Sunday, September 8, 2019

World Provety and Starvation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World Provety and Starvation - Essay Example An ethical judgment is difficult to make due to the fact that simple rules conflict. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist system as it regards an action as right as long as it benefits the whole society. According to UNICEF, 10 million children under 5 die each year due to poverty. Clearly, individuals tend to spend lavishly on themselves rather than investing these funds on someone that is malnourished and starved. Utilitarianism ethics argues that suffering, starvation and death from lack of food is detrimental. If one does not take any action to prevent this suffering without being shallow, then according to utilitarian ethics they are wrong. If one fails to donate to an agency and does not facilitate that process directly himself, they are ethically wrong and at fault. In addition, the concept of Golden Rule is embedded in the utilitarian ethics itself. If one understands the fact that the limit their lavish spending to bare minimum, they can drastically eliminate some of the pov erty in society. Consequently, Kantian ethics takes a different approach in this situation. Donating to a charitable organization often is considered a virtuous act.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Strategic Management and Business Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategic Management and Business Policy - Essay Example Then there are the consequential decisions which take up a lot of resources and thus demand high level commitment from the people at different levels within the organization. The last characteristic within the strategic decision understandings is that of directive decisions which set precedents for lesser decisions as well as the future actions that take place at varied levels of the organization (Hoffman, 2006). A strategic decision at my workplace has been in the form of an example that I can quote here. My boss once asked all the employees to think about the organization and cut back on late comings so that it could boost performance considerably. This was one consequential strategic decision that was taken by the boss so that the productivity could increase and thus the organization could achieve more success with the changing business times. The same were followed up by the employees and about 90% rate of success was achieved within that

Friday, September 6, 2019

Is Chocolate Good for You Essay Example for Free

Is Chocolate Good for You Essay [pic]A little of what you fancy does you good especially if it’s chocolate. Instead of feeling guilty for indulging, you can now feel virtuous, as chocolate is officially beneficial for health. And that’s just as well, as we Brits consume over 80 million chocolate eggs each Easter which works out at a staggering 9kg per person. Chocolate dates back to the time of the Aztecs when cocoa beans were so prized that they were used as currency during the reign of Montezuma. The Aztecs consumed chocolate in the form of a sweetened drink, which was believed to increase wisdom, boost energy levels and have a powerful aphrodisiac action. Modern forms of chocolate combine cocoa paste with cocoa butter, sugar and cream or milk, with a variety of additional flavourings such as vanilla, nuts and liqueurs that may improve the flavour, but may reduce its health value. We take a look at some of the pros and cons of eating chocolate this Easter The Pros: Antioxidant protection The reason chocolate gets the ‘thumbs up’ from researchers is because it contains large quantities of antioxidants chemicals that help to neutralise some of the harmful chemical reactions occurring as part of our metabolism and during exposure to pollutants. In essence, antioxidants stop us going rusty inside. Scientists have found that just 40g of chocolate contains more than 300mg of polyphenols the same type of antioxidants that give red wine its heart-protecting reputation. And if you like your chocolate dark, you will obtain twice as many polyphenols, similar amounts, in fact, as are found in a cup of green tea. What’s more, the polyphenols present in chocolate are of the super-protective variety known as procyanidin flavonoids. While some of these flavonoids contain just one unit and are classed as monomers, the most protective are those containing two, three or more units, known as oligomers. Yes, you’ve guessed it, chocolate is especially rich in the larger oligomers that can prevent harmful LDL-cholesterol from becoming oxidised and taken up into artery walls. Research recently published in the British Medical Journal suggested that a daily meal of seven ingredients, which included 100g dark chocolate (along with fish, fruit, vegetables, almonds, garlic and 150ml wine) could cut the risk of coronary heart disease by a massive 76%. The scientists predicted this could increase average life expectancy by six and a half years for men and five years for women. Surprisingly, olive oil was not included, as the researchers felt there was not enough solid evidence to support it as a single ingredient rather than as part of the Mediterranean diet. In contrast, they found clear evidence that eating 100g dark chocolate per day could reduce blood pressure by an average of 5.1/1.8mmHg, which is enough to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 21%. The feel-good factor Eating chocolate makes you feel good. It increases brain levels of several chemicals, including mood-altering PEA (phenylethylamine, related to amphetamine), which produces a mild, confidence-instilling buzz. Chocolate also contains tryptophan a chemical converted to serotonin in the brain to lift mood and increase euphoria and theobromine, a stimulant that peps you up. Chocolate is also virtually unique in that it melts in the mouth at body temperature, producing a silky, luscious sensation that adds to its appeal and, according to psychologists, is one of the main reasons why chocolate proves so addictive. Contains small amounts of caffeine The amount of caffeine contained in chocolate is around 10 times less than that in the average serving of coffee, tea or cola drinks. In fact, low intakes of caffeine can be beneficial, as they improve fat metabolism, exercise endurance, increase alertness and decrease the perception of effort and fatigue. The Cons: Expense Eating chocolate every day will undoubtedly increase your shopping bill. The BMJ researchers estimated it would cost ?3 per week, but that spending more for a premium brand of dark chocolate might be rewarded by improved quality of life. Calories Sadly, chocolate packs a lot of calories. Just 100g contains: Milk chocolate 520 kcals, dark chocolate 510 kcals and white chocolate 529 kcals. It does provide useful amounts of micronutrients, however. For example, 100g dark chocolate contains: 33mg calcium (compared with 220mg for milk chocolate), 89mg magnesium, 2.3mg iron, 0.7mg copper, 4mcg selenium and 1.4mgvitamin E. Glucose swings Sweetened chocolate contains lots of sugar, producing glucose swings which, as well as encouraging you to eat more, are increasingly linked with the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is another reason why dark chocolate, which contains the least sugar, is better for you than milk and white chocolate. Low carbohydrate chocolate containing sweeteners such as maltitol, which do not affect blood glucose levels, are also becoming more widely available. Mood swings Chocolate that contains a lot of sugar can also cause swings in levels of endorphins brain chemicals that affect mood. This can, in turn, produce mood swings as well as carbohydrate cravings, one reason why women with pre-menstrual syndrome often crave chocolate before a period, when their endorphin levels are low. Unfortunately, as with addictive drugs, brain receptors eventually become desensitised to the mood-lifting effect of chocolate, so you tend to need more and more to get the same endorphin-raising effects. Acne The myth that chocolate can cause acne is not supported by the evidence, which suggests the culprit is hormonal fluctuations rather than dietary components. Tooth decay The fermentable sugar present in chocolate has the potential to trigger tooth decay. However, the antioxidants in chocolate may help to offset the acid-producing potential to a certain extent, while the calcium, phosphate and other minerals present especially in milk chocolate may also reduce the harmful effects on teeth. Including chocolate in your diet All in all, it seems that, as part of a balanced diet, we might all benefit from eating 100g chocolate per day but make sure it is dark and expensive! †¢ Eat it after a meal when you are full and less likely to over-indulge. †¢ Eating chocolate after a meal means you can clean teeth and floss soon afterwards perhaps with a chocolate flavoured toothpaste to prolong the pleasure! †¢ Buy small-sized bars, not family-sized slabs. †¢ Eat with fresh fruit the renewed craze for chocolate fondues makes this simplicity itself. †¢ Let chocolate rest in your mouth for long enough to melt and coat your taste buds and the roof of your mouth to experience the full range of flavours and textures. †¢ Learn to savour the lingering memory of each bite before immediately devouring the next.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Causes of the Zika Virus Spread

Causes of the Zika Virus Spread A worldwide epidemic of the Zika virus has plagued the Pacific Islands, the Americas, and some African and Southeast Asiatic countries. Currently, Brazil holds the highest record of Zika virus-positive cases in Latin America which have devasted and terrified the nation. The World Health Organization (WHO), an organization of the United Nations (UN), has announced Zika virus infection as a newly arising disease to be managed and also a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)(Gulland, 2016). In general, Zika virus is a single-stranded RNA virus of the genus Flavivirus which is also related to other flaviviruses such as dengue virus, yellow fever virus, West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus (Lanciotti RS, 2008; Scaramozzino, Crance, Jouan, DeBriel, Stoll, Garin, (2001)). Clinical complications namely, the Guillain-Barre syndrome, congenital syndromes, miscarriages, and even death have been correlated with Zika virus infections. Zika virus is not a new virus. In fact, it has been discovered and documented more than 50 years ago. Only recently, it has gained unparalleled attention and has created such global alarm by the global health community.   The first human illness caused by Zika virus infection was first recorded in 1953 in Nigeria (MacNamara, 1954). By September 2015, investigators in Brazil saw an increase in the number of infants born with microcephaly which is one of the clinical complications linked with Zika virus infections. By mid-February 2016, over 4300 cases of microcephaly had been recorded (Victora, Schuler-Faccini, Matijasevich, Ribeiro, Pessoa, Barros, (2016)). The question that now reflects in peoples mind would be, what are the causes of the spread of Zika virus mosquitoes? There are many causes of the rapid dissemination of this virus, but the more major reasons are the carriers of the disease, the abundance of breeding ground, and climate change. Firstly, the main reason for the spread of this virus would most evidently be the mosquitoes infected with the Zika virus. Not all mosquitoes act as carriers but the predominant vector responsible for the spread is the yellow fever mosquito or in scientific terms, the Aedes aegypti mosquito which is also a primary vector for the transmission of dengue throughout the globe. According to Dasti, before the outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil, distribution of Aedes aegypti has been predicted across different continents. Based on the entomological data available, it is shown that high concentration of this species in Brazil might be the main contributor to the outbreak and also the rapid dissemination of Zika virus infection across the country (Kraemer, Sinka, Duda, Mylne, Shearer, Barker, Hendrickx (2015)). Fortunately, the Aedes aegypti mosquito does not tolerate colder climates and is currently limited to tropical and subtropical regions of the globe (Brown, Evans, Zheng, Obas, Barreraà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Martinez, Egizi, Powell, (2014)). There are also other potential species of Aedes mosquitoes which can also transmit the virus such as Aedes furcifer, Aedes metallicus, Aedes africanus, and Aedes hensillican. Another cause of the outbreak is the abundance of breeding grounds which plays a significant role in the reproduction and spread of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which are the primary carrier of the Zika virus. In the past 50 years, there was an explosion in the number of plastic containers which have created an abundance of ideal larval habitat for the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Residents in countries that has little awareness and education about the importance of hygiene and sanitation have taken their cities and towns for granted and have caused their community to be a perfect breeding ground for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Troncoso has identified several containers such as bottles, bottle caps, buckets, basins, empty tin cans, puddles, pots, barrels with water, containers on the roof to collect rainwater, tanker, used tires, and other artificial containers that can hold water (p. 522). Troncoso has also discovered common city areas with high concentrations of people such as bus stations, p arks, and schools are potential sites for mosquito breeding (p. 522). Breeding sites for Aedes mosquitoes can be found all around the house also. Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes lay eggs in water stored containers, which creates the opportunity for breeding. Furthermore, according to Alcides, cemeteries can also be considered as an excellent location for breeding of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Results of over 30 studies from the last decade related to mosquitoes in cemeteries have been published. In general, cemeteries are very suitable habitats for mosquitoes that thrive in artificial containers given the broad availability of sources they need. It is recommended that getting rid of unused containers and daily change water trough for animals and vases can reduce the risk of Zika infection (Ayorinde, Oboh, Otubanjo, Alimba, Odeigah, 2014). Any stagnant water could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and majority of them are caused by man (Kilpatrick Randolph, 2012; Vasilakis, Cardos a, Hanley, Holmes, Weaver, 2011). Besides that, climate change is a crucial factor that can worsen the spread of the Zika virus. The Zika epidemic further proves that climate change is beginning to affect human health. According to the United Nations (UN), the rise in temperatures enhances the breeding and transmission of the Zika virus. The worsening climate increases the frequency of natural disasters all around the world which can be more devasting to countries with a poorer infrastructure (Troncoso, 2016, p. 521). According to Troncoso, the transmission of infectious diseases such as dengue or Zika is sensitive to climatic situations (p. 521). The ever changing climatic environment which includes temperature, humidity, rainfall, and soil humidity can affect the viruses that are transferred by insects (Brady, Golding, Pigott, Kraemer, Messina, Reiner Jr, Hay, 2014). Warming of tropical and sub-tropical climates has improved the condition for Zika carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to breed. Climate change has ampl ified the health risks of the poorest people, who are vulnerable and in jeopardy from the significant increase in disease by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Human activities such as massive deforestation and dam construction have caused the extinction of natural predators and changed the biodiversity which has increased the risk of exposure to mosquitoes. Residents of countries which have tropical or sub-tropical climates and have difficult access to health care will suffer the most severe consequences (p. 522) of this disease (Johansson, M. A., Dominici, F., Glass, 2009). Consequently, as Troncoso (2016) confirms, climate changes is a potentially very important factor. that can bring new epidemics of Zika and even the risk of a pandemic worldwide (p. 521). In conclusion, evidence has shown that the outbreak of the Zika virus is the consequence and mistakes of our improper handling in the past, also with the current environmental factors. Unfortunately, the current generation has to suffer the adverse effects of the spread of this disease. Zika virus is a major global health problem that has already spread to different regions on Earth and is anticipated to spread more rapidly given the fact that the virus can be transmitted sexually and by mosquito bites. The global health community has a responsibility to research and develop a solution to solve this problem as we have little knowledge about the virus. For the meantime, people should take extreme precaution when traveling to countries which have significant cases of Zika virus infection. Carrying the disease back home would be the last thing you want to do.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

The Writing of Stephen King Essay -- Literature, Writers

Steven King has long been known as one of the greatest authors of all time. He has been labeled "the King of Horror" and won many awards including the Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, 6 Bram Stoker awards, 6 Horror Guild awards, 5 Locus Awards, 3 World Fantasy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004), the 1996 O. Henry award, a Hugo Award in 1982 for the non-fiction Danse Macabre. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 by the Horror Writers' Association and, controversially, a Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from the National Book Foundation in 2003. Upon giving the Medal to King the National Book Foundation said, But to every comment there is always a critc that has something negative to say, like Harold Bloom for instance who stated, Another critic, from norwaywrites.com, wrote in a similar sense talking about how Kings works are to the point of being unpublishable. He states, My senior Creative Writing professor in college, a National Book Award winning author, brought into us during a lecture on basic prose and readability a chapter excerpt from Stephen King's newest book at the time, Cell, and without telling us who wrote it asked us to read it and discuss. None of us had read the book yet, because apparently a college education is enough to scare people away from second rate penny stock fiction. We hated it. We marked it up, took it apart, rewrote it, and more or less declared it unpublishable before our professor informed us that it was in the New York Times Bestseller list and had already made more money than all of our college loans combined. He also states that his writings are atrocious and that "the Uncle Scrooge-esque money vault that he s... ...s he commits. This fact is only reinforced when Norton discovers Andy's bible in the safe. On the inside of the cover Andy writes, "Dear Warden, you were right. Salvation lay within. Andy Dufresne." As Norton opens the bible to the book of Exodus it is revealed that the bible had held Andy's rock hammer. The book of Exodus lends itself to Andy's own freeing of himself and the truth as Moses freed himself and the slaves. King implements a certain belief in a holy spirit so that it brings into the book that not necessarily everything is in our hands. By using this and the previously mentioned reference to blasphemies, King relates the story back to the reader. He shows that the main character is not someone out of the ordinary but a normal average person. This is what makes his horror novels scary and his other novels almost real, as mentioned in the opening paragraphs.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Who Voted For the Nazis? :: World War II History

Who Voted For the Nazis? 1. Review the evidence concerning who voted for the Nazis in the elections in Germany of 1928 to 1933. Consider the different groups in society and the reasons why they may, or may not, have voted for the Nazis. Since 1928 the Nazi leaders had deliberately directed their propaganda at rural and middle class/lower middle class audiences. This therefore made it obvious that they were very likely to vote for the Nazis. Also, it has been estimated that the party attracting new voters and persuading many people who had not previously participated in elections to support their cause won nearly half of the Nazi seats. Hitler had a lot of support from the conservative right who had dominated Germany politically since 1929. Hitler seemed to appeal to each class and sector within the electorate by making specific pledges to suit each group. The middle classes made up the largest single proportion of Nazi support. It is thought that the reason for this is something to do with the Great Depression. They felt that they would not be able to cope with a second economic crisis so they moved to the more radical fringe. By middle class I mean artisans, small retailers, peasant farmers, civil servants and teachers. The upper classes-landowners, businessmen and industrialists-saw that Hitler would protect them from trade unions and the threat of communism and socialism on the left. The unemployed, peasants and young people supported Hitler but the party was weak in the south and in industrial cities. 2. Read the extracts below, which are taken from a variety of historians' views. What are their answers? To what extent do they agree? The answers, which are given by these extracts, tend to be along the same line. All of them seem to agree that the Nazis were very successful in protestant rural and middle class Germany. They also agree that it was big businesses, the young and the well off that were most likely to be in favour of the NSDAP. However the point at which some of them disagree is to do with the workers. The question seems to remain-did the workers vote for the Nazis? On one hand it seems obvious that they didn't because of what the Nazis offered (it was aimed at the middle classes and above), but on the other hand it was said by J.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Anne Bradstreet: The Heretical Poet :: essays research papers fc

Anne Bradstreet: The Heretical Poet Greg Saxon The purpose of this research is to discuss heretical elements in the poetry of Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672). This is not to imply that Bradstreet was a heretic in the sense that American religious reformer Anne Hutchinson was. Hutchinson (1591-1643) emigrated to Boston in 1634 and preached a doctrine of salvation through intuitive apprehension of grace rather than by works, and attacked the rigid moral and legal codes of New England Puritanism. Anne Bradstreet accepted the tenets of Puritanism and was a very religious person. Anti-Puritan themes are, however, to be found in her poetry in terms of her religious doubts, her expression of personal emotions and thoughts, and her artistry. She did not write to preach or teach,, as Puritan writers were instructed to, but to express herself. It is this personal expression that forms the basis of the heretical elements in her poetry. To understand why personal expression may be considered heretical, the society in which Bradstreet lived and wrote must be examined in order to comprehend what kinds of human activities and behaviors were acceptable and how Bradstreet deviated from these behaviors. Bradstreet was not truly unorthodox in that she did not dissent from accepted beliefs and doctrine. She was a woman of the 17th Century and lived in a male dominated, intensely religious society. She lived within the limitations not only of the beliefs and standards of her society, but of her sex. A woman's place was definitely in the home in Colonial America. The experiences of women were considered narrow and trivial in comparison with men's. Puritanism was more than a religious belief; it was a way of life. "In the dozen years before 1640, some 15,000 Englishmen crossed the Atlantic in order to establish a 'Holy Commonwealth' in which that way of life could flourish"(Hall 1). The Puritans were a party in the Church of England that arose in Elizabeth's reign with the purpose of carrying out the Protestant reformation, and to base the Church of England on the foundation of the scriptures. Aside from a literal belief in the Bible, Puritans wholly accepted the doctrines of John Calvin and his stern legalistic theology. The Puritans held that religion should permeate every phase of living. The purpose of life was to do God's will; everything else was subordinate to this basic doctrine. The Colony set up by the English Puritans was essentially an experiment in Christian living. Religion and earning a living were the two priorities of the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In contrast to the Pilgrims, they were well-off and well-educated men, many of whom were professionals and