Movie “The Pursuit of Happiness” Essay

An amazing movie, The Pursuit of Happiness illustrates through the examples of Chris Gardener’s life that anyone has the opportunity to achieve their own pursuit of happiness, if they have self-motivation and determination. Happiness is not something that can be pursued. We already have all the capacity for happiness that we need. Happiness comes from within, and from being content with oneself. People can choose to be happy or choose to be miserable. But to be happy or to be sad they need to have particular motivation or self-determination for it. Motivation is defined as a desire or need which directs towards a goal or something that someone wants. Motivation is an inherent response; it comes from inside and cannot be imposed from the outside, and comes from wanting to do something of one’s own free will. A motivating condition may be defined as an emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an animating to action and is the set of processes that moves a person towards a goal. Motivation consists of five basic theories. The last theory is called humanistic theory and this is perhaps the most important of all. According to Abraham Maslow, an inventor of humanistic psychology, humans are driven to achieve the maximum point of goal at some point of their lives regardless of any obstacles and hindrances. Maslow developed a pyramid called Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and it argues about five levels of needs beginning with physiological needs and ending with our need for self-actualization. In the movie Pursuit of Happiness, the main character Chris Gardner was played by Will Smith, who had lost everything in some financial crisis. He ended up living in homeless shelter with his kid. He was jobless to support his kid and his wife, so his wife leaves him. Motivation drives him to struggle until the very end to get rid of this situation. Chris had motivation, he had to feed and care for his child. To feed your child and raise them properly is probably about the strongest motivation a person could have. Chris’ son reminded him daily of his need to succeed and get control of his life. Not only did Chris have motivation, he had an  incredible attitude and was confident in himself. If not for his confidence and attitude he most likely would have never become the successful stock broker he ended up being, much less even made it into the internship. Chris, after falling on hard financial times his son was left homeless. Chris manipulates working a full time unpaid internship, bringing his son to daycare, and finding a bed to sleep each night in Church. Chris and his son are not leading an easy life. One day, Chris finds some free time and decides to play basketball with his son. Where he tells his son that his dream to play basketball as an NBA player will never become true, and he can never be a good player, so he should stop playing. Yet Chris has a sudden change of heart and gives his son a speech to encourage him to always try his hardest and not let anyone shuts him down. Chris tells his son, â€Å"Don’t let anybody tell you, you can’t do something. Even me,† â€Å"You gotta dream, you gotta protect it†¦ You want something? Go get it. Period (_The Pursuit of Happiness.)†_ In first Chris decreases his son’s expectancy by telling him that he wouldn’t be able to play as a basketba ll player. In this movie the character of Chris is shown an extremely determined person. According to psychology, in order to be determined you have to let your mind make the decision that you have to get to the very end. It’s like a goal that you have to achieve it. It’s the end of your work. It could be either good or bad. A very good example which proves that Chris Gardner is determined person is when Chris did not have any money left to pay for his rent. He didn’t just say I don’t have any money and give up on everything, he rather told his land owner that he will pay him the money and so he did, he was so determined to pay for his rent, so determined that he painted the walls of his apartment to make money so that he could pay off his rent. The another great example of being determined is when Chris trusted the hippie girl with one of his bone scanners and when the hippie ran away with the scanner, he did not just sit back and lose his faith. He runs after that lady and finally gets his scanner back. The third example of being determined is when Chris kept calling although many people such as his manager keep distracting him from his work and turned him down, but he never gives up and ended up getting business from a CEO of a big company which  shows that what determination brings to him. Chris Gardner had hope and motivation not to give up. He was very hopeful and optimistic individual and never gave up throughout his life. He decided what he wanted to do and he actually went for it. Even though his motivations for being in the stock market were not the correct ones, but it still even didn’t drag him to despair. An admirable illustration that proves Chris Gardner really is a hopeful and Optimistic person is when Chris’s wife had left him and he did not break down. He in fact was totally optimistic and did as far as conceivable to take care of his child as a single parent. Further example for Chris Gardner’s optimistic nevertheless hopeful individuality is when he took a chance of an internship that offered no salary, and he took that job even though he was literally broke. The third impressive example would be when one of his scanners that Chris was selling got broke. He did not get disappointed and lost his hope. He actually took some notable action and donated blood to the hospital so he could get paid for that. With that money in his hand he bought the bulb for his machine and repaired it. According to Maslow’s pyramid Chris was hanging on the very bottom of it, because he did not have a permanent shelter where he could live with his son, and he has very little money for the food. Since he had no job so he was not secured either. With all these negative things Chris’ self-esteem was very high as is shown in the movie when he showed up into interview with no shirt on and paint all over his body and hair and he still gets selected. The reason why, is because he was very and confident and he had firm belief in himself, so he gets respected by others too. They didn’t just judge him the way he looks but how well he can perform his job and they offered him the internship job. Even though the job was no salary based he still accepted it and worked very hard till the end to get the actual job at same place. In the end, your motivation to change something about yourself may come from a variety of sources, perhaps a little because of pain, a little because you’re inspired to be a better person, and a little because your spouse  would like you to stop a habit that’s driving both of you crazy. Becoming aware of your primary motivation to change is the best source for setting off a new path, a new direction of life. No matter who or what the circumstances are, every person who is considering changing something about her or himself has a reason; a motive to change that can reinforce and strengthen the resolve to change when change becomes difficult. WORKS CITED â€Å"Motivation in Psychology 101 at AllPsych Online.† _Psychology Classroom at AllPsych Online_. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. . â€Å"Literature Class Ppt.† _Google_. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. . â€Å"Motivation in Psychology.† _Encyclopedia of Psychology – Psychology Websites_. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. .

Contrasting Roles: The Good and the Bad

Contrasting Roles: The Good and the Bad In Fydor Dostoyesky’s, Notes from the Underground, the relationship between an underground man and a young prostitute, Liza, depicts admirable and harsh qualities. Truly, Liza illustrates a kind-hearted human being while the Underground Man exemplifies a harsh and isolated person. Liza’s function in this novel is to show the contrast between the two completing roles that characterize a classic literary illustration of what is good and bad. The altercations that Liza and the Underground Man have significantly portray positive and unsuitable qualities.Upon meeting Liza, the Underground Man harshly ridicules Liza and her lifestyle. He says that she is â€Å"a slave from the start. Yes, a slave! You give up everything, your whole freedom. If you want to break your chains afterwards, you will not be able to† (Dostoyevsky p. 64). This quote undoubtedly exposes Underground Man’s awful perspective on Liza. He believes that L iza is property, rather than a human being. Also, the quote shows that he is stripping Liza of any hope for the future. He does so by telling Liza that if she ever wanted to stop prostituting, she would not be able to.Despite all of the awful accusations that he makes, Liza patiently listens although it is hurting her tremendously. Furthermore, this emphasizes the contrast in characters. It evident that Liza is truly good and that the Underground Man is relentless. However, this not the only altercation that sheds light on this notion. Moreover, there is also another conflicts that give a defined distinction between what is good and bad. The underground Man goes on to further insult Liza without a will to stop.He states, â€Å"I know that I have only to whistle and you have to come with me whether you like it or not. I don’t consult your wishes, but you mine† (p. 69). The underground Man is dehumanizing Liza by comparing her to a dog. He claims that Liza will come to h im just as a dog follows a master’s command without question. As if that insult were not enough, he proceeds to tell Liza that she must grant his every desire but he does not care for her wishes. Undoubtedly, the quality of being able to hurt Liza in such a manner is horrible.Liza’s pain is illustrated when the novel states that â€Å"She bit the pillow, bit her hand till it bled (I saw that afterwards), or, thrusting her fingers into her disheveled hair, seemed rigid with the effort of restraint, holding her breath and clenching her teeth† (p. 72). This quote actively portrays how the Underground Man’s negative qualities truly affect her. It not only pained her emotionally to hear these things, but also physically. Despite her emotions, Liza put her feelings behind her and forgives him.After he apologizes, he states, â€Å"she squeezed my hand in her fingers so tightly that I felt I was saying the wrong thing and stopped†(p. 73). This excerpt trul y shows Liza’s nobility. Although Liza is so hurt, she makes him feel like he should not have to apologize. She does this by squeezing his hand. However, this is not the only time where Liza puts the Underground Man before herself. Liza’s responses in situations with the Under Ground man portray her comforting qualities and expose his poor qualities. Previously, the audience noted that while Liza cries, the Underground Man did not comfort her.However, in later text, the tables turn. When the Under Ground Man began to cry, she did not waste time in asking what was wrong by asking, â€Å"What is the matter? What is wrong? † she cried, fussing about me† (p. 83). This quote depicts that Liza is a compassionate person. It also shows the difference between the Underground Man and her. It was her natural instinct to help him yet he did not help Liza in her time of need. This again shows that Liza is naturally good while the underground man is uncompassionate.The last encounter that the Underground Man has with Liza truly shows her positive characteristics. After some time, Liza believes that he no longer sees her as a prostitute, but as a companion. However, after having relations with the Underground Man, he wants her to leave and gives her money for the relations that they previously had. Although this hurts her beyond belief, she leaves the money. The underground man states â€Å"I saw a crumpled blue five- rouble note, the one I had thrust into her hand a minute before† (p. 89). This shows that Liza is admirable in dignity.Although she had been hurt, she still had her dignity and that was important for the Underground Man to see. Liza is placed in the novel to show that despite negative situations, a person can still posses an admirable personality. Truly, Liza continuously finds herself to be in horrible situations but she never fails in acting graciously. In a sense, Liza is an inspiration to all. She shows the audience that he r profession pains her and that she regrets it. Not only can the audience learn from her mistakes, but also from her gracious personality as well.

‘Montana 1948’ Is About the Choices People Make

Larry Watson’s novel ‘Montana 1948’ is told from the perspective of narrator David Hayden, recalling the experiences of his 12 year old self. The observations he witnesses and describes reflects the choices that are made by the adult characters of the novel. Not only changing himself but also changing the situations and environment around the small town of Bentrock. David’s uncle Frank played a major role in this novel displaying his selfish and egotistical choices. Along with these self-centered decisions, Wesley, was torn between protecting his family and obeying the law. These choices heavily influenced David’s own decisions therefore using his knowledge respectively. However, not everyone’s decisions and choices were used. Gail the main woman figure in the novel had her choices declined and disregarded due to the fact that she is a woman. These decisions and choices that were made by frank greatly influenced on the whole of the family. David’s uncle, Frank Hayden is a highly confident, ignorant and narcissistic doctor who is clearly only interested in his own priorities, status and position in the community. His choices that are presented throughout the novel do heavily influence the entire family’s decisions. Which do shape the future events for the family. Frank has had a long line of being the favourite sibling between the two brothers (Wesley and Frank) due to this his father, Julian is fully aware of the fact that Frank is engaging in adult behaviours with Indian women, this had started in his early teens. Such things as these are explained when Marie stated that â€Å"When he examines an Indian he†¦he does things he shouldn’t. He takes liberties. Indecent Liberties. † This statement explains how the American Indians in particular, Marie feels about frank and his methods while examining Indian women. The choices that frank made were extremely significant on the opinions and future decision that were made throughout the rest of the story. Franks actions and choices caused conflict and distress within the Hayden family, causing rifts and a divide in the family. His choices changed the views of Wesley and his choices. Wesley, the strong, respected father and sheriff of Bentrock is torn between the decisions of protecting his family from the harsh truth and unpleasant situations of Bentrock, Montana and enforcing the law and his duties as sheriff. Due to Franks immoral acts, Wesley is forced to decide Franks fate, whether he is to be locked up in prison because of his misconducts or, to have his crimes forgotten about to protect the Hayden name. Throughout the novel, Wesley is under a lot of stress and pressure to make the right decision. He is unsure and confused although he finally does stand up to his father and think for himself, as he was heavily influenced by Julian’s actions and wishes. Because of Wesley’s choice to lock frank up in the basement of their home, frank tries to convince Julian what frank has really done. Julian little respect for what Wesley has done to find out the truth nor will he ever have faith or belief in Wes because frank is the more favourite sibling. This is represented in the statement â€Å"you-Investigating† how through these two words displays how little respect Julian has for Wesley. The choices that were made my both Frank and Wesley affect the knowledge and the information that David has gained, influencing his choices. David, the innocent and extremely influential child of the Hayden family, uses his incorruptibility to his advantage. As David is the youngest character featured in the novel, he is shown as the innocent and unknowing character. David observes the on-goings of the family including, their discussions, ideas and opinions and uses his knowledge to for his own advantages. David’s decision to over-hear the conversations of the adult characters shows his curiosity and slyness, towards the situation. Throughout the novel, David displayed only a few decisions, including the fact that although insignificant, David did tell Wesley about Frank breaking into the house and murdering Marie. As David was unaware of the consequences of the actions Frank committed, David was shocked and slightly scared of what might happen to him as David idolised frank, even more than his own father. David’s innocence is shown when repeating what he says to his father â€Å"Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank was here. †, this statement shows how he had chosen to keep the fact that frank had gotten into the house, displaying David’s anxious behaviours. As shown all of the male characters have chosen to lie and use their knowledge to use, although Gail seems to be the only character who choices were disregarded but also the right ones to make. Gail Hayden, the dominant female figure in the novel, discovers choices and decisions that would benefit the future events or situations, although they were all declined. Gail Is the mother of David and wife of Wesley. This meaning that she is written to be contrasting the rest of the characters. This means that because she is a female, her decisions and choices that she may or may not have made were in fact the correct choices but were declined. Gail, throughout the novel, chose to uncover the terrible secrets of frank, and what he does with Indian women. Gail tries to confess his immoral actions to Wesley, the sheriff and brother of frank. Although these accusations made by Gail were true although as mentioned, all of Gail’s choices like to tell Wesley about frank shows how others do not have respect for her, therefore everything that she believed was contradicted. Although Gail was one of the main characters of the novel, all of these decisions were made inferior by the entire Hayden Family. Gail had given up trying to convey her opinions and choices because of the Hayden family, who all made personal and non-personal choices. Larry Watson’s novel, throughout the entire story every character made at least one important decision as these problems unravelled as the story progresses. Even if the choices were life threatening or dangerous to the rest of the family, all of the characters made a choice. If it was a choice to continue a lifelong lie, such as Frank. The choice to protect your family from dangerous situations. The decision to tell the truth to as higher authority. Or even if your opinions and choices were disregarded and ignored. The characters in the novel â€Å"Montana 1948† all displayed choices which made up the basis of the story.

Christian Music and Chris Tomlin

I would gather to say that when asked if they would rather listen to Christian or non-Christian music that the general population would choose the latter. Christian music is looked upon as having a dry and bland type of style, one that lulls you to sleep rather than the adrenaline pumping and soul shaking music that you get from most alternative bands. A problem that Christian music artists seem to have is trying to gather popularity for their product. Unlike the MTV bands, where sex sells, the Christian band keeps close to its values of clean wholesome music that glorifies God. Unfortunately the general population hardly shares these same views, and attendance for concerts and record sells are always down. Up until a few days ago I was under the category of non-Christian music over Christian, and was like everyone else thinking that no way could Christian artists stand up to those who were not. I have since seen that these thoughts could not have been farther from the truth. Artists like Chris Tomlin and his band not only bring to you the rhythm, beat, and noise that has come to be generally expected at rock concerts, but his type of â€Å"soul shaking† goes much deeper than others and keeps you in tuned with the Lord the entire time. So this brings about the questions, â€Å"What type of style do artists like Chris Tomlin bring to their concerts that intensifies the general perception of Christian music? † â€Å"Where does Christian concerts have benefits over non-Christian? † I was lucky enough to attend a Christ Tomlin concert this past weekend. Needless to say the experience blew me away along with my perception of Christian music. The atmosphere was just incredible the entire time I was there; such a sense of unity and friendship for one common goal seemed to permeate the room. The concert itself took place in the Nokia Center in Los Colinas, Texas, and there was not any empty seat in the room. Everyone there was with a common goal, to praise Jesus with song, and strengthen his or her relationship with Jesus. One thing I found interesting about this concert was that Chris included a guest speaker. This is something you will definitely not see at any other concert. Louie Giglio was the speaker's name, and after and hour of singing he provided a nice change of gears with a powerful message talking about how big God is and how small we are along with our problems. Using the songs just sang, he pounded in a teaching that brought about a whole new meaning to those lyrics. There was a silence that filled that room unlike any I had ever heard before. People were sitting concentrating on the message that had just been delivered to them and trying to understand its meaning and how it applied to their life. You would never hear any type of silence at a non-Christian concert, or be privileged to listen to a guest speaker. Most of the time it's seeing how much beer you can drink, or weed you can smoke and maybe listening to some music every now and then. Never is your attention focused solely on the stage following every word spoken or sung. Even with a room full of people the atmosphere at a Christian concert allows you in your mind to be by yourself with God. The quality of the music and sound was comparable to any rock concert that I had been to, helping erase my prejudice towards non-Christian music immediately. Chris had a tremendous voice, accompanied with his guitar and piano playing he was nothing short of astounding. He had a good group of guys playing alongside with him, all very inept in what they played. If the lyrics hadn't been praising Jesus you would have thought you had bought tickets to see Green Day. If the singing and instrument play wasn't enough, Chris did a great job of keeping the audience into it. He would have the entire crowd do certain things such as flip open their cell phones and hold them up while swaying back and forth. 10,000 people's cell phone lights were swaying back and forth creating and awesome spectacle and a sense of bonding time with God and each other. While singing was going on, pictures would be flashed up on the screen showing nature's beauty and Jesus on the cross. This reminded people of God's creation and the sacrifice that Jesus suffered for us. The clapping almost never stopped as people started to really get into the concert. Others were moving down to the front of the stage and were jumping up and down with the rhythm of the song. Not just teenagers, I'm talking about full grown men and women some in their mid-thirties to forties, jumping and yelling like it was some mosh pit at Ozfest. Instead of screaming profanities though these people were praising God. This type of celebration seemed to carry on for another hour or so, just singing and dancing, all for the glory of God. You could tell then that things were starting to wind down as Chris played a couple slow songs in succession, and people started moving back to their seats. They ended with the song â€Å"Indescribable† and towards the end of the song the stage went completely black and you couldn't hear Chris sing any more only the crowd. When the song had finished the lights came back on and the band was gone. This gesture struck me the most. When do you ever see a band walk off without saying anything, or acknowledging the applause by the audience? It was because it was important to them. All the glory is given to God there. God is the one that makes that concert possible and they made sure that He was the one glorified, not them. I asked my friend that I had went with, if this was the best Christian concert he had been to. He responded with, â€Å"Best? They are all like this. † It is just not Chris Tomlin that runs his concert like that; many other Christian artists share these same views. Though others still claim that Christianity a cult and that its music is just promoting a singular view. Whatever the reason, Christianity must be applauded for the giant leaps it has taken in the music industry and the quality of its songs. Musicians like Chris Tomlin must continue to be a beacon as a quality performer and God-fearing man to those seeking success as Christian music artists.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Night Analysis Sample

Go Gentle Into That Good Night,† emphasizes that death should not be accepted; It should be fought with rage and anger through his Incorporation of Intense word choice, figurative language, and dark imagery. Thomas' incorporation of lugubrious language illustrates that death should not be accepted. Repeating words such as â€Å"rage,† â€Å"dying,† and â€Å"night,† the reader is emotionally drawn to the perils associated with death. Where each word appears, the plea Is to not succumb or fall easily Into death, do not move away from the light and fall Into the night.Through these powerful and Intense words. He reader completely understands that fighting death is not just an option but a necessity. He promotes this idea with the words â€Å"burn,† â€Å"grieve,† and â€Å"blind. † When a soul accepts death, he becomes blind, the soul will burn, and those left behind will grieve. Through these actions, the reader understands that not figh ting death leads to peril for more than just the life which has been lost-the family is left to mourn and anguish over the validity of the life which Just easily gives way to the darkness.The author's utilization of metaphors further perpetuates the need to fight the letches of death. Through â€Å"wise men† and â€Å"good men† the emphasis is placed on the ideals that each comparison renders. The educators, philosophers, professors and educated represent the logic associated with dying. These men depict that death Is unavoidable and an Inevitable and logical occurrence. With death, one should understand that It will occur and that nothing more needs to be considered. No emotions should be unveiled in the midst of dying because it is simply what is supposed to happen.However, Thomas insists that even the mean of intelligence, in he grip and clutch of death, will react emotionally and will fight at will to overcome what they declare illustrating the hypocrisy behind the ir teachings and the logic behind not accepting death. In addition, the author's use of the metaphor â€Å"good men† drives home his continual assertion of â€Å"rag[long]† against the â€Å"night. † These mere stepping stone into a better place, Heaven. One does not really die. The soul just moves onto where it should be, and with this ideology and promotion of faith, death should not be seen as the end, Just the beginning.In contrast to what is reached, Thomas distinguishes that at the time of the impending peril and release of the soul to this sanctuary, the men of faith fight and cling onto breathing and remaining alive. The author's point of these comparisons is to validate that one must not fall prey to the words of logic or the words of faith because each emphasizes by action that living is worth the fight and until the last breath is drawn, one must â€Å"rage, rage against the dying of the light. † Through fierce tactile imagery, the author insis ts that one must assert the need to live.Upon the â€Å"dying of the light,† one's desire to remain alive must â€Å"burn and rave at the close of day. † To go willing, even at â€Å"old age† is not an option. He propagates that the will must be ignited and the fire within must fume and fight against the extinguishing of the light. The reader feels the urgency of keeping the light burning and not allowing the day to end. The need is intense and immediate. Thomas further clarifies this position with the images achieved through â€Å"curse† and â€Å"bless† with â€Å"fierce tears. † The passion is felt; the anger is achieved; the fight is exalted.The reader is pulled into Thomas' feelings, his anger, and his desire for his own father to reach beyond the limitations of death and fight back. With this fight, the gift is granted and death can no longer achieve the â€Å"dying of the light. † Through Thomas' style, readers are moved to und erstand that death is not something which should Just be accepted-it should be fought with fierce and intense force. Although inevitable, the grip of death can sometimes be avoided if one is willing to â€Å"rage† against it, hold onto the ideas of tomorrow, and insist that the day not end.

Waterhouse Friderichsen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Waterhouse Friderichsen - Essay Example To have a clear description of Waterhouse Friderichsen, a hypothetical client scenario will be used. Other than concentrating on the primary organ affected by Waterhouse Friderichsen, other organs affected by the same will also be discussed. The final section under this medical condition will focus on impacts of healthcare and nursing. The hypothetical case study will be of a 35 year old female patient who was found with signs and symptoms associated with Waterhouse Friderichsen. Majority of cases have been reported in children, but the increased rate of meningococcal infections have led to high incidences of Waterhouse Friderichsen in adults. In many cases, patients with Waterhouse Friderichsen die within 24hrs, but a few have managed to survive beyond 48hrs. Cases of full recovery have also been reported in some regions. This fact proves that the syndrome is not fatal when early diagnosis is made. Worldwide incidences of Waterhouse Friderichsen syndrome are not many, although cases of the condition go unnoticed in many instances (Manchanda et al, 2008). Case Analysis This is a hypothetical case of a 35 year old female patient who got admitted after showing signs of high grade fever accompanied by chills and vomiting over a period of 7days. The patient also had a skin rash on the abdomen and trunk, which appeared on the 5th day of infection. Following admission, the patient developed a hemorrhagic rash. On assessing the family history, there was no any significant information to associate the infection with family history. Medical examination revealed that the patient was unstable, and there was the presence of cyanosis. The patient was febrile with a pulse rate of 90/min and a systolic BP of 70mmHg. Neurological examination revealed positive signs of Kerning and Brudzinski. There were rashes all over the body but predominated on the abdomen and trunk. Collection of CSF was done under aseptic conditions and its processing done under standard bacteriological pr ocedures. Microscopy on CSF was done routinely, and a cell count of 9400/mm3 was reported. Of the total cell count, 86% were polymorphs while 14% were lymphocytes. An increase in CSF proteins to 309mg%, and a decrease in glucose to 20mg% were reported. A Gram stain preparation of the CSF revealed pus cells accompanied with gram-negative diplococcus. CSF cultures were done on MacConkey agar, chocolate agar, and blood agar and incubated overnight. After overnight incubation, there were tiny translucent colonies on blood agar and chocolate agar. Standard bacteriological procedures identified the tinny translucent colonies to be those of Neisseria meningitides. A CT scan conducted on the patient confirmed adrenal hemorrhage, which is present in Waterhouse Friderrichsen syndrome. Antibiotic sensitivity using 5 antibiotics showed no resistance to any of the antibiotics under examination. Antibiotics under examination were sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, trimethoprim, and p enicillin. The patient was put on ceftriaxone and steroids but went into a shock. On the third day of admission, water Friderichsen syndrome was reported as the cause of death. Discussion Waterhouse Friderichsen syndrome was reported first in 1911 by Rubert Waterhouse. This syndrome is caused by failure of the adrenal gland due to massive bleeding into the gland. The cause of bleeding is a bacterial infection, most common bacteria being meningococcus Neisseria meningitides. This medical condition presentswith rash, fever, coagulopathy, rash, and shock. During the course of its development, multiple organs are affected, leading to multiple system failure. One significant sign in Waterhouse

Botox injection for cometic use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Botox injection for cometic use - Essay Example Botulinum toxin,popularly known by its trade name Botox, is a protein and neurotoxin developed by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.Botox is used for several medical as well as cosmetic procedures. Today, Botox injection that consists of a small dose of botulinum toxin is used for a variety of cosmetic applications. Botox injection is widely used to paralyze facial muscles for the purpose of preventing the development of wrinkles According to a report published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Botox based cosmetic operation was most common in the US with 4.6 million procedures as of 2007 (Botox, n. d.). Although side effects of the Botox injection’s many cosmetic applications are still debated, the use of Botox injection for cosmetic purposes has been increasing steadily. This paper will explore the potentiality of the Botox injection in cosmetic applications using the Porter’s Five Forces Model concept. Five forces Forces driving service area competition Conclusion Intensity of rivalry Allergan Inc and Medicis are the two main companies involved in the distribution of Botox in the US. Botox injections are sold across the world despite geographic differences or medical culture. Data indicate that Botox injection was used in nearly 4.6 cosmetic operation procedures in the US as of 2007. The same trend can be seen through the global nations, particularly developed nations. Over the last few years, a growing beauty conscious culture in the Europe assisted the Botox market to achieve tremendous growth rate despite the worse effects of the sovereign debt crisis. It is interesting to note that the Botox achieved a fabulous growth rate when many other leading drugs and pharmaceutical products failed to even maintain their growth levels. Market experts anticipate that Botox sales would continue to grow because of the product’s rapid effects and growing concerns over appearance. Online market for Botox has also been performing well ove r the last few years. Since it is very easy to purchase Botox products from any parts of the globe using internet, today Botox manufactures focus more on the online sector. In the United Kingdom (as cited in Qureshi, 2009), Botox clinics generally charge from ?110 to ?400 an injection. For beauty conscious Europeans, it is not a huge price. Hence, the sales (both physical and online) of Botox injections are likely to grow over the coming years unless there is no effective alternative developed. High While analyzing the Botox market worldwide, it is obvious that competition in the Botox market continues to grow despite the recent global economic slowdown. Rivalry is likely to remain intense in the Botox market as there is no effective alternative to Botox injection yet. Threat of new entrants Although Botox injections are very well known for their cosmetic uses, only a few of the cosmetic applications of the Botox have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is still researching short term as well as long term side effects of Botox injection’s cosmetic use. The two major Botox distributors in US, Allergan Inc. and Medicis have been constantly in the new as a result of their involvement with Botox products. In 2008, Botox users filed a lawsuit against the Allergan Inc. arguing that the organization had not properly communicated the dangers of Botox injections to users. The lawsuit mainly resulted from a woman’s death as a result of use of Botox for cosmetic reasons. Subsequently, public interest group including Public Citizen complained against the Botox products for their life threatening complications. As a result, FDA required the Botox distributors to issue black box warning (it is the strongest safety measure taken by the FDA) for all Botox products. Hence, these legal complexities associated with Botox injection distribution would persuade new marketers not to enter this business field. Similarly,

With reference to your own research, do you think that the ability of Essay - 2

With reference to your own research, do you think that the ability of a business to act successfully in a socially responsible manner is mainly determined by the products it produces - Essay Example e the growing significance of Corporate Social Responsibility and issues of sustainability for consumers, a study by Reputation Institute (2014) indicated that about 60% of consumer perceptions othe companys reputationon determine the consumers’ willingness to work for, invest, or recommend a company while 40% is due to the consumers’ perception of the product or services sold by that company. For this study, the major considerations are the main benefits of CSR in relation to costs for the business; the significance of CSR in relation to other objectives; the major determinants of responsibilities that are accepted by a business and those that are not; the factors that determine the extent to which business is socially responsible, and the extent of government influence on CSR,. At Microsoft, there is a continuing commitment to work to fulfil public responsibilities and to serve the needs of people in communities worldwide. However, for Microsoft, the fundamental obligation is the role Microsoft serves as an accountable universal corporate citizen (Smith, 2012). In addition, Microsoft earned the best CSR reputation through initiatives such as Citizenship Leads throughout the world working every day in collaboration to with a huge stakeholder’s base and with regards to numerous issues crucial to local communities. Microsoft Green is also another CSR initiative aimed at emphasizing Microsoft’s Environmental Sustainability Team. In order to implement its CSR initiatives, Microsoft works with investors, non-profits, governments, and other organizations, including the Boston College Center, CSR Europe, Net Impact, World Economic Forum, and Clinton Global Initiative. For more than 51% of Google consumers across the 15 universal markets, working at Google is great (Smith, 2013). With such perceptions, Google has managed to successfully establish a caring perception around the world to ensure that they are a company that not only treats people well, but one that

Culturally competent service Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culturally competent service - Term Paper Example Most often, patients hesitate to visit a doctor because of economic reason, fear from intimidation of their held health beliefs, values, and culture, distance from the clinic, and language barrier. This scenario challenges the health care system in particular on the role of nurses and doctors who act as the front liners in the delivery of care. Cultural competence had been introduced within the health care system years ago however its core concept seems to be elusive among the health care workers. Reason might be their inadequacy of exposure to the minority groups who are in most cases cannot avail of decent health care. Cultural competence is defined based on the concept of the health belief model, Purnell, and multicultural models. The health belief model postulates that health behavior depends on the influence of the patient’s perception on the seriousness of their health problems. With this, purnell model proposes that nurses must consider the health and disease perception of the patient to adapt care that is in congruent with their culture. The multicultural understanding model also suggests that nurses must possess a greater understanding, appreciation, and sensitivity of the patient’s values, beliefs and culture because they all play a critical role in the delivery of a culturally competent service. Along this line, defining cultural competence is the ability of the nurse to acquire the right attitude, knowledge, and skills necessary to provide a meaningful and quality health care to diverse population. Presentation of Literature Review Health disparities are observable in almost all illnesses among minorities in the United States surrounding the delivery of healthcare. However, it is most pronounced in chronic diseases like cancer. Cervical and breast cancers are among the diseases afflicting the minority groups in this country. Although these diseases are preventable, incidences of cervical cancer among African American women seems to roc k their population with a percentage of 12. 4 per 100,000 which is slightly lower with that of the Hispanic American population (www.cureresearch.com). The reason for this trend points to a disparity in detection of the illness and access to treatment. Although, measures to detect the disease early are available in almost all group of population in the United States, it could hardly be accessed by minority groups who are economically disadvantaged. The failure to seek for Pap test is indicated as the factor for the development of cervical cancer among African American women living in poor areas of the State. It was found out that more than 50% African American women did not have Pap smear for 3 years before they are diagnosed to have cervical cancer. When they are diagnosed, it is already in the advance stage thus having higher mortality rate than white Americans (Hicks et al, 2006). The study of Coker and group (2008) reveals almost similar findings where they also explained in the ir study that black Americans are diagnosed when their illness is in stage 3 or 4 where treatment could be difficult and at times hopeless. Coker and group further presented that black American women who receive treatment includes cheaper chemotherapy and radiation and is less likely to undergo surgery than their white counterparts. This is despite in

Business planning --Bakery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Business planning --Bakery - Essay Example Marketing strategies and financial plans are also a part of this report. Forecast of profit and loss account, cash flows and balance sheet for three years is also provided in this report. Johnson Bakers is planning to start new business in London. There are two partners named Michael Johnson and Peter Johnson. Michael Johnson is expert in marketing the products and Peter has expertise in operational activities. They both decided to start new business with equal investment and with a profit sharing ratio of 1:1. The aim of the business is to provide bakery products and services overall London. It is the priority of the company to provide fresh and high quality to its customers. New business needs to promote its product in market as it is planning to manufacture bakery products that are available to all. Initially, the company is planning to introduce some of its key products like cakes, biscuits, coffee and bread. As this is a private partnership of two individuals, it is difficult to control the operations of the business. Peter is allowed to control the accounts and other operational activities of business. Mr. Michael will start its work from the beginning and will continue to work till the achievements of the objectives. Following are the objectives of the company: UK market is effective for providing hot beverages to the customers. The weather of the country remains cold over the year so the products are widely used in the country. London is a metropolitan city and the lovers of coffee are mostly available there. There are many bakery products available in the market that attracts the public of London. Variety of products is available in the market but Brand recognition proves to be vital for this type of business. It is necessary o analyse the market of UK so that strategies could be made to survive in the competitive market where there are large number of suppliers of the products. Marketing and

Logistics and Transport Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Logistics and Transport - Coursework Example AIM wants to extend the brand loyalty to the EU by investing in future EU transportation projects. AIM requests a report showing what it would take to enter the EU transportation market and extend its brand into the global market place. What follows is a research report. This report will address possible questions, issues, or ideas that AIM will need to address to enter the global marketplace (primarily the EU). Entering the global marketplace requires knowledge of laws, rules, and permits required (to name a few) to function effectively in the foreign market. AIMS investment in the EU transportation network will require research into what is required to make such an investment legally in the EU. This report will address such issues as what is a sound investment in the EU, oversight of investments, and funds required to invest in the chosen market. This report will provide the client with adequate information to make a decision about entry into this market. The purpose of desk research is to provide a foundation for building a qualitative and quantitative research project. Much needs to be done as far as information gathering is concerned. A study of the market sector that AIM desires to enter is required before any investing is done. Desk research helps define the parameters of the project. 2.2 PROCEDURES Research at this level will include a study of the transport industry sector in the European Union and provide answers to questions AIM requests. 2.3.1 RESULTS: Examination of the European Union Transport Industry. Currently the European Union has a transport network that is in a major growth stage. The European Union's transport network is quite possibly in a pattern of growth and development that is unsustainable. Problems that the European Union is facing are directly related to the transport networks usage level. Pollution, high traffic, congestion, and constant growth strain the transport system. Fuel usage is up because congestion slows traffic and causes higher levels of fuel needed to get from point A to point B. Road Freight has increased substantially since barriers to trade were removed. Currently road haulage carries "44% of all goods

Presentation notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presentation notes - Essay Example In the cost method, depreciation is charged in the income statement against income as an expense, and the value of the asset after deducting depreciation is carried to the balance sheet. In the revaluation method, any increase in future value of the asset, is recorded in the balance sheet and is recognized directly in equity under the head revaluation surplus. If the future value of an asset decreases then the decrease is recorded in the income statement as an expense item. Accounting for the revaluation method is beneficial if the future value of the assets increase since the inclusion of revaluation surplus will increase revaluation reserve, which will increase the value of equity of a company. But if the future value is on the verge of decrease it is better to consider the cost method instead of the revaluation method for the purpose valuation of assets on a long-term basis. The reason to this can be explained with the help of a small example given below- Question: A building was purchased by a company on 1st January 2009 at a cost of $100million. The company estimates the life-time of the asset to be 50years, and thus the asset is to be depreciated over 50years. The company decides to use the revaluation for determining the value of the buildings at the end of 2015. The value of the building at the end of 31st December 2015 was $80 million, as determined by an efficient valuer. Answer: Using the revaluation method as opted by the company- Value of the building on 1st January 2009= $100million Value of the building on 31st December 2015= $80million Therefore, Accumulated Depreciation= $20million ($100million-$80million). Thus the value at which the asset is to be carried in the balance sheet on 31st December 2015 is $80million. If the company had opted for the cost method of depreciation, then- Value of the building on 1st January 2009= $100million Life of the asset= 50years Therefore, Accumulated depreciation at the end of 6years on 31st December 2015= $100 million/50years * 6Years = $12million. Thus the value at which the asset is to be carried in the balance sheet on 31st December 2015 is $88million. Thus, from the above example it can be concluded that due to the use of revaluation method, a revaluation loss of $8million was suffered which is adjusted against the existing revaluation reserve of the company. It also led to the increase in the value of depreciation and decreased the value of the asset in the balance sheet. Increase in depreciation will affect the income adversely, as it will lead to a decrease of net income by $8million which will have a consequent effect on the balance sheet and will also impact the shareholders. Considering the above illustration, it is advisable to use the cost method to record the value of land and building of Rabbit Limited. Though revaluation method is considered to provide a more accurate record in terms of part replacement and depreciation, yet it is criticized on the grounds that the amount o f depreciation charged on a particular asset differs year to year though the asset provides the same benefits, which make the accounting system complex and time consuming, and sometimes it is said to have chances of manipulation. So as stated by the director of Rabbit ltd. that the prices of the value of real estate are on the verge of decreasing, so it will be better to use the

BUS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

BUS - Essay Example d direct communication between different ranks within the restaurant hierarchy, the staff was aware of restaurant’s vision, and everyone saw all the achievements and failures of colleagues. Nevertheless, the main weakness of this construct in the reality was that the personality of manager did not fit this role. In my case, these meetings turned to suffering. Every day, we were bored listening how the most experienced waiters discussed their achievements with manager, while the others we blamed for their mistakes. In addition, the vision of restaurant melted in the details our manager noticed. Thus, it is crucial to maintain fragile balance within the quality management not to destroy its effectiveness. This situation showed that quality management is not only about boring daily meetings. On the contrary, it is about the way the leader understands his mission in providing the highest quality services to customers. If he is incapable to comprehend it, quality management does not work

Fitness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fitness - Essay Example First, the body withstands or gets the ability to be against infections since an increase in the level of nutrients with a balanced diet and bad fats cut down raises the antioxidant level. This means that there will be an increase in the defense system of an individual against ravages of radicals that are free, and other infections (Libal, 2006). Secondly, individuals come in contact with some fatal infections and diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer will not be vulnerable to them. Eating better and keeping fit plays a massive role in ensuring that people live a longer healthy life. Regular exercises protect body organs and keep all the engines of the body in good shape and maintain their efficiency. By keeping fit, the heart is strengthened making it work more efficiently since the body ensures that it runs on a speed that is optimum which is provided by the nutrients got from a balanced diet (Woodman, 2012). The diet of the Middle East is under that of the Mediterranean, which incorporates cuisines and foods of those countries, which border the Mediterranean Sea. This has garnered fame for its salient role of keeping the body staving off diseases that are chronic and ensuring that it remains healthy. The Middle Eastern Diet gives emphasis to olive oil use, whole grains, fish, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Such a diet if followed keeps the people of this region as healthy as possible. This can be topped up with some exercises and simple gym. The diet if well adhered to keeps an individual healthy and enhances the performance of students in their daily activities and school work too. There can be a 50 to 70 percent reduction in chances of individuals’ vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases and other ailment that arise from lack of proper health and fitness when one follows the GCC and Middle East healthy diet (Woodman, 2012). An active lifestyle

Strategic Management Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Strategic Management Case Study - Essay Example Exploratory research is the research into an area that has not been studied and in which a researcher wants to expand initial ideas and a more alert research question. I will be using this method supporting the research with a sturdy literature review. I have mainly used secondary data from the previous researches, surveys and some contemporary issues to support the idea. The minor information services register and describe main documents for the reason of retrieval and documentation. Secondary literature such as subject bibliographies, citation indexes, library catalogues and databases analyses, describes and registers primary literature (mainly but not exclusively) in these bibliographical instruments . The central working processes of the secondary sources are analysis, storage and dissemination. In the model abstracting and indexing services, libraries, information centres, clearinghouses and data centres are considered secondary information services, but each with particular functions to perform . One of the foremost advantages of using secondary data is that it helps the researcher formulate and understand better the research problem, broadening at the same time the base for scientific conclusions to be drawn. Nevertheless, it should be taken under consideration that other researchers, organization or government departments for studies with different objectives and purposes collected the data; therefore, it might not be suitable for the current research . I will also use conclusive research design techniques.

Performance Management Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Performance Management Assignment - Essay Example number of studies hve suggested tht, provided the design nd implementtion of PM re pproprite, it hs the potentil to ffect employee ttitudes in wy tht mkes significnt nd positive contribution to compny performnce. Current pper pper provides criticl nlysis of orgniztionl system of performnce mngement bsing on the findings retrieved nd mterils vilble. I first provide theoreticl overview of the term of performnce mngement, then reserch its ppliction to subsidiry compny, finlly comment on chnges of performnce mngement tht re supposedly needed to be implemented into orgniztionl ctivity. The expression "performnce mngement" ppered in the lte 1980s nd cn be regrded s n extension of "performnce pprisl"-- prctice used to evlute n individul employee's pst performnce. Tody, however, performnce pprisl is considered s one of severl key elements of PM, the others being the communiction of compny strtegy through individul objective setting, links to trining nd development plnning, nd possibly compenstion (Brlow, 2001:501). Despite the fct tht much of the reserch hs been performed within the U.S. context, little reserch hs been crried out on PM in interntionl settings nd even less so in MCMC subsidiries operting in diverse cultures. This derth of reserch mens tht we know little bout the effects of PM on job stisfction mong employees in MCMC where the mjority of the work force re of host-country ntionlity, nd where the host-country's culture my differ substntilly from tht of the MCMC's home country. Moreover, our limited knowledge of the impct of PM on job stisfction is indictive of the pucity of reserch concerning the ttitudes of host-country employees nd especilly of nonmngeril employees in MCMC. It is well known tht employees with negtive ttitudes re likely to perform poorly, cuse disruptions in opertions, nd eventully jeoprdize the vibility of the orgniztion. Furthermore, it hs been documented tht job stisfction is relted to turnover. s Mendonc nd Knungo (2004) hve noted, job stisfction nd turnover re incresing chllenges for MCMC operting in developing countries, whose lbor mrket lcks mngeril nd technicl tlent. Vrious spects of PM hve been studied in both the interntionl nd comprtive contexts. For instnce, scholrs hve ddressed such issues s the impct of ntionl culture on mngement by objectives, differences in mngement style nd performnce pprisl in the United Sttes, Indonesi, Thilnd, nd Mlysi (Zhu, Dowling, 1994:2), nd ntionl culture nd its impct on PM/performnce pprisl in Hong Kong, Tiwn, Singpore, Gret Britin, Jpn, Kore, the United Sttes, Mlysi, the Philippines, Indi, nd Chin. The mjority of these studies, especilly the ones with comprtive ttitudinl dt, hve provided evidence tht culturl differences influence elements of PM nd tht the trnsferbility of PM between countries cnnot be ssumed. However, little interntionl nd comprtive reserch hs exmined ctul effects of PM per se on host-country employees. Consequently, while we know tht MCMCs commonly dopt stndrdized PM policies nd prctices t both their home country nd in overses subsidiries, we do not know wht effect such stndrdized PM hs on host-country employees. The effects of PM hve received greter ttention in domestic settings, but even there the reserch is limited. Most studies hve commonly concentrted on

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Essay Example Although Twain’s story is largely focused on the world from the perspective of little boys, he also gives the reader various insights into the adult world which runs parallel to it. The theme of superstition and religion may be seen throughout the narrative. Tom’s religious opinions and superstitions are compatible with each other and reflect adult society’s religious hypocrisy. Tom’s religious beliefs are very superficial. He names â€Å"David and Goliath† as two disciples (Twain, Ch.IV).   As it is compulsory to memorize five verses, Tom â€Å"chose part of the Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter† (IV).   Sunday school is â€Å"a place that Tom hated with his whole heart (IV). Tom compares the boring church unfavorably with a circus, stating that â€Å"Church ain't shucks to a circus. There's things going on at a circus all the time† (VII). It is not his love of Scripture, but his love of glory , and his need to show-off in front of Bessie Thatcher, which leads him to barter his little knick-knacks for the colored tickets which earn him the prize of a Bible. Tom’s religious beliefs are compatible with superstitions. ... dead spirits, the only prayer Tom can manage is the bedtime â€Å"Now I lay me down to sleep.† When Injun Joe falsely accuse Muff Potter of murdering Dr. Robinson, Tom expects â€Å"God's lightening upon [Injun Joe's] head† as punishment† (XI). Tom and his friends say their prayers before sleeping on the pirate jaunt only because they fear â€Å"lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from heaven† (XIII). Tom’s religious beliefs are very alike superstitions. Tom’s life is filled with superstitions, which often dictate the course of his actions. An effective cure for warts ranges from â€Å"spunk-water† and charms, to split beans and blood. Of course, the efficacy of dead cats is the superstition which leads to the biggest of Tom’s adventures. Tom uses incantations to look for lost marbles. When the stairs creak at night, it is evidence that â€Å"spirits were abroad† (IX). An oath is to be sworn in blood for it to be binding. A dog howling is a sign of approaching death. Buried treasure is to be found under a tree when â€Å"the shadow of the limb falls at midnight, a guarded by a dead man† (XXV). Witches have no power in the daytime and Fridays are unlucky days. Here again, the boys meld religion and superstition. Old Mother Hopkins bewitches people by â€Å"saying the Lord's Prayer backards† (VI). The holiness of the Sabbath ensures that â€Å"Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't reckon† (VI). Finally, it is clear that Tom’s superstitions serve the main purpose of making life more interesting and banishing the boredom of daily routine. When Huck tires of life with the Widow Douglas, Tom prevents him from running away by promising adventures as part of his gang of â€Å"respectable† robbers. It is the anticipation of an initiation

Entrepreneural Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Entrepreneural - Research Paper Example ea explains to the management the effect that the idea will have on the organization and how to implement the idea in the existing procedures (Christiansen, 2000). The organization has a culture that upholds change that arises. Management has ensured that it has induced a positive culture that encourages employees to welcome any change that will have a positive impact towards the organization’s performance. On the other hand, leaders are the implementers of the change. They ensure that they lead the rest of the organization towards changes the organization. The organization has also ensured that it provides a serene environment for the innovators. This is through providing psychological and financial support to those who have an idea that may change the organizational performance. Employees also give human capital inform of giving ideas towards refining the idea for it to become more effective for the whole organization. This has played a major role in encouraging potential innovators to come up with diverse ideas that has seen an increased competitiveness of the organization (Christiansen, 2000). For the management to increase creativity and innovation in the organization, they must create a good relationship with their subordinates. Many of the innovative ideas come from the low ranked employees. As a result, leaders should adopt open office policy to encourage employees t consult them when need arises concerning the idea (Christiansen, 2000). Second, the organization leaders should set aside funds that will help those with ideas to purchase all the necessary materials required to spearhead the idea(s). Funds have been the greatest setback towards innovation therefore; availability of the funds will encourage employees to come up with ideas that will improve the organizations status (Christiansen, 2000). The management can encourage innovation through giving out incentives. In case an employee comes up with an innovative idea and it brings change in the

Meaning of life, Life Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life, Life Essay Suffering is an inevitable part of life. We all live in this big labyrinth of suffering. Th only way out of the labyrinth is death. † To live is to suffer, to survive to find meaning in the suffering. Few peopl e actually commit suicide to liberate themselves form suffering. Most people find meaning or purpo se for their life so that they have the motivation to live on. Some think that suffering make them wis er, some think that suffering is a test of faith, there will be rewards for them in the after life if they c an endure the suffering on earth. Some people couldnt understand but keep going on with their life for their loved ones. Some people keep themselves busy to dodge from the question. My view on this question is that suffering does not make life any more or any less meaningful. Beca use as an atheist, I believe that there is no God, the Universe does not have a divine plan for us. Tha t the existence of life is just purely a miraculous accident. When we die, we stop existing. The time we spend on Earth will not amount to anything in an afterlife in another dimension. Therefore, life i s inherently meaningless, with or without pain and suffering. Human are powerless in the face of m eaninglessness . The only way we can deal with life is to embrace the fact that there is no intrinsic va lue in life. We can only create our own meanings. One can create meaning of life with or without su ffering. But since suffering is an inseparable part of our life, it more or less give us insights on mean ing of life. Dr. Bernard Rieux can best exemplifies my point of view. When the plague got out of control and O ran was placed under quarantine, it didn’t stop the doctor form battling the plague, fighting the war t hat was doomed to fail. At this point, many would wonder what is meaning of of the doctor’s action s when they are all in vain. The answer can be found in a dialogue he shared with Tarrou. Tarrou asked the doctor why he was so committed to fighting the plague if he does not believe in G od. The doctor replied that whether or not God exist is irrelevant and he didn’t have the time to thin k about what waits him in the future and what will come out of his actions. The only thing he knew that there were sick people suffering and they needed to be cured. Even though he admitted that his struggles against death would only be temporary victories and that the plague was what he referred as an†endless struggle†, he said that this was not the reason to give up struggle. From the dialogue, we can see the doctor was aware of the intrinsic meaninglessness of his life, bec ause he said he wouldnt waste time to think about the existence of God and what his action will lea d to him. If he deemed his life has inherent meaning, he should have thought about the above questi ons. Thought he considered that his life is inherently meaningless, the plague gave me the meaning. The meaning lies in the other people. The doctor was fully aware that his attempts at lifting people out of misery is an impossible task as more and more people became infected and die. And there were no effective cure. Basically, his sitti ng around and doing nothing or wearing himself off to save the patients might just possibly lead to s ame outcome. However, the doctor did not stop his work in face of his powerlessness to alter the situation. Becaus e under this situation, he was left with only two choices, ignore it or act on it. There was no third op tion. The doctor chose the later one because he couldnt bear to see people suffer and doing nothing about it. It’s meaningless to battle the unwindable battle against the plague. It was not defeating the plague that gave meaning to the doctor. It was the people gave him meaning. It was his compassion for others that keep him going in times of suffering. From the case of Dr. Rieux and his battle against the plague, we can see similarities in the real worl d. The plague is like the amoral universe, and Dr. Rieux represents all the human beings. We are po werless in face of the meaningless of life, just as Dr. Rieux was powerless in face of the plague. But we do have a choice, we can create meanings for ourselves just as Dr. Rieux has learnt from sufferin g and found meanings in helping people. Winston Smith from 1974 1984 somewhat share some similarities with Dr. Rieux in terms of action upon the unchangeable, though he was not such a noble and heroic person as Dr. Rieux. In his case, the unchangeable was the Big Brother. Winston Smith lived in a state where every moves, every wo rds ands every thoughts he made were monitored by the Party. In the instance of living in an extrem e state where even having disloyal thought against the party is in violation of law. The meaning of li fe for Smith was not to start a revolution and topple the party, and change the system entirely. Thou gh Smith had thought about it and desired it to happen. Deep down he believed that it was impossibl e to achieve the goal and sooner or later he would be arrested by the Party. Nevertheless, he set out t o challenge the limits of the Party. He kept a diary which has† Down with the Big Brother† written o n it over and over again. He had an forbidden affair with Julia. Also he joined the Brotherhood whic h he believe is the enemy of the Party. I think the meaning for Smith did not lie in being the hero. What was important for him was to stay as human as possible. Through the rebellious acts against the Party in his own ways, he got to keep his spirit and his human side. That was the meaning he could find for himself. Despite the fact that he was completely compromised at last when he was brought into Room 101, where he was tortured to an extreme degree and indoctrinated to cure his â€Å"insaneness†. He was com pletely broke and dehumanised. His passionate hatred towards the Big Brother turned into absolute l oyalty and love. He should not be blamed for betraying Julia and not upholding what he believed in the first place in such extreme conditions. After all, he did try to rebel against the Big Brother even t hough deep down he knew he couldn’t do anything to overthrow the Big Brother. Dr. Rieux and Winston Smith resolved the question of meaning through their rebellious acts against the plague and the Big Brother. There are people who find suffering itself reveals the meaning of lif e. Father Paneloux is a good example to illustrate this point of view. In his first sermon addressing t he plague. He said that the plague was a punishment by God. That it was the result of the sin of all c itizens. He criticised the people for not attending church and repenting for their sins. Therefore the p lague was reminder of God’s power and the Oran residents should start to change their habits and st art to fear God again. Unlike Dr. Rieux, who is an atheist, Father Paneloux based his life and work on his christian faith. F rom a Christian point of view, everything happens on earth has purpose and fit into the grand plan o f God. Therefore, it was his job to make sense of the suffering of the plague so that he and the peopl e listening to him will be able to endure and continue to believe in God. From his interpretation of s uffering, the meaning of life for Father Panels was more easily understood than Dr. Rieux and Winst on Smith. The meaning of life was really simple, that is to serve and honour God in his will. Though he changes his view on suffering drastically after witnessing the death of an innocent child. He did not view suffering as a punishment anymore. He said that the reason why a innocent child sh ould suffer was not something that human would necessarily understand no matter how hard they tri ed. They just had to keep in mind that it was God’s will. One must keep his faith and God and find t he good in bad situation. In spite of a changing tone, the meaning for Father Paneloux remained the same- to serve God. To conclude, life itself is inherently meaningless. Not even religion can provide an universal answer to the meaning of life. There are no answers for that and never will be. Suffering does not make one’ s life meaningful. But through suffering one might find meanings in life and live a meaningful life. Wu Ngai Ching, Ivy 20189319 Grade: 21/25 ? 19/25 (due to 2-day late submission) Comments: ?Ivy – In terms of the main thesis of the essay, you’ve done a good job delineating your own atheist view on the meaning of life and drew 3 examples from the 2 works to discuss what m ight be the meaning of life for them. Your argumentation is quite right and your analysis of e ach of their reaciton and thoughts on this difficult question is right on. ?However, you simply â€Å"narrated† through the whole essay without really giving detailed or c oncrete evidences from the book. I wish you could provide some passages or quotes from se veral particular moments in the book to clearly illustrate your point. This is one of the ways t o demonstrate that you’ve actually done the reading, and that is also what we’ve been doing in class – making your point across by providing specific passages/instances in the book as c oncrete evidence. So please remember to do so for your final paper!

The poem Limbo Essay Example for Free

The poem Limbo Essay The poem Limbo is an extended metaphor for the parallel stories of the slaves journey alongside the limbo dance. Throughout the poem, lines and stanzas can be interpreted in many different ways due to the many meanings of the overall message. The title, Limbo itself has many different meanings. For example, the word stereotypically relates to the dance, made up by the slaves on board the ship in order to stay fit when attached to iron bars, in which the dancer has to go under the stick without touching it in order to stay in the game. The title also means a region on the border between Heaven and Hell, referring to the slaves journey on the ship as, in their eyes, India is Heaven and America is Hell, and they are in the middle of the two, journeying towards Hell. Alternatively, the word means a state of uncertainty or a state of imprisonment or confinement. The slaves were imprisoned on the ship with no means of escape, their future already mapped out in front of them. The poem is set out into 24 loose and rhythmic stanzas of varying lengths, giving the poem a beat as means to giving it backing music which the dance would involve. There are 7 repetitive choruses, making it seem more like a dance. These choruses are presented in italics to represent the echoing of the slaves replies to the guards. A lot of language devices have been applied in Limbo. The word stick is mentioned six times in the poem, and each way can be interpreted differently. In Limbo, the dance, dancers have to take turns going under the constantly lowering stick without touching it. If they touch the stick they face disqualification, running parallel to the fact that many slaves couldnt last the entire journey and were therefore thrown overboard in order to produce space. The stick also represents the whip with which the guards used to hit the innocent slaves with to get them in line. Lastly, this could mean the drumstick, which provides the beat and therefore atmosphere for the dance. Effectively, the poem is written in 1st person, as though Brathwaite was a slave and this is his own personal experience. This adds drama to the whole poem as it is presented as a first hand account and therefore more reliable. As a reader, it also makes us more vulnerable to succumb to this feeling of frustration at the way slaves were treated and what there thoughts and feelings were.

History Of The Nike As A Company

History Of The Nike As A Company Founded as an importer of Japanese shoes, NIKE, Inc. (Nike) has grown to be the worlds largest marketer of athletic footwear and apparel. In the United States, Nike products are sold through about 20,000 retail accounts; worldwide, the companys products are sold in about 110 countries. Both domestically and overseas Nike operates retail stores, including Nike Towns and factory outlets. Nearly all of the items are manufactured by independent contractors, primarily located overseas, with Nike involved in the design, development, and marketing. In addition to its wide range of core athletic shoes and apparel, the company also sells Nike and Bauer brand athletic equipment, Cole Haan brand dress and casual footwear, and the Sports Specialties line of headwear featuring licensing team logos. The company has relied on consistent innovation in the design of its products and heavy promotion to fuel its growth in both U.S. and foreign markets. The ubiquitous presence of the Nike brand and its Swoosh trademark led to a backlash against the company by the late 20th century, particularly in relation to allegations of low wages and poor working conditions at the companys Asian contract manufacturers. General Usage of PEST PEST is part of business environment, which consider by external environment. Political environment is the starting point, many other sources of macro-environmental forces. The result of political decision-making can often be seen as the governments economic policies and legislation. It is important to know is that the political and legislative environment related to the marketing of great significance, and may have a marketing strategy on the development are directly related. (Geoff Lancaster, 1993) Closely related to, and intertwined with, the political / legal environment is the economic environment. The marketing strategist must understand the variety of economic variables that will shape marketing plans. Factors such as rates of inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, industrial output, levels of disposable income and the balance of payments are just some of the factors of potentially major concern to marketing management because they, in turn, influence costs, prices and demand. Once again, not just domestic but international economic developments and trends must increasingly be considered. Consequently, marketing strategy needs to take account of the à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“ebb and flowà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ of economic factors in a global setting. (Geoff Lester, 1993) Changes and trends in the sociocultural environment present significant challenges to the strategic marketing planner. Peopleà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s basic beliefs, attitudes and values are shaped and conditioned by the society in which they grow up. Their general behaviour, including of course their purchasing behaviour, is profoundly influenced by societal and cultural norms. Core cultural and social values are firmly established within a society and are generally difficult to change. If and when they do change, they do so only slowly. In the short term, therefore, they should be treated as parameters within which marketing strategies need to be formulated. However, over a period of say 20 to 30 years, we can expect some social and cultural values to have changed dramatically. (Geoff Lester, 1993) Technology is a major environmental influence upon marketing strategy. This influence is manifested in a variety of ways. For example, developments and breakthroughs in technology are the basis for new products and sometimes new industries. Home computers, compact disc players, video recorders and instant cameras are just a few of the product which have emerged in recent years. Biotechnology, information technology and energy conservation are just a few of the new industries. (Geoff Lester, 1993) Benefit of PEST PEST use is very important. A company needed it to operate in a country.In a country where political instability makes the future of a company changes.The time when the political stability, a natural and smooth operation of the company, by a government tax will be relatively low. nike company has stores in the world, so different in every country has the political will of nike companys works. nike company is a foreign company must be delivered to import taxes, but if the political stability, the company naturally pay low taxes. Each country has different rules, for example, is still in Muslim countries can not have exposed any advertising, so the nike company must in each country in different ways to do publicity.When the countrys economic good times, can also help greatly improve the companys sales.But when the recession will certainly affect all of the companies and people. Nike economy will affect the company.When a countrys economic good time, companies can purchase a lot better than the economy can also help the company publicity. Nike items sold by the company are about to peoples needs, such as clothes, shoes and more. So a good national economy will affect the companys operations, such as a country needs more clothes, then the company will be shipping for the national needs. But if the recession when the nike company lowered the price so people will continue shopping to maintain the economy. Community is one of them will affect a companys future. When a company started, is that the people most in need of support. In an upper class society, people will spend money on things they need the body. But in a nasty society, people need only basic needs. Sell nike shoes company is based, in a society where everyone needs to wear shoes so the community will also affect the companys business. Different ages have different needs such as athletes need shoes so the company will make different models for the athletes shoes. If more young people to that country, the company will launch a variety of different comparison slippers or shoes and so on. Upper-class society needs are different, they need is more noble, so the company will look better shoes. In a traditional society, is not to be exposed toes, so the company will have different nike shoes available. When the nike companys needs to the needs of society will naturally open up. Technology on are important to every company, this wi ll affect the companys future direction. nike companys technology has always been unchallenged for all aspects of the shoe is its own unique design. nike shoes for each of the company have put a lot of human and material resources to enable people to wear more comfortable. Former shoe factory are artificial, and now the nike company not only uses the machine also uses computer technology to produce more product information better and better products out. nike shoe companies each have mentioned the spelling of the highest, so that people wear comfortable, so people are very reliable company works. PEST on the nike company has some influence. So good a company need to control these environmental factors. With these factors, nike company makes business better. For example, if the economy is good, political stability, higher living standards, technological progress, which will make the company a lot of room for improvement. 2) Organizational structure Organizational structure in each company will have not the same. It is used to solve a companys management, every stage has a different job, different departments have different methods of management. This is the reason for the organizational structure. Not the same as in the organizational structure of the organization of methods, such as a: tall organizational structures, Flat organisational structures, Functional structures, Product structures, Division sturctures, Customer structures and so on. These are used in the operation of companies of different sizes. Now I introduce the Tall organizational structures, the organization belongs to multi-layer structure, for example, a stage that only two to three of the men, while men have only every two to three subordinates. Many companies will use this structure, because the management is easy, less friction between colleagues, every department to do their own business. Although this is a tall structure, important decisions are often the highest authorities to the report, be carried out must also be approved. So this is what one of the disadvantages often are elongated because of the time to wait for high-level decisions, which will have missed the best time. Also, if you need some high -level consultation, the need to address the underlying lack of communication was found between them. Tall organizational structure When a technology developed at the competitive big tall organizational structure of society can no longer be used in a big company, so many companies have changed into flat organizational structure. The reason is simple, this structure is to multi-layer system . In this organization, a department can have at least seven subordinates, so this will make the efficiency faster and work faster. Because more people to manage, so the head of each layer must have enough experience, and it does not require any management decision should be the highest level to decide. When a large company need to expand the market, this structure can be easily controlled by hand. For example, in a branch where only one in charge to control. This company wants to know the natural turnover of each will be more convenient. In each charge under the leadership of the response can be directly subordinate level can also be spread to shorten the time, the efficiency faster. flat organizational structures can be deleg ate power to local manager. In a busy society, people need something faster and more convenient, so the separation of powers on by the competent body that will be more easy to get the customers heart. To make a decision quickly, the efficiency to better the people demand for higher. Conclusion Therefore, the rapid progress in this society that every company must accelerate the pace can not be left behind. tall organizational structure has already been replaced by flat organizational structure in large companies, only a small company can use. In many of the environmental factors in different markets require a different management structure. Organizational structure of is to allow a company to s operations more convenient.

Postoperative Pain Management Case Study

Postoperative Pain Management Case Study Introduction Postoperative pain management is the main issue in the case study of Josie Elliot, a 26 years old woman who had a surgery for internal fixation of fractured right wrist- the radius and scaphoid bones.Therefore, this assignment mainly describes the importance of pain management in post-operative care and also discusses the possible effects of unrelieved pain in the case of Josie Elliot. This writing further explains the process of making clinical judgement using the Tanners Model (2006) and discusses its application in the management of Josies postoperative pain management. This assignment also includes three progress notes to document the main clinical events that occurred in three different shifts while managing Josie’s pain. Importance of pain control in post-operative care and the potential effects of uncontrolled pain for Josie Elliot:(298 words) Managing postoperative pain is an essential component of the postoperative care for various reasons. According to Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (2013), effective management of post-surgery pain may reduce the incidence of postoperative morbidity and facilitate earlier discharge from hospital. Some other advantages of effective post-surgery pain control include an increased patient comfort and satisfaction, earlier mobilisation, few pulmonary and cardiac complications, a reduced risk of deep vein thrombosis, faster recovery with less possibility of the developing neuropathic pain and reduced cost of care (Ramsay 2000). Furthermore, the information-subjective and objective, collected during the post-surgery pain management also supports the plan of care using the evidence based nursing practice (Vaughn 2007). In contrast, unrelieved acute pain can prolong hospital stay,delay return to normal activity, lower satisfaction with care and give additional financial burden (Ritchey 2006). This can have long-lasting effects on physical, emotional, social and spiritual state of the person involved and his or her family and carers. In the case of Josie, who is right handed will need assistance with self-care. She may feel the loss of her autonomy and she may be worried if she can ever do soccer and swimming again. There are also some adverse physiological effects of uncontrolled pain. A patient could suffer from include tachycardia, hypertension, hyperventilation, decrease in alveolar ventilation, transition to chronic pain, poor wound healing, and insomnia (Shoar, Esmaeili Safari 2012). Unrelieved pain also causes stress( ) and in response to the stress, hormones-cortisol and glucagon are released. These hormones can lead to numerous problems including insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and postoperative complications (Dunwoody et al. 2008). In the case of Josie, who is a diabetic, the consequences of insulin resistance and hyperglycemia can not be overlooked because studies indicate that patients with poorly-controlled diabetes experience increased levels of postoperative pain and need higher doses of morphine to achieve optimal pain relief (Holt 2012). Tanners Clinical Judgement Model explains the way nurses make a clinical judgement. Noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting are the four pillars of clinical judgement. Noticing is the process of becoming conscious of the situation. Interpreting is making sense of what is noticed and selecting a course of action. Responding is the process of acting on the situation while beginning the first phase of reflecting on the action and the results of the action to allow for modifying the intervention. Reflecting includes both reflecting in action and reflecting on action, allowing the nurse to make sense of and learn from the experience (Tanner 2006). Clinical judgement is recommended when deciding on an intervention to manage postoperative pain being mindful of factors such as side effects, risk of adverse events and patients needs and preferences (Chen 2013).The management of postoperative pain by nurses includes assessment of pain and decision making in regards to the need and type of pain relief. Nurses, where allowed are also involved in prescribing analgesia for pain management (Chen 2013). Noticing Noticing is the skill that develops over time and is amalgamation of background knowledge, contextual knowledge, and knowing the patient. This synthesis creates expectations about what the nurse is likely to encounter in the patient situation. Background knowledge includes comprehensive knowledge of appropriate physiology and pathophysiology, pharmacology, psychology, standards of practice, and past experiences. Contextual information is very useful in promoting early recognition. Finally, knowing the patient and the patients typical pattern of behaviour allows the nurse to notice when something is happening. For example, if the nurse is caring for an elderly patient who has been alert and oriented but is now drowsy and responds unclearly to the questions, the change in the way the patient responds can alert the nurse to potential complications. In the case of Josie, after the surgery, all her observations-Blood Glucose Level, vital signs and neurovascular limb obs are returning to n ormal, however her pain is increasing. Her pain rating has increased from â€Å"no pain† at 1100 hours to â€Å"some discomfort in the wrist’† at 1600 hours. She complains of â€Å"heavy aches† at 1800 hours and rates the pain 6 out of 10 on pain scale. Interestingly, she was given IV morphine 10 mg at recovery at 1030 hours. Interpreting Interpreting may include analytical, intuitive, or narrative reasoning. The nurse makes a conclusion based on an initial grasp of the situation and continues to refine this understanding while gathering additional data, acting to remedy the problem, and watching the results of his or her actions. The process of interpretation may require further patient assessment and may lead to interventions that may or may not relieve the problem. The patients response to the interventions may trigger further noticing and assessment. For example, if the patient complains of chest pain and the nurse knows that the patient had heart surgery the previous day, the nurse may interpret the pain as postsurgical pain and medicate the patient for that while continuing to monitor for signs such as relief or non-relief of pain. In the case of Josie, the pain is localised to her wrist and it is increasing. An experienced nurse can interpret the reason for increasing pain as inappropriate dosing interval of an algesia because she has not been provided with any analgesia since she had IV morphine at 1030 hours at recovery. Responding The third process in clinical judgement is responding. Responding is based on the nurses interpretation of what was noticed as well as on planned assessments. The nurse determines a course of action and implements the plan while watching patient responses. As the situation becomes clear, the nurse will modify actions or reevaluate the situation if the desired results are not obtained. In the case of Josie, a prudent nurse should administer IV morphine 5 mg immediately after confirming that she has not been given any analgesia since 1030 hours. This will rapidly decrease her pain and make her comfortable. Then half an hour later the pain level should be reassessed. She should be given paracetamol 1gram 6 hourly and tramadol 100 mg 8 hourly until she does not complain of pain and swelling disappears. This approach of combining opioid and one or more drugs such as paracetamol and tramadol to relieve pain is called multimodal pain relief. This combination may improve pain relief and redu ce the side effects by reducing the need for opioids such as morphine (Mayo Clinic 2014). Reflecting The fourth process in clinical judgement is reflecting. Reflection occurs both during the action and afterwards. Reflection during the action is known as â€Å"reflection-in-action† and it helps nurses to evaluate the effectiveness of their nursing intervention by reading the response of the patient and improve the response in the moment. Reflection afterward is known as â€Å"reflection-on-action† and it gives the nurse an opportunity to think about how the outcomes could have been improved. This awareness prepares nurse to learn from his or her own experiences. Learning from the experience can then be integrated with the nurses background knowledge and be available for use in future situations. In the case of Josie, a prudent nurse will â€Å"reflect in action† by combining two or more analgesics and References Chen, Z 2013, Post-operative Pain Management: Nursing Interventions, systematic review, viewed 26 August 2014, . Shoar, S., Esmaeili, S. Safari, S. 2012, Pain Management After Surgery: A Brief Review, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, vol. 1, no.3, pp. 184-6 Dunwoody et al. 2008, Assessment, Physiological Monitoring, and Consequences of Inadequately Treated Acute Pain,Pain Management Nursing, vol. 9(1), pp. 11-21 Holt,P. 2012, Pre and post-operative needs of patients with diabetes,Nursing Standard, vol. 26, pp. 50-6 Mayo Clinic 2014, Pain medications after surgery, viewed 30 August 2014, http://www.mayoclinic.org/pain-medications/art-20046452> Ramsay, A.E 2000, ‘Acute postoperative pain management’,Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, vol.13, no.3, pp: 244–7. Ritchey, R. M. 2006, ‘Optimizing postoperative pain management’, Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, vol.73, no.1, pp. 72-6 Vaughn, F., Wichowski, H. Bosworth, G. 2007, ‘Does Preoperative anxiety level predict postoperative pain?’, AORN Journal, vol. 85, no. 3, pp. 589-90.

The positives and negatives of Mold

The positives and negatives of Mold When you hear the word mold, what comes to mind? Is it something green, fuzzy, and squishy? Do you immediately want to throw it away? Do you run screaming from the room or duck and hide? If you are a scientist, you will look more closely. You will look at mold in a different way, through different eyes. Mold is a whole new world to explore. It is important to understand what mold is, its harmful effects and its possible benefits. What is mold? In the American Heritage Dictionary, mold is any of various fungous growths often causing disintegration of organic matter. Molds are classified as part of the kingdom fungi (Ammirati, par. 6). They fall into the divisions Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Zygomycota (Ammirati, para. 6). Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter (USDA, par. 1). They are made up of multiple cells and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye (USDA, par. 2). Unlike other plants, mold has no chlorophyll, but rather it lives on food or decaying matter (Ammirati, par. 1). When mold appears on food, it can be greenish in color, or white and cotton-like in appearance. Mold has at least three parts which include the root threads, which invade the food it lives on; the stalk, which rises above the food, and the spores which form at the ends of the stalks which give the mold its color (USDA, par. 2). Mold develops from spores, which when they are dry, float through the air until they find suitable conditions to start the growth cycle again. (USDA, par. 8). When a mold spore lands on damp food, it swells and begins to grow by producing tiny hyphae (threads). The hyphae form a tangled mass called a mycelium, which in turn produces aerial pyphae called stolons. Rootlike structures known as rhizoids anchor stolons in the food (Ammirati, par. 3). This is what allows the mold to stay on the food. By the time the mold appears to the eye on the surface of food, it has already penetrated into the food. Therefore, most molds are threadlike spores (USDA, par. 1). Mold is found in virtually every environment. It is found inside and outside. It is found throughout the year (USDA, par. 7). Mold grows in warm humid conditions. Outside, these may be shady damp areas where leaves and other materials are decomposing (USDA, par. 7). Mold can also grow in refrigerators because they can tolerant sugars and salts better than most other food invaders (USDA par. 15). There are different kinds of molds including blue molds which grow on breads, green molds which grow on cheese and water molds which live in water and soil (Ammirati, par. 2). Mold does not need light to grow but each kind of mold needs certain materials for growth (Pascoe 7). Mold is the only plant that does not have roots, leaves, flowers, or seeds (Pascoe 7). How is mold harmful? It is probably not surprising to learn that mold is potentially harmful. However, it may surprise one to learn that mold has been linked to types of cancer. Molds can cause problems as common as allergic reactions and respiratory problems (USDA, par. 5). Some another diseases that mold can cause are athletes foot, and ringworm in people, and various blights in plants (Pascoe 7). Some more serious if not treated diseases that mold can cause are dangerous forms of pneumonia and it can infect the lungs (Pascoe 17). Mold sometimes contains a poisonous substance called mycotoxins that can make you sick (USDA, par. 5). Mycotoxins are found primarily in grain and nut crops (USDA, par. 10). They are also found in celery, grape juice, apples, and other produce (USDA, par. 10). According to one source, as much as twenty-five percent (25%) of the worlds food crops are affected by mycotoxins (USDA, par. 10). Some mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin, can cause cancer. Mold is not something to mess arou nd with. How is mold beneficial? Despite its ugly appearance and potentially hazardous effects, mold can offer some great benefits. First of all, mold can be beneficial to the gardener. Leaf mold greatly improves the structure and water-holding capacity of soil. It also creates the perfect conditions for the community of beneficial organisms that dwell in your soil (Galloway, par.1). Leaf mold can hold up to 500 times its own weight in water which helps plants to retain moisture during the summer or dry season (Galloway, par.8). In a recent study they found that garden soil amended with leaf mold had a twenty percent(20%) lower bulk density than soil to which leaf mold was not added (Galloway, par.9). It also fertilizes soil by breaking down the dead organisms and waste material (Ammirati, par. 5). In the early 1900s, scientists had began working to develop drugs that could destroy microbes, but the substances that came out where either ineffective or dangerous (Cupp, par. 29). However, one day Penicillin which is made from Penicillium mold was invented (Ammirati, par. 5). Penicillium mold is green-gray color (Pascoe 29). It was invented accidentally by Sir Alexander Fleming, a British bacteriologist, in 1928 (Dauben, par. 38). His laboratory was in London (Souza 49). He noticed one day that a bit of mold of the genus Penicillium had contaminated a laboratory dish containing bacteria. All the bacteria had been killed around the mold (Dauben, par. 38). Therefore, mold would ultimately be used for a variety of medical problems. Not until the end of World War II (1939-45) was there enough of penicillium available to treat large numbers of patients (Souza 50). Another thing that mold is good for is eating. People may think why and who would eat mold? Some molds are used to make certain kinds of cheese. For example: Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, and Stilton (USDA, par. 14). The most recent discover is the new mechanism in the reproductive cycle of certain species of mold. This mechanism protects the organism from genetic abnormalities by silencing unmatched genes during meiosis (sexual reproduction). It is to help target unwanted genes such as the HIV Virus, and other serious diseases (ScienceDaily, Par. 1). Another thing that molds are useful for is it plays an important and helpful role in the cycle of life. The molds help breakdown the dead plants and animal material then it returns useful nutrients to the soil (Pascoe 6). Aspergillus blown mold doesnt help save lives but it is often used to produce that citric acid that gives some candies and soft drinks a lemony flavor, as well as to make soy sauce and a Japanese alcoholic drink called sake (Alvin Silverstein, Virginia Silverstein, and Robert Silverstein 47-48). The study of mold is not for the weak stomach. The greenish color and resulting decay of the food does not make it a very appealing subject to most. However, learning about mold, what it is, how it can be harmful and how it is beneficial can be rewarding. Mold has an interesting way of finding foods different from most other plant life. They also have a strange way of traveling, basically catching a ride, on breezes and air currents. The most disturbing things about mold is how sick it can make someone, but we mustnt forget there are benefits that have been found using mold in research to treat some types serious diseases. However, as I learned from my research, mold has its good and bad characteristics.