Purpose Of Human Life Essays - Theatre Of The Absurd, Free Essays

Purpose Of Human Life Essays - Theatre Of The Absurd, Free Essays Purpose Of Human Life The purpose of human life is an unanswerable question. It seems impossible to find an answer because we don't know where to begin looking or whom to ask. Existence, to us, seems to be something imposed upon us by an unknown force. There is no apparent meaning to it, and yet we suffer as a result of it. The world seems utterly chaotic. We therefore try to impose meaning on it through pattern and fabricated purposes to distract ourselves from the fact that our situation is hopelessly unfathomable. Waiting for Godot is a play that captures this feeling and view of the world, and characterizes it with archetypes that symbolize humanity and its behaviour when faced with this knowledge. According to the play, a human being's life is totally dependant on chance, and, by extension, time is meaningless; therefore, a human+s life is also meaningless, and the realization of this drives humans to rely on nebulous, outside forces, which may be real or not, for order and direction. The basic premise of the play is that chance is the underlying factor behind existence. Therefore human life is determined by chance. This is established very early on, when Vladimir mentions the parable of the two thieves from the Bible. One of the thieves was saved. It's a reasonable percentage (Beckett, 8). The idea of percentage is important because this represents how the fate of humanity is determined; it is random, and there is a percentage chance that a person will be saved or damned. Vladimir continues by citing the disconcordance of the Gospels on the story of the two thieves. And yet...how is it - this is not boring you I hope - how is it that of the four Evangelists only one speaks of a thief being saved. The four of them were there - or thereabouts - and only one speaks of a thief being saved (Beckett, 9). Beckett makes an important point with this example of how chance is woven into even the most sacred of texts that is supposed to hold ultimate truth for humanity. All four disciples of Chirst are supposed to have been present during his crucifixion and witnessed the two thieves, crucified with Jesus, being saved or damned depending on their treatment of him in these final hours. Of the four, only two report anything peculiar happening with the thieves. Of the two that report it, only one says that a thief was saved while the other says that both were damned. Thus, the percentages go from 100%, to 50%, to a 25% chance for salvation. This whole matter of percentages symbolizes how chance is the determining factor of existence, and Beckett used the Bible to prove this because that is the text that humanity has looked to for meaning for millenia. Even the Bible reduces human life to a matter of chance. On any given day there is a certain percent chance that one will be saved as opposed to damned, and that person is powerless to affect the decision. The fate of the thieves, one of whom was saved and the other damned according to the one of the four accounts that everybody believes, becomes as the play progresses a symbol of the condition of man in an unpredictable and arbitrary universe (Webb, 32). God, if he exists, contributes to the chaos by his silence. The very fact that God allows such an arbitrary system to continue makes him an accomplice. The French philosopher Pascal noted the arbitrariness of life and that the universe worked on the basis of percentages. He advocated using such arbitrariness to one's advantage, including believing in God because, if he doesn't exist, nobody would care in the end, but if he does, one was on the safe side all along, so one can't lose. It is the same reasoning that Vladimir uses in his remark quoted above, It's a reasonable percentage. But it is God's silence throughout all this that causes the real hopelessness, and this is what makes Waiting for Godot a tragedy amidst all the comical actions of its characters: the silent plea to God for meaning, for answers, which symbolizes the plea of all humanity, and God's silence in response. The recourse to bookkeeping by the philosopher [Pascal] no less than the clownish tramp shows how helpless we are with respect to God+s silence (Astro, 121). Either God does not exist, or he does not care. Whichever is the case, chance and arbitrariness determine human life in the absence of

[WATCH] Do you still need a college degree to be successful

[WATCH] Do you still need a college degree to be successful Many professionals are questioning the value of higher education, both in terms of obtaining a degree in the first place or going back to school for post-graduate work. Joe Short, founder and CEO of his eponymous brewing company, one of the most prominent in the Midwest, sat down with Daily Fuel to talk about his decision to leave college and follow his passion.Joe was asked if leaving his university studies prior to their completion was a difficult choice, and his immediate answer was â€Å"No, in fact it was easy.†Listen to Joe talk about why that was indeed the case, and how often in life experience can be the best teacher.Source: [DailyFuel]

Soc.#5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Soc.#5 - Essay Example They wanted the world to be a safe place to live in and every peace-loving nation had a right to live their own life, determine their own institutions and be assured of justice. For the sake of world peace the United States developed a Fourteen Point Program. These included granting independence to all the important European states. The US determined that how the other nations treat Russia in the coming months would be an acid test of their good will. It would also demonstrate to what extent Russia was needed by these European nations and whether they needed Russia’s sympathy at all. The Fourteen Point Plan also demanded that the invaded portions in every nation should be restored by Russia and that the United States would be partners with all such governments that fought against the imperialists. This made the Soviets become distrustful towards the United States. Another reason why the soviets developed distrust in the United States was when they refused to help Russia’s reconstruction after the war under the Lend-Lease Act of 1941. By the end of summer of 1945, after the WWII had ended, the United States knew that the Soviet economy was in a state of near collapse. The Soviets had lost 20 million soldiers during the war and another 20-30 million during Stalin’s decade of purge trials. Any number of factories and railroad tracks had been destroyed. Stalin had been able to fulfill his promise of industrialization during the Five Year Plan to his people but all that been achieved were now in a devastated condition. Because of all the destruction that had taken place in Russia, United States knew they were in a stronger position and when the Soviets approached the United States for the much-needed economic aid for recovery, they were denied this privilege. The Soviets’ request for a six billion dollar loan had already been denied. Under the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, earlier the United States had shipped

Business Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Environment - Assignment Example In addition, the current economic, political, social and environmental factors significantly determine the organizational structure as well as financial performance of businesses. In order to address the needs of all the supply chain partners including the producers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, employees and customers among others, companies have embarked on creating an environment that enables the participation of all the stakeholders. This paper keenly analyzes how the current economic situations have shaped the operations of Coca-Cola and Body Shop Companies in the local and international markets. Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola Company is an American based firm that is headquartered in Atlanta. Being the market leader in the soft drinks industry, Coca-Cola specializes in the production of wide range of non-alcoholic beverages. The company operates in more than 200 countries. In order to meet the demands of all its customers, Coca-Cola has wide range of products that include Coke, Nestea, Fanta, C2 Cola, Dasani water and Sprite among others. The purpose of Coca Cola is outlined in its mission that include creating customers value and making a difference, refreshing the world as well as generating moments of happiness and optimism in the contemporary world. In the same way, the company aims at involving its partners including the bottling companies in its global operations. Ownership of Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola is a public limited company. This means that for an individual to own a share of the company he or she should buy the company’s stock. In its effort to strengthen its capital base, Coca-Cola shares are quoted in various stock exchanges that include New York Stock Exchange, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston as well as Pacific (George 9). Responsibilities The responsibility of Coca-Cola is to instigate healthy living among its consumers and members of the public in general. In order to achieve its objectives, the company has undertaken various corporate social responsibilities including sponsoring of Olympic Games in Canada and Vancouver among other places. In addition, the company is focused at improving the environment through adoption of various initiatives such as the use of recyclable bottles and reduction of footprints within its premises and surrounding environment. Organizational structure In order to effectively serve its large number of customers, Coca-Cola has established various market segments which include Latin America Group, Far East and Middle Groups, North America Groups, Europe Groups, Minute Maid Company and the African Group (Aaker 26). The well experienced human resources under the leadership of Muhtar Kent, the company CEO has led to high sales and increased profitability in the international market. The corporate human resource is responsible for designing of procedures and policies that are followed by the company. On the other hand, the duty of local human resources department is to implement the various human resources systems that are put in place by the company. Shareholders and Shareholders objectives Being a limited company, Coca-Cola does not restrict members of the public from being its shareholder. As mentioned earlier, the company stocks are sold in various exchange ma rkets thus allowing high number of investors to be part of the company ownership. The main objective of the Coca-Cola shareholders is to attain high returns on their investments. Similarly, the shareholders aim at increasing their quarterly dividend. In order to meet the objectives of the shareholders, Coca-Cola uses the services of

Regulation of Muscle Hypertrophy Essay Example for Free

Regulation of Muscle Hypertrophy Essay Our skeletal muscles make up 40-50% of our total mass and are essential for all humans to move, breath, and stand up straight. For the first 20 years of our lives and for those physically active after our muscles are continually growing. Satellite cells are responsible for this growth in our skeletal muscle and are referred to as muscle stem cells. When skeletal muscle cells are traumatized due to physical trauma or disease the regeneration process includes three general processes, destruction, regeneration and remodeling. What regulates these three processes? How are they signaled to initiate the cell cycle and what nutrients and systems do they require to carry out the processes of regeneration and growth†? Muscle regeneration is a daily occurrence for almost animals. The complex systems involved in regenerating the organ system that makes up over 40% of our bodies need to communicate properly, understanding how this is done can open doors for recreational and medical opportunities. Main Point: Understanding the regulation of muscle hypertrophy requires an understanding of satellite cells (SC), the environment they reside in (niche) and the growth factors that stimulate and inhibit their activation. Sub Point: Satellite Cells lie in a specific niche that allows them to remain inactive until needed, residing between the sarcolemma and basal membrane of muscle cells (myofibrils). One side of the cell is attached to the basal membrane by two factors. First, the satellite cell has a layer of integrin alpha7beta1 which lies on the side where growth factors and inhibitors from the vasculature, autocrine and motor neuron systems can be received to signal an active or inactive state. Anchoring the satellite cell and its layer of integrin to the basal membrane are laminin, creating a selectively permeable membrane. On the opposite side where the satellite cell resides in a small recess on the myofibril, the satellite cell is attached to the sarcolemma by M-cadherine. On the myofibril side the satellite cell receives signals from the immune system and the myocyte nucleus. The location of SCs allows signals to be sent from multiple systems, such as Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which is secreted from the Extracellular Matrix (ECM). (Kralaki, Fili, Philippou Koutserilieris. 2009). Satellite cell structure is somewhat unique because for the most part of their existence in a healthy body they are quiescent or inactive. Because of their mostly dormant stages they have few organelles and an abundance of cytoplasm (Kralaki, Fili, Philippou Koutserilieris. 2009). Also noted is the higher concentration of satellite cells near neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) as well as a higher concentration near slow twitch muscle fibers compared to fast twitch fibers. The reason for these concentrations is currently unknown. Lastly, muscle cell concentration dramatically decreases after birth and decreases further through age. In mice it was shown that after birth satellite cells accounted for 30% of sublaminar muscle nuclei and at the age of 2 months that number has shrunk to less than 5%, showing that satellite cells play in important role in early generation of muscles and limbs (Kuang, Gillespie Rudnicki, 2012). Sub Point: Satellite Cells are activated by growth factors (MGFs) when muscles are damaged. There are many systems known and suspected of influencing SC activation and deactivation. Some include the vascular system, the immune system, the neuromuscular system, the autocrine system, and finally the myocyte nucleus. Most of the activation is influenced by the immune system after a muscle cell has been damaged. Once traumatized, Necrophils and Macrophages of the immune system migrate to the site of damage and phagocyte the damaged muscle cell material while releasing growth factors to activate quiescent SCs. At the same time the growth factors stored in the extra cellular matrix, vascular systems, and myocyte nuclei are also released after muscle injury. Examples of the growth factors released by all of these systems are HGF, IGF-1, and IGF-2. These factors bind to satellite cells and initiate SC migration to the damaged cite and start the mitotic cell cycle. Research regarding migration of satellite cells to damaged sites is in its early stages of understanding, what seems to be agreed upon is that factors released from the ECM, immune system, and muscle cells affect the migration of SCs to damaged sites. One factor, TGF-beta, which is released by the immune system is thought to directly attract satellite cells to damaged areas as experiments with a TGF-beta antibody extract reduced SC migration (Griffin, 2009). Activated SCs express MyoD and Myf5 (Broek, Gregte Hoff, 2010). The up regulation of these two factors is evident in every initially activated SC. There are more than 20 different chemo reactants being studied that are known to somehow affect SC migration (Griffin, 2009). Sub Point: SCs proliferate and rebuild at the site of damaged myofibrils. a. SC enter the cell cycle when activated, creating both unspecified stem cells and myofiber specific cells which fuse with existing cells to bridge and fill the damaged area. (Ciciliot Schiaffino, 2010) b. M-cadherin attaches SCs to a myofiber, which is crucial for cell-to-cell fusion and proliferation c. 8 key growth factors are known to stimulate and inhibit the processes of muscle cell regeneration. (Broek, Gregte Hoff, 2010) Conclusion: Current research has yielded information about the regulatory proteins and hormones that trigger satellite cells and immune responses to either inhibit or activate muscle hypertrophy. The knowledge associated with what turns on and off specific systems of muscle cell activity advances medical solutions to muscle atrophy and recreational solutions to body building and general muscle health. Future research could yield treatments that alleviate various diseases associated with muscle failure and degeneration as well as advancements in sports medicine and injury rehabilitation.

I Will be an Asian Newscaster :: Autobiography Essay, Personal Narrative

â€Å"This is Sandy Le, reporting from Channel 7 News.† In five years, I see myself as a newscaster broadcasting to my local Bay Area. I will be following in the footsteps of a well-known Vietnamese news anchor named Thuy Vu. She has helped open a door for other Vietnamese people to expand their career options in American society. As a newscaster, I will expand my knowledge of different cultures and take advantage of the many opportunities to learn about what lies outside my own community. Her inspiration will help me excel in this, my chosen career. Thuy Vu came from Vietnam. Traveling thousands of miles by boat, she escaped Vietnam with her family when Saigon fell to the communists toward the end of the Vietnam War. In America, she gained a general education and then went to UC Berkeley where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Rhetoric. She started her journalism career in public radio at KQED-FM in San Francisco, and then moved to National Public Radio. Eventually, she worked at several Bay Area news stations as a reporter. In August 2000, she joined ABC7 and became a co-anchor on Sunday Morning News at 7am and 9am. She also generously donates her time to community groups, often emceeing fundraisers, giving keynote speeches, or judging competitions. Over the years, she has received numerous awards from her hard work in radio and journalism, and was honored Best Reporter in the Bay Area by American Women in Radio and Television. She also won two national awards from the Asian American Journalists Association, one for a multi-part series on post-war life in her homeland of Vietnam. These were just a few awards among many that she has accumulated or have been nominated for. When I wanted to be a reporter, I noticed only a few Vietnamese working in the media. Eventually, I will want to contribute to the number of Vietnamese faces in the media with my own presence. I’ve always wanted to be a reporter who travels around discovering interesting stories about the community and bringing them to others’ attention. I find media communication is one of the best resources for expressing news and current events. I Will be an Asian Newscaster :: Autobiography Essay, Personal Narrative â€Å"This is Sandy Le, reporting from Channel 7 News.† In five years, I see myself as a newscaster broadcasting to my local Bay Area. I will be following in the footsteps of a well-known Vietnamese news anchor named Thuy Vu. She has helped open a door for other Vietnamese people to expand their career options in American society. As a newscaster, I will expand my knowledge of different cultures and take advantage of the many opportunities to learn about what lies outside my own community. Her inspiration will help me excel in this, my chosen career. Thuy Vu came from Vietnam. Traveling thousands of miles by boat, she escaped Vietnam with her family when Saigon fell to the communists toward the end of the Vietnam War. In America, she gained a general education and then went to UC Berkeley where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Rhetoric. She started her journalism career in public radio at KQED-FM in San Francisco, and then moved to National Public Radio. Eventually, she worked at several Bay Area news stations as a reporter. In August 2000, she joined ABC7 and became a co-anchor on Sunday Morning News at 7am and 9am. She also generously donates her time to community groups, often emceeing fundraisers, giving keynote speeches, or judging competitions. Over the years, she has received numerous awards from her hard work in radio and journalism, and was honored Best Reporter in the Bay Area by American Women in Radio and Television. She also won two national awards from the Asian American Journalists Association, one for a multi-part series on post-war life in her homeland of Vietnam. These were just a few awards among many that she has accumulated or have been nominated for. When I wanted to be a reporter, I noticed only a few Vietnamese working in the media. Eventually, I will want to contribute to the number of Vietnamese faces in the media with my own presence. I’ve always wanted to be a reporter who travels around discovering interesting stories about the community and bringing them to others’ attention. I find media communication is one of the best resources for expressing news and current events.

Conflicting Medical Reports Essay

In this paper I will give you a description of the case that was discussed, I will also discuss what you should do if conflicting medical opinions are presented by your general physician and the companies physician, and which medical expert’s advice counts more and why? I am also going to discuss if the case presented is a charge of discrimination and if it is relevant to this case and why? Lastly, if I was presented with a case similar to this what would I do? This case is about an employee named Donald Knolls who was an air traffic control supervisor for International Gateway Airport (IGA). In, 2007 Donald begun to experience depression and depression related problems due to severe stress caused by the job. In 2008, Donald was granted disability leave to undergo treatment for his illness. Eight months later and after extensive treatment and evaluations. Donald’s personal physician, and consulting licensed psychologist agreed that he could return to his former position. IGA sent Donald to their physician that they assigned to him to approve the disability, before they would sign off and approve him to go back to his supervisory job. After the evaluation of IGA’s physician concluded that Donald has made great strides to improving he should not return to his supervisory position because, the job conditions have not changed and Donald was apt to the stress too much. If Donald wants to return to work he must take a non-supervisory position for six months and be re-evaluated at that time to determine if he can return back to his supervisory potion. Donald was very angry and not happy with this arrangement and filed a grievance through IGA’s alternative dispute resolution procedure. After several meetings the employer maintained that they had the right to rely on the medical opinion of a fair and impartial physician who determined that Donald should not be returning to the position since that was the cause of the stress after all. Management pointed out the provisions of Donald’s disability leave which stated that it may require appropriate documentation if it believes an employee is not fit to return to their former position. Donald hired an attorney to represent him and stated that the disability leave provisions were clear but, biased against the employee because they disregarded what their personal physician and psychologist stated. Donald’s lawyer also stated that he was a victim of discrimination based on his formal state of depression. The medical expert that IGA assigned to the company has assigned to the case should take some precedence, but that the expert physician should take in consideration or even consult the personal physician and psychologist that was treating Donald. The company hires their own physician’s due to the high risk job that is in questioning. The company makes sure that their employee’s are fit to work and make sure that all of the planes take off and land safely. Also, some companies have their own physician’s due to insurance purposes, if they get a physician assigned to them especially in airline field, the liability insurance is probably cut. Discrimination can be part of the situation but, if you think about it it could go both ways. I Donald’s eyes yes he is being discriminated against because, he did a good job, got help for is problem, and is ready and willing to go back to his position, thinking that the company would hold his position since they are the ones that approved his disability. But, if you see it on the companies side, then no they are not being discriminating against Donald, they are making sure that the safety of everyone at the airport and all the airlines, employees, and passengers are safe, they are making sure that he is not going to be a liability to them and everyone else. If I was in this situation and presented a case like this I would study Donald’s case, speak with all three physicians and then bring this up with the Board or even the other managers and see what the best solution would be. It could be that he would be in a lower rank position for thirty days. But, I really feel that I would recommend for Donald to be put back into his position but to be watched and monitored very closely and make sure that everything is ok before he is let go on his own. If he proves to be ok, then everything is great but, if they see that the stress has gotten to him again then they can speak to him and see if there is another position or something that they can do for him. In conclusion, I have given you a description of the situation, gone over if the advice of the medical expert that the company brought forth or if you should go with the personal physician’s opinion, if the charge of discrimination presented by Donald’s lawyer relevant and if this case was presented to me what decision I would do. In job’s like an air traffic controller you must be able to put up with a lot of stress. Many people are not able to do the job, and the ones that can do it are special and that is why they make the money.

The population of Australia is constantly changing

All communities in developed countries, such as Australia, are divisions that constantly change to suit their environment, the environment meaning the demographics of its citizens. A community is a group of people that share a common belief or interest. Over the last sixty years, Australian communities have changed due the varied population and migration policies now enforced. As time goes on, communities will change at an increasing rate. The demographics of a community often control the type of community that will exist: how it will operate. Generally, demographics show the age, status and education that exists within a community. For example, a less isolated, inner-city, urban area will have a generally high education, good job and high standard of living. Ofcourse, a community will attract people of the same background. Another important factor in a community is the technology that is available. The access to technology illustrates the type of background and plays a vital role in a community's development. The lack of technology in rural communities is what often makes them feel very isolated from the outside world. On the other hand, an urban community will have technology that will help them in everyday life and connect them with the rest of the globe. The population of Australia is constantly changing. Like many other countries, it is divided into rural and urban population. The nation has seen a devastating change in population density in rural areas. Residents of rural areas are involved in primary activities such as farming, fishing and mining. The existence of a drought has repelled people from rural areas, making them move to urban areas. This type of migration is called rural-urban migration. As a result, urban areas are experiencing a change in the make-up of communities. The indigenous people of Australia are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. After European settlement, the size of the indigenous population declined dramatically. However, this has all changed in the past 60 years. At the end of the 1960's, the indigenous population was at a steady 90, 000 – 100, 000. However, since 1971, the indigenous population has increased to over 400, 000. Migration is the movement of people from one location to another. Overtime, the number, countries of origin and reasons for migrating to Australia has changed. For example, a woman in the 1950's would have migrated to Australia perhaps to escape war, and could have been from a variety of countries. Nowadays, people migrate to Australia for family or job opportunities, and many come from Europe. In the past 60 years, the proportion of overseas born residents in Australia has increased by 12%. These changes started after World War II, when many Australians feared an invasion from countries to the North. One of these countries was Japan, whose navy proposed an invasion in 1942. In Australia, people are employed in 4 main work sectors: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Quaternary. In the middle of the twentieth century, service jobs in the tertiary and quaternary industries began to expand. By 1954, there were more workers providing services than there were providing goods. Employment patterns of men and women have changed over the last 25 years. Significantly, the proportion of women who were employed has increased over the period. Changing social attitudes and smaller families have contributed to these changes in women's employment. Greater proportions of women now have higher education qualifications. Education appears to draw women into the workforce by instilling in them more career related attitudes and by enhancing their potential wages in the labour market. Paid work may also provide women with opportunities for social interaction and job satisfaction. However, it is women who continue to carry the greater responsibility for caring and other unpaid work, effectively placing them under increased time pressures. Women's working patterns may impact on their ability to balance work with other responsibilities. Marriage trends in Australia have changed increasingly in the past few decades. Proportion of couples marrying in 2004 who lived together before the wedding: 75 per cent; in the 1970s: 16 per cent. The average age at marriage for men in Australia in 2001 was 31, compared to 26 years old in 1981. For women in Australia the average age at marriage in 2001 was 29, compared to the average age of 23 in 1981. Proportion of couples in Australia living together in 2004 who are married: 87.6 per cent. All in, all out, Australia can only go uphill from here. The Great Southern Land, The Land Down Under†¦Terra Australis is and continues to be the best place to live in, just after Paradise.

Vertebrates - Vertebrata - the Animal Encyclopedia

Vertebrates - Vertebrata - the Animal Encyclopedia Vertebrates (Vertebrata) are a group of chordates that includes birds, mammals, fishes,  lampreys, amphibians, and reptiles. Vertebrates have a vertebral column in which the notochord is replaced by multiple vertebrae that form a backbone. The vertebrae surround and protect a nerve cord and provide the animal with structural support.  Vertebrates have a well-developed head, a distinct brain that is protected by a skull, and paired sense organs. They also have a highly efficient respiratory system, a muscular pharynx with slits and gills (in terrestrial vertebrates the slits and gills are greatly modified), a muscularized gut, and a chambered heart. Another notable character of vertebrates is their endoskeleton. An endoskeleton is an internal assemblage of notochord, bone or cartilage that provides the animal with structural support. The endoskeleton grows as the animal grows and provides a sturdy framework to which the animals muscles are attached. The vertebral column in vertebrates is one of the groups defining characteristics. In most vertebrates, a notochord is present early in their development. The notochord is a flexible yet supportive rod that runs along the length of the body. As the animal develops, the notochord is replaced by a series of vertebrae that form the vertebral column. Basal vertebrates such as cartilaginous fishes and ray-finned fishes breath using gills. Amphibians have external gills in the larval stage of their development and (in most species) lungs as adults. Higher vertebrates- such as reptiles, birds, and mammals- have lungs instead of gills. For many years, the earliest vertebrates were thought to be the ostracoderms, a group of jawless, bottom-dwelling, filter-feeding marine animals. But during the past decade, researchers have discovered several fossil vertebrates that are older than the ostracoderms. These newly discovered specimens, which are about 530 million years old, include Myllokunmingia and Haikouichthys. These fossils exhibit numerous vertebrate traits such as a heart, paired eyes, and primitive vertebrae. The origin of jaws marked an important point in vertebrate evolution. Jaws enabled vertebrates to capture and consume larger prey than their jawless ancestors. Scientists believe that jaws arose via the modification of the first or second-gill arches. This adaptation is thought to have at first been a way of increasing gill ventilation. Later, as musculature developed and the gill arches bent forward, the structure functioned as jaws. Of all living vertebrates, only the lampreys lack jaws. Key Characteristics The key characteristics of vertebrates include: vertebral columnwell-developed headdistinct brainpaired sense organsefficient respiratory systemmuscular pharynx with slits and gillsmuscularized gutchambered heartendoskeleton Species Diversity Approximately 57,000 species.  Vertebrates account for about 3% of all known species on our planet. The other 97% of species alive today are invertebrates. Classification Vertebrates are classified within the following taxonomic hierarchy: Animals Chordates Vertebrates Vertebrates are divided into the following taxonomic groups: Bony fishes (Osteichthyes) - There are about 29,000 species of bony fishes alive today. Members of this group include ray-finned fishes and lobe-finned fishes. Bony fishes are so named because they have a skeleton made of true bone.Cartilaginous fishes (Chondricthyes) - There are about 970 species of cartilaginous fishes alive today. Members of this group include sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras. Cartilaginous fishes have a skeleton that is made of cartilage instead of bone.Lampreys and Hagfishes (Agnatha) - There are about 40 species of lamprey alive today. Members of this group include pouched lampreys, Chilean lampreys, Australian lampreys, northern lampreys, and others. Lampreys are jawless vertebrates that have a long narrow body. They lack scales and have a sucker-like mouth.Tetrapods (Tetrapoda) - There are about 23,000 species of tetrapods alive today. Members of this group include birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Tetrapods are vertebrates with four limbs (or whos e ancestors had four limbs). References Hickman C, Roberts L, Keen S. Animal Diversity. 6th ed. New York: McGraw Hill; 2012. 479 p. Hickman C, Roberts L, Keen S, Larson A, lAnson H, Eisenhour D. Integrated Principles of Zoology 14th ed. Boston MA: McGraw-Hill; 2006. 910 p.

How Christmas Trees Became Popular in the 1800s

How Christmas Trees Became Popular in the 1800s The husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, gets the credit for making Christmas trees fashionable, as he famously set one up in Windsor Castle in the late 1840s. Yet there are reports of Christmas trees appearing in the United States years before the royal Christmas tree made a splash in American magazines. One classic yarn is that Hessian soldiers had been celebrating around a Christmas tree when George Washington caught them by surprise at the battle of Trenton. The Continental Army did cross the Delaware River to surprise the Hessians on Christmas night 1776, but there is no documentation of a Christmas tree having been present. Another story is that a Hessian soldier who happened to be in Connecticut set up Americas first Christmas tree in 1777. While thats accepted local lore in Connecticut, there also doesnt seem to be any documentation of the story. A German Immigrant and His Ohio Christmas Tree In the late 1800s a story circulated that a German immigrant, August Imgard, had set up the first American Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio, in 1847. The story of Imgard appeared often in newspapers as a holiday feature. The basic version of the tale was that Imgard, after arriving in America, was homesick at Christmas. So he cut down the top of a spruce tree, brought it indoors, and decorated it with handmade paper ornaments and small candles. In some versions of the Imgard story he had a local tinsmith fashion a star for the top of the tree, and sometimes he was said to have decorated his tree with candy canes. There actually was a man named August Imgard who lived in Wooster, Ohio, and his descendants kept the story of his Christmas tree alive well into the 20th century. And there is no reason to doubt that he decorated a Christmas tree in the late 1840s. But there is a documented account of an earlier Christmas tree in America. First Documented Christmas Tree in America A professor at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Charles Follen is known to have set up a Christmas tree in his home in the mid-1830s, more than a decade before August Imgard would have arrived in Ohio. Follen, a political exile from Germany, became known as a member of the abolitionist movement. The British writer Harriet Martineau visited Follen and his family at Christmas 1835 and later described the scene. Follen had decorated the top of a spruce tree with small candles and presents for his son Charlie, who was three years old. The first printed image of a Christmas tree in America seems to have occurred a year later, in 1836. A Christmas gift book titled A Strangers Gift, written by Herman Bokum, a German immigrant who, like Charles Follen, was teaching at Harvard, contained an illustration of a mother and several small children standing around a tree illuminated with candles. Earliest Newspaper Reports of Christmas Trees The Christmas tree of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became known in America in the late 1840s, and in the 1850s reports of Christmas trees began appearing in American newspapers. A newspaper report described an interesting festival, a Christmas tree, which was viewed in Concord, Massachusetts on Christmas Eve 1853. According to the account in the Springfield Republican, all the children of the town participated and someone dressed as St. Nicholas distributed presents. Two years later, in 1855, the Times-Picayune in New Orleans published an article noting that St. Pauls Episcopal Church would be setting up a Christmas tree. This is a German custom, the newspaper explained, and one that has been of late years imported into this country, to the great delight of the young folks, who are its especial beneficiaries. The article in the New Orleans newspaper offers details indicating that many readers would be unfamiliar with the concept: A tree of evergreen, in size adapted to the dimensions of the room in which it is displayed, is selected, the trunk and branches of which are to be hung with brilliant lights, and laden from the lowest bought to the topmost branch, with Christmas gifts, delicacies, ornaments, etc., of every imaginable variety, forming a perfect storehouse of rare presents from old Santa Claus.What indeed can be more gratifying to children than to take them where their eyes will grow big and bright, feasting on such a sight on the eve of Christmas. A Philadelphia newspaper, The Press, published an article on Christmas Day 1857 which detailed how various ethnic groups had brought their own Christmas customs to America. It said: From Germany, in particular, comes the Christmas tree, hung all round with gifts of all sorts, interspersed with crowds of small tapers, which illuminate the tree and excite general admiration. The 1857 article from Philadelphia whimsically described Christmas trees as immigrants who had become citizens, stating, We are naturalizing the Christmas tree. And by the time, an employee of Thomas Edison created the first electric Christmas tree in the 1880s, the Christmas tree custom, whatever its origins, was permanently established. There are a number of unverified stories about Christmas trees in the White House in the mid-1800s. But it seems the first documented appearance of a Christmas tree wasnt until 1889. President Benjamin Harrison, who always had the reputation of being one of the less interesting presidents, was nonetheless very interested in Christmas celebrations. Harrison had a decorated tree placed in an upstairs bedroom of the White House, perhaps mostly for the entertainment of his grandchildren. Newspaper reporters were invited to see the tree and wrote fairly detailed reports about it. By the end of the 19th century, Christmas trees had become a widespread tradition throughout America.

Lean Manufacturing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lean Manufacturing - Essay Example Corrective action must be taken after survey. The idle time is too high and not permissible in any way. With the supply coming in weekly, the issue to each process should be regulated. Movements both within the section and between sections must be speeded up by use of trolleys, installation of conveyors and use of fork-lifts, wherever suitable. This must be identified and put in place as top priority. At the moment we are paying a lot of wages plus overtime to workers for doing nothing. With such heavy idle time as against so little productive time, we need to cut down one shift altogether and move to a regime of controlled efforts and by using Pull methods of Just in Time system of inventory. ERP software plays a vital role in the success of Lean manufacturing setup. Nothing will be gained by just designing a superb system and by laying down rules and parameters. A well-understood, well-defined and easy to follow implementation plan must be prepared. This is to be done with active assistance from the solution providers. The Implementation Team along with the Company designated resources must first carry out a joint Systems Requirement Study (SRS). This SRS must consider all points raised in the strategy above and identify the areas of data entry points. It is these areas that have to be carefully monitored to see that accurate data is available. With accurate data available, the company can take corrective action based on actual information. This will go a long way in bring down wastages and eliminating downtime and idle time. A productive maintenance plan is to be drawn us to ensure that downtime is brought down to zero level with accurately planned maintenance schedules prepared in advance. Spares are to be procured for such programmes well before time. Having said this, these weak links are to be paid extra attention and care is to be taken to make the workers understand that