Development in infancy and toddlerhood

The development of infants and toddlers is the focus of Chapters 5 to 7. In these chapters, the various developmental changes that occur during the first two years of life are highlighted.Chapter 5 discusses the various physical changes that occur during the first two years of life. It stresses that it is during these years that a human being goes through the most rapid developmental changes. Infants and toddlers grow by leaps and bounds as compared to development at the latter stages of the life cycle. Furthermore, the chapter notes that physical development of infants and toddlers vary and are influenced by various factors. Heredity, ethnic background, gender, and social environment are some of the factors that greatly influence infant and toddler development. The chapter stresses that physical development during infanthood and toddlerhood are the most critical because delays or problems that occur during these stages may cause the human being to encounter physical disabilities lat er on in life.In chapter 6, the focus shifts to cognitive development. Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental Theory is highlighted in this chapter. The focus was on the first stage of Piaget’s theory called the sensorimotor stage since this stage refers to the first two years of life. During this stage, infants and toddlers rely on their senses to develop an understanding of the world around them. What infants and toddlers see, smell, hear, touch, and taste are what they think. In line with cognitive development, the chapter likewise discusses how infants and toddler process information. Furthermore, Chapter 6 looks at the development of language during the first two years.   The three theories of language development are discussed with focus on how infants and toddlers develop their first words and the patterns they use to produce sounds. The various factors that influence cognitive development in infants and toddlers are likewise discussed in this chapter.In Chapter 7, the emotional and social development of infants and toddlers is discussed. Erikson’s theory of infant and toddler personality is used as the basis of the chapter’s discussion. The chapter looks at how infants and toddlers develop their basic emotions and how they respond to the emotions that other people show. The development of temperament and attachment during the first two years are likewise discussed for infants and toddlers are known to be attached to figures that they commonly see. Parents, most especially the mothers, are the figures that infants and toddlers normally form attachments to.

Legalization of Marijuana outline and speech Essay

Marijuana has always been an issue in our country’s history. However, today, it has gained more attention than it has in the recent decades. People were raised and taught since their early years that this plant brings nothing but trouble to your life if you consume it, for any reason. However, marijuana isn’t as bad as we were all taught that it was. Legalizing marijuana can actually bring many benefits to many groups in today’s society. It’s actually not that bad of a plant once you get to know it a little better. Legalizing marijuana can benefit the American government in a few different ways. One way that it could benefit the government is by selling it and taxing it. Alcohol and tobacco, though known as two drugs that can cause harm to you, still sell and bring in a lot of federal and state tax revenue, regardless of how high taxes are placed on these products. The size of the marijuana market, though illegal, is still very huge and very profitable. If the government were to legalize marijuana, it could bring approximately up to $8.7 billion in federal and state revenue. This could help the government tremendously. This much money can be used for a lot of different things. One thing that this money can help improve is education. For example, in the state of Colorado, it is said that the state has already gained $10 million  in taxes from retail stores in the first 4 months. They said that the first $40 million that they gained in taxes from these â€Å"pot† retailers would be used in their education system and infrastructure, as well as educational campaigns about substance use. This money can be used to purchase new books, technology, equipment, etc., that could be useful to students and teachers in public schools. With a new industry and legal market going on, it could also help create more jobs. In Colorado, more than 10,000 jobs have been created since January of 2014. Many people that were unemployed have now been able to get a job in the marijuana industry, whether it be in distribution, trimming the plants, packaging, petitioning, educating, advertising, and so much more. Marijuana can also bring many health benefits to those who are in need of its â€Å"super high powers.† One disease that it can help treat or prevent is glaucoma. Glaucoma starts when pressure in the eyeball increases, damaging an optic nerve and causes the loss of vision. So, how does marijuana help exactly? Well, according to researchers, marijuana helps reduce the pressure in eye. It has been said that it lowers the pressure in the eyes of people with normal vision and even in people who have glaucoma. Marijuana can also help control epileptic seizures. Marijuana contains a chemical that many people know as THC. THC can help control seizures that are not responsive to other treatments taken to control them. It has been tested with animals and proven to reduce seizures in epileptic rats. There are epileptic people who actually consume marijuana and believe that it help to control their seizures, saying that it helps to regulate their relaxation. One important disease that marijuana may be able to treat is cancer. A chemical in marijuana knows as CBD is believed to stop the spread of cancer by turning of a gene that helps produce cancer cells. Some studies even show that some compounds in marijuana could even actually kill cancer cells. There are studies where people with cancer consume marijuana and believe that it reduces the size of their tumors. Legalizing marijuana can also help reduce crime rates and spending money on crimes related to marijuana. The United States government spends a lot of money on prisoners, approximately $68 billion a year. It is said that about  one-third of the prisoners are incarcerated for nonviolent drug related crimes. This means that legalizing marijuana could help save $11.3 billion from spending on imprisonments. That can help the government save a lot of money and maybe reduce the deficit. According to researchers, it is also believed that legalizing pot could reduce crime rates. Since the legalization in Colorado, about 10.1% of crime has decreased, and a 6.9% decrease in violent crimes. These crimes involve homicides, burglaries, and sexual assaults. Property crime rates have dropped about 11.1%, involving burglary, larceny, auto theft, and thefts from motor vehicles. Legalization of marijuana could also help reduce the number of traffic deaths. According to some economists’ studies, states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana have dropped 9% in fatal car wrecks, which means that there was a decline in drunk driving. This proves that driving high is so much safer than driving drunk. Many people will continue to believe that marijuana is worse than alcohol or tobacco and believe that it will bring nothing but bad things to people who consume it. However, there are facts and studies that prove that legalizing marijuana could bring various amounts of benefits to many people. Like I said, it’s not that bad once you get to know the plant a little better. Remember, don’t knock it until you try it.

A Midsummer Nights Dream Analysis

There are many instances where the love potion â€Å"love-in-idleness is used in the play. The function of this love potion is to make someone fall in love with the first person/creature the see when awoken. The first instance where the love potion is used is when Oberon put’s the love potion on Titania’s eyes. The reason for this was is simply because Titania refuses to hand over the changeling boy. Oberon thinks that if Titania is so infatuated, she will be willing to hand over the changeling boy. Fortunately for Oberon, this is exactly what happens. The second time when the â€Å"love-in-idleness† potion is used is when Oberon orders Puck to place the love potion on Demetrius’ eyes, so he may fall in love with Helena. However, this is not what takes place. Puck accidently places the love potion on Lysander’s eyes instead of Demetrius’, this cause Lysander to fall in love with Helena. The third occurrence where the love potion was used is when Oberon puts the love potion on the correct male, Demetrius. Although Demetrius is now in love with Helena, so is Lysander. This leads to a conflict where Helena thinks the two males are plotting and making fun of her. Puck realizes that he has done wrong, and puts an antidote on Lysander’s eyes, so when he awake he will be in love with Hermia again. Another time where the love potion is used is very different. A potion isn’t being used to make people fall in love; instead it is to make them fall out of love. This potion is an antidote to the â€Å"love-in-idleness† potion. Oberon places the antidote on Titania’s eyes, out of pity, since she has handed over the changeling boy and has fallen in love with an ass. When Oberon places the antidote on Titania’s eyes that was the last time any potion was used. However, Demetrius is the only one still under a spell. b) The love potion adds to the plot of the play by giving us hints of what to expect next in the play and also complicating the plot. An example of where this idea is portrayed is when the â€Å"love-in-idleness† potion was mistakenly placed on Lysander’s eyes instead of Demetrius’. This lead to Lysander falling in love with Helena, and out of love with Hermia. This leaves Helena and Hermia confused. Later on, Oberon also places the love potion on Demetrius’ eyes, so instantly he falls in love with Helena as well. Helena now believes that Hermia, and the two males are making fun of her. Helena chides Hermia for treating their friendship so lightly, and the Demetrius and Lysander are ready to fight for Helena’s love. Hermia now believes that Helena has stolen Lysander from her. Hermia becomes furious and is ready to fight the two males then quickly become angry and go off into the forest to fight. Helena then runs off scared. This part of the play shows how one little mistake in the placing of the potion can lead to such huge complications. However, this is a good way to develop the plot of the play because when there are complications there must also be resolutions. c) The love potion helps us to understand the nature of human affections by showing the audience how irrational, the lovers think and act when they are in love. Helena, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, Hippolyta, and Bottom do some very crazy things when infatuated. This is idea was depicted with the love of Bottom and Hippolyta. Bottom was so caught up in infatuation that he began to lose himself as individual. He became very conceited, and was also very oblivious. Bottom was completely unaware about his appearance of being an ass, the entire time he was in love with Titania. Although Bottom was itchy and craving hay, he still had no idea he was an ass. However, Bottom wasn’t the only one who was very oblivious. Titania was also absent minded that she was in love with an ass. She was also so in love with Bottom that she gave up the changeling boy to Oberon. Other evidence that lover act irrational when in love is with Hermia. Hermia was willing to fight one of her good friends for Lysander. Although Helena seems to be the coward and the peacemaker, Hermia on the other hand is ready to fight her. Hermia says â€Å"I am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. † This statement by Hermia, shows how violent she can be. This new side of Hermia that the audience sees is all brought out by love affections. The love potion certainly gives us an idea of the irrational behavior of the human nature when in love.

The Department of Veteran Affairs - A Time for Change Essay

The Department of Veteran Affairs - A Time for Change - Essay Example The legislation that was proposed in May 2011, offers the instrumental perspective into the decision the Congress took on the heating battle. The Cyberspace is not a closed issue for the scientist to link, share information and ideas and compare their finding. It has posed to be rest haven for the skilled hackers, script kiddies, and criminal enterprises. The paper therefore identifies the possible effect of the legislation on the Veteran affairs Department, VA. It is sourced directly from the organization’s mission statement of VA, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan† by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans† (Health care, n.d.). It is clear the mission of the VA is to protect and serve our veterans, as the years have passed by the way we protect and serve is also changing. The VA being on the cutting edge of technology has acknowledged the need to protect information as well. The VA is committed to providing quality service in all arenas. From ensuring that the veterans gets the quality financial assistance and quality health care, educational benefits and the information from the prohibited persons. The 2011 legislation has various phases to make sure that the policy framework and the guidelines to the information systems and information security, The main framework for the information security is CIA triad conventionally referred to as Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability. When the current policies are evaluated against the proposed and mandated standards, the VA had already resided on the extreme measures in ensuring the security is the basic benchmark for the technical structure. According to the VA (2007), â€Å"Security must be implemented for all new system development and prior to new technology implementation with the VA.† As the VA takes sole responsibility for creating and implementing its own software and systems, this forward thinking not only

Intellectual Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Intellectual Property Law - Essay Example An understanding of the philosophical premises behind Property rights are necessary in the understanding of the tug of war between the owners and the users of intangible information.1 Legal Commentators have often expressed their doubts as to whether these rights are actually rights or privileges as Machlup and Penrose have noted:2 " ... those who started to use the word property in connection with inventions had a very definite purpose in mind they wanted to substitute a word with a respectable connotation, 'property', for a word that had an unpleasant ring, 'privilege'." Intellectual property as a "property" thus is an intangible category of property with boundaries that are not always clear cut and which must be actively defended by the holder against infringements. 3 Tangible property is however visible and documented, and the boundaries are more easily given than for intellectual property.4 The law has developed to protect a person who holds certain intellectual property will be able to defend this property only if he/she is granted a particular right over this property. For example in relation to patents the rights are defined by the patent authorities based on what is defined in the patent claims.Like other property (tangible) one has to pay certain fees in order to have their "intellectual" property claim examined and determined and also of continuance fees paid.5 The concept of property rights thus stems from the ideas of John Locke.6Furthermore the notions of property rights developed in the 18th century as one of the core civil rights parallel to-and mutually reinforcing-the right to liberty.7However, most philosophers have put forward the notion that property is not a natural right but rather a deliberate construction by society in order to secure protection against pressure from the collective.8 Subscribing to the view that property is justified as a foundation for liberty and personal security which provides incentives for long-term investments.Also that if these rights are not balanced or protected they will affect economic growth and poverty reduction.as unpredictable property relationships always impeded impede economic growth.9Revisiting the tangible and intangible discussion between property it can be seen that it has been argues that while tangible property rights easily cause conflict this is not the case with as the popular notion with in the case law is that "no patent can stop a person from continuing something he has done before"10.However the problem arises before the courts when the patent claims do not just include what is actually new and invented and this causes problems in identifying what is known and whether existing processes and products would infact infringe the patent.There is a marked certainity thus despite the legal framework with regard to which a ctivities are acceptable and which activities might infringe the patent. A granted patent right is considered to fall within the scope of "possessions" inArticle 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights andFundamental Freedoms. However, the European Court of Human Rights has declined to give an opinion on whether a patent application

Literature Review about the franchising in hospitality industry Term Paper

Literature Review about the franchising in hospitality industry - Term Paper Example Hotels’ operating budgets need to select the right markets for growth, the best partners with experience and the ability to handle different clients effectively while also developing partnerships with the franchisee and the local cultures. â€Å"In order to work effectively with local people, we need to examine their values, norms, beliefs, relationships, and many other cultural characteristics† (Shakerin, 2006, p.1). When large hotels desire to expand their businesses overseas to foreign markets, it makes sense to select local investors to operate their establishments so that better connections can be made with foreign clients. If these customer service elements were to be managed by corporate offices, expatriate costs and training costs could be quite large. Franchising allows opportunities to reduce these high costs by inviting investment from overseas and allowing like cultural leaders to run the business units. â€Å"Leaders expecting to be effective in multi-cultural environments have to develop awareness of different cultural dimensions most central to their customers† (Shriberg & Kumari, 2008, p.20). If Marriott Hotels, as one example, decided to expand their presence into India, it would make the most sense to inspire an Indian investor to take on the responsibility of managing a Marriott franchise. This type of local investor maintains the cultural awareness and social skills necessary to satisfy local customers more than an expatriate manager sent overseas to govern the hotel. Geert Hofstede described the elements of culture that drive local tastes and preferences. In individualistic societies, people are self-expressive and put their personal goals and interests ahead of others (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 2008). In collectivist countries, such as India, people are more family-oriented and tend to believe in the rights and needs of the group. These are important

How would you characterise Martin Luther Kings strategy for gaining Essay

How would you characterise Martin Luther Kings strategy for gaining civil rights In what ways did it differ from the approach espoused by Malcolm X or Stokely - Essay Example Being raised Christian gave King a moral and forgiving outlook on life, that later showed in his approach to civil rights. Garrow explains King stated: We must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian in all of our action. The protesters must not hate their white opponents, but be guided by Christian love while seeking justice with their demands. Love is one of the pinnacle parts of the Christian faith. There is another side called justice. And justice is really love in calculation. (24) Baptist believed that Jesus did for every mans sin. All that man has to do is ask for forgiveness, inviting Jesus into to his heart. Once Jesus blood covered a sinner, the sinner became perfect in Christ. If someone is perfect, no matter the color, they are equal. King felt that every sinner could be forgiven, even Ku Klux Klan members or white supremacists. This led him to be forgiving of the white oppressors. Forgiveness in the Christian religion did not mean acceptance for the Jim Crow laws in place at the time of Kings birth. Jim Crow laws did not abide by national laws. King felt â€Å"civil disobedience to local laws is civil obedience to national laws† (Garrow, 92). Although the North won the American Civil War, the South won the battle of Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws were laws created to keep white and black separated (Cook, 10). An example would be separate bathrooms, water facets, eating facilities, and even separate places on public transportation. King felt that Jim Crow laws were illegal. Technically he was right. The North won the war, which made federal laws superior to state laws. However, the Southerners did not acknowledge this fact. The reality was the North did not want to deal with civil rights after the American Civil War until activists like King started pressing the issue. King realized that, â€Å"that our refusal to accept jim crow in specific areas challe nges the entire social, political and economic order that

In management of organisations, why is it important to be clear on how Essay

In management of organisations, why is it important to be clear on how workforce culture is defined; managed and influenced - Essay Example Culture can also been defined as â€Å"the interweaving of the individual into a community and the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes members of one known group from another† (Ogbonna, 1996). Culture acts as glue and binds the culturally diverse workers together removing their differences. It dictates the way things should be done in a particular work environment. Though there are reservations to their view, yet a vast majority of the researchers are of the view that realization of a solid organizational culture is the first and foremost requirement of practical strategic planning and plays a pivotal role in determining the performance of the organization (Brown, 1998 cited in Kemp and Dwyer, 2001, p. 78). Realization of a strong culture favors identification of employees whose performance counts a lot in the achievement of organizational objectives. Managers can indeed, use culture as a tool to achieve unanimity of responses in the employees and incorporate ethics in the work practices. Smooth functioning requires development of a coherent culture in any organization. A coherent organizational culture integrates independent departments within an organization and makes them united. This union earns an organization competitive advantage over others in the market. It is not easy for the competitors to imitate such an organization. Cultural web explains the way a culture modifies human behavior in the context of an organization, and how the change affects the organization itself. The strategies an organization bases its plans upon are conventionally preserved in such organizational documents as annual reports. However, the underlying traits of these strategies that actually shape an organization’s paradigm show up in the interaction of employees working in the organization. Indeed, the assumptions forming the base of strategies are so

The Oktoberfest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Oktoberfest - Essay Example In fact, the city may have visitors coming from as far away as Japan and India when Oktoberfest is in full swing (Mcnabb, 2009). Considering that seven to eight million people come to Munich for the Oktoberfest, it can become quite a difficult task to manage and provide for the needs of so many people. Visitors also consume huge amounts of food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages which are served in both traditional and non-traditional forms. The event itself and the surrounding celebrations are heavily sponsored by local, regional and international companies since they sell and promote their products to millions of people at Oktoberfest (Mcnabb, 2009). Of course the control of the events and the manner in which they are supposed to play out is dependent on the government of Germany as well as the city government of Munich but it must be noted that it is entirely possible for an event such as this to get out of hand. Therefore, there are several event management related considerations for the festival amongst which, the first is the issue of security. Modern recurring events such as the Olympics or sporting world cups may have the advantage of being located in different countries at different times of the year which gives an added layer of security to the event. However, this advantage is not available to the management of the Oktoberfest since it is held every year, around the same dates, at the same place. This means that the security of the event will depend on how well trained are those people who are controlling and managing the security processes at the Oktoberfest. Undoubtedly, the city of Munich is well aware of the issues surrounding the security threat at events such as these since it was the Munich Olympics which resulted in a massacre of innocent Olympians. The city certainly would not want to see such a tragedy take place again therefore the security of the Oktoberfest is

Critical analyse the functions and management issues in global Essay

Critical analyse the functions and management issues in global business to identify ways to reduce risk and improve organisational effectiveness using appropriate examples where necessary - Essay Example Such a brand is Apple, which has been successful in building a brand name across the world. Leadership is another critical factor that can drive any drowning organization to the shore. All across the world, there are countless examples of leaders as being the drivers of change and ultimately success in organizations, in countries, in politics and in normal day lives. Therefore, leadership also plays an important role in the effectiveness and success of an organization. This paper will first highlight the important areas of management that are critical to the success and effectiveness of an organization operating in a global world. The organization that has been used as an example is Apple Inc. Apple has seen phenomenal growth in the past few years for its record breaking products such as the iPhone and the iPod and now the iPad. They have revolutionized the lifestyles of millions and this is their philosophy. To follow such a critically different path, it is important to keep in all areas of the business working in cohesion to that a synergy creates, giving extra value to the organization. While working in such a diverse and huge geographical environment, Apple also needs to set up risk management procedures and practices throughout its organization; these will also be discussed. The latter part of the paper will discuss the magnetic personality of the CEO of Apple, Mr. Steve Jobs, who has been leading the corporation from the front to success. Th e role of leadership in such an environment and the success that the company has seen will also be measured (Donald, 2006). The international environment makes decision making more complicated, as more controllable and uncontrollable factors enter the overall environment of the organization. In such a time, managing the loyalty of the staff as well as the customers is an equally daunting

Mcds Current Strategy Essay Example for Free

Mcds Current Strategy Essay Do we have a contradiction here? †¢ Can we develop many successful segments, as many as McDonald’s would like, create a new image and having their main business continue to be burgers and fries? †¢ Is the CFO correct in assessing that the main business of the company is to compete with other burger companies? †¢ What do you think of the current suggested strategy that McDonald’s develop a healthy line because this will continue to attract people whose main demand is burgers and fries? †¢ Do you think that the current socioeconomic demographics will continue to positively react to the McCafe’s? What would you suggests as strategies or main strategy for Mc? I dont think there is a contradiction in this case. In my opinion, we say it is a contradiction because McD company uses different strategy to different segments in the market. The company has been trying to build a new image of healthy food to go along the need of modern adults. On the other hand, however, the burgers and fries still take large pile of market. McD is well-known by there traditional products burgers and fries and there is one thing that we have to admit is that many people order burgers and fries in McD because customers eating habit has been changed by McD. As far as I know, I think McD can sell their original products as well as doing more advertisements of those new and healthier food to appeal new customers. Since McD has been playing a very important role of domain peoples eating habit, I suppose that McD should develop more, or I say different, concept of healthy food. With specific stores selling different stuff then analyze which chain is better to suit modern people. So I agree with the CFOs opinion. McD wants to be the NO.1 then it has to win in the market with other fast food companies. And to attract more customers is the point to gain more profit. To develop more healthy food, will definitely get more people to buy its stuff. As for the McCafe, lower price and better quality will be the motivation that people want to buy a cup of espresso in McC. But since there are more and more coffee companies already existed in the market, I suppose it might not be that positive to McC. Except for the price and quality, the service and the diversity of products are important too.

Multicultural Managers In Global Teams

Multicultural Managers In Global Teams LOreal is an intriguing company: Very French in culture and image, and yet very global in products, brands and activities. It is poised to reach the next billion consumers mostly among the budding middle class of emerging economies. In this article we explore one facet of L Oreals success: Its very clever use of managers with bi-cultural backgrounds in the most critical process for the success of the company; new product development. Of course we all now recognize that cultural diversity is a good thing, and we value executives with expatriate assignments in their backgrounds, who claim themselves to have become cosmopolitan. LOreal goes one big step further: Rather than just diversity among executives it seeks diversity within each executive [2. Yves: Brannen Thomas, 2010: p.6 p.13: cultural diversity that exists within individuals and MYB Lee, forthcoming, p.23: diversity within a single person] Yves, i.e., it hires develops and uses strategically individual who usually by way of a multicultural early childhood-have gained the ability to understand and behave according to the cultural meanings and norms of two or more cultures. [3. Yves: This definition of multiculturalism. MYB can not argue to own the definition as hers. Previously other researchers define biculturalism such as Hong et al., 2000 in their phenomenal article, Multicultural minds] Not only can they be precious bridges between their cultures of origins, they can also be sensitive alert scouts in new cultures, with an ability to grasp them much greater than individuals from a single cultural origin. [4. Yves: This is about multiculturals cognitive complexity (BMV et al., 2006 and Tadmor et al., 2006/9. I think this sentence is more common sense. I heard a lot from those who participated in Bicultural thought leadership conference in Green Gulch and Abu Dhabi] Not every global company needs bi-cultural executives but many can greatly benefit and learn from them, thus instilling in their international executives -whose vast majority are from a single cultural origin-some of the critical cross-cultural skills that help make them effective. [5. Yves: Is this can be a common sense?, I dont find exactly same words or phrase in MYBs]In this article we draw a few lessons from examining LOreals decade long experience in using bi-cultural executives selectively. But first, what is the challenge bi-culturals allow to address successfully? [6. Yves: I dont know why she highlighted here] THE CHALLENGE: IT IS NOT EASY TO BE LOCAL AND GLOBAL Global competitors face an age-old tension: Serving regional or national markets requires adaptation to local conditions, and calls for differentiation in their products, services, and business models, but achieving economies of scale and scope across markets calls for uniformity and integration of activities. Local responsiveness and global integration are hard to combine. Some products are clearly global, such as TV sets, except for regulatory and language differences, and simple technical differences such as voltage. Others, such as restaurants, are intrinsically local, although global formulas and brands may succeed, such as Starbucks or Benihana. Many products, and to a lesser extent services, call both for responsiveness to local differences and for some form of global integration, of brands, marketing and advertising, manufacturing, product development, and research. They are affected by the global-local duality of knowledge differentiation and integration in innovation proces ses. Perhaps at the forefront are companies striving to develop global products in culture-sensitive and ethnically differentiated markets, such as cosmetics and skin or hair care. LOrà ©al very much faces this challenge: Its main product categories, skin care, hair care, hair color and beauty categories are sensitive to global economies of scale and scope, and they also need to be highly responsive to local market differences. Furthermore, not all of LOrà ©als product categories face the same mix of demands: Hair care may be very regional and dependent on ethnic differences, lipstick and most fragrances much more universal. Luxury brands are more global than mass market ones, which are often local. Figure 1: The complexity of product portfolio: Responsiveness and Integration Differences The global integration-local responsiveness issue is further complicated when the knowledge required to develop and market products is complex. Yet, such complex knowledge (tacit and collective, only revealed in action and interaction) now lies at the heart of innovation and global competitive advantage, not just for LOrà ©al but also for most global competitors. Other forms of arbitrage, for products, costs, or materialsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are easily imitated, and have been. Complex knowledge is hard to identify and observe, let alone imitate. It has become the main source of sustainable competitive advantage for global competitors. It drives hard to imitate innovations. LOrà ©al as a leading French multinational company in skin care and beauty products provides a remarkable example of relying on complex knowledge for innovation: Its products are not just chemicals, much more importantly, they depend on fashion, style, seduction, they convey national image of French womens sophisticationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ they elicit the idealized self-image of its customers and their value is conveyed through complex, often subliminal advertising and multiple distribution channels. Of course, some highly culture- and context-dependent products, with a strong national identity happen to find readily a global market. They are widely adopted worldwide with little or no adaptation (French perfumes, U.S. action movies, German classical music and high-end cars, Japanese Mangas, Korean K-Pop, Bollywood movie and TV productions or U.S. fast food). But these are exceptions more than the rule. In fact, a common language, high cultural and institutional homogeneity, greater density of interpersonal networks and friendships, and less not-invented-here resistance mean complex knowledge generally diffuses more rapidly within single countries than across national boundaries. So, in industries where complex knowledge drives innovative advantage success depends on face-to-face (or rather shoulder to shoulder) participation in local and national networks where new complex knowledge first arises. [7. Yves: Isnt this argument yours?] MNCs should build, manage, and globally integra te their local/global capabilities and dispersed inputs. Yet the quality of local knowledge access, being embedded in local cultures and networks, often makes global sharing more difficult, as local participants in global innovation processes are culturally very different and closely identify with their origins. [8. Yves: Isnt this yours as well? MYB doesnt do much about knowledge and global innovation, does she?] For many companies, such as LOrà ©al, this challenge is further complicated by an additional contradiction: While they want to be global, they do not want to relinquish the advantages associated with their country of origin. LOrà ©al does not just sell cosmetics, it mainly sells French-ness to women around the world. In other words, its identity, and its founders cultural inheritance need to be protected, and remain part and parcel of its global offerings. The company has maintained its founders spirit of entrepreneurship, and remains largely family-controlled, with a very strong shared culture. Over its 73 years, it has had only four CEOs (including the founder), all with very long tenures, and it promotes only from within. One becomes part of senior management over the years, as one weaves a dense network of relationships with colleagues and builds trust over time. In France, the company has a reputation for being the consumer marketing school, and many of its alumni have become successful entrepreneurs and business builders, such as LOccitane en Provence, a highly successful fast growing skin and body care company. Its third CEO, Welshman (and INSEAD graduate) Lindsey Owen Jones is widely credited for having transformed the company from a regional European challenger to a global leader, but the company still remains quite remarkably French. Traditional approaches to the internationalization of senior management would not work well for LOrà ©al, or might only work very slowly since a rapid infusion of international executives in the top ranks might compromise the tightly knit and informal French community of senior managers, operating as a global network. Furthermore at LOrà ©al, complex knowledge about products, cultures, and how to work together is progressively learned and internalized by individuals as their career develops, which makes a rapid internationalization of senior management through hiring from outside largely impossible. French managers are often assigned to international operations, and learn about the plurality of cultural and institutional contexts, as well as about differen t consumer priorities, but few foreigners become senior executives. The most promising international executives might be reluctant to join LOrà ©al anyway fearing the risk of a glass ceiling. Successful senior executives often identify themselves as partly French, for instance French and German, of French, Moroccan, and German. And even executives that identify themselves as foreigners take great pain to explain they have lived in France and worked for LOrà ©al for a long time and pride themselves on speaking perfect French. The main language of the company has remained French. [9. Yves: This is my observation and your informal discussion when you lead workshop with LOreal RD top management a while ago] STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS DO NOT WORK: For LOrà ©al, and for many multinational companies, to successfully address the global-local innovation duality, simple structural solutions such as regional units or global product divisions wont work, for at least two reasons. First, the product range puts both intensely global and intensely local demands on the way the company is run. No either-or organizational solution will work, the company needs both global and local priorities effectively taken into consideration in decision-making. Take perfumes (or fragrances as they are known in the industry). World products and famous world brands (think of Chanel No 5) are the name of the game, but the underlying knowledge needed to develop a perfume resides mainly in France, for historical reasons. Second, companies such as LOrà ©al need a wide range of products to maintain their strength in distribution: fragrances, cosmetics, skin care products, and hair products. Any simple structural approach such as local subsidiaries and regional entities or global business units would fit a few of their products but not all, given the diversity of demands for local responsiveness and global integration shown on Figure 1. Some are more global, such as perfumes or cosmeti cs, others are more regional or local, such as hair care or skin care. As the company considers increasingly the next billion customers (as the CEO stresses) in emerging economies, both the advantages of global scale and the need for local differentiation will increase even further. For some products, like fragrances, most relevant market and technical knowledge can be found in one place, for most though, like hair care, relevant knowledge is distributed around the world and will become even more so with the growing importance of emerging economies. Furthermore, speed is often of the essence: Knowledge-driven FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods, such as beauty and skin care products) industries call for a continuous stream of innovations across a wide product portfolio facing both local responsiveness demands and global integration advantages, but in varying degree among products. In new areas, such as anti-aging, competition is intense and fast, as well as technology based, in mature areas it is slower and marketing driven. Yet, any technological advantages are short-lived. Yet speed needs to be tempered by continuity. Even with constant innovation, markets quickly reduce the most advanced products to the condition of feature-less commodities unless brand equity has been built very quickly. Underlying ingredients are relatively stable and long-lived, but new products are frequent. Brands cover families of products (Lancà ´me, Biothermà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) to provide continuity and lasting brand strength but leave room for fast and fre quent product renewals. Continuity of brands, and of channels, and renewal of products have to be carefully integrated. No organizational structure, global business units or country organizations will be up to the task. Structure is too blunt a tool. Of course, some multinationals resort to matrix organizations, but adopting a matrix organization is a cop out: It just acknowledges that, as we just outlined, complex, varied and rapid trade offs between local responsiveness and global integration need to be made constantly on very specific issues: product packaging, marketing campaigns, specific chemical ingredients, etc. So rather than risk getting mired in the negotiations that end up being so characteristic on matrix organizations, many companies, LOreal included, go one step further: Global teams. GLOBAL TEAMS: PROMISE AND PITFALLS Faced with such challenges to achieve worldwide innovation, combine global knowledge integration and local knowledge differentiation, and be fast, global companies increasingly resort to global, and often virtual, teams. These teams hold the promise of effective knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, as well as flexibility, responsiveness, and speed. Yet, in practice in many companies these global teams are no panacea: they suffer from misunderstandings, conflicts and often fall prey to a Babel Syndrome: their members talk past each other, not together, and teamwork breaks down. The results of their work are often disappointing, particularly when complex knowledge is essential, like the proverbial camel designed by a (multi-cultural) committee. Actually, it is often difficult to transmit even explicit knowledge across cultural boundaries and it seems impossible to transmit tacit knowledge, where physical distance also gets in the way. Even seemingly universal and very precisely expli cit knowledge, such as mathematics, is liable to different perspectives and interpretations in different cultures. Tacit knowledge cannot be transmitted over distance because it is revealed only in action and cannot be meaningfully explained. It has to be learned through (co)-practice. [10. Yves: The difficulty to transfer tacit knowledge is common sense and not only MYB (2004) and much earlier, other researchers (Szulanski, 1996; Zander Kogut, 1995) already argued.] BI-CULTURAL MANAGERS AND GLOBAL TEAMS AT LORÉAL To avoid the pitfalls typical of global teams LOrà ©al makes extensive use of bi-cultural managers and professionals in its product development process (i.e., individuals, usually of mixed cultural backgrounds, who can switch their frame of reference, both in what they understand and in how they behave, between two or more cultures). Although bi- and multi-culturals only account for a very small proportion of LOrà ©als employees (a few dozens out of 69 000 employees in 130 subsidiaries) they play a key role in the most critical activity of the company: new product development, headquartered in Paris. No less than forty percent of about 160 product development project managers (among whom 40% come from foreign subsidiaries and 60% were recruited in France) are multicultural. LOrà ©al has maintained this recruitment balance in new product development leaders for over ten years. The task: New product development teams, each composed of a few people, some multicultural (the smaller circles on Figure 2), work closely with other groups such as research and development, the international marketing team, and local subsidiaries in a highly interactive process. It involves functional groups within HQ and across regional offices. Newly created product concepts also have to be coherent with existing product lines (e.g., hair care products that use only natural plants) and their reputation (e.g., environment-friendly and people-tested). So considerable inputs from the various subsidiaries are needed. Finally, the product has to be feasible for manufacturing without any risks. Developing a new product concept takes from six months to a year depending on the products level of novelty. In developing a new product concept, multicultural project managers have to present their work to top management on a regular basis, both formally and informally. Once they obtain approval for their new product concept, they present their project at the la journà ©e mondiale, LOrà ©als largest and most important yearly event at HQ. This event attracts all regional directors from all around the globe who come to evaluate future products (i.e., those that would hit the market in one or two years). If feedback from the regional directors attending this event is positive the multicultural project managers move from articulating product concepts to actually designing the products. In the design phase, multicultural project managers select and combine ingredients, choose product colors, and design packaging for the product with the packaging team (often outsourced) and manufacturing team (called the Factory). They interface intensely both with headquarter functions and local subsidiaries around the world. Through all phases, project managers work with their colleagues in teams within and across departments at HQ and local subsidiaries. Multicultural project managers work with others on three levels. First, they work in their own team (called the unit team), where they managed informal relationships with other product managers. One product development team is composed of two or three project managers who are responsible for developing different products for the same region in the same product category (e.g., hair products). For example, for Latin America, one multi-cultural manager (Lebanese-Spanish-American) was in charge of womens hair color, while another (French-Irish-Cambodian) was in charge of womens hair care (hair damage). They shared physical space so that they could exchange ideas, information, and feedback (the larger central circle on Figure 2). Second, they interact with their boss and the leaders of other functional departments in Paris. Although more than 40% of the project managers in the new product development division are multi-cultural, the majority of their direct bosses are mono-cultural, very French. Project managers meet their direct boss quite freely any time they needed or vice versa. Regular divisional team meetings with top management are held with other unit teams (for the same product line, such as hair care Asia and hair care international), other functional departments, and teams in local subsidiaries. Informal meetings with other functional departments (e.g., RD, supply chain, advertising, and packaging) are held based on the phase of the product development process. Third, project managers work with local subsidiaries, via email, phone calls, and videoconferences. They also visit local offices regularly. It is the project managers direct bosses, however, who visit local subsidiaries more frequently-at least once a month-as they are in charge of developing several products at the same time. In addition, because project managers are operating within a tight schedule and budget, they accompany their direct boss only when the visit is urgent and important. In the final development phase project managers involve employees who executed promotional campaigns through television, the Internet, and other advertising activities. They set up all visual images of products, articulate the products selling points, and choose the best way to promote the products they developed. Team leaders with more experience lead the promotion campaign directly. More specifically, experienced team leaders travel to local subsidiaries and direct all processes of promotion. Product promotion also involves various new tasks often outsourced to new groups. For example, to promote a make-up product for Chinese women, the promotion team hired a famous local movie star, local make-up and uniform team, local stage setting team, and a professional camera crew (which was a French team). Television commercials are typically expensive and take months to complete. The people: Beginning with their recruitment, multicultural project managers at LOrà ©al gained credibility for new product development by being labeled international talent by the Human Resource department, a prestigious title in a company trying to combine strong French roots with global reach. Most had at least five years of working experience in sales and marketing in local subsidiaries, or for those recruited in France, who were graduates of top business schools, twelve months of intensive training in product development and marketing department at HQ. At LOrà ©al, they were called the stars or crà ¨me de la crà ¨me (meaning the best of the best). LOrà ©al designated an HR manager who managed the performance and career development of these employees who were anticipated to be top performers. Figure 2: Team composition and its work within and across units at LOrà ©al !!!Yves: From this part till conclusion in p.19, all parts are from the 2nd chapter of my dissertation. Multiculturals in global teams: Multi-cultural individuals that have internalized more than a single cultural schema (i.e., the values, norms of behavior and beliefs of a given culture), [11. Yves: this is the definition of multiculturalism. See #3] bring unusual skills to solve challenges in knowledge transfer across international borders for global innovation. Not only do they bring the obvious knowledge of their own cultures, and the ability to translate and transfer complex knowledge between them, but also the latent skills to understand new third country knowledge in context, and being effective bridges to combine knowledge from these other countries.[12. Yves: understanding third culture knowledge is related to David Thomas metacognition (2008). I describe similar argument in my IJCCM paper as culture-general knowledge (Hong 2010: p. 96-97, I cited Thomas et al., 2008 Cultural Intelligence] LOrà ©al also recognizes multi-culturals creativity in new product development and thei r innovative ways to combine/ bridge knowledge in global teams. But more specifically, these bridging, translating and sense-making skills are key to the effectiveness [13. Yves: this is the 2nd chapter of my dissertation]of LOrà ©als global product development teams. Bi-culturals are uniquely able to play specific roles: Role 1: Managing Knowledge Processes in Teams In creating new products, multicultural project managers manage two kinds of knowledge: product- and market-related knowledge and organizational/practical knowledge. The multicultural project managers challenge is to integrate the creative options to be pursued, while transforming local market knowledge into global product knowledge for higher quality products and innovative concepts. To bring a creative product to fruition, their contribution to knowledge sharing processes in the team focused on three areas: (1) bringing new local product and market knowledge, (2) translating cultural nuances, (3) connecting geographically diverse knowledge and skills. [14.Yves: this is from my dissertation] Bringing new local product and market knowledge: Multicultural project managers were expected not only to know what evolving market attributes were but, more importantly, identify new market trends and generate market insights. In addition, to secure the new product concept, they worked with other members (e.g., team leaders, regional directors, RD, and local subsidiaries) by reviewing differing perspectives on the commercial viability of new product concepts. In response to these challenges, multicultural project managers brought both new product ideas and market understanding: Our team tries to find some natural ingredients for new hair care product. J (Hong Kong-Canadian-Singaporean) knows all the Chinese medicine that has no translation either in English or in French because its so authentic. J does not only explain these ingredients but also suggest some ways we (team) can use for our new products. (French Director) and bringing local market knowledge: The Polish-French project manager was raised in Poland until age 20. She described her life under the communist regime and after in terms of how she evaluates and appreciates make-up products. As our target consumers are about her age, everything she shared with other members is valuable for developing products and markets. She is actually educating us to get a better understanding of consumers in the region. (American-French regional director talking about Polish-French project manager) Translating cultural nuances: Even if a common syntax or language is present, as in mathematics or chemistry formulaes, interpretations are often difficult not in processing the information, but in learning about the sources of semantic differences across cultural boundaries.[15. Yves: MYB tends to argue as hers if there are phrases with language semantic. I just typed semantic difference in google scholars. There are so numerous papers talking about semantic difference across cultures from psychologists and linguists.]The problem then shifts to who interprets what. A French manager who planned a test of a new shampoo in a laboratory in Germany explained how his French-German-British multicultural manager who used to work in Germany helped him: If we say dry hair, dry hair on this floor (HQ) doesnt mean as same as German dry hair means. So, it is much safer to check with B who knows two cultures (French and German) and translate exactly what I mean as dry hair. (B is German-British-French multicultural) Connecting geographically diverse knowledge and skills: To generate creative ideas so that they can be implemented, multicultural project managers must be able to access expertise and draw analogies from one cultural group (e.g., local) to other cultural groups (e.g., other regions or globally). They synthesize those ideas from multiple sources-diverse cultural perspectives-for innovative products. [16. Yves: this is from my thesis] For example, a French-Cambodian-Irish project manager used the specificity of Asian womens skin care (reducing winkles) to develop a new product for the French market. He noted: While researching Asian skin-care products, I found that in Asia, some tinted cream (skin colored cream for make-up face) used face lifting effect, in France and Europe, none of tinted creams used face lifting effect. I developed a new tinted cream with face lifting effect for French market. It was a big success! (Team: French-Cambodian-Irish project manager, a Chinese-French and two French). Role 2: Managing Conflicts in Teams Cultural differences in teams increase the risk of conflict. Multicultural project managers manage conflicts in teams by (1) reducing misunderstandings and (2) displaying flexible behavior with people from diverse regions and cultures. [17.Yves: this is from my thesis] Reducing misunderstandings: Product development managers must gain cooperation from their colleagues at HQ and local subsidiaries. Multicultural project managers mitigated the negative effects of cultural distance and group boundaries on developing trust between HQ and local subsidiaries.[18. Yves: this is from my thesis] For example, an Indian-American-French project manager noted: If an Indian local manager said, India might have an issue with this ingredient for a new product because theres no written communication confirming this can be used to please our consumers. What they actually tried to tell me was, No, I wont do what you asked us to do and please lower your expectations. But I didnt make any negative comments on that. Instead I said, Okay, how about I discuss with RD at HQ and find out the way we solve this problem? In this way, I didnt make an uncomfortable situation. Instead, I got respect from them, which as a result had a positive influence on our work progress. (Indian-American-French manager; Team members at HQ: Chinese-French, French; Local teams: India, China, Thailand) This Indian-American-French project manager interpreted Ill try my best (Indian local team) as Its going to be difficult, or No, I am not going to do it. He preempted potential conflict and tried to avoid risky situations where the local team felt pushed by HQ. In this way, he could develop interpersonal trust between these two groups. However, although HQ members may not provide any negative comments immediately, but still hold a negative impression of the Indian. In other words, they prejudged that the Indian local team did not fulfill its responsibilities, and trust in the Indian team was lost. This may not cause a problem right away, but it may be a root for relational conflict that eventually harms the trust between HQ and local teams. This multicultural manager not only preempted potential conflict between two parties but also tried to avoid risky situations where the local team felt pushed by HQ. In this way, he could develop interpersonal trust between these two groups. Displaying flexible behavior to deal with people from diverse regions and cultures: Once conflicts erupt in teams, however, multicultural project managers handled those conflicts with tolerance. In other words, they were more accepting of different cultural values, less disturbed by them, and accordingly better at handling conflicts due to valuing cultural differences among members. [19. Yves: this is from my thesis] For example, a Hong Kong-British-Canadian-French multicultural director whose team members were Dutch-Chinese, Taiwanese-French, and Korean-British and whose boss was French noted how members handled a process conflict (e.g., time management), which was created by different work values regarding meetings: In terms of meeting time, we all seem to have different principles. For example, my French boss never starts meetings on time and quite often postpones or cancels them. H (Dutch-Chinese) is very strict on time and deadline (meeting is time for checking-up on each others work process). I and K (Taiwanese-French) we are a bit flexible regarding meeting time. So, whenever we have meeting with my French boss, or ourselves, we face frustrating moments. But, what is important for us is how to handle this frustrating moment. As we are conscious about each others differences, we come to compromise when such moments occur. For example, with my French boss, I need to be really flexible with time. With my team members, if I am behind my meeting schedule with my team members, I make sure to tell them in advance why I am behind and ask them next availabilities. Conflicts may still exist in my team. But we handle them at a much more tolerant level. (Hong Kong-British-Canadian-French director, Team : Dutch-Chinese, Taiwanese-French, Korean-British and French boss) LOrà ©als product development team members have cultural diversity within themselves. They are bi- or multi-cultural and play two critical roles in team innovation: (1) bridging between cultural contexts and combining knowledge across cultural/national boundaries; and(2) resolving cross-cultural conflicts. [20. Yves: this is from my thesis] WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM LORÉAL To a greater or lesser extent, most global companies face the four challenges, or dualities, we identified as so characteristic of LOrà ©al: Global-local, dispersed complex knowledge to be integrated, national image of the home base but glo

Religious Depictions in Art

Religious Depictions in Art The Human Experience The Vladimir Madonna The Vladimir Madonna is a Russian icon painted during the 12th century. It is recognized by the arm of a child around the neck of the mother. It is designed in that the face the mother is facing the audience. The face out-shows human warmth and comprehension, as well as deep concern and sadness (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 150). The Mosaic Dome of the Great Mosque of Cordoba It is the most important building and monument in the Muslim religion. It is beautifully decorated with no seat or altars inside and is used as a place of worship (Darke, 90). The monument symbolizes religious changes Cordoba has undergone over the centuries. It also reveals Islamic art and architecture of the 8th century (Darke, 91). Giotto Lamentation (Burial of Jesus) The work reveals the mourning of Christ. The monument consists of the painting of the body of Christ being held by three women that wear halos and biblical costumes (Lubbock, 248). The painting of the face depicts extreme sadness and lays the foundation of the Renaissance. Giotto is the artist and is commonly referred as the father of western painting (Lubbock, 248). Duccio di Buoninsegna: Maesta (Virgin Mary Enthroned) Duccio is one of the most influential artists in Italy. In his Maesta, the Virgin is painted sited on a marvelous inlaid throne. The face is painted to reveal a hint of a smile (Keith, 40). Durham Cathedral (England) It is one of the monuments founded in 1093. The building still remains centre of worship to date. The walls are whitewashed while the shrines of Cuthbert are substantially destroyed. The exterior displays are the stained broken glass windows (Ch’ing, Mark, and Prakash, 370). Grunewald ‘Crucifixion’ from the Isenheim Altarpiece The Crucifixion altarpiece is an impressive art by Matthias which depicts the crucifixion of Christ (Gardner, Helen, and Kleiner, 504). The monument was constructed and painted in early 1500s, essentially containing a box of statues covered by folding wings. The art generally consists painting of Christ with the witnesses of the crucifixion scene and as revealed in the biblical teachings (Gardner, Helen, and Kleiner, 504). Raphael: The â€Å"Alba Madonna† and the â€Å"School of Athens† Alba Madonna and the School of Athens depict the works of Raphael in 1500s. in his school of Athens, Raphael is celebrated for his paintings ranging from the depiction of Plato to Aristotle other sages that reveal human sentiments. El Greco: â€Å"The Burial of Count Orgaz† The burial is one of El Greco’s panting and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. The art was created in 1588 and is considered his greatest masterpiece of all time (Scholz-Hansel, Michael, and Greco, 51). The burial contains heaven painting above and a moral burial scene below. Bernini’s â€Å"David† â€Å"David† is a marble sculpture created in 1623 depicting Bernini’s architecture. The painting consist the sculpture of David of the bible in a position suggesting his confrontation with the giant Goliath (Janson, and Anthony, 5). ‘Values’ The Vladimir Madonna The Vladimir Madonna reveals part of the life of the Russian history, accounting for the religious beliefs of that time. The icon was founded in 1395 and has remained since then (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 150). The icon account for the miraculous interventions ascertained to it which makes the Russian people attached to it. The icon symbolizes the Russian’s acknowledgment of the Vladimir Virgin favors as contained in the scriptures. For instance, it symbolizes how Moscow was saved thrice from the Tartars on august of 1395 (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 152). The Russian believe that the icon roused blazing enthusiasm in her defense during the attacks by the poles. The icon was later restored with the participation of religious leaders. It was then celebrated thrice a year in 1500s where the Russian held feasts in honor of the icon. It was considered a sacred treasure for them as it defended them against the Poles attacks of the Muscovites (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 154). The Vladimir icons exist in two groups. First is the Odigitria also known as â€Å"The Guide†. In this group, the Virgin is painted holding the child Jesus on her left arm while pointing to him with the right hand. The manner in which the icon is placed is interpreted to mean that the Virgin is guiding people, or rather communicating to the Russian that the child (Jesus) is ‘the chosen one’. The second group is the â€Å"tender hearted†. In this group, the Virgin holds the child (Jesus) with her right arm in manner as if cuddling ‘Him’ in a gentle way filled with maternal tenderness. Through the two groups, the icon depicts the attitude of the iconographer which symbolizes the religious perception at the time. Personal opinion The icon depicts the Russian art and architecture during the 12th century. It also depicts the Russian religious beliefs at the time. This explains why the icon has been preserved up to date. More importantly, the icon helps us understand the human behavior in regard, as well as in connection with religious faith. The monument also reveals the great works and creativity of the artists of that time. The monument is an illustration of the continued revolution of human life, both socially and economically, as well politically. The transformation to the current world of civilization is also depicted. Through the icon, the Russian history is well revealed and described. For instance, Russian experienced three exceptional iconographers who cooperated in their painting talents to come up with a strong architecture. Through the Vladimir Virgin, we learn more of the Biblical teaching and Christian faith, especially the Catholic faith. For instance, the prolonged gave of the Virgin to the baby Jesus reveals the deep concern of a mother-child love. The divine reveals the mother’s concern for her son’s future. The Virgin is aware of what awaits her Son, as it is revealed through the scriptures, â€Å"†¦and a sword will pierce your own soul† as contained in Luke 2-35. In ancient times, the Jerusalem school of icon painters prevailed against Greek and other influences. For instance, the Virgin is depicted as a conservative Palestinian girl with her head covered in accordance with the culture. As written in the scriptures, the clarity of Virgin Mary is crystalline. In the same manner, the veil of the icon is painted white to pass the same message. In that regard, there is a connection between the early architecture and the religious, as well as the culture of the people at tha t time. Likewise, the same values are passed from one generation to the other. Giotto Lamentation (Burial of Jesus) Giotto lamentation is similar to Vladimir Madonna. The monument consists of the painting of the body of Christ being held by three women that wear halos and biblical costumes (Lubbock, 248). The painting of the face depicts extreme sadness and lays the foundation of the Renaissance. Giotto is the artist and is commonly referred as the father of western painting. He creatively used Byzantine techniques to create an emotional biblical story that combines traditional Byzantine elements of painting (Lubbock, 248). For instance, Giotto uses the dimensional layout and iconography in his painting to bring about emotion revelation of the death of Christ. The manner in which he displays his painting invites the viewers to witness the pain the Christ experienced during the lamentation. The paintings are displayed in that one can almost hear the sobs of the women around the body (Lubbock, 249). In the same manner, one can feel the shrieks from the angels above at a close look of the painting of the angles. Giotto’s lamentation depicts a realistic turn of events, turning the paintings into real human beings with real emotions. The painting consists of the body of Christ, some women and men, and angles (Lubbock, 250). They all surrounding the body of Christ and preventing it from touching the ground. At Jesus’ feet is a woman whom we believe is Mary Magdalene from the biblical teaching. We are able to recognize her from her long red hair. The entire painting reveals the burial of the Christ as explained in the scriptures. The painting is about 7.5 feet square and relies entirely on the Bible, including the meditation on the life of Christ as described in the monk of the 13th century (Lubbock, 250). Personal opinion Giotto’s painting was done between the 12th and the 13th centuries when Christianity was widely spreading across the Roman Empire. It was during the reign of Emperor Constantine and Christianity emerged the most powerful institution in Western Europe. With the spread of the Christianity came the foundation of the Renaissance. The Renaissance was kinder like the birth of the ancient Greek and Roman culture. This came during the time economic prosperity in Europe and this gave birth to art which mainly concentrated on the human culture. Giotto mainly opened the way into a new style early painting by creating a world that is symbolic. His understanding of human form is well expressed through his painting skills as an artist. He clearly separates the human forms from the saintly counterparts. Heaven and earth are well demonstrated as well as joined together through the body of Christ. Giotto’s architecture mainly focuses on the birth and the spread of Christianity from one generation to the other. His work has proved to be one of the most influential architecture in Europe. Lamentation depicts the process of the burial of the Christ. In other word, the painting is self explanatory of what is written in the scripture. It enables readers understand the roman cultures, especially the Roman Catholic faith. It serves also as a quicker revelation of the roman culture relation the events that took place during the burial of Christ with the current faith of the Christians. With the painting, Christians can easily and effectively relate with the reality that the followers of Christ faced by then. The paintings are emotional to carry out the message effectively. Durham Cathedral (England) It is one of the monuments founded in 1093 (Gardner, Helen, and. Kleiner, 181). The building still remains centre of worship to date. It was the first cathedral in Europe and is made of stone rib vaulting, with the earliest pointed transverse arches in England. The main entry is through the north door. The door contain a sanctuary knocker made of bronze and is specifically used during medieval times by those seeking sanctuary. The Durham Cathedral’s nave is surrounded by attractive massive curved pillars, 6.6 meters high and round (Gardner, Helen, and. Kleiner, 181). The pillars have stood for more than 900 years. The building contains a long narrow slab of frosterly stone where women remained as they were not allowed to enter the building. The walls are whitewashed while the shrines of Cuthbert are substantially destroyed. The exterior displays are the stained broken glass windows (Gardner, Helen, and. Kleiner, 182). On the west end is the Galilee chapel, very large and beautifully decorated, and was built in 1170 (Ching, Mark, and Vikramaditya, 370). The chapel contains a tomb and monk built in the 8th century. The northern side walls contain painting of the 12th century (Ch’ing, Mark, and Vikramaditya, 370). Additionally, the quire contains finely curved wood stalls along which the daily services take place. The chapels also contain the bishop’s throne where the bishop used to seat. Separated from St. Cuthbert’s shrine is the high altar which is the focal point of the chapel. There is a Castell’s clock situated in the south transept which is believed to have been provided by Thomas Castell in 1494 (Ch’ing, Mark, and Vikramaditya, 370). The entire monument is well maintained in its original form is acts like a museum for tourists. Personal Opinion Durham Cathedral is one of the biggest Cathedrals and was kept to symbolize the origin of the Christian Catholic faith. The building has been kept in its original form apart from few changes which include paintings on the walls but its interior and exterior outlays have been maintained. The chapel is used as the center of worship and mainly acts as a sign of unity among the believers. The chapel takes after the main chapel of all time; the old St. Peter’s situated in Rome. Just like the Old St. Peter’s square in Rome, Durham Cathedral plays a major role in England. Durham Cathedral depicts the origin of the Catholic faith which signifies the cultural beliefs of its followers. It also signifies the traditional roman architecture of all time. The chapel can be used to study human behavior and perceptions towards a particular subjected. For instance, most Christians belief in life after death, and that Christ died on the cross for our sins. This might be different from Islamic religion. Additionally, Christians can use the chapel to trace their root of their faith, as well as trace or find answers about a particular issue. Nonetheless, the chapel can as well be used as a museum, especially for artist who want to learn and explore their skills in the field art. Work Cited Ching, Francis D. K, Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2011. Internet resource. (pg, 370) Christiansen, Keith. Duccio and the Origins of Western Painting. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2008. Print. (Pg 40) Cooper, Dana, and Claire Phelan. Motherhood and War: International Perspectives. , 2014. Print. (Pg150) Darke, Diana. Syria. Chalfont St. Peter: Bradt Travel Guides, 2010. Print. 90 Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. (Pg 255). Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through the Ages: A Concise Global History. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. 181-182 Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. (Pg 504) Janson, H W, and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice-Hall, 2004. Print. Lubbock, Jules. Storytelling in Christian Art from Giotto to Donatello. New Haven [u.a.: Yale University Press, 2006. Print. (Pg,248) Scholz-Hansel, Michael, and Greco. El Greco: Domenikos Theotokopoulos, 1541-1614. Hong Kong, China: Taschen, 2006. Print. (Pg, 51)

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Essay -- mississippi river, racism, civ

Huckleberry Finn is one of the most controversial novels in history. It is the fifth most challenged book in United States history (About Mark Twain). It tells the tale of a young boy and a slave who venture across the Mississippi river. At the time, this was considered immoral and unheard of. The author of this story is Mark Twain. Twain was born as Samuel Clemens, but later, after he began writing, he took on the pen name of Mark Twain. This name signifies the borderline between acceptable and not acceptable- as shown in his writing. Twain had three punctilious messages in his novel. Mark Twain wrote Huck Finn to express his disillusionment of society through the eyes of a young farm boy who realized that senseless violence, racism, and slavery all expressed how cruel and corrupt people could be. Samuel Clemens grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. There, he experienced an adventurous childhood that greatly influenced several of his stories. The town of Hannibal however, was not all it seemed to be, for Samuel experienced death and violence at an early age. When he was 9 years old, he saw a local man murder a cattle rancher, and at 10 he saw a slave die after a white overseer struck him with a piece of iron (Mark Twain Biography). Next, after he married, he travelled frequently across the country. In his travels, he experienced slavery, and racism first hand. This greatly affected him and he fought against it with the publication of Huckleberry Finn. In 1858, he became a licensed riverboat pilot (About Mark Twain). This experience allowed him to explore the Mississippi River, which played a large role in developing the novel. Twain clearly shows his social criticisms in this novel using satire. Huckleberry Finn was publish... ...through the eyes of a young boy named Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited -A&E Television Networks, LLC. (1991, March 5). Abolitionist Movement. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from History.com: www.history.com/topics/black-history/abolitionist-movement -A&E Television Networks, LLC. (n.d.). Mark Twain Biography. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from Biography.com: www.biography.com/people/mark-twain-9512564#awesm=~oEhRSHITXnijgm -CMG Solutions. (2006, July 6). About Mark Twain. Retrieved May 9, 2014, from The Official Website of Mark Twain: www.cmgww.com/historic/twain/about/facts.htm -Twain, M. (1994). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (S. Appelbaum, Ed.) Mineola, New York, United States: Dover Publications, Inc. -Weider History. (2010, September 15). Causes of the Civil War. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from HistoryNet: www.historynet.com/causes-of-the-civil-war

Zora Neale Hurston Essay -- Zora Neale Hurston

On January 7, 1891, Zora Neale Hurston was born in the tiny town of Notasulga, Alabama. She was the fifth of eight children in the Hurston household. Her father John was a carpenter, sharecropper, and a Baptist preacher; and her mother Lucy, a former schoolteacher. Within a year of Zora's birth, the family moved to Eatonville, Florida; a town, which held historical significance as the first, incorporated Black municipality in the United States. In 1904, thirteen-year-old Zora was devastated by the death of her mother. Later that same year, her unaffectionate father removed her from school and sent her to care for her brother's children. A rambunctious and restless teenager, Zora was eager to leave the responsibility of that household. She became a member of a traveling theater at the age of sixteen, and subsequently began domestic work for a white household. It was in this home that Hurston's intellectual spark was discovered. The woman for whom Zora worked, bought Zora her first book and arranged for her to attend high school at Morgan Academy (now known as Morgan State University) in Baltimore from which she graduated in June of 1918. The following summer, Zora held jobs as a waitress and a manicurist. She then enrolled in Howard Prep School, followed by a distracted jaunt at Howard University. Although she spent nearly four years at the esteemed institution, she graduated with only a two-year Associates degree. It was during this time at Howard, that Hurston published...

Fundamentalist Christians and Negative Conceptions of Dungeons & Dragons :: Christianity Religion Essays

Fundamentalist Christians and Negative Conceptions of Dungeons & Dragons This paper is an attempt to explain the negative conceptions about role-playing games, especially claims that the games are Satanic. I will be using many primary sources from the Internet, most of which are from Christian websites, to determine precisely what is being claimed about the games. I will be using more academic sources in order to try to explain where the claims are coming from. As the websites primarily focus on Dungeons & Dragons (henceforth noted as D&D), I too will focus on this game. First I will examine the most common conceptions one by one and try to determine the source of each, and then I will examine the claims as a whole to give an overall theory about them. The first claim that I’ll discuss is that D&D causes players to commit suicide. According to http://www.webzonecom.com/ccn/cults/satn10.txt, Dr. Radedki, â€Å"chairman of the National Coalition on Television Violence†, said â€Å"[t]here is no doubt in my mind that the game Dungeons and Dragons is causing young men to kill themselves and others.† A character in the Chick Tract â€Å"Dark Dungeons† commits suicide after her character dies in the game. The conception seems to be that players get so obsessed by the game, so enthralled, that when something goes wrong (like their character dying) they have difficulty dealing with the consequences. They have so much difficulty, it is claimed, that they sometimes kill themselves because of it. This claim appears to stem from a few different events. This brief history is agreed upon by a number of authors, but I am specifically using Brian Webber’s account, from http://www.voicesofunreason.com/essays/dungeonsanddragonsnotasatanicgame, and Paul Cardwell, Jr.’s article in the Skeptical Enquirer. The first event was in 1979, when a student named James Dallas Egbert III disappeared from Michigan State University’s campus. It was theorized by an investigator named William Dear that Egbert was lost in the steam tunnels under the campus, acting as a character in D&D. He was found about a month later, but his disappearance had already been highly publicized, starting a new public perception of the game. A year later Egbert committed suicide. In 1982, a boy named Irving Pulling II committed suicide.

Finance and Leverage Buyout

Restructuring Firms & Industries, Fall 2011 Prof Harvey Poniachek Questions for Harvard Case Studies CASES SHOULD BE DONE BY TEAMS OF UP TO FOUR STUDENTS. EACH CASE WOULD BE PRESENTED AND DEFENDED IN CLASS BY TWO TEAMS. I EXPECT MANY OF YOU TO MAKE CLASS PRESENTATIONS BY UTILIZING POWERPOINT AND/OR OTHER MEANS. THE QUESTIONS BELOW WERE SUGGESETD BY THE AUTHORS AND ADDRESS MAIN THE ISSUES IN EACH CASE, BUT YOU MAY EDIT / CONSOLIDATE THEM IF YOU FIND IT NECESSARY / CONVENIENT IN WRITING UP YOUR CASE. Cooper industries 1. If you were Mr. Cizik of Cooper Industries, would you try to gain control of Nicholson File Co in May 1972? 2. What is the maximum price that Cooper can afford to pay for Nicholson and still keep the acquisition attractive from the standpoint of Cooper? 3. What are the concerns and what are the bargaining position of each group of Nicholson stockholders? What must Copper offer each group in order to acquire its shares? 4. On the assumption that Cooper’s management wants to acquire at least 80% of the outstanding shares of Nicholson and to make the same offer to all stockholders, what offer must Cooper management make in terms of the dollar value and the form of payments? 5. What should Mr. Cizik recommend that the Cooper management do? CONGOLEUM CORP 1. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF CONGOLEUM MAKE IT A LIKELY CANDIDATE FOR A LEVERAGE BUYOUT? 2. WHY WOULD INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS BE WILLING TO FINANCE A LEVERAGE BUYOUT WITH THE CAPITAL STRUCTURE PROPOSED? 3. WHAT RETURN WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS ON AN INVESTMENT WITH THIS RISK LEVEL? WHAT RETURN WILL THE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS REALIZE IF THEIR TIME HORIZON FOR THE INVESTMENT IS 5 YEARS AND THE PROJECTIONS OF EX. #13 ARE REALIZED? 4. WHERE WILL THE VALUE FOR THE 50% ACQUISITION PREMIUM COME FROM IN THE PROPOSED BUYOUT? 5. WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE POTENTIAL REWARD FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CONGOLEUM IN THE LEVERAGE BUYOUT? 6. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURGE IN THE LEVERAGE BUYOUT ACTIVITIES IN THE 1980s?

1. Discuss Dr. Faustus as a tragedy Essay

Ans—Understanding of Christopher Marlowe’s Elizabethan tragedy, Dr. Faustus, can be framed in terms of the Renaissance philosophy and the Elizabethan tragedy, which takes a different turn on some points from the Aristotelian tragedy, for instance such as the Elizabethan tragedy’s requisite death of the tragic hero. Dr. Faustus demonstrates the Renaissance philosophy that pits the dichotomy of good, angelic humanity against evil, depraved humanity. Marlowe’s play also is a model of the Elizabethan tragedy. Marlowe constructed the character of Dr. Faustus to represent within himself both characteristics of the Renaissance view of humanity as divinely good and hellishly evil. First, Dr. Faustus is presented as a scholar of all things including divinity, the highest Renaissance scholarly discipline. Then, Faustus is shown as dissatisfied with the limitations of humanity and grasping for unlimited knowledge, which is a Biblical allusion to Adam and Eve who ate of the Tree of Knowledge. Throughout the play, Faustus descends to lower and lower planes of knowledge in his pursuit for the â€Å"power† and â€Å"omnipotence† that comes from knowledge. At the beginning, Mephistopheles answers all Faustus’ questions but draws the line on talk of the universe, which can be seen to stand for astronomical and cosmological studies–the very studies that science is deeply involved in today: CERN; Hubble; SoHo; etc). Faustus must be content with merely mapping the universe instead of understanding it. Marlowe ultimately shows in Dr. Faustus the futility of the quest for ultimate knowledge and the inevitable end result of abandoning moral integrity for omnipotent knowledge. Dr. Faustus also represents a Classic Elizabethan tragedy. First, the tragic hero has a flaw or makes an error in judgment that leads to his own doom. It’s hard to say whether Faustus had a fatal flaw in his character or whether he was doomed by a faulty understanding that lead to a fatally disastrous error in judgment. All along the way, Faustus has doubts and hesitations which speak for an integrity of his moral character. If he has a fatal flaw, it might be that he did not reckon the power of evil highly enough, that he thought that with omnipotent knowledge, he could free himself from the chains of evil he wrapped so blithely around himself. Adam and Eve also fell to the punishment from the lure of knowledge. Of course, quite often Faustus’ fatal flaw is said to be greed and irreverent disregard for goodness. One clue to forming a literary stance on the question lies in examining his hesitations and second thoughts. In addition to this, the questions addressed in Marlowe’s play are nobel universal questions pertaining to the highest order of considerations: the meaning of life and death, the quest for knowledge, the respective power of of good and evil. In further accord with elizabethan tragedy, the play Dr. Faustus employs comedic relief through the presence of clowns that also acts as a means of giving information about the characters and the action of the play. The clowns in Dr. Faustus are Rafe and Robin. In Elizabethan tragedy, the clowns (rural, country simpletons who misuse language accidentally) and fools (urban dwellers who play with language and â€Å"misuse† it intentionally for wit) generally replace the Greek Chorus that carried the task of moving the st ory along with information not performed on stage, but in Dr. Faustus, Marlowe employs both the Greek-style Chorus and Elizabethan clowns. Finally, in keeping with Elizabethan tragic form, Faustus gets himself in so deep, his tragic flaw or error in judgement is so aggregious that it leads ultimately and necessarily to his death, thus fulfilling the fate of an Elizabethan tragic hero. Since Faustus has overestimated what he can attain from an arrangement with Lucifer and since he underestimated the power of Lucifer’s evil, his ultimate end must be and is death even though he recognizes his mistakes and pleads for pardon.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Balance of Essential Dietary Lipids For Good Health Essay

Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are important lipids which are obtained by the body mainly from fish, nut, vegetable and seed oils. These are biomolecules which should necessarily be incorporated in the diet for proper development, physical and behavioral functions in humans and animals. Our ability to synthesize these fatty acids or to interconvert them from other molecules is averted by the absence of enzymes required for their production of transformation in the body. This class of fatty acids is characterized by an even-numbered aliphatic chain starting from a carboxylic carbon and ending in a methyl group. The structure possesses two or more all-cis double bonds (polyunsaturated), the first of which is located three or six carbons away from the methyl (omega) carbon, hence the name, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). They are also components of the phospholipid bilayer which envelope cells and organelles and are converted to other molecules such as eicosanoids including prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes and other molecules implicated in immune reactions and signals. Also because of their health implications, they are subject of many research studies which aim to improve certain medical conditions, finding alternative sources and determining the optimum amounts in the diet for maximized health benefits. Lipids are a diverse class of biomolecules that are distinguished from the other classes because of their solubility in non polar solvents. This is due to the relatively large hydrophobic portion, usually consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain or ring attached to other functional groups. Being derivatives of carboxylic acids, they can undergo the same reactions typical of carboxylic acids. Thus, they may combine with alcohols to produce acyl compounds called esters. This very reaction allows for a diverse array of lipid structures. They find use as components of the cellular membranes aiding in protection and fluidity of the lipid bilayer; for energy storage because of their oxidation potential, because of this, they generate ample amounts of heat during fat burning; as body insulator because fat is a poor conductor of heat and prevents heat loss through the skin; as tools for molecular recognition between attached moieties (usually proteins) and the hydrophobic environment and protective covering of tissues among others. This large group is classified based on their structure as follows: (a) fatty acids and derivatives, (b) triacylglycerols, (c) wax esters, (d) phospholipids, (e) sphingolipids, and (f) isoprenoids (1). Triacylglycerols are esterification products of glycerol and three fatty acids. They are important components of adipose cells and are generally used as energy reserves. These molecules can undergo saponification reactions which produces carboxylate salts of soap. Phospholipids are the major structural components of membranes and find use as emulsifiers and surfactants due to the presence of a small polar head represented by the charged phosphate group. They may also be used as protective coverings of small molecules and probiotics (2). Wax esters are important components of leaves, fruit and animal fur. They may be combinations of many types of functional groups such as alcohols, aldehydes and sterols. Sphingolipids are hydrophobic amino alcohols which are generally found composing animal membranes. It is also found covering the myelin sheath of neurons and assists in the transmission of messages in the brain. The isoprene ring is characteristic structure of isoprenoids. They are distinguished from other lipid classes by a five carbon unit, methylbutadiene. Examples of this class include essential oils which are mixtures of terpenes giving fruits and flowers their characteristic scent; carotenoids which are plant pigments that have the structure of tetraterpene, vitamin E, vitamin K, ubiquinone and some hormones (1). The omega-3 and omega-9 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are very important examples of lipids belonging to the first group. Examples of this class are aptly called essential fatty acids because these molecules need to be supplemented in the diet since our body lacks the enzymes for its synthesis. These include the short chain PUFA which are in turn precursors of other long chain omega-3 and omega-9 PUFA. Fatty acids that can be synthesized in by the body because of existing pathways and enzymes are referred to as non essential fatty acids (3). This paper discusses the structure of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, their biochemical functions, products and applications especially in maintaining good health and tackles current discoveries regarding their transformation to new molecules, issues concerning increased dietary intake and health prospects. Nomenclature and structure Fatty acids are synthesized in the liver and adipose cytoplasm through the fatty acid synthase and malonyl CoA a precursor. The chain increases by two carbons at each round of the reaction catalyzed by a unique enzyme complex until it forms a saturated fatty acid containing 16 carbons (palmitic acid). Through a series of elongation, reduction, dehydration and desaturation reactions various types of unsaturated fatty acids are produced. The reaction can incorporate double bonds up to the ninth carbon in mammalian system since the required enzymes are lacking and so we depend on plant sources for these essential fatty acids (3). Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids Fatty acids are called such because of the attachment of a long hydrophobic tail made of an aliphatic chain to a carboxylic acid functional group. This carboxylic carbon is referred to, in nomenclature, as the ? carbon. The chain is terminated by a methyl group assigned as the ? position. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are characterized by the presence of conjugated alkene groups in the cis confirmation. Thus, the position of the double bond can be indicated from the carboxylic carbon or from the methyl end. Thus, linoleic acid, a fatty acid with eighteen carbons and with two double bonds at carbons 9 and 12 from the carboxylic end can be designated as 18:2? 9,12. The dietary profile of the intake of fatty acids also determines the fatty acid composition of the phospholipid double layer. The latter can be assessed by determining the profiles of lipids from erythrocytes and plasma lipids, as well as identifying the membrane fluidity using analytical techniques (5). Another method of measuring membrane fluidity includes the use of various fluorescent markers which can tag protein molecules that are embedded in the lipid bilayer. The tendency of the colored markers to mix depends on the ability of the proteins to move through the membrane as time passes. The FRAP method, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, can also be related to the fluidity of membranes since it can measure lateral diffusion. This technique takes advantage of the ability of laser to bleach a pre marked fluorescent portion. As the membrane moves, color is regained and visualized using video equipment. Probes attached to the membrane can also be detected by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (1). Arachidonic acid is also an important fatty acid component of phospholipids. The high degree of unsaturation ensures that the lipid bilayer is flexible and fluid even at slightly lower temperatures. The characteristic four conjugated double bonds prevent solidification at physiological temperatures and typically undergo alkene reactions such as oxidation. Its pKa is also suited to regulate its solubility in the aqueous and hydrophobic portions of the cell. In the salt form, it can be solvated by water but reverts back to its hydrophobic form once the salt reacts with free H+ in solution (6). Eicosanoid synthesis Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are also synthetic precursors of autocrine regulators called eicosanoids. Arachidonic acid is central to many pathways in the production of eicosanoids. These arachidonic acid-derived molecules, which include prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes, are difficult to analyze because of their limited concentrations and short periods of activity. The molecules are usually released as a response to immune reactions triggered by infections and antigen attack (1). In addition, they trigger molecular cascades which can affect even the expression of lipid metabolizing enzymes and present perils in metabolic disorders (7). The eicosanoid synthesis is mediated by two groups of enzymes and is achieved through the pathways utilizing cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase (8). Prostaglandins feature a cyclopentane ring in its structure with alcoholic functional groups at carbons in position eleven and fifteen. They are named as PGXy (prostaglandins) classified according to letters (symbolized by X) while y (subscript) indicated the number of double bonds found in the structure. Different letter classes are indicated by similarities in the functional group attached to the core structure but the group derived from arachidonic acid is one of the most significant. They are important molecules that signify inflammation reactions during infection and pain and are involved in muscular contractions during birthing events and ovulation. Apparently, they also have varying roles depending on the type of cell and tissue where they are produced (1). In fact, both omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA find importance in the synthesis of prostaglandins. The products from each, however, have different actions. Prostaglandins resulting from omega-3 PUFA have anti-inflammatory functions, while that synthesized from omega-6 are inflammatory. Thus, the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is important because these molecules compete for the same enzymes and the synthesis products should complement each other (9). Thromboxanes are cyclic ether derivatives of eicosanoids whose name can be symbolized as TXZy. Z represents the class of thromboxane and y indicates, as in the case of prostaglandins, the number of double bonds. They are involved in platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. Leukotrienes, on the other hand, are eicosanoid molecules originally isolated from white blood cells, hence the name. They are also classified according to groups symbolized by letters (X) and subscripts (y) denote the number of double bonds found in the structure (LTXy). They are also implicated in processes involving inflammation, bronchoconstriction, vasoconstriction and capillary permeability (1). The overexpression of cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase enzymes which oxidize the double bonds of arachidonic acid to form eicosanoids has been implicated in possible tumorigenesis in the human brain such as in gliomas and meningiomas. Thus, their structures are used as models for designing drugs that target inhibitory sites on the enzymes. It is predicted that future medicines that aim to cure brain tumors may be based on blocking certain reactions catalyzed by cyclooxygenases and lipooxygenases in the eicosanoid synthesis pathway (8). Due to its importance in brain, eyesight development, physical and behavioral functions, alternative sources of these omega-3 PUFA are being tapped and utilized to produce fortified food. Arterburn et al. 2007) have assessed the possibility of utilizing algae as sources of these important fatty acids and found substantial amounts of synthesized arachidonic acid, docosapentaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in membrane lipids and blood cells using algal oil fortified capsule supplements and foods (10). Health benefits and issues Early studies in animals and human test subjects have already established the important roles that omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids play in health functions. A study by Carlson et al. 2003) reports that diets deficient in omega-6 fatty acids impairs the growth of infants by decreasing the synthesis of arachidonic acid whose products play roles in development and phospholipid synthesis (11). It was recently identified that brain lipids metabolism and synthesis has a large dependence on levels of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA, specifically docosahexaenoic acid and other eicosanoids (12). The diet of infants can easily be devoid of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, interestingly, it was observed that these fatty acids are transmitted to the fetus from the pool of nutrients of the mother. It is thus important to maintain balance of these fatty acids in lactating and pregnant mothers for the proper development of their infants (5). The role of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA in the development of brain disorders such as schizophrenia is also attributed to the ability of these fatty acids to inhibit the phospholipid degrading enzyme phospholipiase A2 which is found to be increased in schizophrenic individuals (7). Various studies have also reported the beneficial effects of an omega-3 and omega-6 rich diet on physical, behavioral and even psychological health. On the contrary, Hakkarainen et al. 2004) monitors the effect of an increased omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid intake and reports that a positive correlation is observed towards anxiety, alcoholism and depression among male subjects (13). The relation of diseases which stem from genetic alterations such as cancer and their risks based on profiles of dietary intake of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA are also being established. It has been observed that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids lessens the odds of acquiring prostate cancer by slowing down the growth of prostate tumor cells but is reversed by omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Similarly, inter conversion of omega-6 to omega-3 PUFA re-established the positive effects of omega-3 on prostate cancer (14). These reports acknowledge that a healthy diet can be used to minimize genetic predispositions to certain diseases. In addition, if coupled with a healthy diet, preventive lifestyle measures, adequate nutrients, avoidance of red meat, refined floor products and concentrated sugars, substantial sulforophane rich foods such as allium and broccoli, intake of minerals, folic acids, vitamins, antioxidants, carotenoids, probiotics and dietary supplements, these measures and precautions can ward of the risks of cancer (15).