â€Å"crisis† occurred, many were of the view that it was quite unnecessary for America to take up such a strong and aggressive tone. However, it did do that and according to Jutta Weldes, it is the compelling reason to showcase its power that led it to act strong. In fact, Jutta Weldes considers the Cuban missile crisis as not a crisis at all. To quote her, â€Å".. crises are social constructions that are forged by state officials in the course of producing and reproducing state identity†. She is of the view that it depends on the social construction that makes us define a situation as â€Å"Crisis†. It depends on how we view a nation that determines whether it is a crisis or not. For example, Iran possessing nukes is such a big issue and is immediately converted into a â€Å"Crisis† whereas an equally notorious state like Pakistan possessing the deadly weapons is not. It has been time and again proved that large number of terrorist activities has their funds traced back to Pakistan. However, Pakistan escaped the whip but Iraq was destroyed in the name of WMDs! The only explanation for this is the prism that US uses to define its foreign policies. Attack the nations that would give it a chance to maintain her supremacy in the world. Attacking Pakistan would back fire as it has the capability to strike back. And attacking Iraq or Iran will definitely be easier as these countries have a notorious reputation which required some policing and also are comparative weaklings. Hence, the systemic reasons for US to wage a war against Iran are quite obvious: a chance to police a nation that has a history of supporting the biggest threat world faces today, that is, terrorism and simultaneously reaffirm its image as the superpower which it seems to be losing to China. If attacking Iran salvages some pride for US, the role of domestic politics in the whole affair plays another important role. US, the strongest nation in the world today, are also the most vulnerable to attacks by various terrorist outfits. After 9/11, it has taken its goal of fighting terrorism quite seriously. However, the path it has chosen to fight it is not very often appreciated. The aftermath of 9/11 saw it attacking Afghanistan and driving out the Taliban ruthlessly. Afghanistan was the target because it sheltered the most dangerous terrorist outfit in the world, Al-Qaeda. Their slogan was a regime change is essential for to â€Å"smoke out† the terrorist and the whole war was essentially to capture one man – Osama Bin Laden. The attack resulted in the killings of thousands of innocent Afghanistan who were already tired by the war torn politics of Taliban. America could never capture the villain. However, it overthrew Taliban and today, a â€Å"democratically† elected government exists in place of it. Is Afghanistan a changed country today? Has America finally left its shores after the war? Both the answers are No! Terrorism has been controlled and yes, America is still â€Å"guarding† Afghanistan with its air raids on civilians. The failure of capturing Osama in Laden was quite frustrating for the Bush administration and it was in search for a new scapegoat. And they found the perfect one in the form of Saddam Hussain. Suddenly, Iraq, the starving nation which was already bogged down by various sanctions and its citizens further troubled by the tyrannic rule of Saddam Hussain finds itself in the line of fire. The reasons given are quite fishy. America is suddenly in possession of confidential information that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussain should be relieved of his responsibility of taking care of them! The reasons were uttered in the same chilling tone of how Iraq, which can’t survive without taking aid from UN, poses the danger of destroying the whole world. The solution that is needed is again a â€Å"Regime Change†. America reasoned introduction of democracy in the country will solve the problem. Thus, despite the worldwide protests that marked the growing contempt against America and the UN Security Council voting against a military attack, America single-handedly went about with its â€Å"war on terrorism†. After 3 years of war, a executed Saddam Hussain, uncountable civilian deaths and threats of civil war ( not to forget the daily suicide attacks by shiities), no one found alleged WMDs. Today, it has been almost accepted that the report on WMD was wrong! The flak US received for the irresponsible behavior is enormous and its image in the middle east has gone for a beating as today, many believe that US is waging war on Islam rather than Terrorists. Its belief that a regime change is the only solution that can solve the problems of the world is quite naive. It proposes the same thing when it comes to Iran. Seymour M. Hersh, in journal â€Å"Fact: Annals of national security† had mentioned his conversation with Patrick Clawson, an Iran expert who is the deputy director for research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and who has been supporter of President Bush, who clearly spoke of regime change the ultimate solution. He said, â€Å"So long as Iran has an Islamic Republic, it will have a nuclear-weapons program, at least clandestinely. The key issue is therefore, how long will the present regime last? † This archaic view that regime change or toppling of government in another country and forcing them to â€Å"democracy† has never worked in bringing the much desired goal of the war – peace. In fact, statistics have shown that the transition period from any kind of rule to democracy has always been bloody and nations become quite war-prone (Democratization and war). The most recent examples are, of course, Afghanistan and Iraq, which are facing gruesome infighting among themselves. So why is America so bent upon making a regime change in those countries? Apart from the apparent reasons of dismantling the network of terrorism, experts are of the view that it is also the question of who controls the oil in the future that has been a major driving force behind the American policy. Middle East is the home for oil throughout the world and it is the control of oil that is US after. With its fast disappearance and soaring prices (reasons partly because the war that US is waging), the control of the oil fields will definitely be beneficial for America. In fact, the one who controls oil in the future is the undisputed king. This goes in line with the policy of US for whom displaying its authority is very important as it seems to be losing the crown to the exponential growth of China. Therefore, attacking Iran is also a desperate attempt by US to reiterate that it is America that is still calling the shots. However, attacking Iran has its own dangers. The most important and the immediate is the image of US in the Islamic world. Its continuous attacks on Islamic nations has made it poised against Islam and has become quite unpopular in the Middle East. If not anything else, America through these attacks is only getting successful in inviting the wrath of the people living there. In a conversation with Seymour M Hersh, Richard Armitrage was echoing the same sentiments – â€Å"What will happen in the other Islamic countries? What ability does Iran have to reach us and touch us globally – that is, terrorism? Will Syria and Lebanon up the pressure on Israel? What does the attack do to our already diminished international standing? And what does this mean for Russia, China and the U. N Security Council? † Yet how many in Washington will consider these questions? According to Seymour, there are people out there who believe it is the way to operate! If domestic politics are reasons enough to wage war, the role of the decision maker is of paramount importance. It is the head who declares wars and in this case Bush has quite a penchant for declaring wars. It is widely believed that Bush will declare war against Iran before leaving the White house. In fact, President Bush believes that â€Å"He must do what no democrat or Republican, if elected in the future, would have the courage to do, and that saving Iran is going to be his legacy†. The personal ambition of Bush also seems to make the fear of turning Teheran in to a sea of fire in to reality. Moreover, with the failure of Iraq where they achieved instant victory but not a decisive one, Bush administration is looking out for scapegoats in a large way. Iran with its close proximity with Iraq is believed to be a supplier of arms and ammunitions to the Shiite attackers in the troubled Iraq. Those attacks are not only killing innocent Iraqis but also resulting in the death of hundreds of American troops out there. In short, it is a personal failure for Bush as a president as he forced his military in to war for no reasons. It becomes very important for him to fathom some pride and Iran seems to be a ripe case. One House member told Seymour when speaking of Bush â€Å"The most worrisome thing is that this guy has a messianic vision†. Therefore, you have President Bush waiting to bomb Iran at the slightest pretext. But how can attacking Iran solve the Iraq problem? The strategy that is being followed by the Americans is to start infighting in Iran and force it to take some irresponsible action like an up in the activities along the Iraqi border. The first response to any of American disturbance in Iran is believed to be given across the Iraq border which presently houses many American troops. The white house hopes to take advantage of that situation and make it an excuse to attack Iran. This reason is widely believed to work as the blame of first strike can always be switched to Iran and America will only be fighting for â€Å"Safeguarding† its citizens. Combining the above reasons, America declaring war on Iran seems to be a matter of time. The systemic, domestic politics and decision maker reasons a need for another war. The attack on Iran will accomplish three important factors for America. 1. America is believed to be the favorite target for the terrorists and its war on terrorism is necessary to protect itself as a nation. Moreover, this would give the image of the departing super power the much needed boost. An attack on Iran will give the masculine quality to the nation that it believes will spread â€Å"awe† across the world. 2. The second and more compelling reason for the attack is the role that domestic politics plays in this issue. Attack on Iran will bring about a regime change which will help America post â€Å"Freedom† there. This in other words means another puppet government that would act on the whims of US. This is quite beneficial as this gives it direct control over the oil fields of Iran along with Iraq’s, thanks to the WMD ghosts. So, that means with a single strike, not only do they believe that terrorism and nukes will be taken care of but also the oil fields. 3. The third reason is President Bush. His stint as President of America has mainly been marred by Wars. If in the past it was Afghanistan, now it is Iraq. Apparently, both have them have been failures as there have been no decisive victories. The victories have only been fast as is expected from a war between the super power and a starving nation. Iran war will give him the much needed boost to his image as this war can be a golden opportunity to pass the blame on Iran for the Iraq fiasco. Taking all these reasons into considerations, attack by America on Iran for possessing Nukes is quite imminent. Experts say Iran is still five to ten years away from developing any kind of weapon. However, America is bent upon going ahead with its plans. Therefore, nukes or no nukes, Iran is the golden opportunity to accomplish a lot many tasks. Nuclear disarmament is just one of the small ones.

The Importance of Environmental Protection & Practical Steps to Support It

Since the second half of the 20th century, the results of environmental destruction and the exploitation of natural resources have become increasingly obvious. Now, 7 billion people are sharing this planet, and scientists predict that the population will increase to 10 billion people in this century. However, we already face difficulties with dwindling natural resources and environmental pollution. There is growing evidence that some natural disasters are due to our behavior. We already face tremendous changes caused by carbon emissions and deforestation.Glaciers are melting, and sea levels rise continuously. Our hunger for more gas, oil and water even induced earthquakes. These 1 are enough experiences to wake us up! Environmental protection H. H. the 14th Dalai Lama (the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists) and H. H. the 17th Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje (the spiritual guide of the Tibetan Kagyu tradition)are strong advocates for environmental protection. Vietnamese Master Thich Nhat Hanh is also very active in this regard, only to mention a few spiritual leaders who are engaged in environmental protection. H. H.the Dalai Lama mentioned at the Environmental Summit in Portland in May 2013 that his strong commitment to environmental protection started more than 20 years ago. In 1992 the Dalai Lama attended the first environmental conference in Rio de Janeiro and spoke about his views on universal responsibility. One year later, he was invited to an international conference, â€Å"Ecological Responsibility –a Dialogue with Buddhism† in New Delhi, India. Prominent Buddhist teachers and scientists attended this conference. As a result they published a public appeal entitled, â€Å"For Our Universal Responsibility.† Many talks and articles by H. H. the DalaiLama about this topic followedand are now published in 2 diverse media worldwide. These can be found on his homepage. H. H. the Karmapa has spoken for a number of years on the importance o f protecting the environment for the future of this world and for the Dharma. He says, â€Å"Ever since the human race first appeared on this earth, we have used this earth heavily. It is said that ninety-nine percent of the resources and so on in this world come from the natural environment. We are using the earth until she is used up.The earth has given us immeasurable benefit, but what have we done for the earth in return? We always ask for something from the earth, but never give her anything back. â€Å"3 Sentient beings are totally dependent on the four elements of earth, fire, wind and water. H. H. the Karmapa says, â€Å"Both the bodyand mind are strongly connected to the unaltered, natural elements. â€Å"4We only can survive because nature and other sentient beings make our lives possible. Therefore, we need to strive to bring this awareness into our lives for our own good. We need to educate each other about the importance of protecting and caring for our environment. Practical Steps Towardsa Healthy Relationship with the Environment H. H. the Karmapa’s vision is supported by an association called â€Å"Khoryug,† which means â€Å"environment† in Tibetan. Formed by Tibetan monasteries in the Kagyu tradition, the association promotes environmental projects under the Karmapa's leadership. A bilingual homepage in English and Tibetan has been established to provide information on these projects. In 2009, the Karmapa organized the first conference for environmental protection for Kagyu monasteries and Dharmacenters in Sarnath, India.As a result of this conference, he published a booklet entitled, â€Å"108 Things You Can Do To Help The Environment. † You can download thisbooklet, whichis inspiring and helpful not only for monasteries and Buddhist centers, but also forBuddhist practitioners and non-Buddhists worldwide. I’d like to mention some things you will find in this booklet about what we can do to protect our en vironment from destruction: Environmental protection starts with us. We need to look at our own behavior to consider how we can support a healthy environment for this century and beyond. To start, we can do aspirational

Spreading the Truth or Lies in Disguise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Spreading the Truth or Lies in Disguise - Essay Example This definition of public diplomacy is concise because it contains three elements that mark its specific role in the over-all practice of international relations and that would serve as a limiting aspect of the study contained in this paper. Government-Sponsored It is â€Å"government-sponsored.† This term limits the scope of the practice of public diplomacy to that which is carried out by the government. While private corporations and institutions also carry out activities that achieve the same objective of informing or influencing public opinion, it could be said that the more important activity of public diplomacy, especially in recent years, is that which nations and states carry out. In the United States, for example, public diplomacy is carried out by the Department of State through its U.S. Information Agency, with the help of many other public and private institutions, such as universities, cultural associations, aid agencies, and its military, among others. In the Uni ted Kingdom, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office carry it out with the help of the British Council, the BBC World Service and private think tanks such as the Foreign Policy Centre, again among many other institutions equipped for the task. Every government carries out a substantial amount of public diplomacy which is different from the common understanding of diplomacy because the normal channels of top-level government relations are not enough for any state to handle the scope and amount of work needed to pursue its strategic interests. Traditionally, international relations to pursue a nation’s strategic interests involved only the political, economic and military aspects. Lately, however,... The report covers the growing importance of public diplomacy highlights the importance of consistency and a unity between the starting and end points of the exercise to communicate a message. The starting point, the government in the case of public diplomacy, originates and packages the message and chooses the medium or media through which the message is transmitted. The end point, the foreign audience or external public, is the intended recipient of the message. However, while the internal public is not included in this equation, they also play an important role, since the factors that contributed to the growing popularity of public diplomacy are also the same factors that affect its utility or not. This paper makes a concluison that this is the reason why there must be consistency between the reality and the message and media used. The message need not be an idealization of reality, but realistic enough so that it could be perceived as objective and sincere. The support of the internal or local public is crucial in this regard, because any messages of inconsistency from this public can do great harm to the message crafted by those who carry out the work of public diplomacy. There is likewise a need to respect the foreign audience’s response. When they do not absorb the message nor change public opinion or, perhaps even worsen it, public diplomacy becomes more crucial and important. Its goal should not be to get everyone to think alike, but rather to help others develop a balanced view of how a country sees its goals as mutually beneficial. Public diplomacy can effect a change in strategic goals if needed.