Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action

Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action Developing software that controls the autopilot system on a prototype of a commercial airplane is highly recommendable for safety reasons. Testing the system suitably is equally imperative. Hurrying up the testing to meet the publicly announced testing deadline may lead to compromising the reliability and safety of the entire aircraft system.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Various theories recommend different methods of handling the moral dilemma.  The managers, travelers and professional bodies have the right to obtain trustworthy information about the security system installed in the aircraft. Bodies such as the Global Agenda Council on Space Security and Department of Defense Space Management have legal and moral responsibilities for ensuring space safety. An engineer also has the responsibility to model an autopilot that recei ves data from the Global Positioning System software installed in the aircraft. The GPS receiver should be able to calculate the aircraft’s position in space. Equipped with such positioning information devices, an autopilot helps keep the plane straight. Moreover, it helps efficiently execute the flight plans. Performing the right task is essential. It would be morally challenging to decide whether to implement the universal professional demands or those of the boss or not. There are two alternative actions for solving the dilemma. The first possible action is implementing the demands.The other option is objecting to implement them. Objecting to implement the unprofessional demands is the best course of action to take since it would guarantee the safety of those on-board. The decision to object to the demands obeys the rules of Kantianism theory. The theory states that what an individual desires to accomplish and what he/she should accomplish are often incompatible. This mean s that an individual may make decisions that result to immediate discomfort and unhappiness. However, the decision should ultimately lead to satisfaction. The entire rationale of morality is taking the right course of action just for the sake of it. The manager’s appreciation of the intention to test the aircraft appropriately should have no impact on the decision to turn down his/her request. The short-lived feeling of displeasure should not also have an impact on the decision made. Therefore, I would take the decision to comply with the correct rules and procedures and save lives of people and the aircraft.  Certain groups of people may disagree with the decision. This may be due to their inability to determine independently what is either wrong or right.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kant states that an individual determines his/her behavior by making use of the l aw of autonomy. Therefore, a decision is either wrong or right depending on the intention of the action. In addition, morality is never relative. An individual is either morally upright or not. This happens because morality is not determined by the outcome of the decision but by the intention of the action. Since it is impractical to predict accurately the consequences of human actions, I would adopt the Kantianism theory in order to save the situation. This means that the task is accomplished professionally. The action would ensure that the stakeholders incur no losses. However, if they incur losses due to the decision, I would remain contented that the intention was non-malicious and the consequences were beyond my control. Alternatively, one would prefer to act based on the theory of Consequentialism. The accuracy of this theory is determined by two ethical principles. The first principle states that the consequences of an act establish whether an action is morally right or not. The other principle affirms that the degree of superiority of the results determines the scale for measuring the morality of the action. The problem with this theory is that it is difficult to accurately predict the outcome of an action. A person who adopts this theory can choose to comply with the demands of the boss and keep details of their action secret. They may comply with unprofessional requests and hope that no evil would befall the stakeholders. Another group of people may prefer to adopt the theory of Virtue Ethics. The hypothesis deemphasizes rules, consequences, and particular acts. It greatly focuses on the personality of the actor. The important factor, according to this hypothesis, is whether the person who is acting is articulating excellent personality or not. Therefore, an act is considered to be right when performing this act, the individual exercises, demonstrates or builds up an ethically virtuous character. Any one undergoing through similar challenges can rely on the theory, evaluate the moral character of the boss, and comply with the demands, particularly if he/she is convinced that the boss is morally upright. Conclusively, the right decision should not be based on general assumptions. The character of the boss has no direct influence on the consequences of the decision. Similarly, the theory of Consequentialism may be irrelevant since outcomes of decisions are influenced by a myriad of factors. Some of the factors are beyond human control. I, therefore, prefer the Kantianism theory because it requires an individual to take control over his/her decisions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Farewell Quotes That Mean More than Just Goodbye

Farewell Quotes That Mean More than Just Goodbye Saying farewell isnt easy. While  change  is a part of life, partings can bring you to tears. How can you make a good farewell, and what wise quotes might you use? A Farewell Does Not Mark the End of Relationships When you bid farewell to a friend who is moving away, you dont have to feel as if your world is over. On the contrary, you can now explore your friendship in a new dimension. You have the opportunity to write long emails, filled with details of your daily life. You can wish each other Happy birthday through cards, presents, or even a surprise visit. When you meet long-distance friends, you experience such jubilation, that distance seems frivolous. Your long distant friend can be a reliable sounding board, who understands you well enough to help you out. Absence also makes the heart grow fonder. You will find that distant friends have more patience and fondness for you. When Farewells Bring an End to a Relationship Sometimes, farewells are not pleasant. When you fall out with your best friend, you may not part on friendly terms. The bitterness of the betrayal, the hurt of losing a loved one, and the sadness, engulfs you. You may feel disoriented and temporarily lose interest in many of your daily interactions with people. How to End a Relationship Without Hurting Yourself or Others Even though you may feel hurt or angry, it is best to part on a friendly note. There is no point shouldering the baggage of guilt and anger. If things have come to a head, and you know that reconciliation is impossible, end the relationship without bearing malice. Express your sadness, though not accusingly. Speak kindly, and part with a handshake. You never know how life takes a turn, and you are forced to seek the help of your estranged friend. If this happens, let the parting words of farewell be nice enough for your friend to oblige you. After Saying Farewell, Open Your Heart to New Friendships While a farewell may end one relationship, it opens the door to new ones. There is a silver lining to every gray cloud. Each broken relationship makes you stronger and wiser. You learn to deal with pain and heartbreak. You also learn to not take things too seriously. Friendships that sustain despite the distance, continue to grow stronger over the years. Bid Adieu to Dear Ones with Kind Words of Farewell If you find yourself unable to say farewell, use these farewell quotes to bid your dear ones goodbye. Remind your loved ones of the precious time you shared, and how you miss them. Shower your love with sweet words. Dont let your angst make your loved ones feel guilty about moving away. As Richard Bach rightly pointed out, If you love something, set it free; if it comes back its yours, if it doesnt, it never was. Farewell Quotes William Shenstone:  So sweetly she bade me adieu, I thought that she bade me return. Francois de la Rochefoucauld:  Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire. Alan Alda:  The best things said come last. People will talk for hours saying nothing much and then linger at the door with words that come with a rush from the heart. Lazurus Long:  Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending. Jean Paul Richter:  Never part without loving words to think of during your absence. It may be that you will not meet again in this life. Alfred De Musset:  The return makes one love the farewell. Henry Louis Mencken:  When I mount the scaffold, at last, these will be my farewell words to the sheriff: Say what you will against me when I am gone but dont forget to add, in common justice, that I was never converted to anything. William Shakespeare:  Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. Francis Thompson:  She went her unremembering way, / She went and left in me / The pang of all the partings gone, / And partings yet to be. Robert Pollok:  That bitter word, which closed all earthly friendships and finished every feast of love farewell! Lord Byron:  Farewell! A  word that must be, and hath been - A sound which makes us linger; - yet - farewell! Richard Bach:  Don’t be dismayed by goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again after moments or lifetimes is certain for those who are friends. Anna Brownell Jameson:  As the presence of those we love is as a double life, so absence, in its anxious longing and sense of vacancy, is as a foretaste of death. A. A. Milne:  Promise me youll never forget me because if I thought you would Id never leave. Nicholas Sparks: The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected. Maybe they always have been and will be. Maybe weve lived a thousand lives before this one and in each of them, weve found each other. And maybe each time, weve been forced apart for the same reasons. That means that this goodbye is both a goodbye for the past ten thousand years and a prelude to what will come. Jean Paul Richter:  Mans feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell. Jimi Hendrix:  The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. Irish Blessing:  May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain falls softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand. Lord Byron:  Lets not unman each other - part at once; All farewells should be sudden, when forever, Else they make an eternity of moments, And clog the last sad sands of life with tears. John Dryden:  Love reckons hours for months, and days for years and every little absence is an age. Henry Fielding:  Distance of time and place generally cure what they seem to aggravate; and taking leave of our friends resembles taking leave of the world, of which it has been said, that it is not death, but dying, which is terrible. William Shakespeare:  Farewell, my sister, fare thee well. / The elements be kind to thee and make / Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well. Charles M. Schulz:  Why cant we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldnt work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.

Representatives of American Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Representatives of American Culture - Essay Example The choice of design and color for the flag tells a story in itself. The blue and red colored flag with prominent stripes and stars represent the union of fifty states spanning the North American landscape. Beyond this basic symbolism, the flag has been associated with the nation’s progress in science and technology. For example, when Neil Armstrong and his colleagues in NASA successfully landed on the moon, it was the planting of the American Flag which served as the token purpose of the mission. At that time, the world was divided in two as a result of the Cold War. (Jolene & Couper, 2003, p.328) The flag also represented the country in its military endeavors. Irrespective of political conditions and arenas of conflict, the flag has always been at the forefront of American military operations going back to the Declaration of Independence (Goode, 2002, p.13). At the same time, it has been used by American citizens to express their dissent. For example, the mass demonstrations that followed American participation in the Vietnam War saw instances of flag burning. The same kind of protestation against American government’s policies is being repeated at present with respect to the issue of invasion of Iraq. In this case, it is an expression of dissent. It will not be an exaggeration to state that the American people are obsessed with the flag. (Jolene & Couper, 2003, p.328) Disney world is a relatively recent entrant into the collective consciousness of American people. While it was started by Walt Disney to be an amusement park for children, gradually it had metamorphosed into a recreational center for the entire family. A lot can be discerned by studying what it offers to visitors. The most famous of its mascots, the Mickey Mouse, is a household name in America. The numerous animated cartoons produced by Walt Disney Incorporation, including a few iconic series, are a rite of passage

Organization and Management Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organization and Management Theory - Essay Example The theory puts more emphasis on the psychosocial well being of employees and how factors such as motivation can effectively shape an organization. However, the two theories relied on a rigid and inflexible framework and to help address the issue, the Contingency theory came into being. The Contingency theory gives the leadership flexibility of acting in the most appropriate manner in a given situation. Finally the modern system theory was formulated to encompass all other theories and put them into practice. In this paper, the four theories of organization management are reviewed and analyzed in a systematic way to allow the reader familiarize and appreciate the advantages each has to offer, its suitability and shortcomings. Organization management theory refers to the study of organizations, businesses and bureaucracies and how they are influenced and related with their environment. Such organizations’ operations are influenced by their leadership, environment, culture and many such aspects. Therefore, the organization management theory involved the studies conducted on the management, leadership, employees, organization culture and behavior, human resource studies and other related studies (Ajzen, 1991). To effectively understand organizations and the necessary steps and actions of core importance to their survival, it is important that studies and research be done independently on the various specific aspects that play a vital role on the existence of organizations and how that effectively affects its management (Ajzen, 1991). For these reasons, the organization management theory is further subdivided into more specific areas for better understanding. The aim of this paper is to analyze organi zation management theories proposed by researchers in areas that directly influence or determine the way in which organizations are run and the consequent results. It is important that one understands the meaning of an organization theory to properly

Documentary films Essay Example for Free

Documentary films Essay Documentary films have paved way to show the reality of life. More often than not, it provides awareness of the present situation that was not addressed accurately in films and television shows alike. Documentary, like other discourses of the real, retains a vestigial responsibility to describe and interpret the world of collective experience, a responsibility that is no small matter at all (Nichols, 1991 p. 10). In making a documentary film concerning the community life in a distant foreign country, several issues would need to be addressed. The first thing that we need to discuss is the culture of the people living in that place. It would be an important factor as it tells a lot about the people and the place itself. Its history would generally be included in determining how the culture came about. Social norms and practices should also thoroughly discuss to identify the difference and uniqueness of their society. Furthermore, the documentation should explore the different beliefs of the people and how it affects the way they live and how their society copes up with modernization. The main focus of the documentary is how the culture and beliefs would affect the health of the people in that certain area. It would thoroughly explore the different misconceptions and traditional health management that these people have. This is a critical issue to discuss because it may directly or indirectly affect their socio-economic progress and their lifestyle. If by chance, the documentary could discover the need to re-educate the people regarding their health beliefs and fallacy, then proper authority should be inform. This is to insure that people would have the opportunity and the appropriate resources to improve their knowledge as regards to their health condition. REFERENCES Nichols, B. (1991), Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary, Indiana University Press, p. 10

Intellectual Freedom - It Isnt Free :: Politics Political

Intellectual Freedom - It Isn't Free We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown. T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Very few of us are unfamiliar with the Genesis account of creation, where it is written that "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." [1] The obvious point is that God creates the world; but later writings have chosen to focus on the idea that the divine being both creates and destroys by the power of His word alone. God spoke, and "it came to be." [2] By the time of the Gospel of John was put to paper, we are informed that the word is not merely an expression of God: it is, in fact, no less than God himself. [3] The word is divine. Especially after Augustine, who articulated Christian doctrine as the road to God passing directly within self, the inner word has been seen not only as the source of innermost self, but of conscience as well. [4] In terms of Augustinian inwardness, "God is to be found in the intimacy of self-presence." [5] The inner triangulation of self involves what the Athanasian Creed referred to as the "reasonable soul and the flesh" as two elements, with God the third in between. [6] In fact, it is clear that the original construction of the First Amendment was devoted to protecting precisely this Augustinian notion of inner light, this inner word and presence of God. [7] This is what Tom Paine, chaplain to the American Revolutionary soldiers (and author of Common Sense) referred to when he wrote his well-known dictum that "my own mind is my church." [8] As early as the 1740s, for example, it was the New Light Congregationalists (ironically similar in theological outlook to the ill-fated Anne Hutchinson [9] ), who posed what became the central axiom of the American revolution: the idea that "liberty of conscience" is the "inalienable right of every rational creature." [10] Note how similar Paine's notion of his own mind being his inner sanctum is to the Quaker notion of the "inner light," which Staughton Lynd described as "the preamble to the political faith of the Dissenter, as of the subsequent Declaration of Independence.

Integrated design: Electric lawn mower Essay

INTRODUCTION Quality must be part of the design of a product not something that has to be based from an inspection done after the design. Quality means satisfying the requirements and needs of the customer. The focus of quality is to identify the customer requirements and to translate this into design constraints. QFD also takes into account what are the limits of hardware design based on existing or available resource or technology. All these requirements must be satisfied in order to produce a quality design. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The purpose of this document is to apply the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) into the planning stage of a lawn mower design. This document seeks to answer the extension lead requirements of a lawn mower. The end result is the design concept of how to implement the lawn mower extension lead based on customer requirements and hardware constraints. DESIGN Identification of Requirements Using the data provided, the following customer and hardware requirements are generated. The design will then focus on satisfying these requirements. The customer requirements are the following: †¢ Electric Lawn Mower – Powered electrical energy instead of combustible fuel such as gasoline. †¢ Variable Length Flexible Lead – Since the size of the household that will use the electric lawn mower is variable, there is no definite fixed length of the flexible lead. The hardware constraints: †¢ The use of extension lead would render the to overcome the lack of length fixed mower lead the suppressor and earth breaker will not work efficiently, causing the disruption of power to the mower. Design Analysis The initial main requirement of the design is to make an electric lawn mower. One of the main obstacles of the design is the variable length flexible lead. The hardware requirement of inefficiency in the suppressor and earth breaker when using extension lead makes the extension lead not an option anymore. This leads into two possible solutions. 1. Use of the longest possible customer length requirement, to satisfy all needs. 2. Use of re-chargeable battery to remove the constraints of the need for variable length flexible lead to power the electric lawn mower. The length can be fixed just enough for charging the batteries. Analyzing the first requirement, to satisfy all the length requirements of flexible lead using the longest possible lead requirement seems to be the most cost effective solution. The problem is, this would also mean that the lawn mower will have to carry the weight added by the lengthy flexible lead. And to satisfy all requirements, this means that the flexible lead had to be considerable long. Considering the current requirements of a lawn mower, the flexible lead had to be relatively larger than average home extension wires. Just imagine how much weight this would produce. Therefore as a designer, this is not a good option. Analyzing the second requirement, which is now the remaining solution, we should be able to contrast the negative effects with the negative effects of the first solution. This therefore boils down to the weight issue. The lawn mower requires a considerable amount of power to run, therefore the battery has to be able to sustain sufficient operating time. The most viable battery would still be the lead-acid, otherwise it would be very effective, one standard automotive battery would surely not be enough. Looking at the power requirements, this should be calculated in detail based on the power requirements of the lawn mower. Since the power requirement of the lawn mower is not yet available at this level of conceptual design, we can make some estimate. Assuming the lawn mower consumes 3000 Watts of power, more than double for the average vacuum cleaner. Two hours of lawn mower operation is probably sufficient for as long as it can be recharge. At 12 V Lead-Acid battery, and 2 two-hours of operation would required the following ampere-hour requirements. Japanese standard car batteries could deliver up to 150*Ah, thus we can calculate the number of batteries So we need roughly four batteries. The weight of four batteries is still acceptable therefore this is a better solution compared to having the longest possible flexible lead. CONCLUSION The final solution presented based on QFD analysis of customer requirements yielded with a battery packed electric lawn mower. The battery is able to solve the flex lead requirement by just fixing the length to a relatively short distance enough for re-charging.

It/205 Week 8 Checkpoint

The U. S. Census Bureau attempted to employ a Field Data Collection Automation (FDCA) program to expedite the collection of information. The FDCA project is important to the Census Bureau for many reasons. The first reason is the reduction of costs associated with the collection of information. Going door to door with paper forms is costly. The actual forms that are used cost the government mass amounts of money to produce. These forms are then peddled door to door by people who are paid wages and completed in ink by residents.The forms then need to be submitted to a local office where another worker who also needs to be paid for their time then keys the information in manually. These numbers and data are influential in allocating federal monies to certain areas of each state and county. Additionally, senate district lines are drawn based on population. If these figures are inaccurate, due to human error, funds that are generally allotted for a certain area could be reduced. This red uction could affect many programs in the area.Road upkeep, social services and emergency response are just a few of the areas that could be impacted. Simply put, accurate data collection is needed to ensure that everyone in all parts of the country get their fair share. The failed implementation of the wireless handheld devices was plagued with issues from every level and department. On the federal level, lack of oversight posed the largest issue. The federal sector suffers from lack of oversight because in the private sector incentives are offered for the successful, timely and cost effective rollout of similar programs.Because no one was to receive bonuses or other incentives on the federal level a lack of oversight was easily achieved. The Harris Corporation was contracted to build and test the handheld devices including the software. The federal government did not effectively convey information about the census program to Harris. This poor communication made the development of t he handheld devices extremely difficult. Harris was also at fault for not providing updates on progress. The program was also plagued with technology issues caused by miscommunication.Risk management was not adequately studied to show potential issues with the handheld devices. The devices were plagued with slow speeds while transmitting information to a central office. Once the information was received other bugs and flaws within the system made the information inaccurate. The government and Harris both share the blame for the conundrum that ended up costing taxpayers billions of dollars. The risks involved with this project were easily visible from the beginning.With so much federal money on the line simple steps could have been taken to ensure that taxpayer burden would be minimized. The first step that should have been taken was to set up a committee or group of people that including congressmen, technology consultants and financial advisors. When undertaking such a large and co stly undertaking with taxpayer money at stake it is necessary to be accountable. Members of the staff on the federal and private end should have been in constant contact with each other to ensure that problems and issues were resolved.I would have set up a liaison at each end so they could effectively relay the needs of the government to Harris and Harris could relay known issues with the government. Testing and risk assessment should have been a priority and as such should have properly researched and monitored throughout the entire process. All technical specifications should have been clearly communicated between both entities and having a liaison on both ends would have facilitated proper development. I would have ensured that wireless networks were available at certain areas and that proper software was written that was bug free long before actual rollout. It/205 Week 8 Checkpoint The U. S. Census Bureau attempted to employ a Field Data Collection Automation (FDCA) program to expedite the collection of information. The FDCA project is important to the Census Bureau for many reasons. The first reason is the reduction of costs associated with the collection of information. Going door to door with paper forms is costly. The actual forms that are used cost the government mass amounts of money to produce. These forms are then peddled door to door by people who are paid wages and completed in ink by residents.The forms then need to be submitted to a local office where another worker who also needs to be paid for their time then keys the information in manually. These numbers and data are influential in allocating federal monies to certain areas of each state and county. Additionally, senate district lines are drawn based on population. If these figures are inaccurate, due to human error, funds that are generally allotted for a certain area could be reduced. This red uction could affect many programs in the area.Road upkeep, social services and emergency response are just a few of the areas that could be impacted. Simply put, accurate data collection is needed to ensure that everyone in all parts of the country get their fair share. The failed implementation of the wireless handheld devices was plagued with issues from every level and department. On the federal level, lack of oversight posed the largest issue. The federal sector suffers from lack of oversight because in the private sector incentives are offered for the successful, timely and cost effective rollout of similar programs.Because no one was to receive bonuses or other incentives on the federal level a lack of oversight was easily achieved. The Harris Corporation was contracted to build and test the handheld devices including the software. The federal government did not effectively convey information about the census program to Harris. This poor communication made the development of t he handheld devices extremely difficult. Harris was also at fault for not providing updates on progress. The program was also plagued with technology issues caused by miscommunication.Risk management was not adequately studied to show potential issues with the handheld devices. The devices were plagued with slow speeds while transmitting information to a central office. Once the information was received other bugs and flaws within the system made the information inaccurate. The government and Harris both share the blame for the conundrum that ended up costing taxpayers billions of dollars. The risks involved with this project were easily visible from the beginning.With so much federal money on the line simple steps could have been taken to ensure that taxpayer burden would be minimized. The first step that should have been taken was to set up a committee or group of people that including congressmen, technology consultants and financial advisors. When undertaking such a large and co stly undertaking with taxpayer money at stake it is necessary to be accountable. Members of the staff on the federal and private end should have been in constant contact with each other to ensure that problems and issues were resolved.I would have set up a liaison at each end so they could effectively relay the needs of the government to Harris and Harris could relay known issues with the government. Testing and risk assessment should have been a priority and as such should have properly researched and monitored throughout the entire process. All technical specifications should have been clearly communicated between both entities and having a liaison on both ends would have facilitated proper development. I would have ensured that wireless networks were available at certain areas and that proper software was written that was bug free long before actual rollout.

Monasticism In The Middle Ages Essays - Asceticism, Free Essays

Monasticism In The Middle Ages Essays - Asceticism, Free Essays Monasticism in the Middle Ages During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the monasteries served as one of the great civilizing forces by being the centers of education, preservers of learning, and hubs of economic development. Western monasticism was shaped by Saint Benedict of Nursia, who in 529, established a monastery in southern Italy. He created a workable model for running a monastery that was used by most western monastic orders of the Early Middle Ages. To the three vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity, which formed the foundation of most of the old monasteries, he added the vow of manual labor. Each monk did some useful work, such as, plowing the fields, planting and harvesting the grain, tending the sheep, or milking the cows. Others worked at various trades in the workshops. No task was too lowly for them. Benedict?s rules laid down a daily routine of monastic life in much greater detail than the preceding rules appear to have done (Cantor 167-168). Schwartz 2 The monks also believed in learning, and for centuries had the only schools in existence. The churchmen were the only people who could read or write. Most nobles and kings could not even write their names. The monastery schools were only available to young nobles who wished to master the art of reading in Latin, and boys who wished to study to become priests (Ault 405). The monasteries played a part as the preservers of learning. Many monks busied themselves copying manuscripts and became medieval publishing houses. They kept careful calendars so that they could keep up with the numerous saints? days, and other feast days of the medieval church. The monks who kept the calendar often jotted down, in the margins, happenings of interest in the neighborhood or information learned from a traveler. Most of the books in existence, during the Middle Ages, were produced by monks, called scribes. These manuscripts were carefully and painstakingly handwritten. When the monks were writing, no one was allowed to speak, and they used sign language to communicate with each other. The books were written on vellum, made from calf?s skin, or parchment, made from sheep?s skin. The scribes used gothic letters, that were written so perfectly, they looked as if they were printed by a press. Many of the books were elaborately ornamented with gold or colore! d letters. The borders around each page were decorated with garlands, vines, or flowers. After the books were written, they were bound in leather or covered with velvet. The monks copied Schwartz 3 bibles, hymns, and prayers, the lives of the saints, as well as the writings of the Greeks and Romans and other ancient peoples. The scribes added a little prayer at the end of each book, because they felt that god would be pleased with their work. Without their efforts, these stories and histories would have been lost to the world. The monks became the historians of their day by keeping a record of important events, year by year. It is from their writings that we derive a great deal of knowledge of the life, customs, and events of the medieval times (Ault 158). Medieval Europe made enormous economic gains because of the monks. They proved themselves to be intelligent landlords and agricultural colonizers of Western Europe. A very large proportion of the soil of Europe, in the Middle Ages, was wasteland. There were marshes and forests covering much of the land. The monasteries started cultivating the soil, draining the swamps, and cutting down the forests. These monastic communities attracted settlements of peasants around them because the monastery offered security. Vast areas of land were reclaimed for agricultural purposes. The peasants copied the agricultural methods of the monks. Improved breeding of cattle was developed by the monastic communities. Many monasteries were surrounded by marshes, but their land became fertile farms. The monasteries became model farms and served as local schools of agriculture. Farming was a chief economic activity of the monasteries. They sold the excess that they grew in the marketpla! ce, and this drew them into trade and commerce. Schwartz 4 They sold hogs, charcoal, iron, building stone, and timber. This made them into the centers of civilization. Many monasteries conducted their market during patron saint?s

The Combining Form -pod

The Combining Form -pod The Combining Form -pod The Combining Form -pod By Maeve Maddox The Greek and Latin words for leg and foot have given English the combining form -pod. Some words formed with -pod entered English earlier, but a great many were coined in the nineteenth century as the study of entomology and paleontology expanded. Here are a few, with their literal meanings and the date of their earliest citation in the OED. arthropod 1861 (arthro=joint) Insects, spiders, and crustaceans are arthropods. cephalopod 1826 (cephal=head) Cephalopods are creatures like octopus and squid whose â€Å"legs† are attached directly to their heads. diplopod 1864 (diplo=double) Diplopods have numerous legs, attached in pairs on each segment of the body. Thousand-leggers (millipedes) are diplopods. gastropod 1826 (gastro=stomach) A snail is a gastropod. It moves along with a single muscular â€Å"foot† attached to its abdomen. hexapod 1668 (hex=six) Insects are hexapods. isopod 1835 (iso=equal) An isopod has seven pairs of equal and similarly placed thoracic legs. A familiar isopod is the roly-poly (aka woodlouse/pillbug). myriapod (myria=10,000) Some of these pod words overlap. A myriapod, like a diplopod, has a lot of legs attached in pairs to the segments of their bodies. octopod 1817 (octo=eight) Literally â€Å"eight-legged,† an octopod is a cephalopod with eight tentacles. ornithopod 1886 (ornith=bird) This name attaches to plant-eating dinosaurs with bird-shaped hips, three- or four-toed feet, powerful teeth and jaws and lack of such features as armor plating. polypod 1612 (poly=many) Any animal with several feet is a polypod. pseudopod 1874 (pseudo=false) The one-celled amoeba moves by extending bits of its central blob and using them as feet. pteropod 1833 (ptero=wing) These are sea mollusks whose â€Å"feet† have side projections that look like wings. Some pteropods have the lovely common names of â€Å"sea butterflies† and â€Å"sea angels.† sauropod 1884 (sauro=lizard) Literally â€Å"lizard-footed,† the sauropods were the really big dinosaurs, like Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, and Brontosaurus. Note: The Diplodocus got its name from a peculiarity of its tail bones. The word combines diplo, double+ dokos, beam. theropod 1891 (ther=beast) Theropods are the carnivorous dinosaurs whose feet resembled those of quadrupeds rather than birds. Other English words contain the element pod as a prefix or suffix, but this post focuses on animals. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and NumeralsUsing the Active Voice to Strengthen Your Writing12 Misunderstood and Misquoted Shakespearean Expressions

Is there evidence that Withania somnifera is effective in tumor Dissertation

Is there evidence that Withania somnifera is effective in tumor suppression - Dissertation Example At present, plant products have already been used as a standard chemotherapeutic agent. For example, vinblastine (from periwinkle (Catharanthus)) and paclitaxel (from Yew tree (genus Taxus)) are already a part of chemotherapeutic options used against cancer (Choudhary et al., 2010). Because a high number of individuals still suffer from cancer, the search is still ongoing for the compound, both natural and synthetic, that can hopefully decrease the cancer-caused mortality rate considerably. Withania somnifera, commonly called as Ashwagandha, is a member of Solanaceae family, together with Nicotiana (tobacco), Solanum (potato), and Capsicum (pepper). In herbal medicine, W. somnifera has already been used against various health conditions. In Pakistan, it has been used against respiratory problems (Choudhary et al., 2010). In India, it has been recognized as an aphrodisiac and invigorating medicine (Choudhary et al., 2010). The plant is also used against intestinal ulcers, rectal bleed ing and irritable bowel (Pawar et al., 2011). Several withanolides isolated from Ashwagandha were also found to possess anti-glycation, possibly against diabetes, and anti-pyretic effects (Choudhary et al., 2010). ... EVIDENCE OF TUMOR SUPPRESSION ACTIVITY OF Withania somniferous In this literature review, four journal articles, ranging from 2003 to 2011, were looked into. Most of the methods used by these studies are in vitro, and only one using in vivo, although in an experimental model (rats). Google scholar was used as a search engine, with the results limited to 2000 to 2011. The search terms used were â€Å"Withania somnifera cancer†. Later in this paper, the quality of the research would be assessed mostly based on the methods used in the purification and activity assays. Activity of crude methanolic extract against NCI-H460 Compounds from the leaves and stems of W. somnifera were tested for its anti-proliferative activity against human lung cancer cell line NCI-H460 in vitro. In this study by Choudhary et al. (2010), tested for growth inhibitory and cytotoxic activities were the (1) crude methanolic extract of W. somnifera, (2-4) three isolates, and the positive control (5) doxorubi cin. The isolates were obtained using silica gel chromatography. They were then characterized using mass spectrometry and NMR. One of the three compounds were identified as withaferin A, while the other two were found to be its chlorinated steroidal lactone and epoxide derivatives, respectively. In testing their activity, GI50, or the concentration causing 50% growth inhibition of NCI-H460 cells, and LC50, or the concentration causing the death of 50% of the same cancer cell line, were measured for all the five test substances. The obtained data were compared using one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range test (p < 0.05) using SPSS 17 program. Finally, the report also mentioned the presence of other studies that confirm the growth inhibitory activity of withaferin A against other