Persuasive Essay The Indian Gaming - 1941 Words

Persuasive Synthesis The Indian gaming seems to have been the most effective project in transforming the life of American Indians that is, by creating a way of self-sufficiency for nations. Initially, the tribes had depended on grants from the government, tourism, agriculture as well as light manufacturing to earn a living. Initially, the few businesses that they had started such as shops and basket weaving among others were not successful. Other organizations had failed to prosper and were taken as poor wards of the state. Indian gaming became the main component for the growth of the community as well as the economic development. The gaming substituted the over reliance on federal government with the introduction of the cultural financial activity (Akee et al.190). The Foundation of the American Indian Casinos had vital improvements on both the tribe’s economy as well as their social lives. Not only did Casinos helped to decrease unemployment rates among the American Indians, but also increased t he income of Native American families. The Foundation of American Indian Casinos played a vital role in the economic as well as social life of the both tribes. For instance, the foundation has led to the comprehensive development of the education field (Belanger et al.14). Before the foundation was established, very few people could join the institutions of higher learning due to lack of financial resources. However, with the formation of the American Indian Casinos, the number ofShow MoreRelatedIntroduction to Large Scale Organizations18988 Words   |  76 Pagessystems -Focus on creating games that cant be duplicated at home, e.g. prize-vending machines, physical games Competitors -Microsoft, Sony have offered superior, higher quality and cheaper gaming that is also more entertaining -Timezone has to emphasise on Asia where competition from high-tech consumer gaming hasn t occurred (only 4% of revenue comes from Australia, 50 outlets in India opening between 2005 and 2008) ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE Objectives and strategy: the task of managementRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesCommunication 341 †¢ Nonverbal Communication 341 Organizational Communication 342 Formal Small-Group Networks 343 †¢ The Grapevine 343 †¢ Electronic Communications 345 †¢ Managing Information 349 Choice of Communication Channel 350 xiv CONTENTS Persuasive Communications 351 Automatic and Controlled Processing 351 †¢ Interest Level 352 †¢ Prior Knowledge 352 †¢ Personality 352 †¢ Message Characteristics 352 Barriers to Effective Communication 353 Filtering 353 †¢ Selective Perception 353 †¢ Information

Diversity in Faith and the Health Care Provider Free Essays

A comparative review of four religions: Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity. This paper examines the belief systems and how diversity in faith affects the care givers philosophy of providing care. The importance of nurses to seek spiritual awareness is growing as the population becomes more diverse and health care facilities increase their efforts to create healing environments and meet the needs of every patient’s body, mind and spirit. We will write a custom essay sample on Diversity in Faith and the Health Care Provider or any similar topic only for you Order Now Diversity in Faith and the Health Care Provider. Understanding the diversity in faith within the health care setting helps maximize the healing care provided. Faith influences coping strategies, health behaviors and attitudes about seeking health care. The purpose of this paper is to compare the philosophy of providing care from the perspective of Buddhist, Judaism, and Islam faith with that of Christianity. As the population becomes more diverse, so does the need to become spiritual competent. Buddhist Faith Buddhism is based on the teachings of Buddha and focuses on finding inner peace. The goal of a Buddhist is to find â€Å"enlightenment† or a perfect peace through which will end his suffering. If enlightenment is not obtained a Buddhist will be reborn and continue to suffer another life (Chan, et al. 2011). The core beliefs are there is a right and noble path which leads to enlightenment, Karma: for every action there is an equal or opposite reaction, and Samsara which is the continued cycle of life and death that continues because of karma (Wilkins, et al. 2010). Buddhist exercises faith with prayers, mantras, mudras, prayer wheels and use of other objects to practice their faith. Being respectful of belongings and asking before touching or moving is important (Wilkins, et al. 2010). Death and Dying is a very important experience for Buddhist: Therefore a care giver will need to adjust what is typically known palliative care and have open discussion of expectations to meet their spiritual needs. Allowing for uninterrupted prayer and meditation as a Buddhist reflects on his life. Having a clear mind is important and they may decline pain medication or sedatives. A Buddhist’s perspective of a nurses who understands the importance of this belief and uses non-narcotic methods to reduce pain and provide comfort is also providing a â€Å"true expression of loving kindness and compassion in helping to relieve the suffering of others† (Chan, et al. 2011). Some other aspects to Buddhism is the care of a monk or nun require the care taker to be of the same sex, since they took an oath of celibacy. Additionally, the practice of Buddhism does not require a person to be a vegetarian and monks general only eat once a day and do not eat after lunch time. Since there are many cultures within the Buddhist faith it is important to ask (Chan, et al. 2011). Jewish Faith Judaism exists mainly in Israel, Europe and the USA. Judaism is the belief of one God and that Moses was the greatest prophet and Jesus was a false prophet. They read from the first five books of the bible which is called the Torah and pray to God only. Their religious leader is called a Rabbi who will recite scripture to the ill, perform ceremonies, sermons in a synagogue on Saturdays. The way Judi live their life is the most important aspect of their religion. The Jewish faith has a heighten awareness of health and consider health a mortal responsibility. As far back as two thousand years ago Jewish people practiced frequent hand washing and cleansing before meals. Furthermore, Jewish laws prohibit eating shellfish and pork to prevent trichinosis, which is still practiced today. Therefore asking about dietary restrictions is necessary. Islamic Faith Muslims believe in one God who has no son. Jesus is considered a prophet, but Muhammad was the last prophet sent by God. Muslims read from the Koran or Qur’an and worship in Mosques on Fridays. Islam is indigenous of African Americans, South Asians and Arabians. Religious leaders are referred to as Imams and have diverse qualifications and expertise. Imams pray with the ill and help patients to cope by helping them to maintain hope in God or Allah. Additionally Imams encourage healthy lifestyles, advocating for patient needs, and assisting in healthcare decisions. Women may not lead men into prayer and therefore cannot be Imams (Padela, et al. 2011). Islam practices of involve praying, fasting and religious rituals, such as the pilgrimage to Mecca. Islam main perspective on health and illness is that â€Å"Health and illness become part of the continuum of being, and prayer remains the salvation in both health and in sickness† (Rassool, 2000). Therefore allowing time for prayer is essential. Since 9/11 misconceptions, discrimination and abusive behaviors towards Muslims have resulted in a delay of care in the U. S. therefore they may not be forth coming about their faith or spiritual needs, leading to sicker patients with stifled spiritual care (Padela, et al. 2011). Christian Faith The writer of this paper is of Christian Faith, a protestant, a believer in God who is a holy trinity of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is his son and incarnate of God himself. Religious leaders are called pastors or ministers and in the Catholi c religion leaders are referred to as priests or nuns. Faith is practice through prayer, reading the bible, and attending church on Sunday. Fellowship with other Christians, reaching out to non-believers to spread the word of Christ and living a righteously are encouraged. However, it is the belief that Jesus Christ is the savior of man and only through this faith will a person live eternally in paradise with God. Comparative Analysis While some faiths embrace death as a new beginning into the afterlife or next life, Judaism does not emphasize the afterlife and survivors are instructed to only grieve for a limited time and not excessively. However, Buddhism discusses death and dying openly and wants to maintain consciousness for as long as possible to mediate and reflect. Visualization and relaxation techniques are a large part of their meditation. Judaism, Islam and Christianity all believe in one God and prayer helps to the body, mind and spirit. Buddhist believes that the collection of ones â€Å"physical body, sensations, perceptions, mental formation, and consciousness†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"Will dissolve at the time of death, although some stream of consciousness undergoes rebirth† (Chan, et al. 2011). Although Buddhism is the least practiced among the religions discussed, it is Islamic that is the most misunderstood and is met with inequalities. Providing a safe place and building trust is required to meet the spiritual needs of American Muslims. Conclusion All religions teach love, compassion, and righteousness. Therefore, respecting ones spirituality and assessing for spiritual needs is an important aspect of all patient interactions. Understanding why other faiths believe what they do help nurses to facilitate and accommodate practices and honor sacred rituals, prayers and meditation. How to cite Diversity in Faith and the Health Care Provider, Papers

Accounting Information is Objective and Neutral- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theAccounting Information is Objective and Neutral. Answer: Reflection This reflection is undertaken in order to have an understanding about accounting information. Accounting is a key part of the recording the financial transactions and thereby all the financial transactions are maintained in an effective manner. I have observed that there are several characteristics of accounting information and accounting has been a subject of sustainable development from year to year and therefore there has been a development of several regulations and concepts which have been incorporated in order to assist the accountants to display the correct picture. The double entry system was introduced globally and thereby it became the foundation of accounting and in the current time period it has become one of the significant tools for understanding the profitability of an entity, but even even the liquidity and the total performance in relation to the debts and the other factors that are non-financial in nature. I have observed that because of the fact that there have been high stake level that is involved and significance is given in order to restrict the stakeholders from being misinformed and therefore the accounting entities and the other governing bodies have taken measures in order to control the level of misstatements and this explains that accounting is objective in nature. The accounting information has certain amount of objective and it is seen that all the different level of accounting information have their unique objective and thereby tries to reduce misstatements. I have even observed that neutrality is even a characteristic of accounting information. Neutrality is even known as the quality of independence from biasness. Neutrality explains that during the formulation or the incorporation of the standards, the main issue is relevance and information reliability that improves and not has an impact that the new rule may have on a specific interest. It is seen that a neutral selection among the accounting substitutes are free from bias towards a prearranged outcome. The objectives of the financial statements serve towards users of various different data who have different interests and none of the prearranged outcome is likely to be suitable to the users. I can therefore state that accounting information and practices are determined impartially with no objective of focused bias for any type of user. I have noticed that there have been significant level of transformation in the process of accounting and accounting information with the advent of time as there have been several new kinds and mechanisms that have been introduced in order to enhance the process of accounting. Accounting information has significant level of value and it is seen that value of the accounting information is used by the users and the accountants in order to find out the result that is suitable for them. It is seen that there has been a fall in the value of accounting information with the transformation in the accounting standards. I feel that accounting information has an effective role to play with the help of which economic decision making can take place and thereby improvement in the operational plan and business decisions relating to various aspects can be undertaken. Bibliography Givoly, D., Hayn, C. and Katz, S., 2017. The changing relevance of accounting information to debt holders over time. Review of Accounting Studies, 22(1), pp.64-108. Magnan, M., Menini, A. and Parbonetti, A., 2015. Fair value accounting: information or confusion for financial markets?. Review of Accounting Studies, 20(1), pp.559-591. Prasad, A. and Green, P., 2015. Organizational competencies and dynamic accounting information system capability: impact on AIS processes and firm performance. Journal of Information Systems, 29(3), pp.123-149. Sudaryanti, D., Sukoharsono, E.G., Baridwan, Z. and Mulawarman, A.D., 2015. Critical Analysis on Accounting Information Based On Pancasila Value. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 172, pp.533-539.

Love Canal Essay Example

Love Canal Essay Example Love Canal Essay Love Canal Essay The case of Love Canal is one of the most tragic and well-known instances of environmental injustice in the history of the United States. Historically, blame has been placed upon the company that has since been held legally responsible for the wastes present in the area. Once one dives deeper into the issue, however, it can be seen that there are various deceptions that lie underneath what the media has reported regarding the disaster. In addition to discovering where true liability for the disaster lays, this can lead to developing strategies within the country to guarantee that this type of disaster does not happen again. Ironically enough, this disaster began with a dream for a better future. In the late 1800’s, William T. Love, a wealthy businessman at the time, had a dream to build a model industrial city in his hometown of Niagara Falls. He wanted to provide the city with a source of cheap power, so he decided that he would dig a canal to connect the upper and lower banks of the Niagara River, to provide space for a hydroelectric power plant. Unfortunately, an economic downturn caused abandonment of the project, and only about one mile of the canal was ever dug. From 1920 to 1943, the city of Niagara Falls used the small amount of canal as a municipal waste dumpsite. In 1943, Hooker Chemical and Plastics Company bought the canal, and began dumping toxic waste chemicals into the water in big chemical drum containers. They continued to pollute there until 1953, when they filled the canal with earth and sold it to the city of Niagara Falls for just one dollar. The city built one hundred new residential homes and a public school there. When residents began occupying the houses, they were oblivious to the toxic chemicals that were buried underneath the ground right in their backyards and directly underneath the school that their children attended. Eventually, the chemicals rotted entirely through the drum containers, and began leaching into backyards, basements, and even the school’s lower floor. Then the inexplicable increase in illnesses began. By the 1970’s, there was a massive rate of birth defects (5 of the 24 children born had defects), miscarriages (50%), and congenital defects being found in the residents of the town and their children (Regenstein). Children who attended the public school were becoming very ill with symptoms stemming from neurological problems, some of which the doctors even had a hard time diagnosing. One housewife of the town, Lois Gibbs, began noticing that her 7-year-old son was coming home from school sick more than ever before, and discovered that he had developed symptoms while at school. She began doing research on the area, and discovered the Love Canal’s past. She pleaded for the city to evacuate residents. Although ignored by officials, she drew up quite a large base of supporters, many people also noticing that their children had become ill since they began attending the school. Eventually, after many cases of illnesses and much public opposition, the city began evacuating young children first, and then families who lived in the residential houses. The media found Lois Gibb’s story very appealing. They followed her journey from starting as a housewife in a small town in New York State to becoming an outspoken leader for a movement to hold the Hooker Chemical Company responsible for what had happened there two decades before. She felt that the Hooker Chemical Company should be liable for cleaning up the site and reimbursing families who had been affected by the pollution. Although Lois Gibbs shared an opinion with many people, there was just not enough concrete evidence to convict the company of being responsible. One person that found Gibb’s story worthy of public attention was Michael Brown, who wrote a book called Laying Waste: The Poisoning of America by Toxic Chemicals, in which he laid all blame directly on the Hooker Chemical Company for the disaster. This book was adopted as the true story by most media outlets, so naturally the public was convinced that the company was to blame and no one else. As public knowledge increased due to Lois Gibb’s efforts, remediation became much more important. On August 7th, 1978, President Jimmy Carter approved emergency government aid for the area, which was the first time government funds were used for a disaster that was not considered to be â€Å"natural. † This funding became the Environmental Protection Agency’s Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, also known as the â€Å"Superfund† program. Over one hundred million dollars was used to clean up the canal. Efforts finally concluded in 2004, when the land was considered safe to once again live on. Residents have begun to fill the newly-renovated residential homes in the town that they have now officially renamed the Black Creek Village. With the case of Love Canal comes controversy over who is fully to blame for the issues at hand. Historically, the blame has been placed on the Hooker Chemical and Plastics Company because they were the company that was actively dumping toxic chemicals in the abandoned canal. Also, many people such as Lois Gibbs and her supporters) believe that the company sold the land for such a cheap price because they knew that there would be detrimental effects on the environment and human health due to the wastes. The government took this position on the matter as well. The U. S. Department of Justice, who acted for the Environmental Protection Agency, sued the company by filing four suits against it and its parent corporation, the Occidental Petroleum Corporation. The four suits requested that the company have to clean up the four sites in Niagara Falls that posed a danger to residents of the region. After the case went to trial, it became clear that even the Judicial System agreed that Hooker Chemical Company was responsible for the damages that resulted from the dumping. The New York Times published an article on February 24, 1988 that was considered a great victory for those who viewed the situation as the Hooker Company’s fault. The article described the rulings of the federal trial against the Occidental Petroleum Corporation. John T. Curtin, the active judge on the case, ruled that the company was liable for the damages under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980. The judge also states that in addition to being responsible for the production and dumping of the wastes, they also stored the wastes in dangerous ways that would eventually lead to leaching straight through the storage drums. With this ruling, however, one has to ask why the U. S. Regulatory System would approve the company’s disposal techniques. It is also important to ask whether or not the chemicals would have actually leached if they were not disturbed by the construction vehicles that most likely punctured the drum containers. The issue of repayment was not settled in the trial, although the government was asking for $117,580,000 to replace the money that they had spent. This problem was not settled until June 1989. On the morning of June 1, 1989, Thomas C. Jorling, Commissioner at the time of the New York State Department of Conservation, issued a public news release to announce that the Occidental Petroleum Corporation had signed a consent order for the storage and destruction of the wastes from the Love Canal cleanup. This was the company’s first acknowledgement and acceptance of responsibility for the cleanup efforts. This was also a landmark agreement because the cleanup had previously been performed by government agencies, funded by taxpayers’ money. This was the first case that bound a company to pay for clean-up funds, rather than making taxpayers cover the costs. The agreement saved taxpayers more than $20 million that would have been used for construction, operating, and engineering costs. The company agreed to transport the chemicals that were brought up from the ground to their plant in Niagara Falls, store them in a newly renovated and safe storage building, and burn them in an incinerator that was set to be built at the plant. Although in signing this consent order the company assumed responsibility, they still fought to ensure that they were not legally liable for the damages and public health effects of the wastes present in the canal. At this point, many people were pleased with the fact that the Hooker company was being held responsible for what they had done. A various perspective on the issue, however, can be seen in an article titled â€Å"Love Canal: The Truth Seeps Out,† written by a long-time contributor of Reason magazine, Eric Zuesse, that was published in the February 1981 issue of the magazine. In the article, Zuesse states that the Niagara Falls Board of Education is the party that should be taken to court by the Justice Department. He believes that â€Å"hardly ever has there been a more blatant example of Big Brother successfully hiding the skeletons in his closet or of a gullible investigative reporter and compliant media going along with the cover-up so that a bunch of bureaucrats can pass the buck to some bewildered private interest. He suggests that the case of Love Canal is an example of government keeping secrets from public knowledge so as to keep the real persons responsible safe and punish and destroy private interest corporations who are easily blamed for the problem. A â€Å"gullible investigative reporter† is Zuesse’s referral to Brown and his book that was adopted by the media. Zuesse states that his first indication that the true story was not being told was that there was little mention of the fact that the Board of Education had owned the l and for 25 years prior to all of the uncovering of the land’s past usages. He began doing research, and found the deed that was used in the transfer of property. There is a clause at the end of the deed that contains this statement: †¦ The grantee herein has been advised by the grantor that the premises above described has been filled †¦ with waste products resulting from the manufacturing of chemicals by the grantor †¦ and the grantee assumes all risk and liability incident to the use thereof †¦ As a part of the consideration for this conveyance and as a condition thereof, no claim, suit, or action or demand f any nature whatsoever shall be made by the grantee †¦ against the grantor, for injury to a person or persons, including death resulting there from, or loss of or damage to property caused by †¦ said industrial wastes. (1) In this excerpt from the deed, it is shown that the Hooker Company had warned the Board of Education of the risks associated with development and use of the land that was being sold to them. Also, they transferred all legal liability to the Board of Education for any property loss, injuries, or deaths resulting from the use of the land. The fact that the Board of Education still agreed to buy this land, and then additionally decided to build a public school on it, cannot be overlooked in the issue of who is to blame for the destruction at Love Canal. Zuesse also believes that although at first it seems that the Hooker Company was anxious to rid themselves of the land, it can be interpreted that they were giving a clear warning to not only the Board of Education but to all future owners of the land that it is a dangerous place to develop on. Zuesse states that it is tough to attribute this fact to the â€Å"reckless and negligent attitude† that the media was characterizing the company as having, which could be why it was overlooked by the general public. Zuesse also tried to contact various former members of the Board of Education that were involved in the purchase of the land, and not one of them would comment on the matter. They either hung up on him or ignored the situation completely. One member just said that â€Å"it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie,† and commented that the Board had no legal liability. This is obviously false when you take a look at the deed itself. The Hooker Company did not want any of this to happen. They wanted the land to be left alone, or sold to someone who would take care of the problem. Zuesse has some concrete evidence to support the claim that although the Hooker Chemical Company may have been responsible for the chemicals, the Board of Education can be seen as the real perpetrator for building on land that they knew was not suitable for a residential area, and especially not for a school which young children attended. The Board put their residents in danger by ignoring the various warnings they were provided with. With all of this information, the question must be asked as to whether the Justice Department was right in bringing a lawsuit against the company. Obviously, the company was easiest to blame for the disaster. Also, families who were affected by Love Canal were so distraught that they couldn’t fully comprehend the fact that there may have been other factors that contributed. In New York State, it is illegal to transfer legal liability for land between parties, so technically it was acceptable for the Justice Department to bring the Hooker Company to court. However, it should be stated that in addition to punishing the company, they should also bring the Board to court and try them for negligence. This case is especially relevant still today because since the U. S. Regulatory System knew this practice was going on and still approved it, there could be many other sites in the same situation as Love Canal just waiting to be uncovered. Because of this, new policies need to be enacted. First of all, there needs to be new standards of what constitutes a safe way of disposing of these harsh chemicals. Of course, this dumping began in the 1950’s, and since then we have adopted stricter rules on the matter, but companies continue to work around them, still dumping chemicals in waterways to this day. Also, there needs to be a citizen right to know policy enacted, in which citizens have the right to knowledge regarding all pollutants and chemicals that they come into contact with throughout their daily lives. Perhaps if the Love Canal residents had known exactly what chemicals were present there, they would have demanded better standards for the land that they lived on and they would have demanded that the remediation be performed sooner, before they all came down with strange symptoms. Sometimes in our society, horrible circumstances have to take place in order to improve our standards of living. Sadly, the Love Canal tragedy occurred because basic human rights were overlooked in order to make a prosperous city. However, we can extract lessons from this to guarantee that it does not happen again. â€Å"A Judge Orders Company to Pay Love Canal Cost. † (Metropolitan Desk). New York Times. 24 Feb 1988. New York State Newspapers. Web. 13 Nov 2009. Jorling, Thomas. â€Å"Occidental Chemical Signs Consent Order for Storage and Destruction of Love Canal Wastes. † EPA Press Release (1989). Web. 11 Nov 2009. Regenstein, Lewis. America the Poisoned. Illustrated ed. Washington, D. C. : Acropolis Books Ltd. , 1982. Print. Zuesse, Eric. â€Å"Love Canal: The Truth Seeps Out. † Reason Magazine Feb 1981: 16-33. Web. 11 Nov 2009.

Ancient Maya Civilization Classic Era

Ancient Maya Civilization Classic Era The Maya culture began sometime around 1800 B.C. and in a sense, it has not ended: there are thousands of men and women in the Maya region still practicing traditional religion, speaking pre-colonial languages, and following ancient customs. Still, the Ancient Maya civilization reached its peak during the so-called â€Å"Classic Era† from around 300-900 A.D. It was during this time that the Maya civilization achieved its greatest achievements in art, culture, power, and influence. The Maya Civilization The Maya civilization thrived in the steamy jungles of present-day southern Mexico, the Yucatn Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras. The Maya were never an Empire like the Aztecs in central Mexico or the Inca in the Andes: they were never unified politically. Rather, they were a series of city-states independent from one another politically but linked by cultural similarities such as language, religion, and trade. Some of the city-states became very large and powerful and were able to conquer vassal states and control them politically and militarily but none was ever strong enough to unite the Maya into a single Empire. Beginning in 700 A.D. or so, the great Maya cities fell into decline and by 900 A.D. most of the important ones had been abandoned and fell into ruin. Before the Classic Era There have been people in the Maya region for ages, but cultural characteristics that historians associate with the Maya began appearing in the area around 1800 B.C. By 1000 B.C. the Maya had occupied all of the lowlands currently associated with their culture and by 300 B.C. most of the great Maya cities had been founded. During the late Preclassic Period (300 B.C. – 300 A.D.) the Maya began building magnificent temples and records of the first Maya Kings began to appear. The Maya were well on their way to cultural greatness. Classic Era Maya Society As the Classic era dawned, Maya society was clearly defined. There was a king, royal family, and a ruling class. The Maya kings were powerful warlords who were in charge of warfare and who were considered to be descended from the gods. Maya priests interpreted the movements of the gods, as represented by the sun, moon, stars, and planets, telling the people when to plant and do other daily tasks. There was a middle class of sorts, artisans, and traders who enjoyed special privilege without being nobility themselves. The vast majority of Maya worked in basic agriculture, growing the corn, beans, and squash that still make up the staple diet in that part of the world. Maya Science and Math The Classic Era Maya were talented astronomers and mathematicians. They understood the concept of zero, but did not work with fractions. The astronomers could predict and calculate the movements of the planets and other celestial bodies: much of the information in the four surviving Maya codices (books) concerns these movements, accurately predicting eclipses and other celestial events. The Maya were literate and had their own spoken and written language. They wrote books on specially prepared fig tree bark and carved historical information into stone on their temples and palaces. The Maya used two overlapping calendars which were quite accurate. Maya Art and Architecture Historians mark 300 A.D. as the starting point for the Maya Classic era because it was around that time that stelae began to appear (the first one dates from 292 A.D.). A stela is a stylized stone statue of an important king or ruler. Stelae include not only a likeness of the ruler but a written record of his accomplishments in the formed of carved stone glyphs. Stelae are common at the larger Maya cities that thrived during this time. The Maya built multi-storied temples, pyramids, and palaces: many of the temples are aligned with the sun and stars and important ceremonies would take place at those times. Art thrived as well: finely carved pieces of jade, large painted murals, detailed stonecarvings, and painted ceramics and pottery from this time all survive. Warfare and Trade The Classic era saw an increase in contact between the rival Maya city-states - some of it good, some of it bad. The Maya had extensive trade networks and traded for prestige items such as obsidian, gold, jade, feathers and more. They also traded for food, salt and mundane items like tools and pottery. The Maya also fought bitterly with one another. Rival city-states would skirmish frequently. During these raids, prisoners would be taken to be used as slaves or sacrificed to the gods. Occasionally, all-out war would break out between neighboring city-states, such as the rivalry between Calakmul and Tikal in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. After the Classic Era Between 700 and 900 A.D., most of the major Maya cities were abandoned and left to ruin. Why the Maya civilization collapsed is still a mystery although there is no shortage of theories. After 900 A.D., the Maya still existed: certain Maya cities in the Yucatn, such as Chichen Itza and Mayapan, thrived during the Postclassic era. The descendants of the Maya still used the writing system, the calendar and other vestiges of the peak of Maya culture: the four surviving Maya codices are thought to have all been created during the postclassic era. The different cultures in the region were rebuilding when the Spanish arrived in the early 1500s, but the combination of the bloody conquest and European diseases pretty much ended the Maya renaissance. Sources: Burland, Cottie with Irene Nicholson and Harold Osborne. Mythology of the Americas. London: Hamlyn, 1970. McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. New York: Norton, 2004. Recinos, Adrian (translator). Popol Vuh: the Sacred Text of the Ancient Quichà © Maya. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1950.

SMOKER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SMOKER - Essay Example He has noticed a recurrent morning cough and increased production of mucus over the past 2 months or so. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an obstructive lung diseases that is characterised by inadequate airflow which is chronic in nature. The disease arises when the bronchi are scarred and inflamed as well as the damages of the alveoli. This process occurs after several years and is usually caused by cigarette smoking. In essence, several scholars incorporated emphysema and bronchitis in defining COPD. Bronchitis is defined as presence of chronic productive cough for a period of 3 months in 2 consecutive years. While emphysema is an abnormal enlargement of the air spaces that are distal to the terminal bronchi with obvious destruction of the bronchiole walls (Decramer, Janssens, & Miravitlles, 2012). Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD accounting for 80%-95%; however, some factors have also been associated with the disease and they include air pollution like in poorly ventilated cooking places. Occupational exposure to irritants such as dust, fumes and other chemicals, which are found in textile industries, gold mines among others. Genetics have  been noted to have  a major role in the development of COPD, whereby those individuals who lack alpha 1-antitrypsin are likely to develop COPD (Barnes, 2014). Shortness of breath: This is the most worrying symptom to most people with the disease; occasionally patients complain that they cannot inhale enough air. This symptoms is usually worsened by exertion, however in the advanced stage of COPD it can occur during rest. The pathological changes in COPD usually occur in the lung parenchyma, the bronchi as well as the bronchioles. Several causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease occur due to exposure to the noxious substances or stimuli such as cigarette smoke. The Pathophysiology is not very clear and is most likely to be diverse. However, elevated numbers of activated

Conjunctiva Pathology and Treatment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conjunctiva Pathology and Treatment - Essay Example Caution must be practiced since they cause elevated pressure inside of the eye, which can lead to vision damage and cataracts if not properly supervised under the directions of the doctor. Many people develop callous-like thickenings of the conjunctiva on the front of the eye, usually located on the nasal portion of the conjunctiva. Such eyes are susceptible to irritation caused by dry climates (especially with windy conditions), as well as toxic vapors, salt water spray, excessive exposure to the sun (ultraviolet radiation), and even inadequate natural lubrication of the eye (tears). There are 2 types of these raised, yellowish or yellowish-white patches: one type is a "pinguecula" and the other a "pterygium." A pinguecula often is a benign yellowish growth due to the fatty degeneration of the conjunctival collagen fibers near the cornea to be replaced by thicker more durable fibers and sometimes calcium crystals. It can emerge following a short exposure to damaging irritation, such as excessive dryness or sun (UV radiation). Continuous exposure increases tissue destruction.Welding also may be an occupational risk factor. There has no effect on vision and takes weeks to months to resolve. The source of irritation must be eliminated; artificial lubricant drops may be used. Anti-inflammatory ointments may be prescribed for the irritation if experienced. Pterygium A pterygium, is a benign white to pink triangular wedge shaped growth in the conjunctiva, its base in the interpalpebral conjunctiva while its apex towards the cornea. Although it is caused by the same factors of a pinguecula (mainly excessive sunlight exposure, and tropical climates), it often has inflamed blood vessels infusing into it for nourishment. A pterygium does not emerge from a pinguecula. Contrary to the pinguecula, a pterygium usually evolves