What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life Essay Example

What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life Essay Example What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life Essay What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life Essay Essay Topic: Life Of Pi My first serious lesson about choices came to me when I was fourteen. Sometimes, it seems to me it was to early for a 14 year old to make a choice between two parts of the family – my mother and brother, and my father, and, moreover, between the life paths to take – move to the USA, or stay in Romania. It was my first serious opportunity to change my life radically, and I used it as fully, as I could. People say, it is much easier for teenager to make serious choices, as they have little to loose, but that wasn’t the case. I had to loose lots of things – part of my family, my friends, my home I grew up in, the whole life I was used to. That is when it first came to me that you couldn’t make a choice without sacrificing something that is valuable for you.The fact that I learned this truth at quite an early age was a great help for me in the next years.   I took it for granted that to achieve high academic results I had to spend less time with my fr iends and my family, and that to achieve my goals I had to sacrifice time and efforts.During my studies at school, and at college I also understood the value of time as a resource. I was always keen to participate in different community activities, and balancing time between my studies, work, volunteering and research I wanted to perform, was quite a challenging task. Nevertheless, during my studies at college I managed to participate in one of the most important research programs in my university, the one that dealt with designing, synthesizing, and characterizing polymer and inorganic metal nanoparticles with biocompatible or bioactive applications using a supercritical processing technique called RESOLV (Rapid Expansion of a Supercritical Solution in a Liquid Solvent), work as a volunteer in Shands Medical Hospital, create two publications, concerning my future occupation etc. In the fall trimester of 2003, I was awarded by the Presidents Honor Roll for academic achievement.After graduation I began working for the Beckman Coulter as a Junior Chemist. My work there is interesting, and sometimes challenging, but I feel I am not satisfied enough with what I am doing. When I volunteered in the Emergency room of the Shands Medical Hospital, I felt that it was the place, where the real work was done. Of course, technical and medical advancements are very important for restoring and promoting the well being of people, who suffer, but it is only through service that I can feel my life has a purpose and meaning.The decision to enter medical school was quite a hard one to make. It was one of those choices that demanded giving up something valuable to get the thing you want. Continuing my education in the medical field means that I will have to give up my current work, and that I’ll have much less time for research in my previous filed of study. Nevertheless, I feel this decision will allow me to live in peace with myself, as I will be doing the things that are really valuable for me, the ones, that fill my life with sense. I feel that all people deserve for care when they need it, and talking to the patient, comforting him or just being near him is sometimes more valuable than inventing a drug that would improve his physical condition.In addition, I am very keen to continue my education. The reason is that I like the process of getting new knowledge, analyzing and systematizing it, and seeing my competency grows with the amount of knowledge I get. Choosing medical school is an additional and very important stimulus for me to achieve academic excellence, as the level of responsibility is extremely high in this job. I am attracted by the possibility to build a career in a field where I am strongly motivated to be the best professional possible.In fact life is a bout of choice, small ones and big ones. It is often that people don’t realize the importance of this or that action, and it is seen only after time passes. This is not the c ase. I realize that my choice to build a career in medical field will change my life radically, and, maybe, forever. I am ready to accept the consequences of my choice; moreover, I wait forward for them.

How to Wake Up Feeling Motivated

How to Wake Up Feeling Motivated Weve all been there. The alarm goes off in the morning and we groggily feel around the nightstand in search of the alarms snooze button to snag a few more minutes of those precious Zzs. However, repeatedly hitting that snooze button isnt always the best way to start the day. In fact, research has shown that some of the most successful people in the world have found a secret that has helped them achieve greatness. What is it? A great morning routine. Thats right, what you do in the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. Check out these tips for building an effective morning routine - one that you may actually stick with! 1. Prepare the Night Before Believe it or not, when it comes to tips on how to wake up, the best morning routine will actually depend on what you do the night before. Before you crawl under the covers and get cozy, take the time to review your day and plan out your morning. Write down any details of ongoing projects or problems that may be troubling you that could affect your ability to get a good nights sleep. Writing down your worries can help you relax, knowing that you can tackle them another time. You can also take the time to write down a list of things you know you have to do the next day, which can drive your productivity both in the morning and throughout the rest of the day, too. Figure out what you need to take with you to school or work, or wherever youre going the next day, and pack up your bag or prepare your lunch so you can grab and go. Lay out your clothes so you know what to put on to leave the house. All these steps will ease your mind at night and make your morning smooth and simple. 2.  Get a Good Nights Sleep How to wake up feeling refreshed and developing an effective morning routine is reliant on you being well rested and ready to go. Research has shown that for many adults, getting 7-8 hours of sleep is ideal, though everyone differs. Find out what your sweet spot is and aim to log that many hours of shut eye each and every night. Make sure your room is quiet; use a noise canceling machine, white noise app on your phone, or even just a fan to block out the noises around your home. Make sure there arent any bright lights that could affect your ability to sleep, either. Our bodies are biologically programmed to sleep when its dark out; if your room isnt dark enough, you might consider getting room darkening drapes or wearing an eye mask so your body can rest better. 3. Dont Hit the Snooze Button Many of us hit that snooze button until the last possible second and then race through getting ready as fast as possible. However, waking up when the alarm goes off the first time can actually be a great way to get your body up and running. There are alarms that fly or roll away when they go off, requiring you to get up out of bed to turn them off. Once youre up, stay up! Your body wont really benefit from capturing a few more minutes of rest. 4. How to Wake up Early Set your alarm for earlier in the morning than you might normally set it. This way, you give yourself time to get ready for the day, and you can fit in the activity that you plan on doing. Not giving yourself enough time to accomplish your morning goals, make and eat breakfast, and complete your entire routine is a recipe for disaster. Not to mention that rushing to get out the door is only going to give you a stressful start to your day. So, be sure to get up early enough to fit in everything you want to do, with time to spare. You might even be able to sneak in an extra cup of coffee (after youve had some water to hydrate)! 5. Set an Agenda with an Activity for the Morning Have a plan for what you want to do in the morning, and stick to it. Whether your goal is to get up and read an article or book for educational or inspirational purposes, check your email to see what youre facing for the day, do some chores, exercise, or even play a game, having an objective to complete is a great way to get your body and mind motivated. Tackle that crossword in the newspaper, cook up a healthy and gourmet breakfast, or engage in a creative or physical activity to rev your internal engines and get ready for the day. Get out and run a mile, bike to get your morning smoothie, or take your dog for an extra long walk. No matter what physical activity you choose, this can be a great way to get your blood flowing and heart pumping, energizing you for the day. Plus, exercise is a healthy part of your daily routine in general, improving your quality of life in many ways, from strength and agility to mental clarity. 6. Hydrate When You Wake Youve just gone approximately eight hours without eating or drinking, so your body could use a pick me up. Dont rush for that cup of coffee just yet, though. Many experts suggest that you might try drinking some water to jump start your metabolism first. Starting with water in the morning will even help you make progress in getting your daily servings of H20, so you stay hydrated all day long. 7. Take Time to Meditate and Reflect Many people find that taking 10-15 minutes in the morning to meditate and reflect helps them start the day peacefully. Relaxing, letting the worries of the day go, and focusing on the positives in your life can help you feel uplifted and inspired to take on even the most challenging day. 8. Call a Loved One Starting your morning by connecting with a beloved family member or best friend can be a great way to energize yourself and set a positive tone for the day. It can help you connect with friends and family who live far away (check your time zones, though!) and remind you of what youre thankful for in life.

Conscious (Mindful) Communication Day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conscious (Mindful) Communication Day - Essay Example At times when I hang out with my friends, we find ourselves talking politics in our country. Definitely not all of my friends hold similar political ideologies as mine. So, we tend to differ in most cases and end up in unending argument, sometimes resulting even to insults. This happened one day when we were walking to the movie show. It later came to my conscience that I was doing the wrong thing; I changed the topic and ensured that I and my friends maintained the friendship. It felt good achieving my goal of maintaining unity though my friends never realized the reason behind the topic change. Some situations seem challenging and tricky to face especially when truth is unveiled. During my last holiday, I attended a wedding ceremony in which my uncle was the bridegroom. I had been advised by mom never to leave my younger sister Laura alone as mom too had to attend the occasion (Shafir, 2003). I became disobedient and left the 2 year old kid in our house. On coming back, I found almost all valuables were missing including mom’s laptop, television set and other households. I knew I would face the worst moment in my life. I had an idea to lie about gunpoint robbery of the house but conscience kept refraining me from telling lies. I told my mom what actually happened. Laura was well, she warned me never to disobey her to that extent. She felt disappointed, and praised my innocence in telling the truth. Another aspect of mindful communication derived from this context is never to speak with an aim of pleasing other people but say what you feel is truth and just, what you feel you can say

Corporate Communications Strategies Research Paper - 1

Corporate Communications Strategies - Research Paper Example c as well as important definitions of key terms in the paper such as corporate communication, corporate reputation, corporate ability (CAb), and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This section of the paper will analyze and discuss three corporate communication strategies that are focused on the goals that organizations aim to meet and which are based on Kim and Rader (2010) and Kim (2011) works. 2.12 Corporate social responsibility focused strategy – this section analyses the CSR strategy in corporate communications focusing on how it emphasizes organizational goals as well as comparing with CAb strategy to evaluate which is more dominant and effective. Organizations have multiple stakeholders with whom their relationships need to be effectively managed with corporate communication being both responsive and effective to these stakeholders. Various communication functions and channels fulfill specific organizational objectives which aim to attain overall strategic impact to an organization’s goals. This section evaluates these communication functions, the various objectives that they seek to meet, the channels of communication used to dispense communication as well as those targeted by such communication. 2.21 Media Relations –this section evaluates the media relations communication function, the objectives of media relation in an organization, the channels used to complete the communication function as well as the organizational stakeholders targeted. 2.22 Employee communications – this section evaluates the employee communications function, the objectives of employee communication in an organization, the channels used to complete the communication function as well as the organizational stakeholders targeted. 2.23 Marketing Communications - this section evaluates the marketing communications function, the objectives of marketing communication in an organization, the channels used to complete the communication function as well as the organizational

Stakeholder Analysis Model of Change Essay Example for Free

Stakeholder Analysis Model of Change Essay There are several models of change available for use when organizations begin the process of implementing change. The stakeholder analysis model focuses on the position of key stakeholders in regard to the planned change. Stakeholders in a company include individuals or groups inside or outside the company who can influence the success of the change (Palmer, Dunford, and Akin, 2006). This review involves a six step process and includes identifying stakeholders, recognizing the capacity to influence change, checking stakeholder track record, interest in change, ability to affect change, and determine position on change. The main purpose of the stakeholder analysis is to inform the change manager of the likelihood of the change being successful and widely accepted. As a supplement to the analysis, the change manager may use the power-interest matrix to plot the level of stakeholder interest against stakeholder power. The matrix can identify specific action to be taken based on the classification of specific stakeholders. Upon concluding the analysis and power-interest matrix, if the change manager determines weak favorability by key stakeholders, steps can be taken to improve the projection of the change initiative (Palmer, Dunford, and Akin, 2006). The change manager can take action by adding agreeable stakeholders, removing oppositional individuals, or modifying the proposed change to address stakeholder concerns without compromising the initiative. As with all things, there are pros and cons of the stakeholder analysis. A pro is that this analysis is a thorough way to review the business and needs of stakeholders. In addition, it helps to determine the appropriate changes that would benefit the majority. This detailed approach to implementing a change may lead to better results with respect to stakeholder acceptance of the change. A con to this study is that it seems very involved and time-consuming. Depending on the timeline of the company to implement and train stakeholders on the change in processes and systems, the stakeholder analysis model of change may not be the best option.  Something to consider when determining the best model of change for an organization is to assess if the costs outweigh the benefits. Often this will be the deciding factor in regard to which model to use and what changes are advantageous for the business. Six-Box Model Organizational Development is an important aspect along with the culture of the business. The Six-Box Model proposes is six broad categories that can be broken down into purposes, structures, relationships, leadership, rewards, and helpful mechanisms. The organization’s mission and goals defines how the structure in which the organization is organized and the purposes. Goals include programs or projects where teams work together to meet an objective weather it be sales or implementing change. Relationships are the interaction among individuals in the organization or the way employees interact with technology. Rewards are also a fundamental way to get motivation among employees to meet goals. The typical management tasks include balancing the other boxes. The mechanisms include, scheduling, monitoring, budgeting, and information systems that aid to meet organizational goals. The external environment depicted in by the model is represented by the box surrounding these key compon ents. Inputs defined in his model include money, people, ideas, and machinery. Outputs are merchandise and services. Employees buy in is used to determine if the organizational members agree with and support the organization’s mission and goals. Structuring everything correctly will get the purpose and the internal structure of the organization to coincide with one another. This can be achieved by forming the key relationships between individuals in different departments to avoid conflict. Rewarding the organizational members feel, they are rewarded within the environment. Leadership defines the purposes and embodies it in their programs. â€Å"Helpful Mechanisms can help or hinder the accomplishment of organizational objectives, (Organizational Development Models Weisbord’s Six-Box Model, 2009).† The model has guidelines that focus on internal issues in the organization. Primarily the six-box model poses many interconnections in the organization. The biggest down fall is concerning the impact of the external environment in the model, which is vaguely described. References Organizational Development Models Weisbord’s Six-Box Model. (2009, July 31). Retrieved 5 17, 2014, from every one a leader: http://everyonealeader.blogspot.com/2009/08/organizational-development-models.html Palmer, I., Dunford, R., Akin, G. (2006). Managing organization change: a multiple perspectives approach. New York, NY: Mcgraw-Hill Irwin.

Assisted Reproductive Technology Essay -- Science Reproduction Pregnan

Assisted Reproductive Technology In the United States in the year 2001, 40687 babies were born as a result of 107587 assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures (Wright, et.al, 2004). It has been estimated that one in six couples in the United States experiences some difficulty conceiving a child, and that 8.5% of married couples (2.3 million couples) in the U.S. are, in fact, infertile (Kilner, et.al, 2000; Wekesser, et.al, 1996). Assisted reproductive technology is becoming more widely available and efficient. In The Reproductive Revolution, it is stated that â€Å"considering the various configurations and technologies, there are at least thirty-eight ways to ‘make a baby’ today† (Kilner, et.al, 2000). But along with these innovations come many questions concerning the possible applications of these procedures. With the breadth and complexity of reproductive technology available today, it is important to explore not only the biological, but also the social and ethical implications of the se procedures. Procedures and Methods of Assisted Reproductive Technologies Artificial Insemination Artificial insemination is easily the oldest and simplest form of reproductive technology – it has been used for over a century. In this procedure, sperm, obtained through a donation of semen, are artificially introduced into the uterus to fertilize an egg that has been released naturally. Historically, this has been a very confidential procedure; anonymous donors are used, and often even the resulting children are unaware that they have different genetic and social fathers. The first sperm bank was established in the year 1950, and it is estimated that there could be around one million donor insemination adults in the United Sta... ...: Feminist Perspectives. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Cohen, C.B. (1996) New Ways of Making Babies: The Case of Egg Donation. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Kilner, J.F., P.C. Cunningham, and W.D. Hager. (2000) The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality, Reproductive Technologies, and the Family. Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Strong, Carson. (1997) Ethics is Reproductive and Perinatal Medicine: A New Framework. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Wekesser, C., et.al. (1996) Reproductive Technologies. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Wright, V.C., et.al. (2004, April 30) Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance --- United States, 2001. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Surveillance Summaries. 53 (SS01), 1-20. Assisted Reproductive Technology Essay -- Science Reproduction Pregnan Assisted Reproductive Technology In the United States in the year 2001, 40687 babies were born as a result of 107587 assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures (Wright, et.al, 2004). It has been estimated that one in six couples in the United States experiences some difficulty conceiving a child, and that 8.5% of married couples (2.3 million couples) in the U.S. are, in fact, infertile (Kilner, et.al, 2000; Wekesser, et.al, 1996). Assisted reproductive technology is becoming more widely available and efficient. In The Reproductive Revolution, it is stated that â€Å"considering the various configurations and technologies, there are at least thirty-eight ways to ‘make a baby’ today† (Kilner, et.al, 2000). But along with these innovations come many questions concerning the possible applications of these procedures. With the breadth and complexity of reproductive technology available today, it is important to explore not only the biological, but also the social and ethical implications of the se procedures. Procedures and Methods of Assisted Reproductive Technologies Artificial Insemination Artificial insemination is easily the oldest and simplest form of reproductive technology – it has been used for over a century. In this procedure, sperm, obtained through a donation of semen, are artificially introduced into the uterus to fertilize an egg that has been released naturally. Historically, this has been a very confidential procedure; anonymous donors are used, and often even the resulting children are unaware that they have different genetic and social fathers. The first sperm bank was established in the year 1950, and it is estimated that there could be around one million donor insemination adults in the United Sta... ...: Feminist Perspectives. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Cohen, C.B. (1996) New Ways of Making Babies: The Case of Egg Donation. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Kilner, J.F., P.C. Cunningham, and W.D. Hager. (2000) The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality, Reproductive Technologies, and the Family. Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Strong, Carson. (1997) Ethics is Reproductive and Perinatal Medicine: A New Framework. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Wekesser, C., et.al. (1996) Reproductive Technologies. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Wright, V.C., et.al. (2004, April 30) Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance --- United States, 2001. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Surveillance Summaries. 53 (SS01), 1-20.

Four hours with the CSPD Essay

I want to express my gratitude and share my ride-a-long experience. The first thing I had to do was contact the Colorado Springs Stetson Hills Area Command to schedule my ride-along. I read the department’s ride-along program policy and I received instructions on what I had to do to fulfill the necessary program requirements. Once the initial paperwork was done, a few signatures, a waiver and a criminal background check, I was ready to go. On the day of my ride-along while in the waiting room I met another person who was on a ride-along for class credit as well. After newly hour of waiting I finally met my officer. The officer that was chosen to allow me to ride-along was a female officer. Following her introduction we headed out to the Charger. I was giving a walkie-talkie with an earpiece so that I could listen to the communication from the dispatch. We entered the vehicle, buckled up and started on our way. In the cruiser the officer had logged into her laptop to check her files and looked at any updates on her calls. I was informed that my experience would vary just as much as the calls that the officers went out on from day to day. Some of my responsibilities were that I had to be self-sufficient, be able to think ahead, have the ability to know where I was and most importantly enjoy myself. Our first call was about an attempted shoplifting at a Safeway store. I had the opportunity to drive around the neighborhood and see homes were suspected criminal activity was believed to be. We also responded to a runaway from home. The last thing we did was make a traffic stop for an expired license plate registration. The great thing about the day was that I was able to ask her questions about how police procedures work and how they operate. My hope after this experience is that more people will carry themselves in the manner I observed during my ride-along and recognize what an asset and a delight our officers are to our city. I am now a huge fan of law enforcement because all the officers I saw or had contact with were kind, helpful and efficient. They often work alone, in remote areas. What was interesting to me was the amount of conservation the Officer engaged in. It was revealed through the ride-a-long that Officers do much more than enforce laws. An Officers job is much more than writing tickets. They conduct ongoing public relations. What a wonderful experience for me to see officers respond to incidents involving citizens and watch them handle situations in the same way I believe I would. I now have a completely different outlook and understanding of what our men and women in law enforcement must do every day to keep us safe. I was very impressed with the way they all conducted themselves while performing their duties. They were professional and tactful in the way he interacted with the people they had contact with throughout my ride-along. Each person was treated with the same level of respect. Watching the officer perform her duties made me feel completely safe as she showed complete competence. I found this experience to be informative and I saw a side of law enforcement that most of us never see. I recommend that others in our community spend time with our officers, as I did. My ride alone ended up after four hours and it was certainly eye-opening experience. I sympathize so much with the police officers now. Also I think that everyone should go do a ride-along program at least once in their lifetime, it will change the way you think about them. By the time we finished, I didn’t witness any arrests or have the opportunity to blow through any red lights with blaring sirens but I was still impressed. For me it was a pretty fulfilling shift. I got to participate in the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Ride-along program and I got to ride shotgun with one of the Springs’ finest. She even offered to let me stay on until her shift ended if I wanted to. The officer said that this ride-along was a pretty run-of-the-mill shift. Fortunately, there was no major violence during my ride. My hope, after this experience, is that more people will do a ride-along and recognize what an asset and a delight our officers are to our city.

Automobile Industry in Korea: Rising or Falling?

Introduction Korea’s Automobile Industry is the fifth largest in the manufacture of cars and its parts merely imported from Japan and U.S.   Today, Korea is also one of the most highly developed in production of automobiles. By 1980s, the ability of Korea in auto industry has increased more than what they have expected. Producing 1.1 million units was really a great achievement, preferably in South Korea. Since economic boosted Korea for the past years, this made them partly one of the influential countries here in Asia. Its government supported the growth of this industry and other programs created to build a strong and developed industrial base, which created opportunities particularly in business and other industries in the country.   Not only in automobile industry that Korea has expertise, but also in the field of electronics, particularly cell phone manufacturing, etc. Discussion Over the past decade, Korea has proved its ability in the production, manufacturing and exporting of automobile way back in 1980. The industry’s growth has expanded five times of what the Korean’s expected. The question is, why or why not make the investment in the Korean automobile industry?  Korea, presently divided into North Korea and South Korea. A small country, yet one of the most civilized one. Because of their advanced technology as of Singapore and Japan, this made them one of the most progressive countries here in Asia. Automobile industry in Korea has been stable in the past years as founded in charts. However, competition is also stable. When the three big companies namely Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors, and GM Daewoo of auto industry in Korea were launched, a growing number of competitors immediately followed. Korea’s growing industry changed the lifestyle of the Koreans,   workers regret a jobless revival, everyone protest of increasing land and housing prices but their wages became similar to western countries, labour unions were also banned. South Korea’s investment in China in 2004, mainly steel and cars, passed Japan’s investment. Korean’s believed that they have an advantage in China because they do not suffer from post war hostilities than of companies in Japan. With the growing number of jobs, Korea experienced increased number of labourers and employment suppleness. They even hired workers from other countries just to increase the number of employees that they need in a particular company. Korea is now facing an economic stability and government financial situation. They continue to improve their work, and this means a continued financial problems. Korea has its access to potential and capital markets for their products are renowned globally. Their importers were also acclaimed to be among of the leading countries in Asia and in the world like U.S and Japan, which are also their primary manufacturers.  Despite these problems, Korea still emerged as one of the leading countries in Asia in terms of investments and exports. For the next two years, the automobile industry planned to increase their sales from 28% to 50%. Conclusion Korea proved that it is worth to make an investment with them in automobile industry, for they are financially stable; they had stable workers and are supported by their government policies. Business opportunities also increased due to their implementation of the â€Å"Import Diversification Program†, which pushed Korean firms to transfer purchases from Japan to purchases from U.S. this gave Korea a great opportunity in the business world, especially in automobile industry. One of the dangers of investing in Korea’s auto industry is its competition to other neighboring countries that also manufactures automobile like China, which they say that they would enter the world market. It is also said that China produced over a million automobiles in 2004, which was really a great start.  Another danger is the constantly changing of the country is laboring policies. Korean government controlled the formation of labour unions, which is why their policies are always changing. Because Korea’s economy grew rapidly, costs of necessities increased rapidly. They need more persons to work in their companies, because jobs increased as their economy grew larger and wider. Sure, they have access in other countries like U.S and Philippines; their only problem is the number of workers that would try their luck in working in the country. Though Korea claims that their automobile industry aims a great success, we believed that it is not that worthy to invest there because of China’s entering in the world market, the restrictions of labour unions and the attempts of the labourers to conduct company strikes. Maybe, investors will increase if they still improve the status of their growing business. It is not that bad to invest in the auto industry of Korea, only if China would not be a great competitor. By 2020, industry tycoons do agree that China could produce a mass of 20 million cars yearly. This proves that China could really make it ahead of Korea in the auto industry. China is also one of the most exporters of cars and cell phone units, which range from 27-30% than of Korea that only gained 26-28% in the past years. If Korea could only improve their way of treating exporters, they would probably get as much customers like of China. Korea’s only edge in China is that their currency, the won, improved a lot better for it threatened the cost of U.S dollars as seen in charts and in newspapers. We’re not saying that investing in Korea now is bad, only that the competition is not that healthy than of their previous years. References Savada, Andrea Matles and William Shaw. â€Å"South Korea: A Country Study†. (1990). 17 June 2007. http://countrystudies.us/south-korea/50.htm. Brooke, James. â€Å"The New York Times†. 18 October 2005. 17 June 2007. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/10/18/business/korea    Jones, Heather S. â€Å"Business America†. 31 August 1987. 17 June 2007. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1052/is_v10/ai_5151117.            

The Morality of Stem Cell Research Essays

The Morality of Stem Cell Research Essays The Morality of Stem Cell Research Essay The Morality of Stem Cell Research Essay Much debate has raged over the influence of nature and nurture on how people behave. Indeed human behavior can be studied by using environmental and biological approaches. However, there is a divergence in beliefs as to the roles of nature and nurture as far as human development is concerned. Fukuyama in his book Our Posthuman Future (2002) believes that science when taken to extreme, would very well be the cause of humanity’s end. The book argues that the manipulation of the very process that define life can create minute but certain changes in our common humanity, thereby altering our collective values underlie our history. (Fukuyama, 2002, p. 7) Consequently, the author believes that biotechnology may very well signal a revolution of catastrophic levels and advocates for controlling such rapid advances in medical and biological technology. This paper seeks to analyze this argument by framing it within an existing and controversial issue which is stem cell research. Humanity: A Sense of Personhood What separates humans from animals? That question has long baffled philosophers, psychologists, and scientists alike, because the answers are both simple and complex that any one person can come up theories as to the elements that distinguish humans from other kinds of animals. More than anything else, it is the ability to be deliberate in our choices and actions as we navigate the daily responsibilities of life. The ability to be guided by reason and free will and discern right and wrong separates us from animals (Harre 1998). This ability to differentiate and reflect between right and wrong is called personhood. The idea of personhood is something that is intimately tied with our collective consciousness and humanity, which explains why it can be very difficult to define, much less describe within certain parameters. The ideas behind personhood are the basis of fundamental human rights, humanitarian acts, as well as laws and regulations of an ordered society. Personhood may be defined as that innate capacity and right of a person for conscious deliberation and self-determination, based on proper reasoning. Personhood is not merely a function of genetic or organic existence. Much of personhood is an intangible concept that goes beyond simply being labeled as a living organism. Frankfurt (1971, p 6) defines a person as a creature with the capacity to fulfill needs and desires in ways that indicate free will and reasoning. The person is able to identify these needs and desires and acts in deliberation and fr ee will in order to achieve such desires. The person, acting in such capacity, is fully aware of the motivations that lead him or her to such actions. A person is a unique creature and stands apart from other animals because humans have the ability to deliberate on desires and make the appropriate choices and actions based on their free will. The person’s free will and reasoning enables him to make appropriate actions and whether to repress these desires or pursue its fulfillment. Unlike animals that are driven by instinct and basal needs, a person has the ability to exercise his free will and reason and make a choice on what actions to take. Raz (2006, p. 3) elevates the concept of personhood further to emphasize the role of reason in the exercise of free will. Raz maintains that it is reason that determines if an individual is truly using his free will or not. Given a variety of desires and needs, the person, guided by reason, decides on what desires to act on, if at all. T he choices are based on the individual’s ability to evaluate and prioritize desires and recognize motivations and ascribe to them values of right and wrong (Watson 1987, p. 217). Analysis of Ethical Issues Unlike animals that are driven by instinct and basal needs, a person has the ability to exercise his free will and reason and make a choice on what actions to take. Raz (2006, p. 3) elevates the concept of personhood further to emphasize the role of reason in the exercise of free will. Raz maintains that it is reason that determines if an individual is truly using his free will or not. Given a variety of desires and needs, the person, guided by reason, decides on what desires to act on, if at all. The choices are based on the individual’s ability to evaluate and prioritize desires and recognize motivations and ascribe to them values of right and wrong. (Watson, 1987, p. 217) From these values we make the choices that we make and create a civilized and ordered society. However, the challenges of life create blurred lines between what is ethical and what is not. Stem Cell Research Stem Cell is deeply related to personhood. New discoveries in medicine and science technology have pushed the boundaries of medical technology and the mapping of the human DNA has given scientists the blueprint for life and the variables that make it so unique to each person. The controversy surrounding stem cell revolves around the use of embryos to harvest stem cells and use them as potential cures for wide range of illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease, from spinal cord injuries to lung diseases and most degenerative diseases. (Panno, 2006, p. 76) The curative power of stem cells lies in its undifferentiated state. These stem cells are the progeny of all the kinds of cells and tissues that form in the body. Stem cells can be developed into any kind of cell, replacing those that are aberrant or damaged in the patient’s body. Stem cells can be harvested and then planted into people with illnesses. (Fukuyama, 2002, p. 58)   Once inside the body, the stem cells can then be molded into any specific cell that the person needs. Stem cells are present in all individuals, however in adults, the stem cells lose some of their purity and patency and there is a high risk of mismatching and consequent failure to graft. However the bigger issue is that the potential of adult stem cells to differentiate is narrower, meaning that their potential to become other types of cells are limited, often limited to the type of tissue where they came from. Embryo stem cells have no such limitations; they are pluripotent – which means they have the capacity to become any kind of cell in the body. This quality of embryonic stem cells makes them the ideal source for undifferentiated cells that can be used to repair cell and tissue damage. (Holland, Lebacqz, Zoloth, 2001, p. 5) The Emotional Case Against Stem Cell Research Ethical issues arise because embryos or fetal tissues can be used only to be sources of stem cells. These embryos may be used or even destroyed in the course of harvesting and research. The developing fetus does not have the power to refuse such actions and is helpless to do anything about it. Taking the debate further, when the technology has been perfected, there is also the fear of creating embryos only for the purpose of healing someone else’s illness and not for the creation of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the heart of the debate of stem cell research is personhood and the question of the viability of life. Pro-life groups reiterate the same arguments for abortion as they are doing with stem cell research. They fight for the right of the unborn and argue that life begins upon the meeting of the sperm cell and the egg. Pro-life sections of society argue that stem cell research violate the most basic of human rights and bioethical principles, foremost of which is the principle of informed consent. Implicit to the element of respect for personhood and basic human rights is the concept of informed consent (Merrill 1998). In the medical field, informed consent is legal stipulation that presupposes that patients of legal age agree to have a medical operation or procedure done on them only after being given the full facts of the situation, including the risks that they may face while undergoing said procedure. (Beauchamp Childress 1994, p. 21) This principle extends to experimental and mainstream medical procedures. While it may be argued that the knowledge gained from stem cell research and the potential it has to save millions of lives, the knowledge gained is stained by how it was attained. Certainly there are better ways to harvest and use embryo stem cells and such information could have been obtained using more humane and ethical procedures, one that would not have to entail the destruction and the blatant disregard for human life. The concept of informed consent is grounded on the principle that medical professionals should be able to communicate properly the situation and all the possible risks that the medical intervention may entail. Based on the information given the patient will then weigh whether the benefits of the intervention outweighs the risks and then makes the decision. Informed consent empowers individual to make choices about their own health conditions and what can and cannot be done about it. Health care professionals are legally and ethically bound to engage the patient and involve them in issues that concern their own bodies. (Beauchamp Childress 1994, p. 48). Informed consent, as a manifestation of our basic human right to freedom and dignity is the cornerstone of bioethics. If we are stripped of the right to determine what happens to our own body in the name of medical science, then it is in violation of the very essence of research. However, we disregard such basic rights when it comes to the unborn precisely because they have no capacity to demonstrate their choices and no capacity to deliberate on the consequences. Because embryos have no such abilities, we assume that they do not have the right to be accorded or extended the same rights as we do adult humans. The Case for Stem Cell Research (Proponents) Those who support stem cell research argue that embryos are not viable human beings. Therefore, in the absence of personhood and the viability of life, embryos can be treated as we do any lab animal to further the cause of medical science and cure the many illnesses that beset mankind. Scientists and researchers believe that they are doing a greater good because of the great potential of stem cells to cure heretofore incurable maladies. Indeed, the ability of embryonic stem cells to cure has long been proven and there have been many instances of dramatic life-saving stories involving stem cell. The proponents have scientific data to validate their stand and they make use of the actual lives that have been saved by using stem cells. The point is to advance medical knowledge and improve existing technologies and methodologies. Some also argue that we need to do the research in order to discover ways that would harvest fetal stem cells without destroying it. (Bellomo, 2006, p. 12) Some sacrifices must be made in the refinement of the process and soon a technique may be discovered that would point to a less destructive source of pluripotent stem cells or to some technique that will enable us to create stem cells separate from a fertilized egg. The potential of stem cell research is as unlimited as the potential of the stem cells themselves. The medical community believes in its greater good to cure sick people and to extend to people the healthy and happy life that is also an inherent right of all mankind. Abortion: The Roots of the Debate Against Stem Cell Research Clearly, based on these definitions, personhood is an attempt to define the characteristics that allows us to determine whether an organism is a person or not. Simply, put three elements must be present for personhood: free will, reasoning, and moral decisions. Our actions are constantly being judged as moral or not, and we have the choice whether to ascribe to these moral laws. Of course all of these actions, whether moral or not will then have consequences that the person must deal with. Why should there be a debate in the first place as to what renders a person a human being? The debate is mainly a legal issue. Much of the legal laws that govern most societies are based on personhood and legal debate is also the basis whether an action is illegal or not. One of the most enduring and controversial issues about personhood is the question of when it actually begins. The issue of personhood determines whether stem cell research is morally and legally right. Of course, people on both sides of the fence would arbitrarily argue that personhood is one thing or another, depending on what best suits their purpose. Those who are against stem cell research would argue that personhood begins during conception, while those on the opposite side would maintain that personhood cannot exist during the fetal stage and therefore, there is no actual act of violation to the baby while in this stage. (Fukuyama, 2002, p. 89) The debate against stem cell research is intimately tied with issues of abortion. Because stem cell technology is fairly new, there is no judicial precedent yet. However, in terms of personhood and the viability of life debate first came to a head in the watershed Roe vs. Wade (1973) case. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the woman has the right to have an abortion up until a certain time when the fetus becomes â€Å"viable†. Viable in this case is defined as the period when the fetus has the potential to survive outside the womb, regardless of any medical or artificial assistance. This is generally considered to take place during the 6th or 7th month of fetal life. Abortions before this period of viability are then ruled to be permissible if needed to protect the woman’s health. The decision does not legalize abortion but allows it as long as the woman has an abortion before the fetus becomes viable and only for medical reasons (Scott 1990, p. 67). At the heart of the controversy and debate that continues to rage to this day is the respect for both the personhood of the mother and the baby inside her and the stem cells that fetal cells contain. If, by exercising her personhood, the mother decides to harvest the stem cell to help a relative or another child, is she morally wrong or right? Or what if she decides to terminate her pregnancy altogether? What conditions make stem cell harvest legal and when is it not? Of course, the much deeper issue that should be addressed is where do we go off deciding the viability of a fetus and the value of life? The case created a deep schism and polarized a country between those who were pro-life (anti-abortion) and pro-choice (pro-abortion). The decision practically upheld abortion as a basic human right, and is protected by law as long as it is done with within certain narrowly-defined parameters. The woman’s decision to terminate her pregnancy falls under her right to privacy and pe rsonhood. She, being the owner of her body, has the right to deliberate and determine how she wants her own body to be. Roe was a rape victim who got pregnant as a result of the criminal act. She then wanted to have an abortion, arguing that the circumstances of her pregnancy give her moral and legal right to an abortion. Interpretation Perhaps we shall never be able to fully deliberate on the morality and legality of stem cell research because at best, we can only speculate on the viability and personhood of a fetus. In such cases, the value of a human life is debated only when stem cell harvesting becomes an option or when a legal case arises from it. In most cases, there seems to be a consensus that human life begins at the moment of conception and that personhood, as a process, begins also at this time. The controversy of stem cell research and the challenges that it poses to our moral and ethical directions is a reflection of our exercise of personhood. It should be discussed and deliberated and questioned because the failure to do so is the failure of our own collective and individual humanity. And in this case, Fukuyama may be right. Such issues that cause such polarization can very well erode humanity.

Europe and the American Revolutionary War

Europe and the American Revolutionary War Fought between 1775 and 1783, the American Revolutionary War, otherwise known as the American War of Independence was primarily a conflict between the British Empire and some of its American colonists, who triumphed and created a new nation: the United States of America. France played a vital role in aiding the colonists, but accrued great debt in doing so, partly causing the French Revolution. Causes of the American Revolution Britain may have triumphed in the French and Indian War of 1754–1763, which was fought in North America on behalf of Anglo-American colonists but it had spent considerable sums to do so. The British government decided that the colonies of North America should contribute more to its defense and raised taxes. Some colonists were unhappy with this - merchants among them were especially upset - and British heavy-handedness exacerbated a belief that the British weren’t allowing them enough rights in return, even though some colonists had no problems owning slaves. This situation was summed up in the revolutionary slogan â€Å"No Taxation without Representation.† Colonists were also unhappy that Britain was preventing them from expanding further out into America, partly as a result of agreements with Native Americans agreed after the Pontiac rebellion of 1763–4, and the Quebec Act of 1774, which expanded Quebec to cover vast areas of what is now the USA. The lat ter allowed French Catholics to retain their language and religion, further angering the predominantly Protestant colonists. Tensions rose between the two sides, fanned by expert colonial propagandists and politicians, and finding expression in mob violence and brutal attacks by rebel colonists. Two sides developed: pro-British loyalists and anti-British ‘patriots’. In December 1773, citizens in Boston dumped a consignment of tea into a harbor in protest of taxes. The British responded by closing down Boston Harbour and imposing limits on civilian life. As a result, all but one of the colonies gathered in the ‘First Continental Congress’ in 1774, promoting a boycott of British goods. Provincial congresses formed, and the militia was raised for war. 1775: The Powder Keg Explodes On April 19th, 1775 the British governor of Massachusetts sent a small group of troops to confiscate powder and arms from colonial militiamen, and also arrest ‘troublemakers’ who were agitating for war. However, the militia was given notice in the form of Paul Revere and other riders and was able to prepare. When the two sides met in Lexington someone, unknown, fired, initiating a battle. The ensuing Battles of Lexington, Concord and after saw the militia - crucially including large numbers of Seven Year War veterans - harass the British troops back to their base in Boston. The war had begun, and more militia gathered outside Boston. When the Second Continental Congress met there was still hope of peace, and they weren’t yet convinced about declaring independence, but they named George Washington, who had happened to be present at the start of the French Indian war, as leader of their forces. Believing that militias alone would not be enough, he started to raise a Continental Army. After a hard fought battle at Bunker Hill, the British could not break the militia or the siege of Boston, and King George III declared the colonies in rebellion; in reality, they had been for some time. Two Sides, Not Clearly Defined This wasn’t a clear-cut war between the British and the American colonists. Between a fifth and a third of the colonists supported Britain and remained loyal, while it’s estimated another third remained neutral where possible. As such it has been called a civil war; at the close of the war, eighty thousand colonists loyal to Britain fled from the US. Both sides had experienced veterans of the French Indian war among their soldiers, including major players like Washington. Throughout the war, both sides used militia, standing troops and ‘irregulars’. By 1779 Britain had 7000 loyalists under arms. (Mackesy, The War for America, p. 255) War Swings Back and Forth A rebel attack on Canada was defeated. The British pulled out of Boston by March 1776 and then prepared for an attack on New York; on July 4th, 1776 the thirteen colonies declared their independence as the United States of America. The British plan was to make a swift counterstrike with their army, isolating perceived key rebel areas, and then use a naval blockade to force the Americans to come to terms before Britain’s European rivals joined the Americans. British troops landed that September, defeating Washington and pushing his army back, allowing the British to take New York. However, Washington was able to rally his forces and win at Trenton, where he defeated German troops working for Britain, keeping morale up among the rebels and damaging loyalist support. The naval blockade failed because of overstretching, allowing valuable supplies of arms to get into the US and keep the war alive. At this point, the British military had failed to destroy the Continental Army and ap peared to have lost every valid lesson of the French and Indian War. The British then pulled out of New Jersey, alienating their loyalists, and moved to Pennsylvania, where they won a victory at Brandywine, allowing them to take the colonial capital of Philadelphia. They defeated Washington again. However, they didn’t pursue their advantage effectively and the loss of the US capital was small. At the same time, British troops tried to advance down from Canada, but Burgoyne and his army were cut off, outnumbered, and forced to surrender at Saratoga, thanks in part to Burgoyne’s pride, arrogance, desire for success, and resulting poor judgment, as well as the failure of British commanders to co-operate. The International Phase Saratoga was only a small victory, but it had a major consequence: France seized upon the chance to damage her great imperial rival and moved from secret support for the rebels to overt help, and for the rest of the war they sent crucial supplies, troops, and naval support. Now Britain couldn’t focus entirely on the war as France threatened them from around the world; indeed, France became the priority target and Britain seriously considered pulling out of the new US entirely to focus on its European rival. This was now a world war, and while Britain saw the French islands of the West Indies as a viable replacement for the thirteen colonies, they had to balance their limited army and navy over many areas. Caribbean islands soon changed hands between the Europeans. The British then pulled out of advantageous positions on the Hudson River to reinforce Pennsylvania. Washington had his army and forced it through training while camped for the harsh winter. With the aims of the British in America scaled right back, Clinton, the new British commander, withdrew from Philadelphia and based himself in New York. Britain offered the US a joint sovereignty under a common king but were rebuffed. The King then made it clear he wanted to try and retain the thirteen colonies and feared that US independence would lead to the loss of the West Indies (something Spain also feared), to which troops were sent from the US theater. The British moved the emphasis to the south, believing it to be full of loyalists thanks to information from refugees and trying for piecemeal conquest. But the loyalists had risen before the British arrived, and there was now little explicit support; brutality flowed from both sides in a civil war. British victories at Charleston under Clinton and Cornwallis at Camden were followed by loyalist defeats. Cornwallis continued to win victories, but tenacious rebel commanders prevented the British from achieving success. Orders from the north now forced Cornwallis to base himself at Yorktown, ready for resupply by sea. Victory and Peace A combined Franco-American army under Washington and Rochambeau decided to shift their troops down from the north with the hope of cutting Cornwallis off before he moved. French naval power then fought a draw at the Battle of Chesapeake - arguably the key battle of the war - pushing the British navy and vital supplies away from Cornwallis, ending any hope of immediate relief. Washington and Rochambeau besieged the city, forcing Cornwallis’ surrender. This was the last major action of the war in America, as not only was Britain faced with a worldwide struggle against France, but Spain and Holland had joined. Their combined shipping could compete with the British navy, and a further ‘League of Armed Neutrality’ was harming British shipping. Land and sea battles were fought in the Mediterranean, the West Indies, India and West Africa, and an invasion of Britain was threatened,  leading to panic. Furthermore, over 3000 British merchant ships had been captured (Marston, American War of Independence, 81). The British still had troops in America and could send more, but their will to continue was sapped by a global conflict, the massive cost both of fighting the war - the National Debt had doubled - and reduced trade income, along with a lack of explicitly loyal colonists, led to the resignation of a Prime Minister and the opening of peace negotiations. These produced the Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3rd, 1783, with the British recognizing the thirteen former colonies as independent, as well as settling other territorial issues. Britain had to sign treaties with France, Spain and the Dutch. Aftermath For France, the war incurred massive debt, which helped push it into revolution, bring down the king, and start a new war. In America, a new nation had been created, but it would take a civil war for ideas of representation and freedom to become a reality. Britain had relatively few losses aside from the US, and the focus of empire switched to India. Britain resumed trading with the Americas and now saw their empire as more than simply a trading resource, but a political system with rights and responsibilities. Historians like Hibbert argue that the aristocratic class which had led the war was now deeply undermined, and power began to transform into a middle class. (Hibbert, Redcoats and Rebels, p.338).

Relection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Relection Paper - Essay Example In a very interesting study, Hannaford cites examples of the effects of exercise of body on stimulation of mind. The author maintains that exercising the body can enhance learning experience. I loved the book because it was very refreshing and had some original food for thought. Though I was aware of the benefits of exercising the body, I needed to know how it could stimulate learning and brain activity. Now I realize why it is extremely important for children in school setting to be exposed to physical exercise and sports. Because it is healthy thing to do and it also makes exercise a learning experience. The children must be involved in exercise and its benefits so they can discover them for themselves. It has been noted that children and teachers are both delighted by the manner in which exercise stimulates mind. I feel that in our schools we should make exercise mandatory for all students with the objective of making learning a better and more effective experience for them and for the teachers as well. Hannaford makes it clear that senses and emotions play a key role in enhancing the learning process and thus recommends exercise both before and after learning. She starts from a very young age which helped me in understanding how exercise could affect learning. She says that basic early exercise like crawling have a great impact on a child's learning abilities. Crawling "activate[s] both hemispheres in a balanced way" (Hannaford, 92).the author also insists that real learning process "starts with movement in response to a stimulus, then creates a context or experience to understand the sensory input" (99). What was really enlightening came in the form of findings on reading. I learned that children are not very receptive to silent reading till the age of seven. And thus this activity must be postponed till then. They should instead be taught in a way that would acknowledge their natural progression of skills and their bodies' natural development stage. I was happy to see that when applied in classroom, children actually responded very well to these new ways of learning. All the noise they create while laughing, sharing, building and moving around and learning was a healthy indication of their high involvement. Hannaford advocates the use of pictures and painting to enhance learning: "Most people need to discuss, write, or draw a picture of new ideas in order anchor them in the body with movement for memory and clarity of thought" (101). Hannaford also presents her findings on inhibitors that can affect learning. She identifies such factors as television, computers and video games as few inhibitors that may slow down the learning process. Children fully engrossed in sports are less likely to watch television or spend time on video consol. This is beneficial in terms of their health and also facilitates learning. Stress is shown as another major inhibition factor. In short, the book focuses on the finding that: "It is the full activation and balance of all parts of our body/mind system that allow us to become effective, productive thinkers" (106). And this I have found to be a finding worthy of affirming over and over again.

How old are the rocks of the Lewisian Complex in NW Scotland, and how Essay

How old are the rocks of the Lewisian Complex in NW Scotland, and how do we know - Essay Example This was followed by the new rocks folding and heating, and the intrusion of further magmas during the metamorphism, resulting in almost all the rocks being gneisses (Waters, 2003). The Lewisian Gneiss are a major division of Precambrian rocks (4.6 billion to 542 million years ago) in northwestern Scotland. In the region where the Lewisian rocks are found, they also form the lowermost rocks, also the Outer Hebrides, form the islands of Coll and Tiree, and are exposed along the northwestern coast of Scotland. â€Å"The oldest rocks of the Lewisian have been dated by radiometric technique between 2.4 billion and 2.6 billion years old, whereas the youngest Lewisian rocks have been dated at 1.6 billion years (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010). Further, the Lewisian Complex form the oldest rocks of the British Isles, and are Mid- to Late- Archaen in age (Jones15). Most of these rocks are deformed and metamorphosed igneous rocks or orthogneisses. The types of rocks found in the Lewisian Comples are broadly subdivided into felsic gneisses which have a high content of light coloured minerals, mafic gneisses with a large proportion of dark mafic minerals, and ultramafic gneisses containing purely mafic minerals. Usually, the most highly abundant felsic gneisses develop from acidic igneous rocks, and mafic gneisses from basic igneous rocks. â€Å"Mafic and ultramafic gneisses are generally found together in this part of the Lewisian Complex, and are considered to be metamorphosed varieties of gabbro and peridotite† (Waters, 2003). The Lewisian Complex has been subjected to successive developments in techniques of age determination. There has been progressive tightening of constraints from Rb-Sr (rubidium/ strontium), K-Ar mineral (potassium/ argon) mineral dating, Rb-Sr and Pb-Pb (lead) whole rock studies through U-Pb dating of bulk zircon fractions, Sm-Nd rock and mineral investigation, to the most