Summary The Pursuit of Happiness Essays - Spirituality, Meditation

Summary The Pursuit of Happiness Essays - Spirituality, Meditation Summary "The Pursuit of Happiness" In "The Pursuit of Happiness", an article published in CBC News Online on April 23, 2014, Eve Savory points out people can encourage positive human qualities by meditation in order to happiness. Savory supports her thesis by 3 steps. First step, Savory describes a research of brain in ordinary people. As a result, happiness increase activity on the left side of brain but sadness is on the right side. After that, Savory shows that using brain scanner to analysis monks while they are meditating. The consequence is the monks can reduce stress and brain activity can be move from right to left through meditation. Finally, Savory states that a biotech company do a research is let ordinary people learn meditation and see to reaction. They got that the meditator's brain have the same reaction with monks and meditation can improve health by improving immunity system. All in all, Savory believes that mediation is one way to change people's emotion to close happiness and make people better.

Make Fireballs You Can Hold in Your Hand

Make Fireballs You Can Hold in Your Hand Fire is made up of light and heated gases from combustion. You can control the temperature of fire by selecting a fuel that burns with a cool flame. If you pour the fuel onto a substance that wont burn, you can make a fireball that you can hold in your hand or juggle. Here are written instructions for making your own handheld fireballs. Materials Needed to Make Fireballs 2 x 5 strip of cotton cloth (like from a t-shirt)100% cotton threadNeedleNaphtha lighter fluid (e.g., Ronsonolâ„ ¢)Match or lighter How to Make a Handheld Fireball Thread the needle with cotton thread.Tightly roll the cotton strip into a ball.Pierce the ball with the needle and wrap the ball with the thread. End by running the needle through the ball one more time and break off the thread.Soak the ball with lighter fluid. Dont soak your hands.Dont ignite the fireball while you are holding it. Set the ball on a fire-proof surface. I used a frying pan from my kitchen.If you want to hold the fireball, my recommendation is to pick it up with tongs and carefully/slowly set it on your hand. That way youll be able to tell if you can take the heat or not. Once you gain some confidence, you can pick the fireball up using your fingers. Safety Additional Information Its best to use 100% cotton fabric and thread. If the fiber is synthetic (like nylon or polyester) it might burn or melt, with unpleasant consequences.The trick to this demonstration is the fuel. It needs to be naphtha or kerosene. I have had good luck with Ronsonolâ„ ¢ and Zippoâ„ ¢ (not the butane stuff... read your ingredient list). Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) works, but it burns a little hotter.Its pretty hard to blow the fireball out. You either need to blow hard or else suffocate the flame to extinguish it. You can set a saucepan lid over the fireball.The fireballs are reusable. Put them out when they run out of fuel or else the cotton will burn (you can tell this is happening when the ball starts to blacken and produce sooty smoke). If you get to the point where the cotton itself is burning, the fireball will be too hot to hold. Ideally, you want to extinguish the fireball before it consumes all of its fuel. Simply soak it in more lighter fluid and relight it to reuse it.Regarding holding these in your hand or doing tricks with them... the cone of the flame is hot, especially above the ball, however, the fuel burns at a relatively low temperature. The flashpoint of Ronsonolâ„ ¢ brand of naphtha is 6Â °C or 43Â ° F, with combustion mainly around 400Â °F. To put that in perspective, touching the fireball is a lot like touching a hot pizza right out of the oven (except without the sticky cheese part). Fireballs are great fun to make, but like all fire projects, use proper safety precautions and common sense. Dont get burned or set your house or yard on fire. This is a project which requires adult supervision. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Colonization of african americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Colonization of african americans - Essay Example I used to have an older brother, but we got separated when he got sold off to a different family. I hope he is well, wherever he is. I haven't seen him in 10 years. When we first came here to Georgia, we were scared because we didn't know what kind of family we'll serve, or if we will yet again be separated. As my Ma and Pa anticipated our expulsion from the South Carolina rice plantation we called home since before I was born (they were just too many of us slaves than they can handle), I can hear them praying for a better owner—people who will not whip us when we make mistakes or if they think we're being lazy. I remember playing inside the trunk of a big old tree far from the rice plantation, but being careful so that no white people can see me. The clay house we share with another family is hot in the summer, and being a young boy, I want to go out and play. But if they see me, there'd be big trouble for sure. So I found myself a hiding place in a tree. Ma always told me ac tions have consequences, and if I'm not careful, then she couldn't shield me from the eyes of our owner. Consequences means whipping and no food rations—especially if we caught our master's attention when he was drunk. That's asking for big trouble. The fusion of bad disposition alcohol would mean at least 10 whips. So, Ma and Pa were both happy and scared we were about to be resold or "imported" as they call it—happy to be leaving our cruel master, but scared to be sold to a more cruel owner. While we were being auctioned off in cuffs, after my brother was bought by a different man, the three of us gave an inaudible sigh of relief when we were purchased by one man. He looks stern but fair, although we dared not look into his eyes, afraid he might think we're insolent and get off on a bad start. It turns out he was a general who just invested in a small cotton plantation and only needs more than a dozen hands to work the fields for starters. Our new home in Georgia was more livable. We were given our own hut and it even had a small fireplace! Although we miss our fellow slaves we left behind or were sold to others—especially my brother—life was starting to look good. Our assimilation into the Georgia life was smooth. The general bought two other families—parents who can still work hard who had sons who were young, but ready to work. Unlike in our old life, we were given enough food to eat and allowed us not to work on Sundays, except during harvest season when we had to work 16 to 18 hours a day. Missus and master treated us like people, where before we were treated almost like animals. As long as we work hard and are honest, we didn't go hungry. They gave us a fair share for our daily cotton weight. Although we were used to having to work with a lot of slaves, here, we became like a close-knit family because slave owners in Georgia are not as many. Most of the people disapproved slavery, and maybe this is why our masters wer e good to us. Because there were so few of us in our community, segregation—although not a law—was apparent. It was like a hidden code. When you see whites on the road, you automatically give way. It's my birthday today, and we celebrate it by making a bonfire and roasting the extra meat given to me for this special day. Before we came here, we never got to celebrate birthdays. Anyway, because it's my birthday, I wonder where I really came from and

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Project Management - Essay Example Some of the cost are administrative, utility bills, etc. this cost are involved in the budget preparation using an agreed rate stating that indirect cost not to exceed a given percentage of the total cost, most project use 15 percent. No, because other costs e.g. taxes and interests that were not involved in execution of the project either directly or indirectly were deducted from the revenue after selling the project. From my point of view the project seems to generate revenue over time as compared to selling it at the completion which will fetch a low price. Average cost of concrete worker per hour (ACW/H) is $ 24.83 (â€Å"Average hourly and weekly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted†, n.d.). These overhead charges are the costs that will be incur as the pouring of the reinforced concrete is executed, also referred to as indirect cost. The total estimate cost is $ 67,596. According to (Parker & Isola, 1991) overhead charges charge should not exceed 15% It is very important when a construction project or any other project is being implemented the overhead cost ought to be considered and caution to be taken, so as to prevent budget from being in crisis. Steel is one of the vital components required in reinforcing concrete. When the price of steel increases this has a negative impact to the budget of the project. This normally happens due to inflation or other factors that affect prices in the market. An increase in price will force the project manager to reduce the fund allocated to other activities or to source other funds to overcome the deficit. In budget preparation it is advisable that a 20 percent excess of the actual estimate should be added so as to take care of scenario like this one(Parker & Isola, 1991). Whenever hurricanes occur they cause destruction or

Viva Translations Essay Example for Free

Viva Translations Essay For example, Translators without Borders is listed as Ð ° partner, together with Viva Translations in Lisbon and Eulogia (currently Ð ° dead link), on the Eurotexte site. Similarly, the Translators without Borders site features Ð ° link to Eurotexte on the main page and, after outlining the groups services to several humanitarian organizations, informs us that many Eurotexte translators and staff volunteer their time for these important translation jobs so that translations can be provided free to humanitarian NGOs. The narrative of Translators without Borders is also structurally incoherent in another respect, as Ð ° consequence of its dependence on and overlap with the Eurotexte narrative. Translators without Borders, listed under the rubric â€Å"Success Stories† on the Eurotexte site, espouse humanitarian and political ideals that are arguably at odds with Eurotexte practices. Lori Thicke, managing director of Eurotexte and founder of Translators Without Borders, addresses these ideals in an undated speech to the Italian Federation of Translation Companies, which she begins with Ð ° powerful reminder of the atrocities committed in Chechnya, Palestine, and Kosovo. Ð  man in Chechnya says, Ð  ground-to-ground missile killed my two sons in the market in Grozny. They werent fighters-they were just there to buy some jeans. The Palestinian girl who at first is too afraid to talk to the visitors, whispers, І dont think were going to come out of this alive. on Ð ° forced March to the border Ð ° mother in Kosovo cries as the soldier takes aim, Not him, hes not even 15! Thicke goes on to ask, If theres no money for translations, who will tell their stories? This is Ð ° valid question and an admirable call for intervention. Yet at the same time the Eurotexte site proudly lists among its top clients numerous companies that are directly or indirectly implicated in the very atrocities that communities like Translators without Borders are meant to be bringing to our attention. These include General Electric, the subject of an intense boycott campaign by various peace groups between 1986 and 1993 because of its involvement in the production and sale of nuclear weapons. As Ð ° major U. S. defense contractor, it is now back on the boycott lists of several anti-war groups. Similar criticisms could be leveled at other clients that Eurotexte proudly lists on its site, including Loreal, as well as its subsidiary Lancome. Apart from its dismal record on animal testing, Loreal established Israel as its commercial center in the Middle East in 1995 and in 1998 received Israels Jubilee Award, for organizations who have done most to strengthen the Israeli economy. Loreal is on the boycott lists of various solidarity groups set up precisely to respond to the kind of fear and oppression opposed by the humanitarian organizations that are served by Translators without Borders. At best, then, Eurotexte/ Translators Without Borders may be accused of taking only Ð ° superficial interest in the plight of the groups it presumes to defend and of failing to look into the wider context of the tragedies it purports to oppose. At worst Eurotexte knowingly and cynically exploits both oppressor and oppressed to further its own commercial success. In Fishers framework, fidelity ultimately ranks higher than coherence. Structural incoherence of the type outlined above in the narrative of Translators Without Borders can in principle be explained and even justified from the perspective of narrative fidelity. Narrative fidelity, as І explained earlier, allows us to test Ð ° story in relation to its reasons as well as the values it promotes In terms of reasons, one could argue that Eurotexte has not misrepresented its links with Translators without Borders and has not sought to mislead by omitting facts about how the two organizations relate to each other. Eurotexte can only gain by its links with Translators without Borders; thus, the reasons for its particular narrative being what it is is logical and justified. For Eurotexte, doing good comes at Ð ° price; the ability to use Translators Without Borders as Ð ° selling point at the same time as keeping its own operation focused on making money ensures that translators without borders can continue to enjoy Ð ° stable platform at the same time that Eurotexte can continue its associations with clients like General Electric and Loreal. In her speech cited above, Thicke explicitly maintains this duality, stating, I’m sure І dont have to convince you of the importance of humanitarian work. If you didnt believe in it, you wouldnt be here today. But were in business. We all need to make money. Good works are often Ð ° luxury we cant afford. or can us? The great news І have for you today is that good works not only help the world: they can also be good for business. Much as І believe in good works, I’m Ð ° businesswoman, through and through Apart from indirectly securing Ð ° financial basis for its activities by promoting its sponsor as Ð ° responsible agency, however, it is not obvious how the aims of Translators Without Borders are served by being commoditized to enhance the image of Eurotexte. It is this element of the commoditization of the humanitarian work of the group that undermines the narrative of Translators without Borders, particularly in light of Fishers fidelity principles. Here, we ask what kind of worldview is promoted by the narrative under examination and what cultural values it directly or indirectly gives credence to.

How To Hit A Golf Ball :: essays research papers

Although golfers end the day on the 18th green, their day begins on a tee box. A drive, the first hit off a tee toward the objective hole, may seem very routine and insignificant, but, in fact, it is the most important shot taken on each hole. If golfers hit a long drive into the nicely cut fairway, they have only to hit the ball off the nicely cut grass on usually a clear path to the hole. But if they hit a drive into the woods, then they have to make sure the ball does not hit any trees, branches, or other obstacles when exiting the woods. That’s why hitting a good drive is a must. With practice, even you can hit a fundamental drive. First, before you can drive a ball, you need the right equipment. You will need a number one wood, or driver, a golf tee, and, preferably golf shoes for extra traction to prevent your feet from sliding. Now that you have the proper equipment, you can begin the drive. First, take the golf tee and insert it into the ground with the needle-like bottom down. Then, place the golf ball on the platform of the tee. The tee should be set at a height of comfort for the golfer. The size of the driver head, or part that comes into contact with the ball during a swing, should be taken into consideration because the middle of the ball should be struck with the sweet spot, or middle of the clubface. Next, approach the ball and establish a stance. The stance of your legs should be shoulder width apart and square with the shoulders. More advance golfers may use open or closed stances, but a square stance is best for beginners. After establishing a stance that is comfortable then take the golf club, holding the shaft on the tape with the left hand placing the thumb on top of the shaft pointing to the ground while the other four fingers are wrapped around the handle holding it. After doing this extend the left elbow to a locking position and place the right hand on the shaft in the same fashion, but put the palm of the right hand on top of the left hand thumb. The grip should seem very comfortable. This is called the baseball grip, a widely used grip by beginning golfers.

Blue Nile Case Study

Blue Nile Case Study Cristeen McPherson Student Number 326914 BUSA 506 Dr Terry Power November 11, 2012 1) The competitive forces confronting Blue Nile and other online retail jewellers are medium or weak in strength, with the exception of the strong rivalry between sellers. The potential for new entrants to the jewellery market is relatively low due to the high costs of inventory, the lack of differentiation of product and the brand recognition held by the industry leaders. Good substitute products for a quality diamonds are not readily available.There are synthetic gemstones, cubic zirconium and other jewellery options, but the general consumer does not see these as a true substitute for real diamonds. Supplier bargaining power is a mixture of strong and weak factors leaving this force with a medium impact on the industry. The diamond supply industry is more concentrated than the retailers but is having new entrants emerging. Like the Canadian diamond producers Ekati in 1998, Diavi k in 2003, Jericho in 2006 and Snap Lake-4 in 2007 making Canada now the third largest diamond producer in the world. 1] Two factors contributing to a stronger supplier power are that products are critical to the retailers’ success and there is a lack of good substitute products. In contrast, the commodity trading or buying process for diamonds contributes to a weaker supplier power as retailers have easy ability and low costs to switch suppliers. Industry members are also now integrating backwards into the supply of the product, Diavik mine is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Harry Winston Diamond Corporation and the De Beers Group owns the Snap Lake-4 mine. [2] Buyer bargaining power is moderately strong due to: Low costs of switching between retailers ? Lack of differentiation of product between retailers – differentiation is more on quality provided than the style or presentation of the product ? Large and diverse consumer base ? Buyers ability to be well info rmed on product; information on quality, prices and costs is growing due to internet accessibility ? Buyers are price sensitive The strongest force is the rivalry between the competing retail sellers. Factors affecting competing rivalry: ? Buyer demand is growing slowly – jewellery market is mature, with a broad range of consumers ?Buyer demand had fallen off in recent years due to recession – many sellers found themselves with slow moving inventory ? Buyer costs to switch brands is low – the buyer has no costs to switch to another online retailer, it’s just a mouse click ? Products are weakly differentiated – diamonds and jewellery are similar offerings between the sellers ? High fixed or storage costs – the bricks and mortar (b&m) retailers and many of the online retailers have high inventory costs, which when not turning incur carrying costs (interest etc) negatively impacting cash flow and earnings ?High exit costs – the high inve ntory costs make it difficult to liquidate quickly ? Competitors are numerous – and diverse in their value proposition, with low value, high volume retailers like Walmart as well as high end prestigious retailers like Tiffany & Co. 2) Some key success factors that will affect the online jewellery retailers in the near future: Fine jewellery buyers are looking for a retailer that offers quality product at a competitive price. Retailers must rely on their brand recognition with consumers; they need to build awareness of their product offerings as well as their customer service.Retailers must prove they are reputable, reliable and trustworthy. Online retailers have to express this through capturing their online audience with an easy to navigate website, appealing to their emotional response and showing other consumers satisfaction and confidence with past purchases. Jewellery retailers must be able to provide exceptional customer service and support. Major purchases of jewellery items, especially a diamond engagement ring, are very emotional to the purchaser. Customer service that acknowledges the significance of the purchase and guides the purchaser hrough the transaction will be a necessity for success and gaining consumer loyalty. With the high costs of inventory, retailers need to manage costs of inventory and operations, keeping costs in line with sales and managing cash flow is a key capability for success. A successful retailer is able to match inventory purchases with their consumer sales at a similar rate, maintaining inventory turnover and cash flow through the business. Not updating and maintaining their awareness and a high level of market knowledge will put a retailer at a significant competitive disadvantage.If they are not recognizing the market trends, striving to achieve some product differentiation and preparing to meet customer needs and wants, they will fall behind and lose customer loyalty, sales and market share. 3) Blue Nile is emplo ying a best-cost provider strategy as their competitive approach in the online jewellery business. Their aim is to create competitive advantage by offering a quality product at a competitive price. Blue Nile is able to do this through their supplier agreements where the diamonds and other gems are not actually purchased by Blue Nile until they have a consumer order for that particular product.This limits Blue Nile’s exposure on inventory costs and the risk of non-selling product. Blue Nile also relies on strict control of their operating costs; expenses for employees, facilities and technology are continuously reviewed to ensure their efficiency and that low costs are maintained. These two components combine to allow Blue Nile to offer comparable quality jewellery at substantially lower prices than their competitors. 4) Blue Nile has a very deep and keen knowledge of their customer and market.This enables them to tailor their website to their customers’ needs, offer su perior service and educational aspects for the consumer, effectively establishing trust with their consumers. This knowledge also gave them the ability to strike very good supply agreements with multiple providers for the quality product they sell online. Many of the diamonds and other jewellery are only available via Blue Nile because of their exclusive supply contracts. In order to remain competitive, Blue Nile must be diligent in maintaining and updating their market knowledge.The ability to accurately predict market trends and proactively alter business strategy is vital to ongoing success. For instance, many of the online retailers are currently relying on their educational information to garner the customers trust and loyalty. With every retailer working to increase the knowledge of the consumer, this strategy will lose effectiveness over time as the consumer becomes more knowledgeable. The ease of switching retailers is very high and Blue Nile must be ready to offer another c ompelling reason to remain loyal.Blue Nile must also be aware of any changes in their suppliers and the diamond market, if new diamond suppliers reach similar supply agreements with any of Blue Nile’s competitors, they may lose their supply chain advantage and risk significant increases in inventory costs. 5) SWOT Analysis – Blue Nile – Table 1 [pic] Although Blue Nile has many company strengths that propel their current success, the many competitors in the online and b&m jewellery industry have many of the same strengths.Blue Nile needs to improve and expand their marketing campaign and strengthen their brand recognition. They also need to develop a program to offer more product differentiation. One suggestion to incorporate both these needs might be to develop a strategic alliance with a well-known jewellery designer and offer custom design service online using the designer name and reputation. 6) Blue Nile posted exceptional double-digit sales growth over the six years 2002-2007, the recession of 2008 interrupted their growth trend actualizing a 7. % loss on sales year over year. They have since achieved moderate sales increases ranging from 2. 3% to 10. 18%. Blue Nile shows a steady gross margin averaging about 21. 7% over the last ten years. They also show very steady levels of selling, general and administrative expenses that have a slight increase each year most likely due to inflation of salaries and input costs. Consequently, their EBT margin is also very healthy, averaging 7. 0% earnings return on sales. Blue Nile has large cash reserves and very little long-term iabilities, their liquidity ratios are very healthy. Their current ratio averages 1. 5:1 over the last ten years. With their cost control and supply chain management, Blue Nile has very positive results for the performance/efficiency ratios. Their cash conversion is excellent due to the payables terms of supplier agreements; they have a positive cash float of about 40 da ys from the collection of sales revenue to the payment for goods. 7) Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment – Table 2 Blue Nile does have enough strength to remain competitive against its rivals.Their main rival based on pricing, quality and market knowledge is JamesAllen. com. Blue Nile is the strongest in terms of cost control and inventory control/supply chain management. Currently Blue Nile does have a sustainable competitive advantage over its rivals. Their product offerings are very similar, as are their websites and customer service policies, but Blue Nile’s cost control is far superior giving the advantage of greater efficiency and lower costs as compared to the other online retailers. ) In order to develop a more sustainable competitive advantage; Blue Nile will need to use their market knowledge to develop a stronger marketing plan to drive their brand recognition, product differentiation and develop greater customer loyalty. Blue Nile also needs to address the future erosion of market share due to the growing strength of competitors, and the potential of the loss on exclusivity from their product suppliers. 9) Recommendations: [pic] The components of the marketing plan and the strategic alliance with a jewellery designer fit together very well and should be quite easy and quick for Blue Nile to develop and execute.The value that would be seen via the increased brand recognition, customer loyalty and product differentiation would increase their competitive strength and be sustainable for the near future. Blue Nile’s current geographic expansion has shown success, continued expansion will need to be founded on research into the jewellery customs of target locations, to use the website’s appeal to the emotional purchase of jewellery. Low costs of online expansion are advantageous, while care must be taken to ensure language and culture are respected.Selective expansion will help to retain competitive advantage for the medi um range future and grow market share internationally. With their keen market knowledge, Blue Nile is positioned to take advantage of the weaker competitors in their market and secure market share growth for the mid range future via acquisitions. The potential to acquire a competitor would take longer to evaluate completely but is still a viable option to gain large portions of market share and increased sales.Blue Nile does have positive cash flow, good cash reserves and available credit facility to use to accomplish the acquisition. While the strategic alliance with a diamond producer/mine would secure long-term guarantees of the supply of quality, exclusive product at very competitive costs, the timeline to complete such a project is lengthy. The cost could also be prohibitive to Blue Nile at this point in time. The potential for long-term sustainable competitive advantage is most beneficial with this strategy and Blue Nile should not rule this option out as a future long-term go al.Bibliography: CBC News, ‘Canada’s Diamond Rush’, http://www. cbc. ca/news/background/diamonds/, Last Updated September 20, 2007, accessed November 9, 2012 Case 9, ‘Blue Nile Inc. in 2010†¦. ’ Thompson, Arthur A. , Strickland, A. J. & Gamble, John E. (2012). Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases(18th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin Power, Terrance P. (2008). Power’s Case Study Analysis and Writers’ Handbook. Toronto: Nelson. Appendices: Current Strategic Group Map High | | | |Price/Quality | | | |Low |Few Locations |Geographic Coverage |Many Locations | Market Share Chart for Top 20 Jewellery Retailers [pic] Financial Information Growth Profitability and Financial Ratios for Blue Nile, Inc. | | | | | | | | |Financials | | | | Ratios downloaded November 9, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | ———————– [1] CBC News, ‘Canadaâ₠¬â„¢s Diamond Rush’, http://www. cbc. ca/news/background/diamonds/, Last Updated September 20, 2007, accessed November 9, 2012 [2] Ibid ———————– WalmartSterling Jewelers Zale Corporation Costco, Target Blue Nile QVC, Sears, JC Penney, Fred Meyer Jewelry TV, HSN Macy’s East & West, Neiman Marcus Cartier Tiffany & Co. Walmart, 4. 83% Sterling, 4. 17% Zales, 2. 83% Tiffany & Co, 2. 50% QVC, 2. 33% Sears, 1. 50% JCPenney, 1. 50% Finlay Fine Jewelry, 1. 50% Macy's East, 1. 00% Neiman Marcus, 1. 00% Costco, 0. 83% Target, 0. 83% Fred Meyer Jewelers, 0. 67% Helzberg Diamond, 0. 67% Jewelry Television, 0. 67% Macy's West, 0. 67% Tourneau, 0. 67% Cartier, 0. 50% Blue Nile, 0. 50% HSN, 0. 50%

Child Development, Nature vs Nurture

The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology. The debate centers on the relative contributions ofgenetic inheritance  and  environmental factors  to human development. Some philosophers such as Plato and Descartes suggested that certain things are inborn, or that they simply occur naturally regardless of environmental influences. Other well-known thinkers such as John Locke believed in what is known as  tabula rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate. According to this notion, everything that we are and all of our knowledge is determined by our experience.For example, when a person achieves tremendous academic success, did they do so because they are genetically predisposed to be successful or is it a result of an enriched environment? Today, the majority of experts believe that behavior and development are influenced by both nature and nurture. However, the issue still rages on in many areas such as in the debate on the origins of homosexuality and influences on  intelligence. This question has puzzled philosophers, psychologists and educators for hundreds of years and is frequently referred to as the  nature versus nurture  debate.Are we the result of nature (our genetic background) or nurture (our environment)? Today, most researchers agree that child development involves a complex interaction of both nature and nurture. While some aspects of development may be strongly influenced by biology, environmental influences may also play a role. For example, the timing of when the onset of puberty occurs is largely the results of heredity, but environmental factors such as nutrition can also have an effect. From the earliest moments of life, the interaction of heredity and the environment works to shape who children are and who they will become.While the genetic instructions a child inherits from his parents may set out a road map for development, the environment can impact how these directions are expre ssed, shaped or event silenced. The complex interaction of nature and nurture does not just occur at certain moments or at certain periods of time; it is persistent and lifelong. Babies begin to take in sensory experiences from the world around them from the moment of birth, and the environment will continue to exert a powerful influence on behavior throughout life. Geneticscan have a powerful influence on development, but experiences re equally important. For example, while the genetic code contains the information on how a child's  brain  may be pre-wired, it is learning and experience that will literally shape how that child's brain grows and develops. Final ThoughtsClearly, genetics have an enormous influence on how a child develops. However, it is important to remember that genetics are just one piece of the intricate puzzle that makes up a child's life. Environmental variables, including parenting, culture, education and social relationships also play a vital role.Nature v ersus Nurture is a popular debate about whether our genetics, or environmental influences â€Å"mold† more of who we are. An example is whether you get your out-going personality because of your DNA, or because you grew up in an environment that made you out-going. Nature is your genes, Nurture is environmental influences. Read more:  http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_is_the_argument_of_nature_vs_nurture#ixzz29QTunXP3 The nature vs nurture debate is one of the most enduring in the field of psychology. How far are human behaviors, ideas, and feelings,  INNATE  and how far are they all  LEARNED?These issues are at the center of the ongoing nature versus nurture debate or controversy. In the 17th  century the French philosopher Rene Descartes set out views which held that we all, as individual Human Beings, possess certain in-born ideas that underpin our approach to the world. The British philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, on the other hand, emphasised the role of experience as fully contributing to behavioral development. Locke set out the case that the human mind at birth is a complete, but receptive, blank slate ( scraped tablet or tabula rasa ) upon which experience imprints knowledge.Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper void of all characters, without any ideas. How comes it to be furnished? Whence comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy of man has painted on it with an almost endless variety? Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer, in one word, from EXPERIENCE. Dandelion children tend to do pretty well no matter what environment they grow up in. Orchid children, meanwhile, may develop behavior or mood problems in abusive or neglectful homes — but in loving ones, they may thrive even more than dandelions. And according to new research, the

Research Paper on the Bermuda Triangle

Research Paper on the Bermuda Triangle With a map of the Atlantic Ocean, and a ruler, almost anyone can outline the Bermuda Triangle. Starting at Miami, Florida, draw a line northeast to Bermuda. Then draw another line from Miami southeast to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Connect these lines with a third line and you are looking at an area of ocean where hundreds of people have met tragic, unexplained death. The Triangle of Death. The Magic Rhombus. The Limbo of the Lost. The Twilight Zone. The Port of Missing Ships. The Devil’s Triangle. The Hoodoo Sea. These and more are names given to the mysterious Bermuda Triangle. The Bermuda Triangle has a long and perilious history and can still send shivers through the bravest sailors and aviators. However, the United States Board of Geographic Names doesn’t recognize the name Bermuda Triangle for that area of the Atlantic Ocean. Also, because it is part of a larger body of water, the Triangle does not have any â€Å"official† boundaries or markers. It does have â€Å"recognized† boundaries, like the explanation above, but there have been unexplained disappearances outside and near the â€Å"recognized† boundaries. Stories of strange occurences and bizarre events of the Bermuda Triangle date back as far as 1492. Christopher Columbus was on his famous  journey when he recorded seeing a fireball fly across the sky and land in the ocean, and he also wrote in his log that the ship’s compass was giving  inaccurate readings and acting strangely. He didn’t tell his crew this for fear of frightening his crew. But then, on October 11, 1492, Columbus and a crewman saw a light over the water, but then it vanished quickly. Hours later, Columbus and his crew sighted the islands of the West Indies. Then the disappearances began. In 1609, the Sea Venture disappeared of the coast of Bermuda. A rescue boat was sent after it, but it disappeared as well. These were the earliest known disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. In 1750, three Spanish ships disappeared off the coast of North Carolina. In 1812, an American packet ship carrying Vice President Aaron Burr’s daughter disappeared in the Gulf Stream. In 1814, the U.S. warship Wasp vanished from the coast of South Carolina. But not all ships vanished without a trace. In 1840, the French vessel Rosalie was found drifting in the Triangle. Everything on her was in place and untouched, but she was utterly abandoned. On December 4, 1872, the Dei Gratia found the Mary Celeste floating in the Atlantic. The people on the boat and one lifeboat were missing, but everything else, including personal belongings, were intact. As the Twentieth Century rolled around, the disappearances increased. In 1902 the German vessel Freya was found in a region of the Triangle. It was listing on its side, part of its mast was damaged, and the crew were gone. In March 1918, the USS Cyclops left Barbados for Baltimore. When it was long overdue days later, a massive search was launched for it that continued for a month. It was never found, nor the crew of three hundred on board. It was the largest ship in the navy. President Woodrow Wilson said, â€Å"Only God and the sea know what happened to the great ship.† In 1924, the Japanese freighter Raifucu Maru radioed for help, but rescue ships never found her. In 1941, the USS Cyclop’s two sister ships, Proteus and Neurus, both vanished while traveling from the Virgin Islands to the United States. In 1944, the Cuban freighter, the Rubicon, disappeared near the Triangle and then reappeared with only a half starved dog on board. Airplane travel became more common toward the mid-Twentieth Century, and flights were scheduled across the Atlantic. The most famous of all the Triangle disappearances took place in 1945. The mystery of Flight 19. On December 5, 1945, Flight 19 left the Fort Lauderdale navy air base in Florida on a routine training mission. It went well until the return flight. The patrol leader, Lieutenant Charles Taylor, began having strange difficulties. He radioed the base and said his compass was no longer working properly, and that he couldn’t figure out the flight’s current location and direction. He tried to navigate by landmarks, but it was getting dark. Then a storm set in. Communications with the base worsened, but they still remained in contact. Eventually they lost contact, and the navy dispatched several planes to search for Flight 19, including a Marting Mariner. The Mariner could fly for twelve hours, which made it perfect for a search. But the Mariner never returned, and neither did Flight 19. Ian Thorne said in his book Bermuda Triangle, â€Å"Flight 19 is one of the biggest mysteries of our time. How could five military planes, with a seasoned captain, lose their bearing. It was perfect weather out where they were flying, with good visibility and clear water. When Taylor reported in that the water didn’t look right and they didn’t know what was up or down, and all their  instruments were not working properly, something must have happened that made all of the crew of the five planes disoriented. When the naval base was talking about sending out a rescue party while they were still in contact with Taylor’s squadron, and Taylor said, â€Å"Don’t send anyone after us.† Something otherworldly must have been happening.†(Bermuda Triangle Ian Thorp) In 1948, the airplane Star Tiger disappeared while en route to Bermuda, only moments after radioing ground crew they would arrive on schedule. In 1949, the Star Tiger’s sister plane, the Star Ariel, also vanished while traveling from Jamaica to Bermuda. As with any bizarre situation, people want to find a logical explanation. Many theories for the disappearances come from scientists and are based on facts. Other theories are more imaginable. The most common theory is human error. After all, the Bermuda triangle includes such popular places as Miami and Bermuda. Many of the people who travel through there are on vacation and they may be partying and drunk or simply not paying attention to what their doing. This can lead to accidents which cause disappearances and death. Another theory is exaggeration. Some people say that all the bizarre disappearances probably were exaggerated through storytelling and adding layers to the story to make it more interesting. Another theory is compass variation. Normally a navigator has to consider the difference between the compasse’s north and true north. In the Bermuda Triangle, it is one of only two spots on the planet where magnetic north and true north are perfectly aligned. Normally the t wo measurements of north are off by as much as 20 degrees. This is known as compass variation, and compasses have to be adjusted to account for the difference. In the Bermuda Triangle, where magnetic north and true north actually match, navigators must remember not to compensate. If they automatically compensate for a variation that does not exist, they will wind up off course. In the middle of the ocean that miscalculation could be fatal. Weather is another factor to explain the disappearances. In the Triangle, severe storms can for without warning and dissapate completely before reaching shore. The storms are usually too small for meteorologists to predict accurately. In severe weather the visibility could drop and and a pilot could literally dive into the ocean. Giant waves could be stirred up by the storms and could be large enough to engulf a ship and drag it under. Electricity generated by these storms could short out guidance systems and communications, leaving a ship or plane blind and powerless. The storm could then disappear as quickly as it appeared, and leave nothing but calm waters behind. Another theory is spatial disorientation. On a clear day a person can tell what is up or down. But if the person slowly tilts their head sideways and holds it their for a while, they will grow accustomed to it. If they then tilt their head back to normal they will experience a sudden disorientation, and that can happen vice versa. Normally, this would not be a problem for pilots, as they have instruments to tell them altitude and angle, as well as visual cues. But if it were dark or stormy, the dark sky would blend the water with the horizon, so a person would not know where the horizon was. If the instruments got fried by electricity or a person wasn’t believing what their instruments were telling them, that could mean the plane could be flying straight into the ocean. Another explanation is that pockets of methane gas are released from the ocean floor. Methane gas causes water in that area to become less dense, the water loses its buoyancy, and if a ship was over a large amount of methane, it would lose its buoyancy and sonk quickly. Scientists say that the Triangle is high in natural methane hydrates, and that means at any time gas could be released. The Bermuda Triangle has been a magnet for imagination for years. People propose that aliens abduct everyone in the Triangle. Stories of UFOs and strange sightings over the Triangle have been recorded for centuries. Some claim that the lost city of Atlantis lies in the Atlantic under the Bermuda Triangle and that crystals from the lost city mess up the engines and instruments of planes and ships. Others claim that the Bermuda Triangle is the source of black holes, which appear and disappear at random and suck up the occasional ship or plane. Still others think that the Triangle is the Gates of Hell. They say that those lost in it are now damned to Hell. Are any of the logical theories correct? Are any of the illogical theories correct? Is their some sort of force field set up by some government to protect a secret project? It is anyone’s guess to the explanation of the Triangle. New theories are formulated everyday, and old ones are discarded. Maybe someday one of them will be proven correct. Until then, The Bermuda Triangle will remain one of the world’s strangest and most bizarre mysteries.

Cheyanne Jessie - Cold-Blooded Murderer

Cheyanne Jessie - Cold-Blooded Murderer On August 1, 2015, 25-year-old Cheyanne Jessie of Lakeland, Florida called police to report that her father, Mark Weekly, 50, was missing and her daughter Meredith, 6. She was arrested and charged with their murders less than 24 hours later after their bodies were found decomposing in a neighbors storage shed. Here are the latest developments in the Cheyanne Jessie case. State to Seek Death Penalty in Cheyanne Jessie Case Sept. 9, 2015 - Polk County prosecutors have decided to seek the death penalty in the case of a 25-year-old Florida woman who is charged with killing her father and her daughter. Cheyanne Jessie could face death if convicted of the deaths of her father Mark Weekly and her daughter Meredith. Jessie has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of tampering with evidence. She is being held without bail. According to Polk County Sheriffs investigators, Jessie took a gun and a knife to her fathers house on July 18 and shot her father and stabbed her daughter. She left the bodies on the floor of the house for four days. Police said she returned to the house July 22, scraped their remains off the floor with a shovel and put them into plastic storage bins, which she later hid in a storage shed that belonged to the landlord, who was on vacation at the time. Prosecutors did not say specifically why they plan to seek the death penalty. Woman Charged With Murder of Her Father and Daughter Aug. 2, 2015 - A 25-year-old Florida woman has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after she called the police and reported her father and daughter missing. Cheyanne Jessie is accused of killing her 6-year-old daughter Meredith and her 50-year-old father, Mark Weekly. Authorities said the motive for the murders was almost as horrific as the crime itself: the single mother, who works as a cashier at a big-box store, didnt want her daughter interfering with her relationship with a new boyfriend. Nothings more horrific than the murder of a child, except when its done by a parent, and thats what we saw, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd at a press conference. Sheriff Judd became emotional as he displayed Jessies mug shot for the media. This is the face and this is the eyes of a cold-blooded murderer, Judd said. She not only murdered them, but left them in the residence for many days until it became painfully evident she had to move them. Judd said Jessie showed no emotion during interviews with investigators and she continued to go to work at a nearby retail store while the bodies of her family members were decomposing. We cant understand in our minds how someone could murder their 6-year-old baby girl and murder their dad, Judd said. But thats exactly what she did and she showed no emotion. Killed on July 18 From evidence found at the crime scene and the storage shed, and from information gained in interviews with the accused, investigators pieced together the following timeline: On July 18, Jessie dropped her daughter off at her fathers house. Either later that day or the following day, she got into an argument with her father over the child and she killed both of them. Does she think shes going to lose this boyfriend, which she desperately wanted, because of her daughter? Judd said. For whatever reason, not only does she take her daughter to her father but ultimately murders both of them. Puts Bodies in Storage Shed Judd said Jessie returned on July 22, four days later, and used a shovel to remove the decomposing bodies from the house into a Chevy SUV. She put the bodies into bags to hide them, something she learned from watching the television show Criminal Minds, she told investigators. She took the bodies to a storage shed about 200 yards from Weeklys house that belonged to his landlord. The landlord was vacationing and out of town. When relatives began to ask questions about the whereabouts of Weekly and Meredith, Jessie began to launch an elaborate missing persons story. She said her father had received a recent diagnosis of cancer and that he ran off to Georgia to spend his remaining months with his granddaughter. Things Dont Smell Right Jessie used her fathers cellphone to text her boyfriend, pretending to be Weekly, saying that he had only a year to live and wanted to spend it with Meredith. In the texts, Weekly granted Jessie and her boyfriend permission to take his house and possessions, but when Jessie reported all of this to the police, they became suspicious immediately. Things dont smell right. Literally. They dont smell right, Judd said. Judd said at Weeklys house there was a foul smell that Jessie tried to blame on rotting meat left in the kitchen sink and on a dead raccoon under the porch. Police were not able to locate the dead animal. What they did find, after getting a search warrant, was slash marks on a blood-soaked couch and a rug covering a bloodstained floor. They also found the bodies in the nearby shed. Claim Self-Defense As the interview continued, Jessies story began to change throughout the day, Judd said. She claimed she acted in self-defense. Jessie told investigators that her father tried to stab her, but she was able to defend herself using martial-arts training that she learned from her new boyfriends father. The man later told police that he had no knowledge of martial arts. She supposedly gets the knife away from her father after hes fighting and slashing at her, and accidentally stabs the 6-year-old, Judd told reporters. None of the evidence supports any of this. Judd said throughout the interview, Jessie did not shed a tear over the deaths of her father and daughter. He said a gun and a knife were used in the murders. Jessie has a previous arrest in another state for assaulting and boyfriend with a knife.

Risk management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Risk management - Assignment Example This assessment is also very important in analysis in characterization of danger within the constraints of risk assessment. a. RfD is the amount of medication to be administered at a specific time, it is administered as specified amount or at a given amount of radiation. They are used in neuromuscular assessment and it help in identification of performance limiting factors. d. LOAEL it is a term used in the study of toxicity of chemicals, it refers to the lowest level at which exposure to toxic substance can cause adverse effects. It determines whether the level of treatment has been reached or rather intervention. d. Discuss and provide justification for what you believe to be the pathway(s) of exposure to formaldehyde as a result of its use in interior finishes and the risks that people may be exposed to, if any. Formaldehyde emissions are in manufactured housing plywood and particle board. The standards should be set such that the level of or less in manufactured housing. It is also released into indoor air from construction materials and a variety of consumer