Tootsie Roll Industries Essay Example

Tootsie Roll Industries Paper The report given is about a Chicago based company called Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. Tootsie Roll Industries is an old company that has been manufacturing and selling candy for more than 110 years and has come a long way after a number of merger and acquisitions to add to the brands’ product line. The company currently operates in 30 countries. However, it is imperative that the company operations should be extended to other countries to make Tootsie Rolls a household name in every country. As an International Business Development Manager of this company, I have suggested expanding the company operations to Pakistan where the consumers look for newer products. And even though the local competition provides candies at lower prices, the lack of quantity and quality of the local candies has made them undesirable for the brand conscious middle and upper class of the country. Moreover, the imported chocolates of the companies Hershey’s, Cadbury, Nestle and Mars can not be afforded often by the lower middle and the middle class who also have desire to consume high quality sweets and chocolates. The report discusses the company operations, target market, brands and core competencies. Then the report presents recommendations about the target country and comprehensively analyses and discusses how and why this country is suitable for expanding the company operations. II. COMPANY ANALYSIS We will write a custom essay sample on Tootsie Roll Industries specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Tootsie Roll Industries specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Tootsie Roll Industries specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Tootsie Roll Industries is a manufacturer of confectionery in the United States. Its best known products / brands have been Tootsie Rolls which are â€Å"chewy chocolate -flavoured candies† and Tootsie Pops, â€Å"hard candy lollipops filled with chewy chocolate-flavoured Tootsie Rolls†. Along with these, the company has added to its brands by acquiring other confectioners. The company was established in 1896 by an Austriant immigrant called Leo Hirshfield who brought his own recipe when he came to America. He first started to produce Tootsie Rolls in a small store in New York City. In 1917, the company was called The Sweets Company of America, and in 1966, adopted its current name of Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. Since its inception, the company has expanded by acquiring several famous brands of confections such as Mason Division from Candy Corporation of America, Cellas Confections, The Charms Company, The Warner-Lambert Company (excluding gum mints), Andes Candies, and Concord Confections. â€Å"Tootsie Roll Industries currently markets its brands internationally in Canada, Mexico, and over 30 other countries. The companys heaquarters are located in Chicago. † The company has been operating successfully under the auspices of the married team of 87-year-old chairman and CEO Melvin Gordon and 75-year-old president and COO Ellen Gordon who control 80% of the companys voting power. The company has been known to use the same formula for over 100 years. Its Charms and Tootsie Pops brands make it one of the largest lollipop producers in the world. According to Hoover’s Fact Sheet, Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. has total of 26 competitors in the confectionary and candy industry in the countries in which it is operating. However, the most important ones are Hershey, Mars and Nestle. Mars is considered to be the industry leader manufacturing high quality and high energy brands such as Twix, Mars, Snickers, Milky Way, MMs, etc. that not only cater to the children but adults of all ages as well. Customers/ Target Market The company mostly targets the children and to some extent the younger population (teenagers) up to the age of 18. However, Tootsie also targets the adults as well for using its products in the offices, meetings, social gatherings, parties, and special occasions so that they become a family product rather than a child’s. Even though, candies and sweets are products that are primarily for the children, the products are used by and popular among all ages both young and old. During the Korean War, Tootsie Rolls was very famous among the armed forces. According to them, Tootsie Rolls reminded them of their country America, and gave them hope and kept them alive during the war. US military has since been a major part of the loyal customers of Tootsie products. Tootsie Rolls has been a nostalgic reminder of home bringing them good memories about their country. Also, the brands such as Charms Family Fun and Child’s Play specifically cater to family occasions such as Halloween and birthday parties. Moreover, they do not cater to any specific income class; hence they are affordable and liked by affluent as well as the middle class. Products and Services The company is basically into manufacturing candies and confectionery industry. Tootsie’s core products are candies and confectionery items such as chocolates, toffees, caramel sweets, bubble gums, lollipops, jellies, cotton candy, etc. It has added to its original brand of Tootsie Rolls by mergers and acquisitions and has extended its product line and customer base since its inception. Some famous brands manufactured and sold by the company are as follows: 1. Tootsie Rolls Tootsie Rolls was the first product that was produced and sold by Leo Hirshfield in his small shop that brought the company fames. â€Å"Hirshfield hand rolled and wrapped his chewy, chocolate flavored creation and named the candy after his 5-year-old daughter, Clara, whose nickname was Tootsie. Tootsie Roll was the first wrapped penny candy in America. † Today, Tootsie Rolls are produced using the same basic recipe that was used by its creator over a century ago. About 62 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day. Tootsie Rolls now come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

jfk assassination essays

jfk assassination essays Since November 22, 1963, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has aroused a number of questions concerning the person or persons behind the vile murder. Arguably the most controversial murder associated with politics in the 20th century, the number of unproven theories regarding John F. Kennedys death is remarkable. Theories including how many shooters were involved and how many shots were actually fired on the frightful day of the assassination are nothing more than factual hypothesis. Countless numbers of people have added their thoughts on each of the theories: none of which are one hundred percent certain. In hopes of finding answers, this research paper will gather as much authentic information on each theory in question as possible. At 1:30 P.M. on November 22, 1963, all of the theory-related questions emanated. In relation to the Zapruder film, certain assumptions could be made about how many shots were actually fired from Lee Harvey Oswalds 6.5 millimeter Mannlicher-Carano. One could also argue that there was not enough time in between shots that struck Governor Connally and John F. Kennedy. In such a case, there must have been a second gunman. Supporting the lone gunman theory, the Warren Commission (hand-picked by Lyndon B. Johnson one week after the assassination of John F. Kennedy) came to the conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the murder. The Commission also added that they found no evidence that led Lee Harvey Oswald to any conspiracy, foreign Other discussed theories such as the single bullet theory are yet to be determined by experts. Whether or not one bullet hit both Governor Connally and President John F. Kennedy is still being debated. Certain inquisitors state that more than one shot was fired: others, a so-called magic bullet. The House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded that a shot was fired from the legendary grass...

Cover Letter Mistakes 5 Words and Phrases to Delete from Your Cover Letter

Cover Letter Mistakes 5 Words and Phrases to Delete from Your Cover Letter Cover letters are not dead, and cover letter mistakes can still cost you a job to someone who does a better job in their letter. One easy way to write a strong cover letter is simply to avoid certain overused and ineffective words. Heres why you dont want to use 5 of these too-common words and phrases, and what some alternatives might be. Read till the end. I saved the best for last. 5 Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid 1)   Using the word â€Å"hope.† Examples I hope to hear from you soon. OR I hope to be able to contribute my skills to ABC company. Why You Should Avoid this Cover Letter Mistake Hope springs eternal.  The company doesn’t care about your hopes and dreams.  They care about what you can do for them. Alternatives to Hope I look forward to speaking with you further regarding my qualifications. OR My ability to take clear, decisive action will allow me to make an impact at ABC company from day one. OK, now we’re talking! 2)   Saying you want to improve or hone your skills. Example I am excited to hone my programming skills at ABC company. Why You Should Avoid It Companies do not hire you in order to train you. They want someone who will make a contribution. Just like â€Å"Objective† statements stating what you want are no longer desirable on resumes, don’t tell a company in a cover letter what you want to get from them. Alternative to Avoid this Cover Letter Mistake I look forward to contributing my programming skills to the efforts of ABC company to make the web accessible to everyone. (No neediness here. So much better.) 3)   Saying you are â€Å"drawn† to a company. Example I am drawn to ABC company because of its outstanding reputation and high-quality service. Why You Should Avoid It You get drawn to a person across a crowded room.  Companies don’t care to hear that you are drawn to them.  And a bonus tip:  companies with outstanding reputations don’t need to be told that you want to work there because of their outstanding reputations. Who wouldn’t be drawn to those companies? Alternative for Drawn The relationship management skills I built while working in a state office are a match for ABC company’s commitment to outstanding customer service. (That’s so much better, isn’t it?) 4)   Talking about how you â€Å"feel.† Example I feel the relationship management skills I built while working in a state office are a match for ABC company’s commitment to outstanding customer service. Why You Should Avoid It Can you see how adding â€Å"I feel† at the beginning of this sentence killed it completely?  Tell a psychologist how you feel.  Tell a company what you can do for them.  If you must, use the word â€Å"believe† instead of â€Å"feel.†Ã‚  But see if you can avoid this type of language altogether. Alternative for Feel The relationship management skills I built while working in a state office are a match for ABC company’s commitment to outstanding customer service. 5)   Referring to â€Å"Your company.† The worst possible cover letter mistake is to write a generic cover letter. Never, ever, write a cover letter where you only refer to the name of the company when you say â€Å"I’m applying for a the position of X at ABC Company.† Use the name of the company multiple times throughout the letter. Don’t just use the name of the company. Tell them why you want to work specifically for them. Speak to their mission and values. Do you know someone who worked there? Have you used their products for 20 years? Don’t be afraid to get personal. That human touch could be the thing that gets you the job. Examples My father and greatest insurance mentor, J.B. Krankshaw, who was mentored by ABC Insurance founder L.B.J, had a phenomenal 40+-year record as an ABC Insurance agent. In my mind, Jimmy’s has differentiated itself, prompting me to become a full-fledged, app-carrying brand fan. I was one of their first consumers when they first opened in my town, and last year, I enthusiastically helped the XYZ Digital Marketing team win the Jimmy’s competition. Take these five tips to heart when you’re writing your next cover letter and you’ll avoid some common cover letter mistakes. Not only that, but I promise you that more creative and powerful language will show up, making your cover letter more effective than you ever thought it could be. Did you try it?   Share examples in the comments please! Are you struggling to craft a creatively worded cover letter that gets attention? Wed love to help! The Essay Expert offers entry-level, mid-level, and executive-level cover letter writing services.

FInancial Outlook on Social Security Pensions Research Paper

FInancial Outlook on Social Security Pensions - Research Paper Example This takes place at the macro level. Personal retirement savings accounts were established into Ireland through in 2002 through the Pensions Act. These accounts are long term individual accounts that have been designed to help people save for their retirement in an elastic manner (Attanasio 3). The significance of security savings especially for those people with no pension provisions exist. With a personal retirement savings accounts, a person can change their employment and continue using the same account. It is also possible to change from one savings account to another at any time without charges. The two main different types of personal retirement savings account are all aimed at improving the financial security of individuals. These two are; standard personal retirement savings accounts and the non-standard savings accounts. The principle difference between the two saving accounts is on the charges. Moreover, there are restrictions on the type of property that the standard savi ngs account can invest in. They only invest in joint funds where the hazard is extended on huge number and diversity of investments. However, the standard savings account meets the requirements of most people. The non-standard savings accounts tender broader investment alternatives. ... The accounting methods used to estimate their liabilities assume that better planning can earn higher investments with reduced risks. It is likely that plan assets could fall short. In such a case, taxpayers are expected to make up for the difference. However, the taxpayer guarantee value is not disclosed. While states recognize underfunded social security pensions, it is evident that the situation is worse than it is demonstrated by their accounting. If proactive steps are not taken therefore, taxpayers will be forced to cover huge shortfalls (Aguila 39). From such an analysis, it is evident that the financial outlook on social security pension practices is inaccurate. This is because the shortfalls exceed explicit state debts. It is, therefore, arguable that pension benefits, contributions, and retirement ages must be transformed. However, this may be difficult until accurate accounting systems are adopted. It is evident that the social security programs are currently experiencing financial problems. There has, therefore, been the question on social security policy on the retirement behavior of incentive programs. The role of private pension programs has been growing over the past few years. It is, there, important to review and monitor their performance in an international framework especially with the 2008 financial market crisis (Aguila 39). Rapid decline in labor participation of men has been a striking phenomenon especially in the second half of the twentieth century. A lot has been documented on causes of this trend amongst older men. Presently, through life-cycle model of saving, individuals get the opportunity to design consumption and saving plans through the assumed perfect information. Statistics, however, proof that many workers in the U.S. lack

Study skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Study skills - Essay Example The leading areas of focus include: Economic development and wealth creation. Social development. Environmental development. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Generally, the main concern that necessitates the upgrade of modern cities is the need to accommodate the ever-growing population especially around the bigger cities. One of the causes for this increase is the rapid rural-urban migration. The main cause for this migration is the pursuit for job opportunities and better housing facilities among others. There is a need to upgrade the existing social amenities to match this rate of migration in order to avert the major social problems that are associated with any unprecedented rise in population. London has been on the fore front in ensuring that the general infrastructure of the city is developed to ensure that the city retains its global position despite the sudden rise in urban dwellers. The other reason for the upgrade is to address recent global areas of concerns associated with the urban ar eas, top among them being the global warming menace. Most authorities have realized that the current global race towards industrialization has led to an upsurge in environmental degradation in levels never seen in the recent past. Keywords: urbanization, global warming, infrastructure, energy, renewable energy, sustainability, waste management. Introduction There has been a high motivation to improve on the development of London over the recent years. The Greater London Authority (GLA) is an authority whose role is to seek development in a brighter future for London. GLA is made up of members such as the Mayor, London Assembly, and staff. Other functionalities existing include London Development Agency, Metropolitan Police Authority, Transport and London Fire and Emergency authority. Therefore, the report seeks to expound on environmental improvement in London Powers and Responsibilities of the GLA and the Mayor: The Mayor of London is a very important figure as he sets the strategy used to focus on development, procedures to be used as well as the policies to be followed to realise the vision of making London the biggest and best city or choice of destination in the world. This involves the areas described above such as economic development and wealth creation, social development and finally environmental development. The work of strategizing the London vision is a responsibility of London’s Mayor. The mayor comes up with the best strategies that will be used to implement and fulfil the vision for the future. The Mayor of London also seeks to establish working relationships with key parties such as organisations. This will see to it that essential lines that will enable London to move easily to the strategized vision for its future can be drawn. According to the Mayor of London, Johnson Boris insists that he wants to bring about the changes that most Londoners have always aspired. Some of these changes include remodelling the general outlook of London so that it reflects a cleaner city with safer streets. There is also a need to introduce modern transport system as well a state-of-the art housing facilities. This will play a crucial part in attracting local, as well as foreign visitors to this great city. The Mayor of Lond

Theory to practice Essay Example for Free

Theory to practice Essay Big Time Toymaker (BTT) develops, manufactures and distributes toys and board games. An inventor named Chou created a board game called Strat. Chous invention caught the attention of BTT and they sought out to negotiate with Chou. During the time of communication between both Chou and BTT an agreement was made. Both parties agreed to BTT having exclusive negotiating wrights for a 90-day period in exchange for $25,000.00. The agreement stated that no contract exist unless in writing. After a meeting when an oral agreement was made Chou was emailed a document subject Strat deal by a manager of BTT. This email can be considered the contract in writing and Chou assumed so, later to find that BTT was now run by new management who claimed they were uninterested in his invention. The point where parties entered a contract was when the BTT manager sent Chou an email subject â€Å"Strat Deal†. This was the point where a contract was mad because BTT had received an exclusive 90day negotiating period, and distribution agreement wasn’t going to be in effect until received in writing. This email also included terms discussed during the oral agreement and pricing. The agreement of a contract was that it had to be in writing in order to exist. Never did BTT stress the form of writing. An email consist of written words, therefore it was a written agreement. A contract is an agreement with specific terms between two or more people or entities in which there is a promise to do something in return for something else. When the email was sent that was the completion of the exchange and fulfilled contract requirements. The oral agreement that both parties had before the email was sent was establishing objective intent to contract. BTT also sent a fax to Chou a month after the 90day period passed requesting the draft to be sent. This action also showed intent to contract. What weighs in Chous favor in terms of parties objective to contract is the fact that BTT paid him. They exchanged money for exclusive negotiating rights. Chou could  always state an unilateral mistake was made and he misunderstood the terms of an agreement. The fact that both parties communicated by email has no impact on the decision of Chou rightfully still having a contract. Email is just as sufficient as a letter or hand written draft. With a subject email sent saying â€Å"Strat deal†. â€Å"The law governing which contracts must be in writing in order to be enforceable† is also known as the statue of frauds according to University of Phoenix The Legal Environment of Business (2011) . The contract was emailed to Chou before the 90day deadline right after an oral agreement. The statue of frauds supports Chou still having a valid contract. BTT could avoid this contract under mistake. Chou had mistaken the email as the contract agreement. BTT specified that the distribution deal would only be valid if contract was in writing. BTT could argue their meaning of a contract in writing is a contract on paper. This would be a mutual mistake. Both parties had a different understanding of what a contract consist of. Mutual mistake shows both parties at fault instead of only one. If the email does constitute an agreement, the thing that support this a greement is the fact that Chou was within the 90 day period when the email was sent. Although the email said nothing about a contract it was titled Strat Deal. During the verbal agreement Chou was lead to believe that both parties had finally agreed on the terms of the contract. Assuming that Chou did have a contract and BTT decided to breach the contract Chou could obtain remedies for his lost. The proper remedy would be compensatory damages. â€Å"Compensatory damages are an attempt to put the nonbreaching party in the same position she would have been in if the other party had performed as agreed (melvin, 2011, Chapter Chapter 7, Contract Performance:Conditions, Breach, and Remedies).† By the new management breaching the contract Chou misses out on potential profits that could have occurred if the contract had been followed through with. The remedy that would be less favorable would be consequential damages. Assuming from the theory that Chou had nothing in place directly depending on the completion of his contract, there is nothing that would be affected indirectly from the unfulfillment of the contract. Consequential damages compensate foreseeable indirect losses. Work cited Melvin, S. P. (2011). The Legal Environment of Business: A Managerial Approach: Theory to Practice. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. Melvin, Sean P. (2011). The Legal Environment of Business: A Managerial Approach: Theory to Practice. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection.

The Fall of the House of Usher :: essays research papers

In "The Fall of the House of Usher", Poe uses the life-like characteristics of the decaying house of Usher as a device for giving the house a supernatural atmosphere. This not only makes the story act upon the reader in a grabbing way, but it also creates an impression of fear, mystery and horror, typical for Poe’s literary works. For example, from the very beginning of the story, the reader can tell that there is something unusual and bizarre about the old house. As the narrator approaches the home of his long-time friend, Roderick Usher, he refers to the house as the "melancholy House of Usher". This description in the beginning of the story prepares the reader for the mysterious events that will follow. Upon looking at the building, he even feels some sense of intolerable darkness which pervades his heart. The windows appear to be "vacant† and "eye-like† as if watching at the narrator and wandering through his mind. With an insecure feeling he goes to observe the "rank sedges," and the "black and lurid tarn," in which he sees the reflection of the house. He later says, "when I again uplifted my eyes to the house itself, from its image in the pool, there grew a strange fancy...". Although, the narrator tries to view everything he sees in a rationa l manner, upon seeing the house and its surroundings, he has an elevated sense of dread. He goes on to say that, "about the whole mansion and domain there hung an atmosphere peculiar to themselves and their immediate vicinity". This statement indicates that perhaps the house does indeed have some thrilling and spiritual nature. The narrator observes the details of the house once more and finds that the house has mold growing all over it and the masonry of the building is decaying. He says, that " there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts, and the utterly porous, and evidently decayed condition of the individual stones". This observation suggests that perhaps something eerie is holding the house whole, otherwise it would have fallen to the ground long ago. With this description, the house is also represented as a witness of many fates and a long period of history. It is as a mute observer of the time, knowing more, tha n anybody who lives in there. Later on, when the narrator enters the house, he sees its inside as well as the odd behavior and personality of its inhabitants and is increasingly convinced that the house has some strange impact on the people living in it.

Spirituality for the Alienated

Struggling with the Spirit in today’s world is a daunting challenge. Most fail. This is because the mainline culture holds that the life of the Spirit is actually a life of the mind, a life of the emotions somewhat distorted by older, â€Å"discredited† system of spirituality and life. Burg’s project, however, is not so much denying this rather dogmatic approach, but in reconstructing it so that the moderns can come to the life of the spirit with few doubts and problems. However, Borg speaks to me for several reasons: first, my love of the eastern tradition stresses Christ as Tao, as the path, rather than as a dogmatic set of beliefs.It is not so much that dogma is a problem–as it merely asserts things as true–but these propositions never exist in themselves, they exist as part of a broader whole, a struggle with myself and the modern world (Damascene, 1999). This struggle is about integration: the integration of a tradition, a set of beliefs held p ropositionally, but also its integration within a culture that is often hostile, and that–it seems–seeks to constantly throw roadblocks in the way of one’s struggle. This paper, then, will take my own struggle through the methods Borg uses to reconnect Christianity to modern life.The basic thesis here is integration: taking the insights from all relevant communities to construct a reasonable and useful understanding of Jesus and his mission. For Borg’s (1995) work, the real struggle is twofold: first, the struggle between the communal understanding of Christ and his historical essence, and second, the struggle with integrating â€Å"modern scholarship† with one’s life of true faith. This struggle is very real, but for Borg, his uncritical acceptance of â€Å"modern scholarship† as a set of infallible oracles who have no agenda or ulterior motives make his approach weak and compliant.Nevertheless, the insights taken from this approach cannot be ignored. The basic historical approach Borg takes is highly problematic: Christ did not say what is attributed to him, this existed as an oral tradition prior to being written down, hence unreliable, and lastly, that these oral ideas were written down by a community that had already experienced Christ and hence, itself is largely personal and cultural (Borg, 1995). Unfortunately, he refuses to deal with the large body of work that refutes these theses, such as McDowell (2006), Strobel (1998), Siciliano (2001) and so many others.His assumption that the modernist scholarship is true (rather than as an ideological construct) shows his criticism to be poorly developed: if the Christ of the ancient world is an ideological construct of the community (and hence unreliable), why is the modern academic, also part of a community, not guilty of the same crime? The fact that Borg is a part of this community might help in answering that problem. If I am to hold that Christ is the creat ion of an ideologically motivated community, then there is no reason why the â€Å"modern scholarship† on this question is not also an ideologically motivated community.Nevertheless, it is the case that struggles against the modern idea are real, and some of their insights cannot be cast out of hand, as this community does to what they call the â€Å"fundamentalists. † There are several issues Borg takes the reader though that are full of insight and use for the modern Christian buffeted by the modern mentality. In Borg’s Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1995), he stresses that images of Jesus are important for one’s development as a Christian. There are several images that he identifies:Jesus as Savior: likely the most common image. Christ came to earth to save man frm sin, to take his human nature and link it to the divine, hence cleansing it, and bringing it through the realm of death, hence conquering it. Second, Jesus as teacher, Jesus came to earth to primarily teach a set of doctrines about Himself, the world and the Christian’s relation to it. Third, Jesus as the â€Å"king of creation,† the stern judge and teacher of righteousness. Fourth, Jesus as moralist, that Jesus came to earth to primary teach an ethical system.And lastly, Jesus as a liturgical figure, the Jesus whose beauty is such that normal words cannot describe it, but it can only be understood in poetry and the symbolism of liturgy (Borg, 2-5). This is an important approach. All of these, to one extent or another, are a part of each Christian’s life, but some are more significant than others. Borg seems to hold that the real problem for modern Christians is the â€Å"propositional† nature of â€Å"faith. † That faith, for him, is the assent to a series (literally a list) of propositions: Christ is the Son of God, Christ walked on water, etc.The problem is that the modern person lives in a society that lives by its own do gmas: that such things cannot happen because they â€Å"violate the laws of nature. † Of course, this assumes that Christ is not their author. He does have a solution, one that I find personally satisfying: that there are two Christs (though not literally), the Christ that existed prior to the resurrection, and the Christ that came after. The latter is the Christ that should motivate the modern reader, and this is the Christ that motivated the early Christian community to write the scriptures.The assumption is that this community made up a series of stories and held to it. The fact that the resurrection and crucifixion made no sense to the surrounding Jewish or pagan world is not considered. In other words, that no real religious interest was served by creating these stories, since the concept of a crucified God was abhorrent to both communities. Nevertheless, he holds that the motivation of writing the Gospels come from the resurrection, which Borg takes as true from the tes timony of the Scriptures that he does not trust (Borg, 1995). Nevertheless, Borg, while inconsistent, is involved with a similar struggle to my own.Being from a secular household, the concept of Christ and his miracles was strange to me. No different, really, than a cartoon superhero. It was so easy to reject them, so hard to accept them. But this was not a matter of assent and intellectual life, but rather socially. To preach Christ to anyone other than the converted is to lose a great deal of social capital. This I felt powerfully. But intellectually, I never had a problem: â€Å"science,† or rather, the scientific establishment, tells me that the infinitely complex life of DNA came into existence by chance.If this was true, then how strange was it to believe that God came to earth to teach men about Himself? I never thought it strange that Christ was God, while my friends believed that Eric Clapton was God. What I did find strange was the mentality of belief as â€Å"prop ositions. † In other words, that one could hold to the list of accepted beliefs about God and Christ, but the integration of these ideas into the world about them was the real challenge. Borg’s other famed work, The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering the life of Faith, has helped me put this problem into a better perspective.In fact, it is precisely the statement of the problem that makes the most sense, just as much as the solution itself. In other words, the context of the problem suggests its own answer. Borg writes that Christ should be seen as a way of life rather than as a set of beliefs (Borg, 2004, 25). However, the problem is that Borg seems to say this so as to relieve himself of the pressure of believing things that â€Å"modern scholarship† has decided are false. This, as I have already said, is the great weak spot of this series of books. But it helps to place it like this:Dogma: This is an intellectual approach to God and Christ. It holds to a set of beliefs both as reflecting the historical world of facts, and at the same time, demands a consistency among the propositions believed. This is fair enough. But the real issue is that it is a matter of the head. If Christianity was to be a strictly rational, empirical religion, then why did Christ not speak in this way? Christ, rather than speaking as a metaphysician, spoke in parables, He spoke in aphorisms, He spoke in stories of only a few sentences. He seems to preach by example as much as by words.Way: Christ preached by example, by the words and actions that he integrated within himself for a short span of three years. He struggles with non-belief, the arrogance of the Pharisees, and incomprehension of the Romans. But this is precisely our condition: our modern Pharisees, our modern secular people consistently give us trouble. Christ is a way of struggle rather than as a set of dogmatic beliefs (Damascene, 1999). Borg (2004, 28-37) does one better: he reduces the struggle t his way: Christ and the Christian mission in the modern world can be reduced to four specific approaches:(1) Assensus: this is a matter of rational assent. This is the problem, at least when such assent is separated from the community. One can hold that Borg is really trying to minimize conflicts, to minimize the â€Å"dogmatic† element of Christ so as to lower the threshold of belief: more and more can come to Christ if they do not need to â€Å"pass the belief test. † At the same time, Borg can also be said to hold this because either he does not believe the dogmatic pronouncements about Christ, or his community (i. e. the academic community) does not, and he does not want to be left out, or attacked as a â€Å"fundamentalist.† (2) Fidelity: this is the matter is personal relationship. This is not so much a matter of a-dogmatism, but goes beyond it: love is stronger than intellectual assent. One follows Christ not because he has given assent to a series of dog mas, but rather, because Christ is a man worthy of being followed. A man that exudes love in the strongest sense of the world. (3) Vision: the approach where faith in Christ makes sense out of the whole: the world, the community even of religion. While it is is true that Christ preached the coming of his Church, he did not speak of it all that much.Christ spoke of a life of struggle, of virtue, of a personal relationship through faith. The apostles had this, and still could not keep Judas. The vision is to bring the whole into integration with Christ’s teachings, the real basis of this paper and the basis of my personal life. One cannot run from the world, but one can infuse it with Christ and his teachings. But this is difficult with so many teachings about Christ, one does not know which image to pick,. This is the problem, and many have rejected Him altogether because fo the disagreements. This many be the real strength of Borg and his approach.(4) Trust: this seems to syn thesize all the above. One trusts in the message of Jesus, but a message that might not be literally â€Å"true,† but is the experience of God in and by the community. If one approaches scriptures in this manner, then one can get over the â€Å"belief threshold† and see the Scriptures as a â€Å"response to God,† rather than a historical record. On a more personal note, the most satisfying part of Borg’s work is in his threefold â€Å"basis† of the Christian life in the modern era. I’d like to make this the conclusion, and the real central element of my personal response to reading Borg.In his (2004) work, Borg holds that the modern mission of Christianity can be reduced to three elements: (1) The affirmation of the reality of God. Now this can be done two ways: first, through intellectual arguments, but also as a set of experiences. Borg prefers the latter. Nevertheless, in my own history, it was the former that led me to the latter. In my younger years of obligatory doubt, it was not the experience of God, it was the understanding of him. Once I understood him, I could feel and experience him. But my understanding came in the form of a series of negations: I could not believe that DNA ever came into existence by chance.DNA is the great proof of the intelligence of God, the very nature of His creative power (at least that which is open to human observation). I could not believe that matter was eternal. Even in my younger years, while I could not articulate such an idea, I most certainly believed it. Materialism holds that matter is God, in the sense that all things, including life, came from it. It is also eternal and hence, all powerful. Once I realized this set of ideas that must be held by materialism, I realized that the life of the spirit was for me. Life cannot come from death, since something cannot give what it does not have.Consciousness does not come from chance. I saw these as the affirmation of the dogmati c and ideological community of modern scholarship and science, I saw it as the worst and crudest form of obscurantism (2) The centrality of Jesus. While I have no problem with this concept, I can not imagine that Borg can say the same. Jesus? But if one holds that the Jesus of Scripture is deliberately falsified, then what is he speaking of here? He never says. Jesus seems to become an archetype rather than a person. If one holds that the New Testament is falsified (a concept I hold as fantastic) then Christ can never be central.In other words, unless one holds to certain things as historically true (i. e. dogma), then Christ can never be the central part of one’s life. (3) Lastly, the centrality of the scriptures. There are two ways of viewing this: first, the scriptures as historically true, which Borg rejects, and the scriptures as reflecting, in words, the early community’s experience with God. Of course, these are not mutually exclusive, but the latter does more a ccurately reflect out situation. We do experience God in our lives. What we write about this comes out as vague and poetic.It is not history, but at best, psychology. It does not mean that the experiences are false, but that there are only so many ways that such experiences can be expressed. The final expression cannot, however, be called â€Å"history. † I commend Borg for trying, but he ultimately, fails. He cannot have it both ways: to reject scripture (as his community does) but still hold Jesus as central. Jesus cannot be central if his life is falsified. Borg is ultimately a sloppy writer that seems to want to pleas everyone, and make Christianity an easy religion for all to approach.Whatever he likes about the Scriptures he uses, whatever will get him made fun of by his colleagues, he rejects. This is dishonest, and says more about the academic community than the early Christian community. Basically Borg is trying to rescue Christianity from the attacks of the modern c ritics, while affirming that everything that those critics say about the Bible is true. Nevertheless, we have all experienced the doubt, the pressure of the outside world. It is all the matter of context and expression: how we approach God in a materialistic world. That, Borg can do nicely. Bibliography:Borg, Marcus (1995) Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. HarperOne. ___. (2004) The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering the Life of Faith. HarperOne Damascene, Fr. (1999) Christ the Eternal Tao. St. Herman’s Press. Fr. Damascene’s book strongly takes the approach advocated by Borg. He holds that Christ as a relational entity (so to speak) leads to believing in Christ as the Way, a method, a path to Enlightenment and truth. McDowell, Josh. (2006). Evidence for Christianity. Thomas Nelson Publishers. Strobel, Leo. (1998). The Case for Christ. Zondervan. Siciliano, Terry. (2001) Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Evidence for Christianity.Truth Press. These are three major wor ks that refute the thesis that Christ’s message was falsified. There are many means to do this, but the most impressive one is that the message that came out in the Scriptures is repugnant to both the Jewish and Pagan mentality: rising from the dead, execution like a common criminal, no military force, etc. were all highly disagreeable to the environment in which the Scriptures were first written and disseminated. Hence, they must be true. If one was going to invent a series of events, the last series one would invent at the time was that which was actually written.

Management in Organisation Essay

A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE UPSTAGE THEATRE The board of the Upstage Theatre Company had assembled to hear the Artistic Director’s proposals for the following year’s season. Mark Buck, the Artistic Director, had built a reputation on his staging of popular comic seasons, and most members of the board expected a similar proposal this year. Buck entered the boardroom, and after a few general remarks, began to speak about his plans for the season. As he spoke, the board members began to look at each other with astonishment. Buck was proposing a radical departure with a Shakespearean tragedy and working up to a piece by Arthur Miller. At the end of this totally unexpected proposal he looked around at his audience. ‘Any questions’ he asked rather blandly, while privately enjoying the obvious bewilderment on the part of the board. He loved surprising people! Jean Carlisle, the chair of the board, was the only one not surprised by the proposal, as Buck had approached her several weeks ago and dropped some hints about his idea. Buck, she had a shrewd suspicion, was out primarily to promote his own career. Known as a ‘comedy man’ first and foremost, he was in danger of being typecast within the industry. Only by rounding out his production experience could he hope to progress. Carlisle, however, could see a lot of possibilities in the proposal for a ‘serious’ season, even though she knew it would be dismissed as foolhardy by a number of the established board members. Her involvement with the Upstage Theatre was based on a sincere commitment to the cultural development of the community. Lately, she had been coming under some fire from her family and friends for not urging that more ‘culturally significant’ work be performed by the Theatre. When she had first heard of Buck’s proposal, she had decided to support it and had accordingly begun to consider how best to get the board to support it as well. Now she turned to Robert Ramsay, a board member who had been brought in for his connections with the business community. ‘Well, Robert, it’s an interesting proposal we have in front of us,’ she said. ‘What do you think?’ Ramsay, she happened to know, had been considerably embarrassed in front of the board recently, as a result of his inability to raise money for the Theatre. She also knew that much of the resistance to the corporate support of the Theatre had come from the fact that its plays were not considered serious enough. Thus, Ramsay, she reasoned, would support the departure proposed by Buck. This was indeed the case. ‘I think it’s a marvellous idea. And I’m sure it’s the kind of season the financial community would support’ said Ramsay. Several others on the board protested strongly against the proposed season. The most vociferous of these was Olaf Vickers, a local playwright of some repute. Vickers had had several of his comedy works performed by the Upstage Theatre Company over the years. The argument presented by Buck, Carlisle, and Ramsay managed to quiet these objections, however, at least to the point where the board voted to examine the marketing and financial implications of the proposal and meet again in two weeks’ time. When the board met again, a month later, the battle lines were more clearly drawn. Olaf Vickers spoke first. ‘I move that we dismiss the proposal for a â€Å"tragedy’ season,† he said. ‘The Theatre has always had a reputation for comic works, and this reputation should not be thrown away lightly. I feel that our artistic director should go back and rethink his proposals.’ Jean Carlisle, however, was ready with an answer. ‘I know how you feel’, she said. ‘But I think we have to consider some other factors too. For a year now our theatre has been losing money, and how long the various arts councils will go on funding us is an open question. As I told you last year, some of the government people are very concerned that we develop more in the way of box office support and outside funding. Now, as I see it, this proposal may give us a chance to do just that. I’ve asked Mark Buck to do an unofficial survey among the town’s theatre community, and I think you’ll find the results interesting.’ The artistic director now stood up. ‘We’ve been able to put together a random sample of Theatre goers from the subscription lists of other theatres in town,’ he said. ‘I had a couple of people in the administrative office phone these people and do a straw poll survey of their preferences. The results indicate that a majority would patronise a new tragedy season. So I think we can expect some box office support for this proposal.’ He sat down and amid murmurs from the board members Carlisle then asked Ramsay to address the meeting. ‘I’ve canvassed the business community,’ he said. ‘A number of corporations have indicated their interest in supporting a â€Å"serious season† here. I think it’s safe to say that we could count on fairly generous corporate support should we decide to go ahead.’ A heated debate followed these announcements. While many of the previously uncommitted board members now leaned toward acceptance of the proposed season, a significant minority, lead by Olaf Vickers, opposed it. As the by-laws required a two- thirds majority to approve a policy change, the meeting adjourned without any decision being taken. It was decided to meet again the following week to resolve the crisis, if possible. During that week, Jean Carlisle paid a visit to Olaf Vickers. After some polite discussion of theatre matters, she came to the point. ‘You know Olaf,’ she said sadly, ‘it’s rather a pity you don’t support the proposal for a ‘serious’ season.’ ‘Why’s that?’ inquired the playwright suspiciously. ‘Well’, explained Carlisle, ‘it’s just that I was talking to Buck the other day, and he wanted to commission you to write a work to wrap up the season. He says he’s sure a serious piece by you would be just the thing to cap the year.’ ‘I’m glad that at least he remembers part of the Theatre’s original mandate,’ growled Vickers. ‘After all, the Upstage is supposed to be committed to the development of new local authors.’ ‘And it’s a commitment he takes very seriously,’ replied Carlisle. ‘And, so  do I, I can assure you. That’s why if we were to go ahead with the season he suggests, I would move that your new play be commissioned immediately. I hope we can come to some agreement when we next meet,’ she added, as she rose to go. ‘Maybe,’ Vickers replied thoughtfully. At the next meeting, Vickers announced that after some thought, he had changed his Mind, and would now support the new season. Several weeks later, it was announced that as local playwright, he had been asked to write a serious work to be performed as season finale. Questions 1. What do you perceive to be the primary problem in this case? 2. Do you believe that the board has made decisions according to the rational decision making model? Why? 3. Do you think that using a group such as this one was the most effective way to make the decision? 4. What might you have done differently, in order to facilitate more effective decision making

Animal venoms Essay Example

Animal venoms Essay Example Animal venoms Essay Animal venoms Essay Mass spectrometric appraisal of bioactive peptides in European wolf spider venom Hazard Appraisals Literature Review Introduction: Animal venoms have been identified as playing a cardinal function in find and development of new drugs as they contain a big sum of unknown pharmacologically active molecules.1 Deadly animate beings subdue their quarry by utilizing their venoms which are rather complex mixtures that contain a big sum of peptide toxins.2 Some of these toxins are thought to hold pharmaceutical and insecticidal effects due to the selective and effectual manner they target receptors.2 This theory led to an addition in the figure of new toxins being identified and characterised.2 Spiders are thought to be the most successful deadly animate beings as they contain the largest figure of peptide toxins when compared to other deadly animals.2 Spider venoms are turn outing to be highly utile doing them to be â€Å"recognized as one of the most exciting beginnings of novel tools for pharmacological research and curative leads†.3 Spider venoms: There are about 39,000 known species of spiders, with even more needing charcterisation.4There are two chief groups of spiders and these are the Orthognatha ( mygalomorphs ) and the Labidognatha ( anaeomorphs ) .5 The differences in these groups are characterized by the place of the chelicerae and the motion of the Fangs. About all spiders are marauders and largely feed on insects and other arthropods.5 Larger species of spiders can besides feed on little birds, serpents, chiropterans, rats, lizards and frogs.5 Most spiders have venom secretory organs and the venoms secreted from them tend to be colorless liquids that can be dissolved in water.5 In most instances these venoms are impersonal or alkalic, but some are known to be acidic.5 Venoms from spiders are diverse as they differ between species and within the same species.5 The chief intent of a spider s venom is to enable it to disable and kill its prey.5 It besides may assist the spider digest its quarry and can move as a self-d efense tool against other predators.5 Spiders can either assail their quarry utilizing their Fangs or gaining control it by utilizing their webs, but normally either manner the quarry is killed as a consequence of the venom s effects.5 A bulk of spiders are in fact harmless to worlds but there are a few species that can do fatal bites.5 Spider venoms are thought to incorporate about several million peptides1, although merely a few spider venoms have been to the full investigated go forthing a huge figure still to be studied and identified.4 Spider venoms provide the perfect focal point for analytical probe as the scope of their constituents varies greatly in molecular weight and pharmaceutical function.6 These venoms contain active biological molecules which can aim a scope of of import normal maps in insects and mammals.5/7 Spider peptides differ well in their pharmacological activity and structure8 and a really little sum of venom can exercise a powerful biological effect.3 Spider venoms are a really complex â€Å"cocktail† of low molecular weight constituents, polypeptide toxins and proteins,9 but peptides are the chief constituents in about all spider venoms.4 The low molecular weight compounds include inorganic salts, free amino acids, biogenic aminoalkanes, enzymes, neurotransmitters and nucleic acids.5/9 These toxins are known to aim a scope of receptors.3 Classs and maps of spider peptides: Deadly animate beings contain a figure of molecules that have effects similar to receptors and enzymes which comprise the two chief categories of marks for the action of drugs.10 These compounds found in their venoms contain a scope of bioactive molecules that have certain pharmacological effects at peculiar targets.9 Spider venoms have been shown to possess a huge beginning of peptide ligands that mark ion channels such as K, Ca and Na and these toxins have been studied to find the construction and roles these channels have in cells.5 The toxins in spider venom can be classified on their chemical nature, their pharmacological effects and their molecular degree effects.10 These toxins can be divided into two chief groups and these are neurolysins and non-neurotoxic peptides.7 Neurotoxins act against neuron receptors, neuron ion channels and presynaptic membrane proteins that affect neurotransmitter release.5/7 Non-neurotoxic peptides are peptides with antimicrobic or necrotic effects .7 The chief intent of a spiders venom is the palsy of their quarry, so this venom contains a figure of toxins which act on the nervous system.5 The neurotoxic activity of these venoms is due to the consequence they have on cellular receptors such as ion channels.8 To day of the month a bulk, if non all spider neurolysins identified are proteins, peptides or acylpolyamines.5 The neurolysins isolated from spider venoms can hold assorted manners of action such as impacting glutamatergic transmittal, exciting sender release and barricading postsynaptic cholinergic receptors.5 They act by upseting the basic cell map and impact the cell membrane receptors.5 Due to these actions they could be good in the survey of these receptors by modulating their map in a manner that is the same as the drug action.5 Polypeptide toxins are known to move as ion channel inhibitors and pore- forming peptides.9 Acylpolyamines act by barricading the insects neuromuscular junction taking to paralysis.9 They w ork by barricading the ion channels that target glutamate receptors, voltage-activated Ca channels and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.9 Polypeptides and acylpolyamines are the chief constituents in spider venoms.9 Two illustrations of antimicrobic peptides that have been characterized within the last 10 old ages are Lycotoxins I and II and they came from the venom of the wolf spider ( Lycosa carolinensis ) .4 European wolf spider venoms: European wolf spiders are the â€Å"giants of the spider world† and are normally feared due to their big size.3 They belong to the mygalamorph group11 but lone spiders within the Theraphosidae household are classified as true tarantulas.3 There are about 860 theraphosid species and they can be found worldwide from tropical rain forests to comeuppances or savannas.3 Although there are a little figure of exclusions, European wolf spiders are non peculiarly harmful to worlds with most bites doing symptoms such as mild to severe hurting, itchiness, stiffness of articulations and conceited limbs.3 Tarantula venoms represent an copiousness of new pharmacologically active molecules for a scope of cell receptors and ion channels.3 Like about all other spiders, European wolf spiders are marauders and provender on a assortment of insects and little animate beings such as rats as prey.3 A European wolf spider s ability to capture quarry that is larger than it without the usage of webs, s uggests that these animals are both strong and possess venoms that are really efficient at moving rapidly on the quarries nervous system.3 Tarantula venoms are complex mixtures of constituents such as peptides, polyamines, free amino acids, salts, proteins and enzymes.3 The hurting experienced after a bite can be due to a figure of things such as local hurting caused by the Fangs, the venom s low pH and effects of biogenic amines.3 These venoms seem to change in authority depending on whether the quarry is a craniate or an invertebrate.3 The Chilean European wolf spider ( Grammostola spatulata ) was one of the first species to be studied as it was highly popular as a pet and because it produces big sums of venom.3 Cobalt Blue European wolf spider ( Haplopelma lividum ) : The Cobalt Blue European wolf spider belongs to the Theraphosidae household and is found in the rain forests of South East Asia.8 This burrowing spider prefers warm temperatures with a humidness degree of around 80 % .12This European wolf spider has a leg span of 4-5 inches and is really popular among tarantula enthusiasts8, particularly because of its electric blue coloring. The Cobalt bluish European wolf spider is known to be rather fast and is one of the most aggressive tarantulas.8This aggressiveness is a common trait in Asiatic European wolf spider. These European wolf spiders are antisocial by nature and be given to be rather shy.13 Cobalt blue European wolf spider can remain in their tunnels for hebdomads on terminal merely go forthing in hunt of nutrient and water.14 They favour crickets to other signifiers of quarry but they will besides eat cockroaches and other big insects.12The Cobalt blue, unlike other European wolf spiders do non hold urticating hairs so they use seize with teething as agencies of defense.13 The authority of their venom can be indicated to some grade from studies of pet proprietors who have experienced painful bites from these tarantulas.6 Their venom is non really likely to do any terrible effects in worlds and no deceases have been reported for this species. When the Cobalt Blue European wolf spider feels threatened it will raise up on its dorsum legs as warning before biting, which is their lone signifier of self-defense.12 In an experiment carried out by Pierre Escoubas and Lachlan Rash, it was noted that the mice died after 10 proceedingss when they were given an intracerebraventricular injection with 0.1 µl of the venom from this tarantula.3 Decision: There are about 39,000 species of spiders that are recognized to day of the month but merely a little sum of these species have been investigated so far, for the potentially utile toxins they may incorporate. The aim of this undertaking is to utilize MALDI-TOF/Q-TOF/ion trap mass spectroscopy to place and qualify the bioactive peptides in Cobalt Blue European wolf spider s venom. Plan of Probe Purpose: The purpose of this undertaking is to measure the bioactive peptides in the venom from the Colbalt blue ( Haplopelma lividum ) European wolf spider from the Theraphosidae household utilizing ion trap, matrix-assisted optical maser desorption ionisation time-of-flight ( MALDI-TOF ) and quadruplicate clip of flight ( QTOF ) mass spectroscopy. Method: 1. The European wolf spider venom that will be used for appraisal will come in pre-fractionated samples. 2. MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy will be used in order to measure the molecular weight of the peptides. This will supply accurate mass findings and primary sequencing information that will assist infer unknown peptide sequences. 3. Additionally QTOF and ion trap mass spectroscopy will be used to set up the atomization profiles of the peptides. 4. Vinyl pyridine is a protein alkylating agent that will be used to observe the presence of disulfide bonds in the peptides. 5. A chemical alteration trial will be carried out to place cysteine rich peptides. 6. MS/MS techniques will be used to find the construction of the peptides. 7. A database hunt will be conducted to find if there is any homology with bing peptides. 8. Last the pharmacological function of these peptides as venom constituents and their possible pharmaceutical map will be postulated. Experiments and controls: In this undertaking the bioactive peptides are analysed utilizing a figure of mass spectroscopy processs.  · Mass Spectrometry Mass Spectrometry is an analytical technique that is an of import tool used in the analysis and word picture of biomolecules such as peptides.15 How it works: A mass spectrometer is made up of three cardinal parts which are the ionisation beginning, the analyzer and the detector.16 1. The sample is loaded into the ionisation beginning of the mass spectrometer instrument. 2. The sample molecules undergo ionisation in this country which consequences in formation of positively charged ions. 3. These ions are accelerated by a magnetic field and are extracted into the analyser country of the mass spectrometer where they are detached harmonizing to their mass to bear down ratios ( m/z ) . 4. The detached ions are detected and this signal is sent to the information system where the mass to bear down ratios are stored together with their comparative copiousness for presentation in the format of an m/z spectrum. The Mass Spectrometer, accessed 2009 December 1, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/masspec/howitworks.html  · MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry Matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight ( MALDI-TOF ) mass spectroscopy is an of import analytical tool used in life sciences for protein and peptide analysis.16This instrument enables mass to be determined accurately15 and due to its truth it is really successful in protein designation and characterization.17 In MALDI mass spectroscopy the sample is bombarded with a optical maser to bring forth ionisation. MALDI mass spectroscopy vaporizes and ionise both little and big molecules without damaging them.17The time-of-flight ( TOF ) analyser accelerates the ions utilizing an electric field and measures the clip they reach the detector.15 Control: This instrument will be calibrated with a known sample that will be analysed independently each twenty-four hours before the venom samples are analysed. Diagram: A diagram of a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry, accessed 2009 December 3, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.psrc.usm.edu/mauritz/maldi.html  · Q-TOF Mass Spectrometry Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectroscopy uses hovering electric Fieldss to go through the ions to the sensor. This instrument is rather similar to the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer in that it has the same sample demands but it has better declaration leting more information to be given for protein individuality via MS/MS experiments.18/19 Control: This instrument is calibrated in the same manner as the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer. Diagram: A diagram of a Q-TOF mass spectrometer runing in MS and MS/MS manners Q-TOF mass spectrometer Ashcroft A.E, An Introduction to Mass Spectrometry, accessed 2009 December 3, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.astbury.leeds.ac.uk/facil/MStut/mstutorial.htm  · Ion trap Mass Spectrometry Ion trap mass spectroscopy is an instrument that is able to place little and big molecules and is used to happen their molecular mass.20This instrument takes the ions that were created, in this instance from matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation procedure and uses an electrostatic lens system system to put them in the ion trap.20 Control: This instrument does non necessitate calibrated on a day-to-day footing or every clip it is used, as it merely needs calibrated one time a twelvemonth. Diagram: A diagram of an Ion trap mass spectrometer Janscher K.R, Yates J.T, The Why and Whies of Quadrupole Ion trap Mass Spectrometry, accessed 2009 December 3, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.abrf.org/ABRFNews/1996/September 1996/Sep96iontrap.html Costings  · Equipment: The equipment that will be used for the continuance of this undertaking is MALDI-TOF, QTOF and ion trap mass spectroscopy. The cost for each is shown below and includes the cost for all chemicals needed for its usage.  · MALDI-TOF Cost per usage ten figure of times needed = sum cost ?1.70 x 10 = ?17.00  · QTOF Cost per usage ten figure of times needed = sum cost ?18.04 x 4 = ?72.16  · Ion trap Cost per usage ten figure of times needed = sum cost ?3.74 x 5 = ?18.70 * Total cost for equipment use = ?17.00 + ?72.16 + ?18.70 = ?107.86  · Reagents: The reagents that will be used for the continuance of this undertaking are 4-vinyl pyridine, dithiothreitol ( DTT ) , ammonium hydrogen carbonate and trypsin. The costs for each is shown below in the measures needed. * 4-vinyl pyridine-This is used as a protein alkylating agent Cost for 100ML= ?18.30 * Dithiothreitol ( DTT ) This is used for cut downing the protein disulfide bonds Cost for 50ML = ?31.80  · Ammonium Bicarbonate Cost for 25g = ?8.60 * Trypsin- This hydrolyses the proteins into smaller amino acids Cost for 1VL= ?42.20 * Total cost for reagents = ?18.30 + ?31.80 + ?8.60 + ?42.20 = ?100.90 * Total cost for undertaking = entire cost of equipment + entire cost of reagents = ?107.86 + ?100.90 = ?208.76 Mentions 1. Escoubas P, King G.F, Venomics as a drug find platform, Expert Review Proteomics, 2009, Volume 6, Issue 3 ; 221-224, accessed 2009 November 28, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.expert-reviews.com/doi/pdf/10.1586/epr.09.45? cookieSet=1 2. Wood D. LA et Al, Arachno Server: a database of peptide toxins from spiders, BMS Genomics Journal, August 2009, Volume 10, Issue 375, accessed 2009 November 29, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2164-10-375.pdf 3. Escoubas P, Rash L, Tarantulas: eight-legged druggists and combinative chemists, Toxicon Journal, 2004, Volume 43 ; 555-574, accessed 2009 November 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedirect.com/science? _ob_MImg A ; _imagekey=B6TCS-4BWW8PS-2-G A ; _cdi=5178 A ; _user=126978 4. Liu Z.H, Qian W, Zhang Y, Liang S, Biochemical and pharmacological survey of venom of the wolf spider Lycosa singoriensis, Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, 2009, Volume 15, No 1, accessed 2009 November 30, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.scielo.br/scielo.php? script=sci_arttext amp ; pid=S1678-91992009000100008 5. Rash L.D, Hodgson W.C, Pharmacology and biochemistry of spider venoms, Toxicon Journal, 2002, Volume 40 ; 225-254, accessed 2009 November 11, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedirect.com/science? ob=MImg A ; _imagekey=B6TCS-44D3TCN-1-7 A ; _cdi=5178 A ; _user=126978 6. Moore S et Al, Mass spectrometric word picture and quantitation of selected low molecular mass compounds from the venom of Haplopelma lividum ( Theraphosidae ) , 2008, accessed 2009 November 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122380578/PDFSTART 7. Choi S.J et Al, Isolation and word picture of Psalmopeotoxin I and II: two novel antimalarial peptides from the venom of the European wolf spider Psalmopoeus cambridgei, 2004, Volume 572 ; 109-117, accessed 2009 November 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedirect.com/science? _ob=MImg A ; _imagekey=B6T36-4CX6SFO-1-1 A ; _cdi=4938 A ; _user=126978 8. Escoubas P, Diochot S, Corzo G, Structure and pharmaceutics of spider venom neurolysins, 2000, Volume 82 ; 893-907, accessed 2009 November 23, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedirect.com/science? _ob=MImg A ; _imagekey=B6VRJ-431B1CT-C-7 A ; _cdi=6236 A ; _user=126978 9. Escoubas P, Bosmans F, Spider peptide toxins as leads for drug development, Expert Opinion Review, 2007 ; 823-835, accessed 2009 November 19, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.1517/17460441.2.6.823 10. Pimenta A.M.C, De Lima M.E, Small peptides, large universe: biotechnological potency in ignored bioactive peptides from arthropod venoms, Journal of Peptide Science, 2005, Volume 11 ; 670-676, accessed 2009 November 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/110579667/PDFSTART 11. Shirey K, Jones S, Rayburn J, Toxicity of venom from two European wolf spider species, Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science, April 2009, accessed 2009 November 30, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb178/is_2_80/ai_n35695049/ 12. Information on Cobalt Blue Tarantula, accessed 2009 November 26, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.spidy.goliatus.com/ /article-cobalt-blue-tarantula.php 13. Colbalt Blue Tarantula, accessed 2009 December 1, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.exoticpets.co.uk/cobaltbluetarantula.html 14. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula, accessed 2009 November 26, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.orkin.com/other/spiders/the-cobalt-blue-tarantula 15. Lennon J.L, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry, accessed 2009 December 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.abrf.org/abrfnews/1997/june1997/jun97lennon.html 16. Ashcroft, A.E, An Introduction to Mass Spectrometry, accessed 2009 December 1, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.astbury.leeds.ac.uk/facil/MStut/mstutorial.htm 17. Lewis J.K, Wei J, Siuzdak G, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Mass Spectrometry in Peptides and Protein Analysis, Encyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry, 2000 ; 5880-5894, accessed 2009 November 30, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //massspec.scripps.edu/publications/public_pdf/64_art.pdf 18. Cornelis E.C.A, Application of Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to Facilitate Metabolite Identification, accessed 2009 November 30, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //americanpahrmaceuticalreview.com/ViewArticle.aspx? contentID=31 19. Q-TOF Mass Spectrometry, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, accessed 2009 December 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //saturn.med.nyu.edu/facilities/paf/qtof.html 20. Janscher K.R, Yates J.R, The Why and Wherefore of Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry, accessed 2009 December 5, cited at hypertext transfer protocol: //www.arbf.org/ABRFNews/1996/September1996/sep96iontrap.html

The Secret Six, the Men Who Financed John Browns Raid

The Secret Six, the Men Who Financed John Browns Raid The Secret Six was a loosely affiliated group which provided financial backing to John Brown before his raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry in 1859. Money obtained from the northeastern abolitionists of the Secret Six made the raid possible, as it enabled Brown to travel to Maryland, rent a farm to use as a hideout and staging area, and procure weapons for his men. When the raid on Harpers Ferry failed and Brown was captured by federal troops, a carpet bag containing documents was seized. Inside the bag were letters establishing the network behind his actions. Fearing prosecution for conspiracy and treason, some members of the Secret Six fled the United States for a brief period. None of them were ever prosecuted for their involvement with Brown. Members of the Secret Six Gerrit Smith: Born into a wealthy family in upstate New York, Smith was a vigorous supporter of various reform causes, including the American abolition movement.Thomas Wentworth Higginson: A minister and author, Higginson would go on to serve in the Civil War, commanding a regiment of black troops, and would write a classic memoir based on the experience.Theodore Parker: A minister and prominent public speaker on reform topics, Parker had been educated at Harvard and was affiliated with the Transcendentalist movement.Samuel Gridley Howe: A medical doctor and advocate for the blind, Howe was active in the abolition movement. His wife, Julia Ward Howe, would become famous for writing The Battle Hymn of the Republic.Franklin Benjamin Sanborn: A Harvard graduate, Sanborn was connected to the Transcendentalist movement and became involved in anti-slavery politics in the 1850s.George Luther Stearns: A self-made businessman, Stearns was a manufacturer and was able to financially support var ious causes, including the abolitionist cause. Actions of the Secret Six Before John Brown's Raid All the members of the Secret Six were involved in various ways with the Underground Railroad and the abolition movement. A common thread in their lives was that, like many other northerners, they believed the Fugitive Slave Law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 had made them morally complicit in slavery. Some of the men were active in what was called vigilance committees, which helped protect and hide fugitive slaves who otherwise could have been arrested and taken back to slavery in the South. Discussions in abolitionist circles often seemed to focus on theoretical ideas which would never be implemented, such as plans to have New England states secede from the Union. But when New England activists met up with John Brown in 1857, his account of what he had done to prevent the spread of slavery in what was called Bleeding Kansas made a convincing case that tangible actions had to be taken to end slavery. And those actions could include violence. It is possible that some members of the Secret Six had dealings with Brown going back to when he was active in Kansas. And whatever his history with the men, he found an attentive audience when he began talking about a new plan he had to launch an attack in hopes of bringing an end to slavery. The men of the Secret Six raised money for Brown and contributed funds of their own, and the influx of cash made it possible for Brown to see his plan into reality. The vast slave uprising which Brown hoped to spark never materialized and his raid on Harper Ferry in October 1859 turned into a fiasco. Brown was arrested and put on trial, and as he had never destroyed documents which could implicate his financial backers, the extent of his support quickly became widely known. The Public Furor John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry was, of course, highly controversial, and generated enormous attention in the newspapers. And the fallout over the involvement of New Englanders was also a topic of considerable discussion. Stories circulating naming various members of the Secret Six, and it was alleged that a widespread conspiracy to commit treason went far beyond the small group. Senators known to be opposed to slavery, including William Seward of New York and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts were falsely accused of having been involved in Browns plot. Of the six men implicated, three of them, Sanborn, Howe, and Stearns, fled to Canada for a time. Parker was already in Europe. Gerrit Smith, claiming to suffer a nervous breakdown, admitted himself to a sanitarium in New York State. Higginson remained in Boston, defying the government to arrest him. The idea that Brown did not act alone inflamed the South, and a senator from Virginia, James Mason, convened a committee to investigate Browns financial backers. Two of the Secret Six, Howe and Stearns, testified that they had met Brown but had nothing to do with his plans. The general story among the men is that they did not fully comprehend what Brown was up to. There was considerable confusion about what the men did know, and none of them was ever prosecuted for involvement in Browns plot. And when the slave states began seceding from the Union a year later, any appetite for prosecuting the men faded.

Managing Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Managing Diversity - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is diversity management that has attracted not only a lot of interest but also debates all over the world. Many countries are now making improvements in their diversity management strategies in order to accommodate the increasingly diverse labour market. Diversity management entails various actions by organisations aimed at maximising the inclusion of workers from a diverse background. These employees are recruited into not only formal but also the informal structures of the various organisations by use of deliberate policies. The recruitment may also be done through deliberate programs, specifically designed for promoting diversity management. As a way of countering the increasingly diverse working population all over the world, many organisations have put in place particular measures aimed at appropriate recruitment of employees, their inclusion, as well as the retention of these employees. Focus has been put on those employees from underprivilege d or minority groups within various societies. Various organisations in Europe have instituted laws that promote equal right, as well as policies aimed at enhancing affirmative action, so as to assist the less privileged groups to get jobs in both familiar and unfamiliar labour territories. It has been discovered that the exclusion of such workers from influential positions has seriously contributed to their limited contribution to the well being of their respective organisations. This has in turn given them very little chances to gain from these organisations maximally. (Subeliani and Tsogas 2005, p. 838). The various policies and initiatives for diversity management have been proven to have created conducive working environment in these organisations, especially to the underprivileged groups. It has indeed worked positively in recruiting individuals who are getting jobs for the first time, and those that are occupying higher positions for the first time too (Mathis and Jackson 201 0, p.200). The emergence of a global economy and that of multinational organisations has taken diversity management considerations beyond just the dynamic nature of labour market in a specific nation, but that across nations. The management of diversity of labour force in a national context is known as â€Å"intra-national diversity management. On the other hand, managing labour in an organisation with citizens from different nations is referred to as cross-national diversity management. In this sense, a company may be operating in different countries and as such, needs policies and programs, for diversity management, to be applied not only in its headquarters but also in its branches in the various countries. Moreover, cross-national diversity management policies work better when organisations put into consideration laws and culture of the countries in which they operate (Arredondo and Arredondo 1996, p. 178). According to Thomas (2005), diversity management goes beyond the simple consideration of the less privileged groups. It also considers differences and similarities within a workforce. He argues that diversity management entails handling the employee dynamics within the whole workforce, and not just a particular section of the workforce (Klarsfeld 2010, p.325). The European Union has shown its almost unrivalled commitment to promote equality in its labour market through