lilies of the field

The â€Å"lilies of the field† was a 1963 production directed by Ralph Nelson starred by Sydney Poiter. This movie has naturally outlined the basis of modern religious heroism during the 1960’s. Understandably, such movie plot has been created to actually instill values upon the viewers with regards the major implications of religion and beliefs on social development and social values application. The main character, Homer Smith, which is played by Poiter is considered a modern day hero in the film. The approach though is rather different as it points out that the supposed hero of the film is not in the likeness of actually accepting the task. Most likely, he refused to accept the situation that is shown to him by the people as their hero primarily because he does not believe that he has been appointed, whatsoever by God to set a source of inspiration to the people as to how they should believe in God or as to how they should react on the belief that they are portraying as Christians. As a modern day hero though, Poiter’s character showed that heroism in a religious form today is a matter of one’s own choice and not a forced manipulation from the society as a basis of what they believe into. Motivating people to move in a much noble way to assist others or the community towards progress is a matter of self-push. One must be able to believe that he is able to make change to the lives of others, until he could really affect the lives of other people in the society. In the movie of the Lilies of the field, such implication has been given a better light as the main character has been introduced to have lesser interest in the manner by which people aim to treat him. He then left to find the purpose that he is really doing his job as a handyman for. Within a certain span of time, he returns and serves the best way that he could to be able to finish his job of building the church. Although he never expected anything in return, he was given gifts by the people, given a high regard for his reputation as a builder and a rather effective organizer of their community. He might have never realized how much he affected the community that he served, however, he left a legacy of unity and truthfulness among the people of the village as he worked on their church. It is as if he is sending valuable messages to the people although he never says a word to them. His understanding of the fact that he has a job to finish as a handyman likely increased the capability that he has in affecting the people around him through his works. He has been viewed by a nun as the tool used by God to create the church that would likely bring back faith to the people in the community in which she serves. Although Smith was resentful of this responsibility at first, he later on understood why the people termed his situation as something that is God sent to their community. Likely, it was what he was working for that made him a tool for unity, faith and salvation in the community that he served. He did not actually try to do anything than what he knows he is supposed to do in a wholehearted way that he was able to directly affect the lives of those people watching him see the work he does as he tries to accomplish the mission that he knows he accustomed to complete. Reference: Lilies of the Field (1963). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057251/synopsis. (March 20, 2008).

Olympics Document Based Question Essay

DBQ Essay (Modern Day Olympics 1896 – 2002) War, Nationalism, and money paid by various corporations/countries all shaped the modern day Olympics. War played a major role in shaping the modern day Olympic Games. In document one, Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, states that the Olympics would serve as a reduction of war because of the worldwide competition between various countries. Coubertin wrote this document to attempt to convince the Athletic Society of France to revive the Olympic Games. In document 3, the autobiography of Arnold Lunn talks about how the Nazis used certain competition to prove to the world that a dictatorship (or Nazism) is better than democracy. The only thing that mattered to the Nazi’s was to win. The Nazi’s had pictured the Olympics as a war where it was the Nazi’s against the world. Document 5 reveals that if Japan wouldn’t have hosted the Olympic Games after the Second World War, they would’ve never gotten what they needed to rise as a world trade power. Ryotaro Azuma wrote this document to recognize the fact that the Olympics had evo lved into an event that would ultimately save a country. Nationalism also played a major role in shaping the modern day Olympic Games. Document 2 recognizes the fact that men were too proud to let women represent their country in the Olympics. Document 4 represents nationalism because it shows how proud America would be if they beat the Soviets in any sort of competition during the Olympics. Bob Matthias wrote this document to show us the determination and pride the U.S had to defeat the soviets, and how the Olympics evolved into a competition between just the U.S and the Soviets.

Corning Incorporated : the Growth and Strategy Council

CORNING INCORPORATED: THE GROWTH AND STRATEGY COUNCIL Company Background : Corning Glass Works was founded in 1851 by Amory Houghton, in Somerville, Massachusetts. The company was known as Corning Glass Works until 1989, when it changed its name to Corning Incorporated. Corning Incorporated is an American manufacturer of glass, ceramics, and related materials, primarily for industrial and scientific applications. In 1998 Corning divested itself of its consumer lines of Corning Ware and Corelle tableware and Pyrex cookware.As of 2008 Corning had four business segments: Display Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Life Sciences, and Telecommunication. Innovation was the core of corning’s Identity, because coning is a science based company, Innovation is the engine for the company. Fact 1 : The Formed of Growth and Strategy Council Corning has formed the Growth and Strategy Council (GSC) in 2001 the core group member are CEO, COO, CTO, heads of research, development and engi neering and the head of HR. The role of GSC is varied from making decisions about pacing and investment, advising businesses on pricing strategy etc.The GSC is about establishing best practices and getting all innovation programs to the same level of rigor. Lesson learned 1: GSC as Change Agent Management. Corning needs to maintain their performance in a long term condition. It needs strategy and great people who involved and have willingness to improve the performance for sustainability. The individual or group that undertakes the task of initiating and managing change in an organization is known as a change agent and that what’s corning did when fomed GSC.In many innovative-driven companies, managers and employees alike are being trained to develop the needed skills to oversee change (Tschirky, 2011). My experience I am working at bank bjb which the ownership is 100 % by the government of west java province and Banten province. By 2010 the company had their IPO so some of t he ownership goes to public. And it makes change to the company business overall. To make the company keep sustain my company formed change agent management program that include the director, Groups head, and Branch Managers that made decision about varied company problems. Fact 2 : Corning’s Stage Gate Innovation ProcessInnovation at Corning followed what was called the ‘innovation recipe’ its involved the management that used Corning’s gate innovation process that’s are : Stage I : Gather Information, build knowledge Stage II : Determine feasibility Stage III : Test Practically Stage IV : Prove Profitability Stage V : Manage the life cycle Advancing to the next stage required meeting deliverables and advancing through the ‘Decision Diamond’ Lesson learned : Innovation as a Process and Philosphy For Corning Innovation was as much a set of principles as it was a process, innovation is about idea creation.Innovation at Corning also about being willing and able to take failed ideas and apply them elsewhere Innovation is much more than invention – the creation of a new idea and its reduction to practice and it includes all the activities required in the commercialization of new technologies (Freeman and Soete 1997) Others company experienced We can learned from 3M company that produce the product Post It from accident. A man named Spencer Silver who worked in the 3M research laboratories in 1970 was working on developing a strong adhesive to incorporate it to some of 3M’s current products.After some trial and error he finally developed an adhesive, but for his own disappointment, it was even weaker than what 3M already manufactured at the time. It stuck to things but could easily be lifted off. A couple of ants could lift it up. Then four years later, another 3M scientist named Arthur Fry was singing in his church’s choir. He used markers to keep in the hymnal but they kept falling out of the boo k. Then he remembered Silver’s weak adhesive and used to coat his markers. With the weak adhesive the markers stayed in place, yet lifted off without damaging the pages.Fact 3 : The Concept of Patient Money in Corning Key businesses Corning lost money for 14 years before becoming profitable in 1999. And optical fiber took 20 years to become profitable despite the hundreds millions of dollars the company invested during the 1960 – and 1970s. In 2001 the company approved the appropriations request for a $250 million new factory for the diesel business at a time when telecom business was crashing and the emission regulations for 2007 were not yet in place.Lesson learned : Sustainability investment on Technology Innovation . Innovation at corning meant being willing to make significant. Sustained investments knowing that the payback would likely be well into the future. Corning’s Emphasis on innovation and its long term outlook-made the company unique. Unlike conven tional investments in plant and equipment, which generally have declining returns over time, technological investments are argued to produce positive returns through creating new knowledge, options and opportunities (Arthur 1990). My ExperienceIn early 2011 bank bjb cooperate with western union to facilitate customers who wants to transfer their money to other countries. One of the problems sometimes the transfer didn’t get on time and many system failure. So to solve that problem bank bjb do the research to choose another vendor that more appropriate. Bank bjb also develop their own Information Technology system to create independent remittance to other countries. The result are bank bjb has cooperate with BNI in remittance and also will launch independent remittance system in 2013 that will serve customer better in the future.

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Religion - Essay Example Christ had a confrontation with Satan before the beginning of his public life. It is named as the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. He could surpass the temptations of Satan and started his mission of saving the humanity from the clutches of sin. The mythical experience that he had in the wilderness after the fasting of forty days and nights remains to be a key point in The Bible and it is considered to be the beginning of his teachings. The Holy Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke describe the temptation of Jesus Christ prior to his career as teaching. The Gospel of Matthew and Luke give the detailed description of the incident. The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 4 words 1 to 11 detail the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The Gospel says, â€Å"He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.† (Matthew 4. 2) Satan appeared before him and offered three gifts on three conditions. Satan asked him to change the stones to loaves if Jesus is the son of God and Jesus retorted by stating, â€Å"One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.† (Matthew. 4. 4). As Jesus surpassed the first temptation, the devil took him to the pinnacle of the temple in the holy city and asked Jesus to jump from the top if he is the son of God stating the angels will carry him. Jesus said to Satan, â€Å"Again it is written, do not put the Lord your God to the test.â⠂¬ (Matthew.4.6) Then Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed all the kingdoms and their splendor and promised him these entire places if he adores Satan. Jesus rebuked the devil to go away and by stating that only God is to be worshipped and served. (Matthew 4.8-10). When Jesus came over all these temptations Satan left him. This makes that Jesus was able to come over all sorts of human emotions and temptations and it gave him great impetus to venture into his mission of saving the humanity. The temptation of Jesus Christ is a highly

Accounting - Cash and Accrual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting - Cash and Accrual - Essay Example There are two basic systems that can be utilized to run an accounting information system. The two accounting systems are cash and accrual basis accounting. This report analyses, compares and contrasts the two accounting systems that can utilized by an accountant in the industry. The cash basis accounting system recognizes revenues when cash is received, and expenses when cash is disbursed (Weygandt & Kieso & Kimmel, 2002, p.89). Utilizing a cash basis system provides the business with greater control over its cash account and up to the minute tracking of the cash position of the firm. The system is easier to implement due to simplicity and does not have to follow the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Since cash basis accounting is not in accordance with GAAP this implies that a person that is not an accountant or has any type of accounting training run such a system. A small business owner who can not afford the services of an accountant may be persuaded to run his numbers based on a cash basis system since he can do all the accounting work himself. A good example of a business that is likely to utilize a cash basis accounting system is the owner of a hot dog stand. This individual has a one person operation in which the business is constantly dealing with small cash transactions. The person on a weekly basis performs a materials purchase which is financed with the cash collection of the week. Both the revenues and expense accounts of the business owner are dominated by cash transactions. A cash basis accounting system has its advantages but also imposes a variety of problems. If a company utilizes such a system at the end of the accounting cycle the financial statements that are prepared will lead to misleading information. The reason that the financial statements have misleading information is that the system fails to record revenues that has been earned, but not yet received. Other problems arise from the fact that expenses may not match

Nursing Leadership & Management in Practice Essay

Nursing Leadership & Management in Practice - Essay Example Never for a moment should she let members of her staff forget that they are nursing human beings, not diseases. The patient is an individual, the member of a family and of the community. He may be intelligent or unintelligent, educated or uneducated, American or some other nationality, but he has feelings and emotions which influences his emotions which influences his attitudes and actions. Before working as a staff on a nursing care unit, the nurses generally completed their training in mentoring and nursing. Patients will be grateful to a thoughtful nurse who anticipates his personnel needs and remembers his individual preferences, nevertheless he should be given the opportunity to make further requests and to participate in the planning of his care if he is able and desires to do so. During convalescence or a long chronic illness, the patient needs something to occupy his mind, be its pleasant companions, reading, games handwork, or assisting with the work of the ward. He needs faith in his nurses, their knowledge and dependability of judgment. He needs the sense of security that comes from the feeling that are people are working together-doctor, nurses, maids, porters-and not at cross purposes. He needs the confidence which results from knowing that the entire nursing staff is interested in him, is sympatric and understanding, knows his needs, has plan for his care, and is doing everything in its power to help him regain and maintain his health. The patient who has required an injury or an illness which places permanent limitations on his activity or makes necessary a change in his pattern of living needs help in accepting the restrictions, help in marshalling his resources and finding was to live happily and usefully within the limits of its illness. The good nurse recognizes early any social and emotional factors which contribute to the patient's illness and its prolongation and which inhibit his peace of mind. Since man patients need more help than she is prepared to give, nurse refer them to another individual or agency for assistance when necessary. 2. Nursing - Leadership & Management in Practice Identification of Skills The responsible for a nurse lies on promoting finest health and for preventing ill health. Nurses occupy a primary role in assessing nursing requirements, considering their medical, emotional and family circumstances, then plan and deliver care in hospitals, outpatient departments and in transit between hospitals. Typical work activities will vary according to the role, but they can include: The Nursing process is often Assessment Diagnosis Planning Implementation EvaluationThe nurse through her close contact with the patients learns of social problems which may need to be referred to a medial social worker. She also is in position to recognize when the services of a public health nurse would be advantageous and is responsible for supplying the agency with sufficient accurate information. Many patients will feel to receive the necessary home care and supervision unless the hospital staff nurse is alert to his needs and his ability to met hem without help. Teaching of the patient about his condition, his care and the ways of attaining optimum health should begin as early in

Hyperactive Sexual Desire Disorder Research Paper

Hyperactive Sexual Desire Disorder - Research Paper Example In addition, their symptoms and treatment can also be deduced. This project, however, only focuses on hyperactive sexual desire, giving its causes, symptoms, and treatment. Hyperactive sexual desire, also known as ‘sex addiction’, is a regular and strong sexual illusions, sexual desires, and sexual actions. One can be said to have the disorder if they engage in compulsive sexual behaviors more than others. Some of the signs of sex addiction include an uncontrollable masturbation, cybersex, engaging with prostitutes, cheating on their partners, pornography and uncontrollable use of internet sex sites to view adult-rated content. Such a person claims that it is impossible to withhold the urge when it comes. Therefore, they end up engaging in dangerous sex behaviors, risking their lives and that of their partners (Schwartz, 2008). For one to be considered to have such a disorder during a diagnosis, they must have gone through the same for over six months. In addition, the act should be distressing them, causing anguish and unhappiness, and apparently causing an interference in their day to day activities. Furthermore, the conditions must not come due to drug use or as a result of mental disorientations. According to the National Council on Sexual Addiction Compulsivity research, about six to eight percent of people in America have a sex addiction. In addition, a study by Stanford University revealed an estimate of about 4.7 million individuals taking at least eleven hours weekly on the pornographic site on the internet. Another evidence of the sex hype is the fast growth of the twelve-step program on the internet such as Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous and Sexaholics Anonymous (Grossman, 2014). Research indicates that testosterone hormone is responsible for sexual urges in both males and females. In that regard, each person feels a sexual urge at a point in

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 61

History - Essay Example The counterculture of the 1960s started in the U.S and spread to countries such as France and U.K. the students in public universities were protesting against the U.S government involvement in the Vietnam War. Similarly, during the same time, there was increased participation in the African American civil rights activism that sought to end racism. As the years passed, the baby boomers or generational gap concerning the Vietnam War, rights of women, and traditional modes of power, human sexuality, and race relations took center stage. Students developed new cultural forms such as hip-hop to fight government injustices and introduce equality in society In the resistance movement, new tactical stages were opened, which were supposed to be used in other campuses. The black students had their demands, which were; cultural recognition rather than paternalistic tolerance, and radical white students awareness of the sinister paramilitary activities carried on in secret by the faculty on many campuses, which were hardly recognized by Columbia (Bloom, Alexander, and Wini 175). The strikes were meant to hear out the students grievances as the black students were complaining of cultural recognition and many other things that were affecting them in society. Moreover, the rules in their campuses were not convenient according to

FORD AND THE WORLD AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY IN 2012 Essay

FORD AND THE WORLD AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY IN 2012 - Essay Example GM took over Ford as a result. This resulted due to the vision of GM being much more decentralized organizational arrangement. Customers were also offered much more options and choices as the product portfolio of GM happened to be much broader in nature. The bulk production of cars in United States influenced the growth of the post-war period, but that was only till the 1970s, which saw intensive rivalry from countries like Japan. Toyota offered customers in the US and through Europe better deals, not only with respect to quality but also cost Another reason for intensive competition can be attributed to government actions in Europe and US. The government of these areas tend to provide bonuses for getting rid of old cars and subsidizing purchase of ones that are new. Bonuses are also offered for the regaining of demand in major markets. Due to new incentives in production as well as increasing demand, competition increased. The automobile industry can be explained diagrammatically in the following figure: Porter’s Five Forces Model ((Investopedia, 2009) The automotive industry is facing a strong and tough competition as most of the competitors are not only large with respect to size but also have market, resource and financial stability as well as a proven track record. Competitors are promoting new products that may compete with each other at a high level. Competition focuses on attracting recruiting and retaining marketing personnel. Due to the fast pace of changes in technology the position of automobile players would unfavourably be affected if future developments in new technology are not accessed as well as anticipated. The automotive industry has faced low profitability due to the following key challenges: Regionalization Overload and division of markets, Challenges that only a few makers have happened to manage positively as well as effectively. New skills are needed to deal with the ongoing competition and ensure that the company/organization op eration results in profits. Many countries have grasped the skills of manufacturing cars. The quality of cars produced are not only good in quality but are also low in cost as compared to cars produced in Europe and US. The figure below shows the key challenges suppliers face in the automobile industry: Other reasons for low profitability include the cost of health care, the rise of China to a persistent overcapacity, manufacturers relying heavily on static business models (as shown in the figure above), and unable to show some adaptability skills especially in a changing environment. History shows to what degree the position of companies have changed during the last century due to them being unable to adapt themselves according to the changing market. Henry Ford built his realm on the basis of its capability to produce vehicles in bulk at an unmatched cost. Ford’s market share was defied by Alfred at GM. Alfred sensed that customers required a broader range than Ford provide d especially in maturing markets. Alfred started offering vehicles that served every purpose as well as every class of the society. Hence, in 1927 Ford happen to lose its market share and never happen to regain its dominant market share as yet. Market share, in the mature automobile industry has not and will never be obvious only on the basis cost

An Important Idea in on the Side Walk Bleeding Essay Example for Free

An Important Idea in on the Side Walk Bleeding Essay An Important Idea in on the Side Walk Bleeding and the Sniper An important idea in On the Sidewalk Bleeding by Even Hunter was that of the importance of having your own identity. Andy, the central character of this short story taught me a valuable lesson as to the significance of this. He also made me aware of the fact that we need to think things through thoroughly rather than making impulsive decisions. Andy was a sixteen year old boy who Wore a purple Jacket; the lettering on the back of the Jacket read The Royals, a name which he was proud to own. But not until he was stabbed did he realize the reality of taking on the identity of what you are not. Underneath the rough, tough appearance of the Jacket Andy was a normal boy, who wanted to live a normal life and achieve many things But now he was dying. Andy had made the fatal mistake of wearing the Jacket of a gang. He had thought that this would give him power and prestige, and did not realism until too late that his identity needed to come from himself, that he had to work hard, and be himself rather than simply follow a crowd in order to form it. This taught me that we an take on someone elses identity the easy way, but it is not so easy to lose, even when it is no longer wanted or needed. A valuable lesson I learnt from Andy was the importance of having your own identity and the necessity of thinking things through thoroughly before making decisions. When Andy became part of the gang he did not know that he was about to die, he did not know that it would rob him of his life and destroy his dreams, he did not know that a time would come when he would hate the title and its meaning, he did not know that he would die A Royal when he Just wanted to be Andy. From this I learned that Andy did not recognize the importance of having his own identity, until he understood that he would be Judged by the group he belonged to, rather than who he was himself. He was A Royal and proud of it. However, the time did come when he resented the title, he wanted to get rid of it but couldnt. This reminds us of our own actions that we have all taken on the spur of the moment while blinded by the glitter and glory of what may lie ahead, without taking the time to stop and think that it may be deeply regretted. We are simply attracted by someone elses power and think we can share it with no effort of our own. It teaches us that we need to spend time in thought, instead of making impromptus decisions, in order to avert these disastrous outcomes. The boy lay on the sidewalk bleeding to the world he wasnt Andy he was simply a boy. a royal how could he escape the title and Jacket that branded him with a stupid word, that to him now seemed meaningless? If he had not been wearing the Jacket he would not have been stabbed, the knife had not been plunged in hatred of Andy. The knife had only hated the purple Jacket; the Jacket was a stupid, meaningless thing that was robbing him of his fife and identity. It is clear that Andy understood too late; however, it has taught me that if we give up our identity to take on that of another group or body we may lose our own completely. It takes time and effort to find our own identity; teenage years in particular are a time for building identity, however, they are often too busy and too occupied to take this time and effort and therefore turn to a gang for the identity they also an important idea in The Sniper by L. Flattery. Unlike Andy in On the Sidewalk Bleeding the sniper has no name and is only referred to as The Sniper money who kills. This text taught me, that in war nobody has a face; nobody has an identity of their own. This story is about two snipers shooting at each other from opposite roof tops. A woman darted toward the side street. The sniper fired and she fell with a shriek into the gutter. A mans head and shoulders appeared, looking toward the sniper. The sniper raised his rifle and fired again, the head fell heavily on the turret wall. The short story ends ironically when the sniper realizes that he has killed his own brother The sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his rooters face. Only then when he saw his brothers face did he realism that his opponents were all individuals with identities of their own. A valuable lesson this taught me was that in war nobody has a face, everyone is Just shooting at the identity of the enemy, at the uniform of the opponent. The fact that none of the characters are named proves this yet again. A young republican, they are only identified by the side they ar e supporting. Because of this inability to see people as individuals they never realism that they may be killing friends and family. T also taught me that we deed to be prepared for the consequences of what may happen when we take sides of war and that we alone must be responsible for our actions. Both the short texts On the side Walk bleeding and The Sniper look at this idea of identity. However, while Andy finally recognizes the danger of not having his own identity and dies rejecting the gangs overriding one, we are left to assume the snipers ultimate understanding of the danger of losing your identity, that he will realism that he is in conflict with humans and will begin to wonder about the identities of all he has killed.

Stem Cell Treatment in Age-Related Macular Degeneration AMD

Stem Cell Treatment in Age-Related Macular Degeneration AMD Background: Age-Related Macular degeneration (AMD) is a painless disease that usually affects people over the age of 60. The Macular is the part of the fundus which is responsible for the patients central vision which allows them to see in fine detail and aids in facial object recognition. The patients peripheral vision is not affected so AMD does not result in complete blindness. The diagram shows the positions of the main structures inside a normal healthy eye such as the macula optic nerve. The general symptoms that a patient with AMD would experience are: Â   Â   Â   Blurred central vision distortion reduction in contrast sensitivity blind spots (scotomas) hallucinations (occasionally, more common in Wet AMD) (Symptoms taken from www.nhs.uk website) There are 2 types of AMD, Wet and Dry, the clinical presentations and the symptoms the patient experiences differ. Wet AMD occurs when the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) underneath the retina at the macula thickens and then breaks. The oxygen supply to the macula is disrupted and the body responds by abnormally growing new blood vessels through the RPE towards the macula to help increase oxygen supply, this can cause the macula to appear raised. The new vessels are fragile and poor quality so leak or bleed. This causes atrophy to the macula which results in rapid decline in central vision. Wet AMD is the most sight threatening of the 2 types as once the vision has be lost it cannot be regained again but there are treatments that can help slow the progression of the disease such as Anti-VEGF injections which stop/slow the growth of the new abnormal vessels. (www.nhs.uk) Dry AMD is the most common form of AMD, around 90% of cases. The clinical presentation of dry AMD is drusen appearing at or around the macula area. Drusen looks like white/yellow dots, they can be small and well defined or large and blurred margins. Drusen occurs as the eye may have a problem with disposing waste from the photoreceptors and so calcium and lipid deposits build up. The retinal pigment epithelium layer may thin and the drusen will push through. The drusen then causes photoreceptor death/degeneration causing atrophy of the retina. This is when the patients vision will start to reduce. It is a much slower disease process than wet AMD, it can be a couple of months before the patient experiences any symptoms relative to dry AMD. (www.AMD.org) Normal Fundus Wet AMD Dry AMD Stem Cells: Stem cells are undifferentiated cells which can differentiate into specialised cells such as muscle, skin and bone cells. In mammals there are 2 types of stem cells this depends on the source which they are taken from; these are embryos which are 4-5 days old in the blastocyst phase and in adult tissues throughout the body such as bone marrow, the brain and skeletal muscle tissue. (www.medicalnewstoday.com) The first trial was on 2 patients who were in late stage of AMD; they underwent immunosuppressive treatment to reduce a negative response to the new stem cells. The embryonic source is chosen for this treatment, the researchers used mouse skin cells to help the stem cells to differentiate into retinal cells. They are then purified so not contaminated by mouse cells. These purified retinal cells are then made into a 1ml solution and injected into only one eye (this is done in trials as they dont know if the treatment will have a damaging or successful effect on the eye). The general results from this trial were good; one patient had Stargardts macular dystrophy that before treatment could only see hand motions but 2 weeks after transplant was able to count fingers with only the eye that had the transplant carried out in it. Their vision continued to improve over the next 3 months. (www.nhs.uk, Bazian January 2012.) Structure Abstract/Intro -Short intro about what a stem cell and age related macular degeneration is. -Aim of dissertation; what I want to achieve through the dissertation as a whole. -Should be roughly 1 page. Stem cells -More detail on what they are. -Different types of stem cells; explain where they are found and when they would be used. -What type of AMD does this treat and why? Age-Related macular Degeneration -Background on both types (containing the anatomy of the eye, normal/abnormal) -Causes -Epidemiology -Pathogenesis -Pathology -Prevention -Treatments (current and new) Potential of stem cell -How do the stem cells differentiate to photoreceptors RPE cells? How well does it do this? -How well does the trials transfer from animals to humans? -What is the success of these trials? Discussion -Does this look like a viable treatment for AMD? -Could it be used for either wet/dry or just one? -What are the advantages/disadvantages? -Ethical argument in using stem cells from embryos. Conclusion Perspective -What I think of the whole argument for and against the treatment -Do I think it is a viable and effective treatment? -Do the results from trials back up the theory and argument for stem cells? New research -How have the trials been taken further? -Has any improvements or adjustments been made? E.g. Have administration methods or cell culturing methods changed? References Projected Timetable of Work 30/11/16 Sections 1, 2 ; Abstract, Stem cells What is AMD. 31/12/16 Section 4; Potential of stem cells in the treatment of AMD. 31/01/17 Section 5; Discussion. 28/02/17 Section 6 7; Conclusion/Perspective New research. 31/03/17 Section 8; References. Dissertation Complete, to be proof read and bound. 13/04/17 Final Hand in Date. References: www.amd.org/what-is-macular-degeneration/dry-amd/ www.cnib.ca www.medicalnewstoday.com www.nhs.uk/conditions/macular-degeneration/pages/introduction.aspx www.nhs.uk/news/2012/01January/Pages/embyonic-stem-cell-trial-macular-degeneration.aspx, Stem cell therapy safe for eye condition. January 24, 2012. Analysis by Bazian, edited by NHS Choices. rgw.com Webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu

Equilibrium Equality Demand Supply

Equilibrium Equality Demand Supply Equilibrium means a state of equality between demand and supply. Without a shift in demand and/or supply there will be no change in market price. In the diagram below, the quantity demanded and supplied at price P1 are equal. (Baryla, 1995, 13) At any price above P1, supply exceeds demand and at a price below P1, demand exceeds supply. In other words, prices where demand and supply are out of balance are termed points of disequilibrium. Changes in the conditions of demand or supply will shift the demand or supply curves. This will cause changes in the equilibrium price and quantity in the market. Consider the following example. The weekly demand and supply schedules for T-shirts (in thousands) in a city are shown in the table below: Price ( £) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Demand 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Supply 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 Demand 2 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 Supply 2 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 The equilibrium price in the market is  £5 where demand and supply are equal at 12,000 units. If the current market price was  £3 there would be excess demand for 8,000 units. If the current market price was  £8 there would be excess supply of 12,000 units. A change in fashion causes the demand for T-shirts to rise by 4,000 at each price. The next row of the table shows the higher level of demand. Assuming that the supply schedule remains unchanged, the new equilibrium price is  £6 per tee shirt with an equilibrium quantity of 14,000 units. The entry of new producers of T-shirts into the market causes a rise in supply of 8,000 T-shirts at each price. The new equilibrium price becomes  £4 with 18,000 units bought and sold. Assuming there is pure competition in the market place, and no government intervention, we are able to focus on how the price mechanism determines the equilibrium price in the market. Markets can be effective at resolving the basic issues of what and how much to produce at a certain price level although left to operate on its own, the market can still create unsatisfactory outcomes. When markets do not produce the desired outcome, it is known as market failure and when this occurs, governments may intervene in the market. (Baryla, 1995, 13) How the price mechanism brings about the equilibrium price in the market can be determined assuming we have pure competition in the market place and no government intervention. Simply put, the concept of pure competition mean that no participant in the market has the power to influence market outcomes directly, such as by setting prices. The price mechanism is the interplay of the forces of supply and demand in determining the market prices at which goods and services are sold and the quantity of which is produced. The quantities of goods and services demanded and supplied is regulated by the prices of those goods and services. If the price of a commodity for sale is too high according to consumer demand, the quantity supplied will exceed the quantity demanded. If the price of a commodity is too low according to consumer demand, the quantity that is demanded will exceed the quantity supplied. There is one price, and only one price, at which the quantity demanded, is equal to the quantity supplied. This is known as the equilibrium price. (Belkin, 1976, 57) The market forces of supply and demand interacting to determine the equilibrium price which at this price the market clears and eliminates any excess supply or demand is the price mechanism in action. (Brown, 2000, 66) There is no tendency for change at the equilibrium point. In this way it is said that the market mechanism, besides being the natural consequences of the forces of supply and demand, provides the most efficient economic outcomes possible without any explicit coordination. Although markets can be effective at resolving the basic issues of what and how much to produce, left to operate by it, the market can still create unsatisfactory outcomes. For goods and services in product markets, the market price may be considered to be too high or too low. From the free interplay of demand and supply, the equilibrium quantity that results may also be considered too high or too low. Some goods and services may not even be produced at all. Market failure occurs because the price mechanism takes account of the private costs and benefits of production, to producers and consumers, but does not take into account the impact of an economic activity on outsiders. For example, the market may ignore the costs imposed on outsiders by a firm polluting the environment. Governments may intervene in the market when market failure occurs. The market determined price for some commodities may be thought by the government to be too high or too low. The government may therefore intervene in the marketplace in order to apply either price ceilings, where the government imposes a limit on how high a price can be charged for a product, or price floors, the minimum price that can be charged for a particular commodity. (Geltner, 1995, 119) Affecting the distribution of income, the manner in which income is divided among the members of the economy, is the main reason for influencing prices in this way. Price ceilings will redistribute money from sellers to buyers, whereas price floors will redistribute money from buyers to sellers. In conclusion, the market forces of supply and demand interact with each other to bring about market equilibrium, clearing the market of excess demand or supply. In this way, it is said that the market mechanism achieves consistency between plans and outcomes for consumers and producers without explicit coordination. Government intervention is very important in providing the desired outcomes of the society. Overall, market equilibrium is determined by the price mechanism, supply and demand curves, surplus and shortage, increases and decreases in supply and demand curves, market behaviours and government intervention. (Hendershott, 1997, 13) References Baryla, E.A., Zumpano, L.V. (1995), Buyer search duration in the residential real estate market: the role of the real estate agent, The Journal of Real Estate Research, Vol. 10 No.1, pp.1-13. Belkin, J., Hempel, D., McLeavey, D. (1976), An empirical study of time on the market using multidimensional segmentation of housing markets, Journal of American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, Vol. 4 No.2, pp.57-75. Brown, G., Matysiak, G.A. (2000a), Real Estate Investment: A Capital Market Approach, Financial Times Prentice-Hall, Harlow, . Brown, G.R., Matysiak, G.A. (2000b), Sticky valuations, aggregation effects and property indices, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Vol. 20 No.1, pp.49-66. Geltner, D., Mei, J.P. (1995), The present value model with time-varying discount rates: implications for commercial property valuation and investment decisions, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Vol. 11 No.2, pp.119-35. Hendershott, P.H. (1997), Uses of equilibrium models in real estate research, Journal of Property Research, Vol. 14 No.1, pp.1-13. Janssen, C.T.L., Jobson, J.D. (1980), On the choice of realtor, Decision Sciences, Vol. 11 No.April, pp.299-311.

Introspective Knowledge and Displaced Perception :: science

Introspective Knowledge and Displaced Perception "Dretske remarks that there are ‘two important differences between introspective knowledge and other forms of displaced perception’ (p. 60). What are these differences? Are they enough to call into question his view of introspective knowledge as displaced perception?" The second chapter of Naturalizing the Mind is in the main an attempt to provide an account of introspective knowledge consistent with the Representational Thesis. Dretske takes introspective knowledge to be a given and proceeds by trying to explain how such knowledge is possible without appealing to an ‘inner sense’, an idea that seems to conflict with the Thesis’s commitment to externalism about the content of mental states. To this end, he proposes that introspection is a species of displaced perception. However, he highlights two important differences between introspective knowledge and other forms of displaced perception that seem to suggest that introspective knowledge cannot in any relevant sense be viewed as an instance of displaced perception. As a result, Dretske fails to explain how introspective knowledge is possible and therefore fails to provide a compelling alternative to the ‘inner sense’ account of introspective knowledge. Introspective knowledge is "knowledge the mind has of itself" (p. 39). For example, knowing, when I perceive a yellow box, that I am having a certain experience (namely an experience of a yellow box) is, for Dretske, an instance of introspective knowledge. This knowledge is not about the box’s being yellow or indeed about the box at all, it is knowledge about myself, knowledge that I am having a certain experience (on Dretske’s view, knowledge that I am representing a, perceived, box as yellow). Introspective knowledge seems to have some strange properties. "Natsoulas defines one form of consciousness—reflective consciousness—as a privileged ability to be non-inferentially aware of (all or some of ) one’s current mental occurrences. We seem to have this ability. In telling you what I believe I do not have to figure this out (as you might have to) from what I say or do. There is nothing from which I infer that A looks longer than B. It just does." (p . 39) Dretske take! s the notion that humans have introspective knowledge as a given. His interest in the matter arises when one attempts to "explain how we come by such knowledge and what gives us this first-person authority"(p. 40) Dretske wants to reject one possible explanation, namely the idea that introspective knowledge is garnered by the mind perceiving its own workings.

Essay --

Being born into a Indian family, where the cuisine is exquisite makes staying healthy and fit almost impossible. Almost everything we eat is fried and full of oil and butter. Instead of eating small meals with snacks in between we eat three big meals. Although most of the food is cooked at home it is still full of fat. Indians are known for their amazing food and the reason it tastes so heavenly is because of all the oil and butter in it. Who can resist the temptation of such delicious food? Did you know that obesity is part of the top 10 factors of death? Being obese can cause serious problems and can be dangerous for normal life. Obesity is a common problem nowadays, which occurred because of various factors such as, development of human civilization, transport, media and communication devices. The increase in technology makes people lazier, rarely moving and spending their free time sitting in front of the computer. People are giving up quality for speed, is it worth it? Obesity i s a major issue I deal with almost everyday, I have several family members who are obese. My family members who are obese don’t care that they are obese and they just continue living the wrong type of lifestyle. They argue that obesity is a disease when many just say it’s a lifestyle. Being obese isn’t easy, yet half the people in America chose nothing to do about it. If people do not do anything to get rid of obesity then the cycle will continue to go on and I need to figure out how to get obese people to live a healthier lifestyle and influence these people to break the cycle. This semester I will be researching on whether obesity is a disease or a lifestyle. I also want to research why the sudden rise in obesity, and what can be done to reduce it. ... ...healthy and not exercise. Eating vegetables and working out is not easy but it is something that needs to be done to maintain a healthy life. Growing up I was surrounded by obese people and tried to eat as healthy as I can so that I would not become obese. While my family would be eating dessert I would eat vegetables. Instead of watching T.V with the rest of my family, I would go outside and play. I guess you can say I was born to be health conscious and want the rest of the world to be healthy also. Researching on obesity is going to be very interesting and seeing the differences in people’s opinions on whether it is a disease or a lifestyle is going to be another interesting aspect. Writing about this topic will help me help those who need some kind of motivation to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Obesity is a huge issue that needs special attention.

Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership in Motion

Research is field where many stakeholders are involved. These stakeholders can be at the level of community, the government sponsors, research institutions and in general the research community of the researchers who are spread across the geographies. When a community of researchers share the knowledge with each other there are often instances where some part of knowledge transfer does not happen completely. This raises a situation of lacuna in knowledge transfer where some team members within the project are unaware of some aspects of the project. This happened with our group as well. We were undergoing through a long period of a lack in knowledge share where team members were finding it difficult to communicate the recent development to each other. The shortage in time and involvement with other commitments also made it difficult to update the peers on the research activities – both internal and external. As social theorists have said that learning is a lifelong process and it takes a whole life time in learning the social interactions and mastering the art of interaction. By this they have also postulated that the art of interaction can be understood most effectively when one is within the social domain and has opportunity to have a conversation (direct) with the significant others (Graham, 2004). This theory somehow contradicts the theory where the experts say that the computer managed interaction or CMI is also to an extent able to replicate the communication process. The boom of social networking sites has made it possible to replicate the social structure over internet. An added advantage of this kind of a model is that it allows one to communicate with the user generated content and allows oneself to give the comments and feedback without necessarily feeling comprehensive about getting an immediate interaction. This way people can connect with each other in the cyber space and also connect at one to one level at a later stage when they can meet. Our Approach – Analysis As is a commonly stated fact that complex learning’s are often associated with groups and addressed more effectively at the group level, even we tried the same strategy while learning in our group. Burdett (2003) postulates that learning in groups provide opportunities for students to negotiate meaning, manipulate ideas, and create their own knowledge – skills that correspond to those needed in the wider society. We initiated the group learning by first organising a group and defining the group membership in order to increase the group cohesion (Hirokowa, 1999). The next step was to define the group goals. For doing so we together formulated the group goals based on the available information, resources and incorporated them with the ways we can achieve the goals by using these resources. The next step was very crucial which was to regulate our performance continuously. This regulation was important in terms to know the direction we are progressing with the right and realistic aims and goals and if are able to achieve the desired goals or not. This was also a stage for us to reiterate on the accomplished tasks and goals and to forms new deadliness and also to update each other on each other performance by the means of giving the feedback. This strategy worked the best out of the other two strategies of communication and interaction as well as this was the strategy where maximum amount of communication of involved. The online system also worked very well with our team. The computer managed interaction (CMI) as it is called also did set a greater level of communication up to a certain level. This communication was through the mode of computer mediated interaction which though not being a direct form of communication was highly popular. This enabled the group members to share the thoughts and share the knowledge in the more virtual form which enabled the group members to be in par with the new development and also a much better knowledge transfer was enabled by this way. Conclusion From our experience we found that the most effective way of keeping a communication was a direct way of communicating where face to face interaction was involved. This also helped the team members to remain in personal contacts with each other.

A Brief Analysis on The Woman Warrior

The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts (1976), was written by a Chinese-American author named, Maxine Hong Kingston. It is said to relate the â€Å"real† stories of Kingston's life. (Wiley Publishing.).It tells about the clash of culture between Chinese and American, which is why this book became very interesting. As a Chinese who was born and grew up in America, she was exposed to â€Å"American culture.†Americans are more liberal; men and women have equal rights to everything, and they live a very advanced, fast paced life. But it wasn't easy at all for Kingston, because she was bounded by the rules of Chinese culture enforced by her mother, who in the story, is named, Brave Orchid.Brave Orchid refused to adapt American culture, and she sees good traditional values of Chinese as ideal, so she made her children learn English instead. In order for the children to become flexible to speak the English language, she had their tongues â€Å"cut.† (Pass age 3.).So Kingston grew up with a very strong-willed mother, and this made her hate the â€Å"weak side† of females; she even confronted a Chinese girl for not speaking when told to speak. (Passage 5). She thinks that being â€Å"silent and weak† to show femininity of Chinese women is totally pathetic. (Passage 4).Being Americanized, she wanted to be strong, to be equal with men, and to be free from the rigid culture of her origin. She doesn't want to end up like her nameless aunt who killed herself and her baby because she committed adultery. She must have been a rape victim and there are other ways to solve her problem. Worst part is, the weakness of Chinese women is shown because her aunt was treated as if she never existed. (Passage 1.)Her nameless aunt gave her the inspiration to write The Woman Warrior, because it haunted her. (Passage 2). In order for Kingston to appreciate her origin and the American culture she loves, she made a song to unite both culture as a way to remind herself to be grateful of both. (Passage 6). Everyone of us has his or her own origin. We can just learn to accept our heritage because it is a part of us. Our origin is our blood and we are identified distinctly because of it.There are a lot of ways to positively infuse the culture of origin into the new culture we live in because of continuous evolution of humans. There's nothing wrong with adapting a modernized culture as long as the moral values of one's origin is kept as guidance to act ethically.  

David Foster Wallace Revision Essay

On May 21, 2005, David Foster Wallace starts his address to the graduating class of Kenyon College by making an analogy about three fish passing by one another. The older fish throws a comment out to the two younger â€Å"How’s the water?† (Wallace 1) to which the younger two fish pose the question, â€Å"What the hell is water?† (Wallace 1) In explanation of said story, Wallace interprets it by saying â€Å"The point of the fish story is [†¦] the most obvious [†¦] realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about.† (Wallace 1) An abundance of Wallace’s speech is him presenting different stories and analogies about knowledge being not â€Å"the capacity to think, but rather about the choice of what to think about.† (Wallace 1) Wallace goes on with another moral story about the â€Å"banal platitudes† of the adult life explaining if you don’t consciously choose what and how you’re going to think about a thing you’re going to be â€Å"pissed and miserable† (Wallace 1) On further expanding that thought, David states â€Å"there are totally different ways to think[†¦]† (Wallace 1) Wallace’s speech centers around â€Å"[†¦]the freedom of real education is[†¦] you get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn’t.† (Wallace 1) Read more: Good people by david foster wallace essay Wallace shifts, telling a story about two men in a bar debating over the existence of God. One of the men is an Atheist, while the other man is religious. Both of the men have a â€Å"blind certainty† in their beliefs, which  is what Wallace says the men’s problem is. Magnifying that thought, Wallace goes on stating â€Å"closed-mindedness [†¦] amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn’t even know he’s locked up.† (Wallace 1) He says â€Å"you decide what to believe† also reinforcing that you also decide how to think. Wallace continues, urging the critical analysis of what and how you think, giving the example it is â€Å"basic self-centeredness† (Wallace 1) to think of yourself as the â€Å"absolute center of the universe. (Wallace 1) Wallace explains that, to critically analyze your thoughts you must break â€Å"free of [your] natural, hard wired default setting.† (Wallace 1) which is to see everything through â€Å"the lens of self† Wallace ends his speech with a statement on the critical analysis of what and how you think and keeping an open mind saying it is hard to â€Å"stay conscious and alive in the adult world day in and day out.† (Wallace 1) Work Cited Wallace, David Foster. â€Å"Transcription of the 2005 Kenyon Commencement Address- May 21, 2005.† Kenyon College Graduation Ceremony. Kenyon College Gambien, OH. 21 May 2005. Commencement Address.

Substrate

A1. Role of Enzymes in Processes Enzymes are organic catalysts that help to speed up the breakdown of a molecule, such as fructose. The enzyme helps a chemical reaction take place quickly so that the reaction happens properly. In order for that to happen the enzymes process by the lock and key model, the lock is the substrate and the enzyme is the key. The active sites are specific to a certain substrate of a molecule, so the enzymes only have one job to do. The shape of an enzyme is not changed or consumed during these reactions.However, without enzymes the reactions would take too long and would not breakdown properly. A2. Deficiency in Aldolase B In hereditary fructose intolerance there is a protein lacking that is needed to breakdown fructose. Aldolase B is the substance needed to breakdown fructose. Without the Aldolase B the body is not able to change glycogen into glucose that the body needs. When this happens an individual’s blood sugar can fall and substances will bui ld up in the liver causing more health issues.With an absence of the enzyme Aldolase B, fructose cannot be broken down causing hereditary fructose intolerance. Symptoms can be severe, â€Å"these include severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and hypoglycemia following ingestion of fructose or other sugars metabolized through fructose-1-phosphate. Prolonged fructose ingestion in infants leads ultimately to hepatic and/or renal failure and death. † (Haldeman-Englert, 2011) A4. Substrate The specific substrate acted on by Aldolase B is fructose-1-phosphate (F1P).This then is converted into DHAP and glyceraldehyde. Once the conversion is finished the product can enter the glycolysis cycle to from ATP or energy used for the body. â€Å"In normal cellular conditions, the primary enzymatic activity of aldolase B is to cleave fructose diphosphate (FDP). † (Roth, 2012) A5. Role of Aldolase B Aldolase B is the substance needed to breakdown fructose. Its specific role is to speed up t he breakdown process of fructose to a more usable from in the body.Aldolase B is primary found in the liver, but can also be found in the small intestines and kidneys. B1. Interconversions of Cori Cycle If the Cori Cycle occurred and then remained in a single cell, no useful metabolic work would be complete. The reason for this is that â€Å"if the Interconversions of the Cori Cycle were to take a place within a single cell it would constitute a â€Å"futile cycle† with glucose being consumed and resynthesized at the expense of the ATP and GTP hydrolysis. (Campbell & Farrell, 2008) If this were to happen the cycle would essentially be running in opposite directions, having no affect and wasting energy. Having both the glycolysis portion and the gluconeogenesis portion going at the same time, will result in glucose being converted in to pyruvate by glycolysis and then converted back to glucose by gluconeogenesis, all this will cause a use of ATP, not making. The cycle needs t o take place in order to produce ATP, an energy source for the body especially during muscle activity. B3.Defect Preventing Conversion of ADP to ATP Having a deficiency in the Citric Acid cycle can create the entire cycle to halt essentially. Having the citric acid cycle halt can create a build-up of lactic acid, decreasing the amount of oxygen getting to the tissues. Hypothetically the Citric Acid cycle is missing the enzyme malate; â€Å"Malic acid acts as a catalyst in the Kreb’s cycle to increase energy production from the burning of pyruvic acid. Malic acid also aids in exercise recovery by counteracting the build-up of lactic acid. (Ward, 2011) Missing the malic acid can create chronic fatigue, muscular myalgia, and arthritic-like pains. Any disturbances to the cycle can produce and contribute to neurological and physical problems. B4. Role of Coenzyme Q10 The role of Coenzyme Q10 in ATP synthesis is unique. It can function in every cell of the body to make energy; no other molecule can perform this function. The enzyme is very hydrophobic, so it can move freely within the cell membrane.Its special function is that is can accept and donate electrons, which plays a big role in the electron transport chain. â€Å"It accepts electrons generated during fatty acid and glucose metabolism and then transfers them to electron acceptors. At the same time, Coenzyme Q transfers protons outside the inner mitochondrial membrane, creating a proton gradient across that membrane. The energy released when the protons flow back into the mitochondrial interior is used to from ATP. † (Higdon, 2003)

Produce an international marketing plan that will introduce a consumer Assignment

Produce an international marketing plan that will introduce a consumer brand sold in your home market into a country in which it is currently not available - Assignment Example Since then it has continued to command a competitive market edge despite the competition from Zhujiang and Yanjing, the major Chinese beer brands in the US. Tsingtao Brand at the moment is present in more than fifty countries in the world (Yang, 2007) and the international market for the beer has proven feasibility and great ROI. This paper seeks to highlight the possibility of venturing into the England market. The paper is simply a marketing plan for the introduction of the Tsingtao brand into the England market and aims extensively at analyzing the situation at the England beer market and a SWOT analysis to establish the feasibility of the brand in the market. Further, the paper aims to offer the best marketing mix and marketing strategies that will aid in the best anticipated performance of the brand in the market. Tsingtao has performed stunningly well in the markets it has been introduced to. For instance, in the US, the brand continues to perform very well not to mention its acceptable market share in the local Chinese market. England as the new target market for the beer appears a formidable market which can equally be competitive. This is basically because of the country’s economic status; it is the second largest economy in Europe and fifth in the world. It is considered as the center of world economics and tops the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, technical industries such as aerospace and hardware/software manufacture. Certainly, England is one of the most greatly industrialized countries in the world. The fact that the beer has performed particularly well in the US which is another world’s strongest economy is a clear marker that the beer can equally survive the beer market competition in England. There happens to be a favorable economic infrastructure in England which is favorable for a better market

ANALYTICAL PAPER Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ANALYTICAL PAPER - Assignment Example Scholars have pointed to the fact that human beings are directly or indirectly responsible for the struggles and volatility inherent in the international system. Human nature as a direct consequence of conflicts in the society has been an issue under scrutiny for decades. This text puts into perspective the state of the international system and components responsible for conflicts. Hans Morgenthau (3) provides critical views concerning the struggle for power and peace in the international system. Morgenthau presents two theories that tend to explain the tendency for conflicts in the world. Morgenthau underscores the fact the nature of international politics is directly correlated to human nature. Two theories present perspectives on the issues of human nature and nature politics. A school of thought notes that human nature is great though it blames the society for non-functionality. Secondly, the society is noted as being imperfect effectively affecting human nature. The variables exposing the facts are limited to individual behavior, although Morgenthau ties the nature of politics to human nature and society (Morgenthaun 24). For instance, human beings have different behaviors depending on the mode of socialization. Human beings are not homogenous in their thoughts and deeds to the extent that they cannot be said to be bound by good moral tendencies. The socialization process of a human being and the inherent idiosyncratic variables determines how a person relates to other people. For instance, drafting a foreign policy document may be done by individuals are driven by their interest which can even be selfish. The agenda of formulating policies must be checked against the guiding principles of moral behavior. In addition, the realist argument that society influences the behavior of people holds a significant amount of truth (Morgenthaun 98). Societies have norms, rules and regulations that determine peoples relationship. If a society is not

Impact of external debt on fiscal stability and economic development Case Study

Impact of external debt on fiscal stability and economic development. a of Nigeria - Case Study Example Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the NEW administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history. (Country Profile: Nigeria, Cia.gov) Although some gains were made because of this return of revenue to the regions of derivation, the proportions were actually less than 20% of national revenue totals so in fact the regions experienced very little financial or budgetary momentum, setting up an easy move toward hyper-centralisation of the revenue-sharing system during the era of military rule from 1966-1979. (Suberu, 2002). By the early 1980's Nigeria had become very dependent on oil, which accounted for 96% of export earnings, 81% of government earnings and 22% of GDP (Ogbe, 1992). Oil wealth increased dependence on imported goods while local industries were ignored. Consumption of imported goods became the order of the day. The 1981 oil glut cau... The 1981 oil glut caused the economy to suffer from price distortion and an overvalued currency. Heavy dependence on importation left the government unprepared to deal with a prolonged period of depressed international oil prices. The sharp decline in oil prices affected domestic production, leading to deterioration in the balance of payments and government finances. The government financed the shortfalls by borrowing, drawing down on external reserves, and amassing of debts on external trade payments. Chapter 2 Literature Review (Historical View) The president had shown greater commitment to implementing liberal economic reforms in his second and last term in office, but still faces a huge task to if he is to turn around the corruption ridden, heavily indebted and oil dependent economy. Mr. Obasanjo may also pursue controversial reforms, such as constitutional changes, to shake up Nigeria's crisis-prone political system. However, these are likely to be resisted by powerful groups with vested interests in maintaining the status quo. Given the background of ethnic and religious divisions, widespread poverty and political disillusionment, there is a risk that the reform drive could destabilize the country if not properly managed. However, assuming that the president is able to navigate Nigeria's turbulent political waters and achieve some progress with reform-against the background of ongoing growth in the oil and gas sector. Political outlook - Legislation had been presented to the National Assembly seeking to curb the powers of the trade unions. Given the controversial nature of the proposed reform, the government may have opened a battle with the unions that proves difficult to win while diverting energy from

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Change Management - Essay Example Change forces usually have direct impact on the management and running of business resulting to the need for transitioning to the desired state which an organization will operate at an optimum capacity (Paton, Paton and McCalman 2008). Resistive forces to change usually diminish the change forces effects by advocating for status quo, resulting to change failure. These resistive forces may be categorized into organizational resistances or individual resistances. Organization resistance may include structural inertia, group inertia and having limited view of change importance. On the other hand, individual resistances may vary from fear of the unknown, limited information and lack of security. These forces can be effectively reduced through education and communication from the change pioneers (Gonà §alves 2007). Change management plays an important role in ensuring that employees are aware of the importance of change. In addition, it is the means through which resistance forces can be earlier identified and resolved. Thus, change management is the way of combating resistive change forces and effectuating change forces in the process of implementing

Madeleine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Madeleine - Essay Example The talks with the prostitutes in her neighborhood started altering Madeline morals. However, she moved to St. Louis to live with a friend while she was seventeen. She began to work in a factory but realized she was pregnant after working for a few months. She thus ran away from the friend’s house and moved into a brothel within Kansas since she could not support herself financially. To hide her identity, she invented the name Madeleine Blair. She later lost her baby and almost managed to avoid being engaged in sex trade when she migrated to Chicago. In Chicago, she started her life working in a department store. However, the salary is meager and she could not support herself. She ended up getting back to prostitution. Therefore, the major reason why Madeleine got into prostitution was the unplanned pregnancy. When she realized she was pregnant, she was ashamed of herself and left her friend’s house. Since she had no means to support herself she ended up getting into pr ostitution. Another reason that led Madeleine get into prostitution was her early exposure to talks regarding prostitution. She had lived in environments where prostitution was considered a lesser vice. Therefore, she easily got into the sex industry when she was compelled by her financial needs. Although she was aware of the existence of sex industry, she had tried to avoid being a prostitute by searching for a noble job since she wanted to retain her respect. However, the dire need for money and her condition of being pregnant drove her into the industry. Alter some time, her desire for money increased making it hard for her to leave the sex industry. She started migrating from brothel to brothel and ended up establishing her own brothel in Canada. 2) What does her story tell us about life during the late Gilded Age? How was she affected by industrialization, urbanization, rural decline, and the social problems associated with these transformations? In the Autobiography, Madeleine approves that the sex industry was of great economic benefit to the western countries. Madeleine considers prostitution as the only way that women could contribute to economic growth. Even the authorities and most people in Canada viewed sex industry as important in enhancing economic growth. Men considered brothels as crucial and would even go to nearby town in search of sex if there were no brothels in their locality. As industrialization progressed, men started earning better salaries. Most of them spent part of their salaries to pay for sex. This demonstrates that industrialization contributed to increase in prostitution. Madeleine describes her brothel as one that constituted an important social and economic component. It fulfilled the needs of the working class (Anonymous 180-184). To the girls who worked in the brothel, it was their source of income hence a form of employment. Moreover, the local municipal authorities greatly benefited from the bribes that Madeleine gave the m. The common people viewed prostitution as an important component of the local economy that was beneficial to all. Women could get employment, the authorities made profits, and men had some place to spend their leisure time. Therefore, people viewed brothels as institutions as important sector of the economy that enhanced exchange of money. With industrialization, there was increased number of women in urban centers. To them, prostitution was a noble way of earning

How has sept. 11th effected the economy in the united states Essay

How has sept. 11th effected the economy in the united states - Essay Example It is hardly possible to meet the person who is unaware about the events of September 11. Thousands of people became victims of the biggest terrorist attack in the history of United States. The single day has changed the life of Americans, their perception of security and human dignity. The attack was well planned and confidently carried out, it was impossible to foresee this tragedy. Or was it? Four years have passed since that time but the world is still talking about it. One of the major outcomes of September 11 has become the closer examination of visitors to United States. The concept of racial profiling has become an inevitable part of national security. Nevertheless, is it reasonable to label the whole Arabian world as potentially dangerous because of the action of several individuals? When the American nation has managed to overcome the terror, the cardinal actions had to take place. Among the first initiatives was to use racial profiling in screening out the potentially dangerous immigrants and visitors to the country. Of course, the Arabs have become number one suspects and were closely examined. Was this targeted screening justified or was only the way to hide discriminatory attitude towards Arabian nation? Most likely, American government was not ready for attack of such level and racial profiling was the only effective way to prevent further attack. However, some of the actions are hard to explain and understand. For example, prior to September 11 Americans have rejected racial profiling, but since that day the public opinion has reversed. More than 1000 Arabs and Arab Americans (those who were born and lived all their lives in United States) were detained even though not a single of them has been charged with any formal offense (Davis, N., 2001). Students were kindly invited to visit their Arabian families in native countries with the hope that they will never return to United

Marrige how should it be defined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marrige how should it be defined - Essay Example Per se, wedding engages three main functions in American, primarily Christian culture. Firstly, it identifies the unification of men and a woman, both in the eyes of the cathedral and of culture. Culture en bloc distinguishes the pair as unified and thus, various societal rules and beliefs are applied. Secondly, marriage identifies the pair under the rule as a tied unit. Partners are included in tax returns, possession of property is defined in prenuptial contracts, and the responsibility rights over kids are classified, with a whole host of additional lawful contracts. And thirdly, marriage identifies the rights of cohorts over each other. This generally consists of sexual and emotional exceptionality with the shape of a metaphorical relationship between the pair. Therefore, marriage is mainly about acknowledgment; societal, religious, lawful and private relationships are fashioned that are intended to justify the associates both as a pair and culture. Whereas the philosophies of "tying" do serve up constructive points, the form acquired by the current marriage system in America is, in lots of cases, mainly disparaging and off-putting. This isn't equivalent to that the idea of wedding is not correct, just that the ways by which it is defined is turning out to be more and more disparaging in America. Persons on both sides of the wedding controversy mostly have the same opinion that a culture will (and should) have organizations to carry out such kind of tasks (Lyla H. O'Driscoll). One major difficulty with matrimony in America is the stress on a partner's responsibility. At the same time as obligation between two cohorts is of immense value, in lots of ways wedding doesn't direct but rather pins down two associates. Firstly, and most understandable, is the limitation upon sexual and emotional relationship. Even as this perception shows prima facie optimistic, a closer inspection discloses that the restrictions placed on the pair may or may not be just that. How does the limitation of one associate do well to a pair In lots of cases, it comes out that the other half suits most requirements. But, wouldn't the accomplishment of the entire needs be even more pleasing The completion of a partner's requirements would come out to be the most important objective of any strong bond. But can any partner offer for every requirement of the other The answer is, certainly, not essentially. Marriage that is meaningful for companionship can be hetero-sexual, homo-sexual and p olygonal. Thus, this description of the characters and promising significance of wedding for wives is in agreement with the conceivability of various types of wedding (O'Driscoll, p. 136). In such cases where one associate just can't take care of the entire requirements of another one, what's the problem in having another associate On the basis of various grounds there is nothing 'wide of the mark' with this opinion but the ethical ruling of mostly Christian's morality in America squabbles this preference. I would, as a result, propose that 'common sense' and reasonableness somewhat than theological "way of thinking" be applied to the dilemma on the way. A method of "permissive matrimony" whereby "persons can decide, within extensive restrictions, the categories of human relations they desire to practice. All persons would be allowed to decide without any restraint" (Lawrence Casler). The

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Business - Essay Example In addition, he terminated a central IT steering committee and replaced it with another new structure that pushed IT investment decisions to the line organizations. However, these operations were coordinated by the centralized IT organization. A web based service system (Cisco.com) was the primary style in use at the network level so as to spread company’s operations all across the globe. At the data level, the company employed a client-funded-project (CFP) system. This system mainly strengthened each function to control its own IT budgets. The company’s IT department enabled easy integration with acquired business organizations. To conclude, Cisco spent whatever needed on IT aiming at the operational efficiency of the organization. 2. Cisco faced many difficulties with its internal IT by 2001. The September 11 terrorist attacks and resultant internet bubble burst greatly added to the technology failure in Cisco. Lack of common order-status tool was the man issue that c aused severe issues with Cisco’s internal IT. Although, the company had nine different order-status tools at the end of 2001, none of them were providing the desired outcomes. Therefore, the company pumped more and more money toward the development of such customized tools. However, it was necessary to have some efficient customized tools so as to instantaneously check the order-status while interacting with the customers. Therefore, each company business leader separately paid to get some efficient tools that looked up data about customer orders. â€Å"As a result, each of the tools pulled data from different sources that used different definitions for key terms† (Mac Fee et al, 4). This situation caused some confusion in the organization since the multiple databases created conflicts in order-status reports. It was also observed that IT decisions were made without practicing centralized group checking for conflicts and redundancies. Similarly, lack of centralized pla nning was another major problem that had intensified Cisco’s internal IT difficulties. In the case of ERP system also, many groups had built specialized tools. Hence, the Cisco faced many difficulties to upgrade a newer version of the ERP system as it necessitated the disablement of a number of custom interfaces. As a result, the ERP system did not help more in this situation. 3. The Business Process Operating Committee (BPOC) was a cross functional decision making group established by Cisco in late 2002. This committee included major persons at the helm of affairs of the Cisco. The major objective of this group was to set and drive corporate priorities for the company. The BPOC management team mainly focused on its enterprise-wide productivity. As stated in the given case (7), so as to facilitate this function, the BPOC’s leadership dealt with formulation of key operational policy decisions, alignment of similar initiatives across the company, development of Ciscoâ₠¬â„¢s corporate business process framework, and enforcement of decisions with attention to execution and accountability. It must be noted that the BPOC was not established for funding the economic operations of Cisco. On the other hand, its main intention was to provide effective recommendations for the Cisco’s management regarding the company’s IT spending. The BPOC had a precise authority over the company operations since it dealt with projects that were

Breathless Reaction Paper Essay Example for Free

Breathless Reaction Paper Essay Katherine Paler- Rivera According to the many articles and film history that I read, this is the first feature film directed by Jean- Luc Godard who was considered the influencial director that started the French New Wave. And based on our lectures, what makes the French New Wave famous was the technique like jumpcuts, shooting on location, using handheld cameras, loose narrative form or improvised dialogue. Godard also uses the history of cinema art and music. He also includes pictures in posters of famous artists like Picasso and Renoir women. The music in the soundtrack also includes Mozart’s clarinet concerto and French pop radio. The entire story started when the character of Michel Poiccard which Jean Paul Belmondo portrays, has stolen a car. While he was driving he passed by two hitch hikers and decides to decline for the thought they were far too ugly for him. Then suddenly, he realized that the cops was behind him. He hid on the side of the street. Thinking he got away he feels relieved. But suddenly a cop found him. He was shocked and unconsciously because of his instinct killed the cop. It was not shown how he shot the cop, it was suggested because the next scene, the cop falls down in the bushes. Then he runs away in an open field. In Paris, he called up somebody on the phone but no one is answering. Then he bought a newspaper from a boy in a bicyle, browse it a bit then head to an apartment employee asking for that somebody. He just took the keys when the man was not looking. Next scene he was inside the room. He just had a quick time in the wash room to freshen up. He was looking for money in the drawer but he was disappointed. He took a newspaper, read a bit then rubs in in his shoes. Then a some girl opens the door and let him in. The room was full of posters of girls. He was asking for money. While the girl was changing, Michel easily took the money in her wallet. Then in the next scene he was on the streets looking for a girl. It was Patricia Franchini who was portrayed by Jean Seberg. She was studying journalism whom he had met in Nice a few weeks earlier. She was selling New York Herald Tribune. Michel was having a conversation with him about what had happen in their stay in Nice, his women and their plans. He asks for a copy of the newspaper but return it once he realized it had no horoscope. They were planning to see each other on the same same street when the day ends. When they parted, he saw a newspaper stand, bought a copy. Patricia rushed through him and gave him a quick smack on the cheek. Right then and there I observed that these two were an item. In the building where he got inside, he was looking for a guy friend named Tolmachov.. They talked about certain guys common to them. Then his friend handed him an envelope which he was not please. He was given a certain phone number that he called. Then he bid goodbye. Two gentlemen came inside the building, the bigger man I knew was an inspector. He was asking for Michel or a certain other name. At first Tomalchov denied he saw Michel but they were busted when a girl passed by and the detective asked her if he saw Tomalchov with a man 5 minutes ago. He was also reminded that accessory of a murder is a crime. I find Michel’s character rude, proud, dishonest and self centered. He likes to have everything easy without trying to work on it. Examples are the cars he stolen, the man he beat up in the comfort room so he can have money. I don’t think the respect Patricia. He â€Å"uses† people and loves to use the word â€Å"louse†. He almost always has a cigarette on her mouth which makes me annoyed. Some critic said he made it sexy but I don’t find it appealing. As usual he always has a newspaper but I don’t think he paid for it. He wore sunglassed even if its late in the afternoon which I find truly absurd. Patricia’s character gets into my nerve. I hate movies that shows women they are like a â€Å"thing to be used†. I don’t like if someone used bad words to a woman. Good for him that he told the police about Michel. The background music also bores me. They keep on using it again and again. Except for the classical music they played when they were inside Patricia’s room. There was also this scene when Patricia was interviewing a man alongside other journalist. When she asked â€Å"What’s your greatest ambiton? † The man replied, â€Å" To become immortal and then die. † Patricia took off her sunglasses, think deeply and face the camera as if connecting to the viewers. In the scene where he called the cops about Michel, she even talked to him hear to heart. She love him that’s why she gave him away which made him furious. According to Wikipedia, â€Å"Godard envisaged Breathless as a reportage (documentary), and asked the Cinematographer Raoul Coutard to shoot the entire film on a hand- held camera, with next to no lighting. In order to shoot under low light levels, Coutard had to use liford HPS film, which was not available as motion picture film stock at the time. He therefore took 18 metre lengths of HPS film sold for 35mm still cameras and spliced them together to 120 metre rolls. During development he pushed the negative one stop from 400 ASA to 800 ASA. The size of the sprocket holes for motion picture film and the Cameflex camera was the only camera that would work for the film used. † â€Å"The production was filmed on location in Paris during the months of August and September in 1959, using an Eclair Cameflex. Almost the whole film had to be dubbed in post- production because of the noisiness of the Cameflex camera and because the Cameflex was incapable of synchronized sound. † â€Å"Filming began in August 17, 1959. Godard met his crew at the Notre Dame cafe near the Hotel de Suede and shot for two hours until he ran out of ideas. Coutard has stated that the film was virtually improvised on the spot, with Godard writing lines of dialogue in an exercise book that no one else was allowed to look at. Godard would give the lines to Belmondo and Seberg while having a few brief rehearsals on scenes involved, then filming them. No permission was received to shoot the filmin its various locations (mainly the side streets and boulevards of Paris) either, adding the spontaneous feel that Godard was aiming for. However all locations were picked out before shooting began and Assistant Director Pierre Rissient has described the shoot very organized. Actor Richard Balducci has stated that shooting days ranged from 15 minutes to 12 hours, depending on how many ideas Godard had that day. Producer Georges de Beauregard wrote a letter to the entire crew complaining about the erratic shooting schedule. Coutard claims that on a day that Godard had called in sick de Beauregard bumped into the director at a cafe and the two got into a fist fight. † â€Å"Godard shot most of the film chronologically, with the exception of the first sequence which was shot towards the end of the shoot. Filming at the Hotel de Suede for the lengthy bedroom scene between Michel and Patricia included minimal crew and no lights. This location was difficult to secure, but Godard was determined to shoot there after having lives at the hotel after returning from South America in the early 1950’s. Instead of renting a dolly with complicated and time- consuming tracks to lay, Godard and Coutard rented a wheelchair for the film that Godard often pushed himself. For certain street scenes Coutard would hide in a postal cart with a hole in it for the lens and stamped packages piled on top of Coutard. Shooting lasted 23 days and ended on September 12, 1959. The final scene where Michel is shot in the street was filmed on the rue Campagne- Premiere in Paris. † It left me hanging where Michel was shoot and Patricai catched up with the detective. Their dialogue had me thinking what was the meaning of their conversation especially the word â€Å"louse†. In my research it means a plural of â€Å"lice†, a wingless usually flattened blood sucking insect parasitic on warm- blooded animals or a person who has a nasty or unethical character underserving of respect. Michel for me is the big â€Å"louse†! Frankly speaking I was not really into the film. The very first time I watched it, it was all in French with no subtitles. I tried myself to be interested with it but I just found myself bored. Good thing our teacher shared a copy with subtitle. Being a student I was diligent in all the dialougues and scenes. I was carefully observing the techniques that I’ve learn in French New Wave. I find it fascinating that during that time, Godard was a young director who was thinking outside the box. I love the confidence and the guts he puts into his film. He was even part of the film. So I tried to know him more. His most influential innovations was to design shots that seem astonishingly flat. He is the most widely imitated director of the entire post war era.

Salicylic Acid: Properties, Uses and History

Salicylic Acid: Properties, Uses and History Salicylic acid is found naturally in the bark of the willow tree. It has been used for centuries to relieve a variety of ailments. It has also been developed in a variety of products in the areas of skin care, cosmetics and stomach relief. Salicylic acid is a wonder drug. But what are its physical and chemical properties? What chemical reactions are used in manufacturing and using salicylic acid? Does it represent any safety risks to society and the environment? Salicylic acid was discovered by the Greek physician Hippocrates in the 5th century BC.  [1]  He found that the bitter powder extracted from willow bark could relieve aches and pains and reduce fevers.  [2]  The remedy is also mentioned in writings from ancient Sumer, Lebanon, and Assyria. Cherokee and other Native Americans used the bark for fever and other medicinal purposes for centuries. The medicinal part of the plant is the inner bark. It is used as a pain reliever for a variety of ailments. The reverend Edward Stone from Oxfordshire, England found in 1763 that willow bark was useful in reducing fever. The active extract of the bark is called Salicin, after the Latin name of the white willow (salix alba).  [3]  The extract was isolated and named by Johann Buchner in Germany in 1826. A larger amount of the substance was isolated in 1828 by the French pharmacists, Hanri Laroux.  [4]  The Italian chemist, Raffaele Piria was able to convert the extract into a chemical which become salicylic acid when it oxidises.  [5]   In 1839, Salicylic acid was also extracted by German researchers from the herb meadowsweet (Filpendula ulmaria). This extract was effective but it caused digestive problems such as gastric irritation, bleeding, diarrhoea and death if consumed in high doses.  [6]   Uses Salicylic Acid is still used today to ease aches and pains and to reduce fevers. It was used as an anti-inflammatory drug even in ancient times. Salicylic is a main ingredient in many skin care products treating acne, psoriasis, calluses, corns, keratosis pilaris and warts. Salicylic acid works as a keratolytic and comedolytic agent. It causes the cells of the epidermis to shed more easily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within. It can also prevent pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing for new cell growth. Due to its effect on skin cells, salicylic acid is used in some shampoos to treat dandruff. Properties Salicylic Acid has the appearance of a colourless crystalline powder. It is odourless or may have a slight phenolic odour.  [7]  It has a sweetish taste.  [8]  It has a melting point of 159 °C and a sublimation point of 76 °C. Its relative density is 1.4 compared to water which has a relative density of 1. Its solubility in water is 0.2 g/100 ml at 20 °C.  [9]  It is soluble in alcohol, ether, boiling water.  [10]  It has a pH of 2.4. It is a polar molecule which explains its low solubility in water. It was a molar mass of 138.1 g/mol. Its chemical formula is C6H4(OH)COOH and an empirical formula of C7H6O3. It will auto-ignite at as low as 540 °C. It is a relatively stable compound but oxidizing agents, strong bases, iodine, and fluorine may cause strong reactions.  [11]  It is also sensitive to light. It can be harmful if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through skin. It is an irritant. Manufacturing Salicylic Acid Salicylic acid forms in nature in Salix, the bark of the willow tree. While the powder extracted from the bark could be sold today, it rarely is because it purity is not constant. To make salicylic acid in a lab, chemists can put sodium phenoxide and carbon dioxide under high pressurization.  [12]  Once this mixture is acidified using sulphuric acid, salicylic acid will result. This process is called a Kolbe-Schmitt reaction. This method results in much purer and more consistent product that can be used of pharmaceutical or commercial preparations. Using Salicylic Acid Salicylic acid works on skin by softening keratin, one of the proteins in the skin structure. With the keratin softened, the skin sheds easier. When being used for warts the skin is softened and the wart can fall off. When being used for acne, the increased shedding prevents clogging in the pore. Medications like salicylic acid are called keratolytics because they can soften and facilitate the exfoliation of epidermal cells. Salicylic acid is also a comedolytic medication because it can break up comedones and open clogged pores. Salicylic Acid, when taken orally, is also an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory. It can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Salicylic acid blocks the production of certain hormones called prostaglandins that are released from damaged cells. Prostaglandins, if not blocked, trigger the release of other hormones that cause the nerves to be sensitive to pain. By blocking prostaglandins, the pain and inflammation are significantly reduced. Economic Benefits There are many economic benefits to manufacturing salicylic acid. Since it relives aches, reduces fevers and is anti-inflammatory, it can help reduce the time people miss at school and at work. For employers, students and the entire economy this is a benefit. With people being in less pain and not suffering from fevers and swelling, visits to the hospital and doctors office will be reduced. This will ease the load on the medical system. One can imagine how high the sales of aspirin are and this would not be possible without salicylic acid. There is obviously also a tremendous economic benefit to the manufacture of many skin care products that use salicylic acid. Acne, wart, psoriasis, calluses, corns and keratosis are very common ailments therefore sales of the skin care products would be very high. There is money to be made in the area of cosmetics with products to exfoliate epidermal cells and open clogged pores. In addition to this, sales of dandruff shampoo and stomach aids (both of which contain salicylic acid or its derivatives), must be very high. The history of salicylic acid represents continual technological development. What started as a simple extract from the willow tree became many useful products over the centuries. Throughout history chemists have worked hard to develop additional uses for salicylic acid. Chemists discovered its anti-inflammatory properties. These properties have been researched and have helped the development of modern anti-inflammatory medications. Safety Salicylic acid can be harmful if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through skin. If inhaled, it can cause effects such as coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. If ingested in a large amount salicylism may result which is characterised by abdominal pain, vomiting, mental disturbances and increased respiration.  [13]  It is a mild irritant and may cause a skin rash in individuals that are sensitive to it. Salicylic acid is an extreme eye irritant which was shown in animal testing.  [14]  Chronic exposure to salicylic acid can cause central nervous disturbances as serious as convulsions. It may cause harm to an unborn child although the effects of salicylic acid during pregnancy have not been fully investigated. The salicylic acid used topically is usually very diluted at only 2% or used in a very small amount. Plus the amount absorbed through the skin is very low. Therefore the risk to an individual applying it topically is minimal. Salicylic acid should be stored in a tightly closed container that is stored in a cool, dry and ventilated place. It should be protected from physical damage and kept away from any source of heat, ignition or oxidizing materials. Care should be takes to avoid dust formation as it can ignite. Empting the contents of a salicylic acid container should be done with care as empting it into an atmosphere where flammable vapours are present can cause a flash fire. Salicylic acid should always be stored in the dark. When salicylic acid is released into soil it will quickly biodegrade. The same will occur when it is released into water. Because it quickly biodegrade, there is not a major environmental effect of salicylic acid. However, it should be still disposed of properly. The low concentrations that are found in many skin care products can be disposed of in the garbage. With Large concentrations or large amounts of salicylic acid, they should be disposed of carefully. They should be brought to a licenced waste disposal contractor that observes all local and national regulations.  [15]   Other Interesting Facts about Salicylic Acid Salicylic acid has been used as a food preservative. It works as one because of its antiseptic properties. It has to be used in very small doses because of its toxicity at high doses. It is no longer used as a food preservative anymore because of concerns with using any antiseptics in human food.  [16]  Salicylic acid can cause ear damage when taken orally because it inhibits prestin. This only happens in people with a zinc deficiency. However if zinc is injected, the hearing loss can be reversed.  [17]  Salicylic acid, was once the worlds bestselling drug in 1898.  [18]  Salicylic acid is also a plant hormone that causes an increase in growth, flowering and heat production.  [19]   It is clear that salicylic acid is a very valuable substance. It has many uses and applications in medicine and cosmetics. It was been available to us for centuries. Salicylic acid is an odourless, colourless crystalline powder. It can react with certain chemicals. It is manufactured in a Kolbe-Schmitt reaction and it is used to soften the skin making it good for treating many ailments. Salicylic acid must be stored safely and disposed of properly.