About Traditional Hispanic Food Essay

Hispanic American: â€Å"Heritage† is defined as the customs and traditions that are handed down from generation to generation of families and society. A person with Latino heritage is a descendant of a family from Mexico, Central America, or South America. Peeps who are Hispanic are from a country where Spanish is spoken. Let’s check out some of their traditions. Hispanic Food Hispanic foods have many different characteristics, but one of the main things that make it distinctive is that it tends to be spicy! Here are some traditional Hispanic dishes: * Moles: Pronounced Mo-lay, the name of this dish comes from the Aztec word for â€Å"mixture.† Mole Poblano de Guajolote, is a mixture of dried chiles, nuts, seeds, vegetables, spices and chocolate. * Tortillas: This flat bread is made of wheat flour or masa and forms the base of tons of tasty Mexican dishes like enchiladas, burritos and fajitas. * Ceviche: A Mexican dish of raw fish marinated in limejuice, often in a chopped salad. * Poc Chuc: A Yucatecan specialty made with pork fillet cooked with tomatoes, onions and spices. About Traditional Hispanic Food Traditional Hispanic food is full of flavor and a variety of textures: crunchy; chewy; gooey; and stringy. The most popular Hispanic foods are derived from rice and vegetables and use a flavor base called sofrito to season their dishes and soups. Sofrito is a mild tomato base that is a staple in traditional Hispanic food cooking methods. Many restaurants carry some form of Hispanic food on their menus, such as rice-filled enchiladas, tacos, nachos or flan. History The word â€Å"Hispanic† describes someone who comes from Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America. The Spanish colonial period took place between 1492 and 1898, when Spaniards migrated from Spain and brought with them traditional Hispanic foods. Hispanic food stems from the traditional cooking methods of ancestors from the countries of Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar; it is from here that Hispanic people draw their heritage and roots as well as their primary methods of cooking and developing recipes. The history of Hispanic food dates to when the Hispanic population began to learn how to cook off the land by growing rice, chilies, beans, tomatoes in the rich, moist climate of Spain. The population added meat and dairy into the recipes, providing meat for tacos and cheeses for garnishing. Hispanic food has transitioned over the years and taken on slight variations of the original corn tortilla that is now cooked in oil, as well as spicier forms of rice implemented with cheese and peppers to include foods that are found in many fast-food restaurants, chain restaurants and supermarkets. Types Tortillas are served plain, warm or fried and can be used as the base for many Hispanic food dishes. Corn tortillas can be made into tacos or corn chips that can be used as an accompaniment to salsa or bean dip. Flour tortillas are also popular and provide a substitution when necessary for tacos and other Hispanic food dishes. Rice and beans make up a huge part of traditional Hispanic food recipes. Rice and beans can be used as a side dish that goes well with tacos and enchiladas as well as a filler for burritos, tacos and chimichangas. Meats, such as shredded or crumbled beef, shredded chicken and pork, make up the majority of Hispanic food’s main dishes, some of the most popular being parrilladas, tampiquenas and fajitas. Variations of vegetables can found throughout traditional Hispanic food, such as varieties of chiles, potatoes, jicama, yucca, nopales, tomatillos and some types of squash. Significance Traditional Hispanic food is eaten every day in Hispanic households, with foods such as quesadillas, tacos, nachos, Mexican pizzas, taco salads and burritos being the most popular. The celebration of Hispanic holidays, such as Cinco de Mayo, brings out the full tradition of traditional Hispanic food across many areas around the world. Many traditional Hispanic drinks are also served for this celebration of Hispanic heritage and pride, such as tequila, margaritas and Mexican beer. Some of the most popular Hispanic dishes that are prepared during Cinco de Mayo are carnitas, barbocoa, moles and menudo. Identification Traditional Hispanic food can be identified by the appearance of the tortillas and the thick, rich enchilada sauces that can be green, brown or red and resemble a thick gravy. Rice and refried beans typically are served inside of the tortillas or on the side, and this dish can be referred to as an enchilada or as a chimichanga if it is deep fried on the outside. Melted cheese over the top of the dish is also a good indication of Hispanic food. Function The function of Hispanic food is to fulfill the traditional ways of growing, eating and serving Hispanic food. Hispanic food is high in carbohydrates, making it a filling meal because of the beans and cheese that are served along with it. The combination of the beans and cheese with the spicy seasonings and salsa give the food added flavor and traditional Hispanic flair. Hispanic food can be made into meals for large groups of people and large families quickly, cheaply and easily. Most Hispanic food keeps for a long time and does not spoil if stored in a cool, dry location. Reference: http://www.ehow.com/about_4578072_traditional-hispanic-food.html CUBA : Cuban Cuisine Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Traditional Cuban cooking is primarily peasant cuisine that has little concern with measurements, order and timing. Most of the food is sauteed or slow-cooked over a low flame. Very little is deep-fried and there are no heavy or creamy sauces. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves. Many dishes use a sofrito as their basis. The sofrito consists of onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and ground pepper quick-fried in olive oil. The sofrito is what gives the food its flavor. It is used when cooking black beans, stews, many meat dishes, and tomato-based sauces. Meats and poultry are usually marinated in citrus juices, such as lime or sour orange juices, and then roasted over low heat until the meat is tender and literally falling off the bone. Another common staple to the Cuban diet are root vegetables such as yuca,malanga, and boniato, which are found in most Latin markets. These vegetables are flavored with a marinade, called mojo, which includes hot olive oil, lemon juice, sliced raw onions, garlic, cumin, and little water. A typical Cuban breakfast consists of a tostada and cafe con leche. The tostada is a portion of Cuban bread which is buttered then toasted on an electric grill. The cafe con leche is a combination of strong, espresso coffee with warm milk. Cubans break the tostada into pieces, then dunk them into the cafe con leche, as Americans would dunk their doughnuts into their coffee. Additionally, some may eat ham croquetas, smoky creamed ham shaped in finger rolls, lightly breaded, and then fried. For those on the run, with no time or desire to eat, a shot of cafe cubano, Cuban coffee, will revive the dead. Lunch consists of empanadas, chicken or meat turnovers, or cuban sandwiches. The sandwich could be a media noche (midnight sandwich), consisting of a slice of pork, ham, and swiss cheese and then topped with pickles and mustard on sweetened egg bread. The pan con bistec is a thin slice of palomilla steak on Cuban bread garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, and fried potato sticks. One may also order a side ofmariquitas, thinly sliced plantain chips, to accompany their hearty sandwich. For snack time, Cuban bakeries are famous for their finger foods, such aspastelitos, croquetas, bocaditos, and empanadas. Pastelitos are small flaky turnovers in various shapes filled with either meat, cheese, guava, or a combination of guava and cream cheese. Bocaditos are small bi te size sandwiches layered with a ham spread. Dinner will usually consist of a meat, chicken, or fish dish as the entree accompanied by white rice, black beans, and maduros, sweet fried plantains. At times, a small salad of sliced tomatos and onions or avocados might be added to the meal. The meal is followed by dessert, such as the typical flan, a Cuban caramel-flavored custard, and another shot of cafe cubano. Other equally popular alternatives for dessert are bread or rice puddings. For holidays or special occasions, the one dish that typifies Cuban cuisine would be a small pig, marinated with salt, garlic, and sour orange juice, and then roasted over an open fire, and slowly cooked for several hours. The accompaniments for such a dish could consist of congri, a white rice and black bean mixture also known as Moors and Christians, boniato in a garlic dressing, and maduros. For refreshments, the most typical drinks are the daiquiri and the mojito. Both are made with lime juice and pure cane rum. Reference: http://www.education.miami.edu/ep/littlehavana/Cuban_Food/Cuban_Cuisine/cuban_cuisine.html Puerto Rican cuisine has its roots in the cooking traditions and practices of Europe (Spain), Africa and the Amerindian Taà ­nos. In the latter part of the 19th century, the cuisine of Puerto Ricowas greatly influenced by the United States in the ingredients used in its preparation. Puerto Rican cuisine has transcended the boundaries of the island, and can be found in several countries outside the archipelago. The cuisines of Spain, Taà ­no and Arawaks Amerindians, and parts of the African continent have had an impact on how food is prepared in Puerto Rico. Although Puerto Rican cooking is somewhat similar to both Spanish and Latin American cuisine, it is a unique tasty blend of influences, using indigenous seasonings and ingredients. Locals call their cuisine cocina criolla. The traditional Puerto Rican cuisine was well established by the end of the nineteenth century. By 1848 the first restaurant, La Mallorquina, opened in Old San Juan. El Cocinero Puertorriqueà ±o, the island’s first cookbook was published in 1849. Puerto Rican dishes are well seasoned with combinations of flavorful spices. The base of many Puerto Rican main dishes involves sofrito, similar to the mirepoix of French cooking, or the â€Å"trinity† ofCreole cooking. A proper sofrito is a sautà © of freshly ground garlic, tomatoes, onions, recao/culantro, cilantro, red peppers, cachucha and cubanelle peppers. Sofrito is traditionally cooked with olive oil or annatto oil, tocino (bacon), salted pork and cured ham. A mix of stuffed olives and capers called alcaparrado are usually added with spices such as bay leaf, cumin, sazà ³n and adobo. List There are plenty of recipes. Here are just a few: * Albondigà ³n – Puerto Rican meatloaf. * Alcapurrias – made from a mixture of mainly yautà ­a and may contain ground squash, plantains, green banana and other starchy tropical tubers filled with ground meat or seafood and deep fried in oil. * Almojà ¡banas – cheese-flavored rice fritters. * Araà ±itas – a combination of fried ripe and unripe shredded plantain, seasoned with salt, garlic and spices. Squash and other tubers can also be added. * Arepas / Domplines – Puerto Rican dumplings; fried rounds of flour-based dough. Sometimes they can contain coconut (known as arepas de coco). They are sometimes stuffed with seafood. This dish is particular to the Eastern and Southern parts of Puerto Rico. * Arroz con habichuelas – Rice and beans, a staple. Pink and red beans are the most common. The beans are cooked together with recaito base, stock, chunks of ham, potatoes and/or calabaza(tropical pumpkin), alcaparrado, tomato sauce to thicken stew, and flavored with spices. When done, the beans are then ladled over a mound of rice. Sticky medium-grained rice is more popular in Puerto Rico than long grain rice. * Arroz con pollo – Chicken and rice cooked in the same pot. Traditionally, chicken is seasoned with adobo, then placed in a pot with rice, annatto oil, sofrito, stock, beer, olives, and capers. * Bacalaà ­tos – These are fritters made from a pancake-like batter containing codfish, flour, and seasoning. * Buà ±uelos – Yam fritters. * Tortilla – Puerto Rican style omelette. * Tostones – twice-fried plantains. * Trifongo – similar to mofongo, but made with fried cassava, green plantains, and ripe plantains. * Tripleta – A sandwich made with a combination of three meats, such as beef, roast pork, chicken, and ham * Quesitos – cheese pastries Holiday dishes Pasteles / similar to the Mexican â€Å"tamales† * Arroz con dulce – Puerto Rican rice pudding, made with coconut milk and coconut cream, as opposed to only bovine milk or cream used elsewhere. Other flavors added into Arroz con Dulce include cloves, ginger, raisins soaked in rum, vanilla, cinnamon, brown or white sugar, heavy cream or milk and sometimes lemon zest. * Arroz con gandules – a yellow-rice-and-pigeon-pea dish with alcaparrado (capers and olives stuffed with red peppers), and pieces of meat (bacon, smoked ham, smocked turkey orchorizo). The spices and seasoning usually include cumin, bay leaf, annatto oil, sofrito, banana leaf, dry oregano, thyme, and stock. It is part of Puerto Rico’s national dish, along with pig roast. * Coquito – A popular Christmastime drink is coquito, an eggnog-like rum and coconut milk-based homemade beverage. The holiday season is also a time that many pià ±as coladas are prepared, underscoring the combination of pineapples and coconuts seen in Puerto Rican cuisine. [7] * Ensalada de pulpo – Octopus salad * Pasteles – For many Puerto Rican families, the quintessential holiday season dish is pasteles (â€Å"pies†), usually not a sweet pastry or cake, but a soft dough-like mass wrapped in a banana or plantain leaf and boiled, and in the center chopped meat, shellfish, chicken, raisins, spices, capers, olives, sofrito, and often garbanzo beans. Puerto Rican pasteles are similar in shape, size, and cooking technique to Latin American tamales. The dough in a tamal is made from cornmeal; while in a Puerto Rican pastel it is made from either green bananas and/or starchy tropical roots. The wrapper in atamal is a corn shuck or a banana leaf; the wrapper in a Puerto Rican pastel is a banana leaf. * Pig roast – Pork is central to Puerto Rican holiday cooking, especially the lechà ³n (spit-roasted piglet). Holiday feasts might include several pork dishes, such as pernil (a baked fresh pork shoulder seasoned in adobo mojado), morcilla (a black blood sausage), tripa (tripe), jamà ³n con pià ±a (ham and pineapple), gandinga (stewed pork innards) and chuletas ahumadas (smoked cutlets). * Stuffed turkey – Popular from November to January. The Thanksgiving turkey is often seasoned with adobo mojado and stuffed with mofongo or ground beef or pork mixture containing almonds,raisins, olives, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, and garlic. Instead of the thin slices seen in the North, a baked turkey in Puerto Rico is often cut into large blocks or chunks to be served on a plate. Riceis a mandatory course in dishes such as Arroz con Gandules (rice with pigeon peas), Arroz con Tocino (rice with bacon), Arroz Mampostea’o, and the sweet dessert Arroz con Dulce (rice pudding). * Sweets – Sweets are common in Puerto Rican cuisine. During the holidays, the most popular are desserts such as Arroz con Dulce (sweet rice pudding), Budà ­n de Pan (bread pudding),Bienmesabe (little yellow cakes soaked in coconut cream), Brazo Gitano – Puerto Rican style sponge cake with cream and / or fruit filling), Buà ±uelos de viento – Puerto Rican wind puffs soaked in a vanilla, lemon and sugar syrup), Barriguitas de Vieja (deep-fried sweet pumpkin fritters), Natilla, Tembleque (coconut pudding), Flan (egg custard), Bizcocho de Ron (rum cake), Mantecaditos (Puerto Rican shortbread cookies), Polvorones (a crunchy cookie with a dusty sweet cinnamon exterior), Turrà ³n de Ajà ³njolà ­ (a toasted sesame seed bar, bound together by caramelized brown sugar),Mampostiales (a very thick, gooey candy bar of caramelized brown sugar and coconut chips, challenging to chew and with a strong, almost molasses-like flavor), Dulce de Leche (milk and key lime peelingsà ¢â‚¬â„¢ caramel pudding), pastelillos de guayaba (guava pastries), Besitos de Coco (coconut kisses), Tarta de Guayaba (guava tarts), and Tortitas de Calabaza (pumpkin tarts). Haiti: Haitian cuisine originates from several culinary styles from the various historical ethnic groups that populated the western portion of the island of Hispaniola, namely the French, African, and the Taà ­no Amerindians. Haiti is similar to the rest of the Latin-Caribbean (the French and the Spanish-speaking countries of the Antilles), however it differs in several ways from its regional counterparts. Its primary influence derives from French and African cuisine, with notable derivatives from native Taà ­no and Spanish culinary techniques. Though similar to other cooking styles in the region, it carries a uniqueness native only to the country and an appeal to many visitors to the island. Haitians use vegetables and meats extensively and peppers and similar herbs are often used for strengthening flavor. Dishes tend to be seasoned liberally and consequently. Haitian cuisine tends to be moderately spicy, not mild and not too hot. In the country, however, many businesses of foreign origin have been established introducing several foreign cuisines into the mainstream culture. Years of adaptation have led to these cuisines (e.g.: Levantine from Arab Migration to Haiti) merging with Haitian cuisine.  "Manje Kreyà ²l† (Haitian food) is the equivalent of criollo cooking (criollo meaning â€Å"creole†) in other countries. This encompasses most of what is regularly cooked in Haiti, involving the extensive use of herbs, and somewhat unlike Cubancooking, the liberal use of peppers. A typical dish would probably be a plate of diri kole ak pwa (rice and beans), which is brown rice with red kidney or pinto beans glazed with a marinade as a sauce and topped off with red snapper, tomatoes and onions. The dish can be accompanied by bouillon (bouyon), known as sancocho in some neighboring countries. Bouillon is a hearty stew consisting of various spices, potatoes, tomatoes, and meats such as goat or beef. Rice is occasionally eaten with beans alone, but more often than not, some sort of meat completes the dish. Chicken (poul) is frequently eaten, the same goes for goat meat (kabrit) and beef (bà ¨f). Chicken is often boiled in a marinade consisting of lemon juice, sour orange, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic and other seasonings and subsequently fried until crispy. Legim is a thick vegetable stew consisting of a mashed mixture of eggplant, cabbage, chayote, spinach, watercress and other vegetables depending on availability and the cook’s preference. It is flavore d with epis, onions, garlic, and tomato paste, and generally cooked with beef and/or crab. Legim is most often served with rice, but may also be served with other starches, including mayi moulen (a savory cornmeal porridge similar to polenta or grits), pitimi (cookedmillet), or ble (wheat groats). Other starches commonly eaten include yam, patat (neither of which should be confused with the North American sweet potato), potato, and breadfruit. These are frequently eaten with a thin sauce consisting of tomato paste, onions, spices, and dried fish. Tchaka is a hearty stew consisting of hominy, beans, joumou (pumpkin), and meat (often pork). Tchaka is eaten by people and also used as an offering to the lwa in Vodou. Spaghetti is most often served in Haiti as a breakfast dish and is cooked with hot dog, dried herring, and spices, served with ketchup and sometimes raw watercress. One of the country’s best known appetizers are Pate, which are meat or salted cod patties surrounded by a crispy or flaky crust. Other snacks include akra (crispy, spicy fried malanga fritters), banann pese, and marinad (fried savory dough balls). For a complete meal, they may be served with griyo (fried pork) or other fried meat. These foods are served with a spicy slaw called pikliz which consists of cabbage, carrot, vinegar, scotch bonnet pepper, and spices. Fried foods, collectively known as fritay, are sold widely on the streets. Regional dishes also exist throughout Haiti. In the area around Jà ©rà ©mie, on Haiti’s southwest tip, people eat a dish called tonmtonm, which is steamed breadfruit (lam veritab) mashed in a pilon, and is very similar to West African Fufu. Tonmtonm is swallowed without chewing, using a slippery sauce made of okra (kalalou in Haitian Creole), cooked with meat, fish, crab, and savory spices. Another regional dish is poul ak nwa (chicken with cashew nuts), which is from the north of the country, in the area around Cap-Haà ¯tien. Waves of migration have also influenced Haitian cuisine. For example, immigrants from Lebanon and Syria brought kibbeh, which has been adopted into Haitian cuisine. The flavor base of much Haitian cooking is epis, a combination sauce made from cooked peppers, garlic, and herbs, particularly green onions, thyme, and parsley. It is used as a basic condiment for rice and beans and is also used in stews and soups. Increasingly, imported Maggi bouillon cubes are used by Haitian cooks. This is indicative of the growing availability of imported, often artificial and inexpensive, foods, such as Tampico beverages. Beer Beer is one of several common alcoholic beverages consumed in Haiti, often drank at festivals, parties, and occasionally downed with a meal. The most widely drank brand of beer in Haiti is Prestige, a nationally popular mild lager with a taste similar to many commercialized beers such as Budweiser and Miller Light. The beer has a light and crisp yet mildly sweet taste with a vague yet strong flavor reminiscent of several American-style beers. Prestige is brewed byBrasserie Nationale d’Haiti (owned by Heineken). Rum Haiti’s rum is extremely popular among its inhabitants , in addition to those in other societies. The most known company in the country is the world-renowned Rhum Barbancourt; one of the nation’s most famous exports and by international standards, the country’s most popular alcoholic beverage. It is unique in that the distilleries use sugarcane juice directly instead of molasses like other types of rum. The rum is marketed in approximately 20 countries and uses a process of distillation similar to the process used to produce cognac. The liquory creamed drink called crà ©mas is also drunk in Haiti. It is a popular beverage usually consumed as part of dessert or simply by itself. It has a sweet like flavor that you can taste. Clairin Clairin or kleren is another popular drink; it is equivalent to moonshine and is distilled from molasses, it is distilled twice sometimes to have a higher proof of alcohol. It is widely popular and small distilleries can be found throughout the countryside. Clairin is at least 100 to 120 proof. Double distilled, it can easily be 150 to 190 proof. Clairin may be more popular than rum, because it is much cheaper and less labour intensive to make. Cremas Cremas, also spelled Cremasse (Kremas in Haitian Creole), is a sweet and creamy alcoholic beverage native to Haiti. The beverage is made primarily from creamed coconut, sweetened condensed and/or evaporated milk, and rum. The rum used is usually dark; however, white rum is used frequently as well. Various other spices are added for additional flavoring such as cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, as well as miscellaneous ingredients such as the widely used vanilla extract or raisins. Recipes vary from person to person with a few differences in ingredients here and there. However the overall look and taste is the same. The beverage possesses a creamy consistency similar to a thick milkshake and varies from off-white to beige in color. The drink is popular in Haiti and is served regularly at social events and during the holidays. It is usually consumed along with a sweet pastry of some sort. The drink is often served cold however it can be served at room temperature. The beverage has become recent ly marketed in Haiti as well as the United States. One of the popular brands is Dorobe. It is similar to Puerto Rican Coquito. Non-alcoholic Due to its tropical climate, juice is a mainstay in Haiti. Juices from many fruits are commonly made and can be found everywhere. Guava juice, grapefruit juice, mango juice, along with the juices of many citrus fruits (orange, granadilla,passion fruit, etc.) are popular. Juice is the de facto beverage because of its variety of flavors, easy production, and widespread accessibility. Malta is also a popular non-alcoholic drink consisting of unfermented barley with molassesadded for flavor. In more urban areas of the nation, the people enjoy Americanized drinks such as an array of soft drinks, in which Coca-Cola dominates all other local soft drinks. Milkshakes are also drunk regularly. Desserts Many types of desserts are eaten in Haiti ranging from the mild to sweet. Sugarcane is used frequently in the making of these desserts however granulated sugar is also used often. One very popular dessert is fresco which can be whipped up quickly. Fresco is similar to an Italian Ice, however it consists primarily of fruit syrup. The syrup is moderately thick and very sweet. It is frequently sold by street vendors. The sweet smell of this candy-like snack often attracts honeybees and a common sight on the streets is a hurried vendor handing out frescos surrounded by swirls of bees. Pen Patat is a soft sweet bread made using cinnamon, evaporated milk, and sweet potato. It is usually served cold from the refrigerator but it can also be eaten at room temperature. Akasan is a thick corn milkshake with a consistency similar to that of labouille (in Creole, â€Å"labouyi†) (a popular porridge made from corn). It is made using many of the same ingredients as Pen patat consisting of ev aporated milk, sugar, and corn flour.

Drink Less Coke, More Water Essay

Purpose: To persuade the audience to drink less coke and more water. Thesis: Drinking coke and other sodas are harmful to the body. Drinking less soda (especially coke) and more water will help you to become an overall healthier person with less health problems in the long run. Organizational Pattern: Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Introduction Attention Getting Device: What would it take to clean off an old, rusted coin? Many of you might believe any simple cleaning product would get the job done but, this is not so. The answer I’m looking for is coke. That’s right, coke. Coke is so strong that it can remove dirt, rust and grime off of almost any surface. Along with this, it can stain your teeth and dissolve tooth enamel. So my next question to you all is: why, do we love to put something so strong and hazardous inside of our gentle bodies? Source: According to oleda.com â€Å"[soda] can have a†¦toxic†¦poisonous†¦lethal†¦venomous†¦ seriously harmful effect on your entire body. Drinking soda pop is a sure-fire way to age faster† accessed on June 19, 2012. Significance: Today many adults and even children face the issues of being able to successfully consume enough glasses of water a day to maintain the functions of the laborious body. Credibility: As a former excessive coke drinker who has went from drinking countless glasses of coke a day to now drinking a coke (or any soda) less than a few times a week I am credible to speak on this topic. Thesis: Drinking coke and other sodas are harmful to the body. Drinking less soda (especially coke) and more water will help you to become an overall healthier person with less health problems in the long run. Preview: First, I will explain the harmful effects of soda in general on the body. Second, I will describe a technique I used to put an end to my daily over consumption of soda. Finally, I will share my results of the described techniques with the audience. Organizational Pattern: Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Transition – Let’s get started! There is no need to take off years of your life by drinking soda. Body I.Main Point #1- Drinking soda (especially coke) on a constant basis is detrimental to your health. In order to be a healthier person you should limit your soda consumption to a minimum.   A. This situation needs to be handled as soon as possible. Soda is horrible for the body. 1. By this point you all are aware that soda is bad for your health but, exactly how bad is it? Soda has many effects on the body that you wouldn’t think a tasty non alcoholic drink would cause. However, after years of drinking it one might ask to themselves: What’s wrong with drinking soda? Well, today I am here to answer just that. 2. Drinking soda, according to termlifeinsurance.com soda causes: issues with kidney and reproductive organs, dissolves tooth enamel, and increases risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even asthma. In the May issue of the American Journal of Nutrition it was stated that people who consumed more than one soda per day have an increased risk of stroke. Accessed on June 19,2012. 3. I know personally that since I have stopped drinking sodas as much as I use to I have experienced drastic weight changes. Along with weight loss, I generally felt better and not so groggy throughout the day. B.You only get one body, so treat it kind. The ingredients used and the amount you consume both have a drastic effect on your health. 1. Soda, goes far beyond the yummy beverage that is served with your meal at Mcdonalds. Soda, is filled with ingredients that do horrifying damage to your internal organs in the long run. According to Buzzle.com some of the ingredients found in soda are: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, Caffeine, Phosphoric Acid and Citric Acid. A study mentioned on rodale.com accessed on June 19, 2012 the 2010 FASEB scientific Journal, found that the excessive phosphate levels found in sodas caused lab rats to die a full five weeks earlier than the rats whose diets had more normal phosphate levels 2. In a recent study, the Beverage Marketing Corporation found that the average American drinks 44.7 gallons of soda every year. 44.7 gallons is about 375 pounds. That’s about 487 cans or 286 bottles or 85 2-liters topping its competition of bottled water, beer, milk and coffee. This information was found on gizmodo.com accessed on June 20, 2012. 3. Specialists from the American Heart Association recommend consuming no more than 450 calories from sugar sweetened beverages per week, which is the amount in three cans of cola. This information was found cnn.com and accessed on June 20, 2012. Transition- Now that you know some facts about soda, I will explain how to get on the right path to success. II. Main Point#2 – In order to prevent the health issues previously stated, you should begin to limit your soda consumption. A.Personally, I began my limit my consumption by drinking fewer and fewer bottles of coke a day. For example, if I usually drank 7 glasses of coke I would now drink 6 and have a glass of water. 1.This helps you because it makes the transition not so hard. Along with this it helps you to be able to clearly distinguish the difference between how your body feels when you drink soda versus when you drink water. 2.Some people prefer to go cold turkey and just stop drinking soda all at once but, from my experience by using this method you are more likely to crave and have withdraws which in turn will lead to failure. Another way I began to limit my soda consumption is by purchasing less sodas. Personally, I believe if you don’t have any sodas in your house, you can’t drink it as much. a.To achieve overall better health you will need to limit your soda consumption. It is necessary. b.There are three steps you will need to make in order to rid your body of hazardous chemicals and health issues caused by soda. I.First, you will need to identify that you have a soda consumption problem. If you only drink a few cups of soda a week you won’t actually need to rid your body of soda. A good way to determine if you need to make changes is if your urine is on a normal basis darker than the color of lemonade. If it is leaning towards a medium yellow and gold color you need to drink more water. II.Second, after you have identified that you have a problem or need to drink less you will need to pick one of the two methods I previously stated. Either the day by day method or the cold turkey method. III.Third, after you have chosen a method you can now begin your process of drinking less coke and drinking more water. Try your best to keep a record of how many glasses of soda and water you are drinking each day. Transition- Once you have done the necessary actions, there are a few results you should expect to see. III. Main Point#3 – Finally, after about a few days or a week take a look at your progress and determine if that method really worked for you or if you need to alter things. A.After you have taken the proper steps necessary you should be drinking more water than before, have a lighter urine color and feel healthier overall. Additionally, if you have taken it seriously and really cut back on sodas you should lose a few pounds. B.If, for some reason you do not follow through with limiting your soda consumption you will increase your chances of numerous health issues and takes years off your life. Transition- Now to sum it all up Conclusion Thesis: Drinking coke and other sodas are harmful to the body. Drinking less soda (especially coke) and more water will help you to become an overall healthier person with less health problems in the long run. Preview: First, I explained the harmful effects of soda in general on the body. Second, I described a technique I used to put an end to my daily over consumption of soda. Finally, I share the general results from technique I used with the audience. Return to AGD: Now that I have told you the harmful effects of coke. Don’t put harmful chemicals in your body and don’t let a beautiful smile go to waste! Works Cited (n.d.). Retrieved June 19, 2012, from Oleda: http://www.oleda.com/oleda_tips/tips.asp?dept=48 Baxamusa, B. N. (2012, February 17). Soda Ingredients . Retrieved June 19, 2012, from www.buzzle.com: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/soda-ingredients.html Chan, C. (2011, June 27). The Average American Drinks 45 Gallons of Soda a Year. Retrieved June 20, 2012, from www.gizmodo.com: http://gizmodo.com/5815818/the-average-american-drinks-45-gallons-of-soda-a-year Jampolis, D. M. (2012, May 18). Is drinking soda really that bad for you? Retrieved June 19, 2012, from www.cnn.com: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/health/jampolis-dangers-drinking-soda/index.html Main, E. (n.d.). 5 Disturbing Side Effects of Soda. Retrieved June 19, 2012, from www.rodale.com: http://www.rodale.com/facts-about-soda-0

Physician Assisted Suicide (Utilitarianism vs. Right-Based Concepts) Essay

Physician Assisted Suicide (Utilitarianism vs. Right-Based Concepts) - Essay Example rights centered arguments is one that has been utilized by both opponents and proponents in support of their respective positions and these will be assessed in the paper. The paper will also assess assisted suicide through the utilitarian theory which elaborates on the ethical justification for a person to perform a right act if it will bear fruit to some good. Hence, in both ethical approaches the issue is controversial as it can be supported by both proponents and opponents of the argument using the same theory making it difficult to determine the appropriate position. This is a dilemma that is frequently associated with moral issues. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to illustrate the ethical arguments held by proponents and opponents of the rights based perspective to physician assisted suicide as well as the arguments presented by those for or against physician assisted suicide using the utilitarian theory. As mentioned above, the utilitarian theory implies that it is acceptable to perform an act that will lead to the greatest good. Hence, in cases of unbearable suffering in diseases that are incurable, physician assisted suicide will result in the greater good of relieving both the family members of the patient and the patient himself from unbearable suffering that will ultimately result in his death (Carr, 2010). Hence, the happiness that is gained through the relief of suffering patients of the patients justifies the lesser action of physician assisted suicide as the patients are already terminal and in the majority of cases death is inevitable. Physician assisted suicide can be in the form of lethal injection of the doctor prescribing the patient medication that would lead to the termination of his or her life. Hence, the summation of this action is that the doctor is minimizing suffering by prescribing lethal medication, and maximizing happiness by relieving the suffering which ma kes this an achievement of a greater good and in coherence with the

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Research Paper Example In this passage, Job seems to suggest that Gods severity on human beings is unjustified. He asserts over and over again that he is innocent and free of sin and challenge’s God’s decision to make him suffer. He questions God and even accuses him of torturing him, irrespective of whether he is virtuous or evil: â€Å"Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me† (King James Bible. Job. 8.17). This passage works both integrally in the Old Testament narrative of The Book of Job; as well as a standalone piece. This is because it falls within the dialogue between Job and his friends and is still a complete speech in itself. This particular passage is a distinct part of Job’s reply to Bildad, beginning from Chapter 9, where continues to assert his own innocence against the severity of God. Bildad had previously been appalled at Job’s suggestions and claimed that God does not reject a blameless man: â€Å"Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers† (Job. 8.20). This is followed directly with Zophar the Naamathite’s speech, beginning from Chapter 11, which scolds and criticizes Job for attempting to understand God’s mysterious ways of working: â€Å"Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?  It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than hell; what canst thou know?† (Job. 11.7-8). But the shift between speakers is not the only reason behind the autonomy of this passage. Chapter 8 is marked by a change in tone also. Job’s arguments get more fervent and demanding. He accuses God of unjustly punishing him, ignoring his friends and their cautious admonitions. Job goes as far as to wish death upon himself, asserting time and again that he would rather be dead than undergo such suffering. Structurally, The Book of Job has a â€Å"poetic core surrounded by a prose

Visiting a kindergarten Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visiting a kindergarten - Essay Example Like a real Snow White but with yellow hair not black. Most of the people that I know are different shades of brown but Sarah was from the mainland where all the really white people come from. Sarah had the whitest skin I ever saw and polka dots on her nose and cheeks. She couldn’t play rough on the playground because her white skin was very soft. I know because one time, when she accidentally fell down, she got these really big purple spots on her legs that she said were bruises, but they weren’t like any bruises I ever saw before they were so dark, and she said it happened all the time. When I looked at her and how the sun glowed through her yellow hair, though, it didn’t make any sense to me that Snow White could have black hair because Sara made a much better Snow White. Yes, she definitely did. If I visited too much in class, Sister Mary Joseph would call me up to her desk and have me hold out my left hand. I knew what was about to happen so I would always l ook at Sarah. That way, I wouldn’t cry. All the other girls would look sad and down at their hands, thanking god the father that it wasn’t them, but not Sarah. Sarah always looked right at me, and then she would smile like Snow White – sweet, soft, and comforting. She always seemed to know just how I felt. When it was pau, I would go back to my seat and she would stroke the top of my hand until the pain in my palm went away. That’s how the magic started. One day, after I got smacked.

Impact of a water Jet laboratory Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Impact of a water Jet laboratory - Lab Report Example The term molar mass of a given substance is often used to refer to the mass of one mol of a substance (Computer-Based Laboratory, 2007). In mathematical terms, it is often expressed as an average molecular mass of molecules in the given substance when multiplied by Avogadro’s constant often approximated as 6.022Ãâ€"1023. It can be shown molar mass = (1/6.022) Ãâ€"10-23g/u) Ãâ€" (6.022Ãâ€"1023/mol) Ãâ€" average molecular mass (Lide, 2005).This experiment was set up to use the freezing point depression to determine the molecular mass of benzoic acid. This was possible by first determining the freezing point of pure lauric acid and lauric- benzoic mixture, then calculating the molality of solution and the moles of benzoic acid as shown below. In this lab Experiment the apparatus and materials used included Lab Quest , Lab Quest App Temperature Probe, two 18 Ãâ€" 150 mm test tubes 400 mL beaker, ring stand, paper towel or tissue 4 – 1, Lab Quest 4, lauric acid, CH3(CH2)10COOH lauric acid-benzoic acid mixture hot water bath and the utility clamp. In this experiment the procedure was as follow. The initial step involved obtaining and wearing goggles. This was followed by connecting the Temperature Probe to Lab Quest and choosing New from the File menu. For the case where one had an older sensor that does not auto-ID, manually, he/she had to set up the sensor. The next step involved tapping the rate on the Meter screen, then changing the data-collection rate to 1 sample/second and the data-collection length to 600 seconds. This was part one of the experiment in which one had to determine the Freezing Temperature of Pure Lauric Acid. After this part, the next procedure was to add about 300 mL of tap water with a temperature of 20–25 °C to a 400 mL beaker and then placing the beaker on the base of the ring stand. The utility clamp was then used to obtain a test tube containing hot, melted lauric acid from the instructor while making sure

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example This resulted to massive inflation rates, unemployment, corruption, and a breakdown of social order. When it came to international diplomacy, Russia remained in the sidelines. The Kosovo War was widely condemned by Russia since Serbia was a historical ally of the Russian people. There was more tension when Russia got embroiled in the Chechnya War, which the United States vehemently opposed. As well known throughout history, sharp disagreements between the two-superpower nations, United States and Russia, have always been around. Each of these great nations has their own perspective on how to deal with international relations and their own internal affairs. When Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia, it raised some concerns among the United States government officials since Putin was a former KGB officer and was completely virtually unknown during his predecessor’s regime. Kanet (2009) pointed this out: Since former President Boris Yeltsin’s selection of Vladimir Putin as his successor, Russia’s fortunes have improved dramatically. In part, this resulted from good luck and the escalating demand for and price of petroleum and natural gas on the world market; in part, it stems from President Putin’s successful reimposition of central control over the political and economic structures across the vast area of the Russian Federation, regardless of the cost in terms of human rights and democracy. Russia’s resurgence as a major power during the past decade has brought with it a reaffirmation of assertiveness in its relations with other states—both those within its stated sphere of influence and those further from Russian territory. (p.4) The rise of the Russian economy after Yeltsin, and during Putin’s time has raised suspicion from the United States since the Russian economy is being used as a political advantage when it comes to international policy making with other countries. This results to Russia having a more influential

Argo Case Study Leadership Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Argo Case Study Leadership Analysis - Essay Example In addition, they have noted some areas that are certainly in need of improvement. This report addresses each. 1. Part A - Leadership Criteria: From the case study of ARGO, select ONE sub criteria from the Leadership section and assess it using the RADAR methodology and EFQM requirements of the Leadership criteria. 1.1 Two Strength areas (things ARGO did well as related to applying the requirements stipulated in the criteria or the RADAR) Let us consider section 1 d of the leadership portion of the case study. This section details that ARGO leaders are to reinforce a culture of excellence with the organization’s people. As of recent assessment, it was felt that the manager were not living up to this part of the vision, partly because they themselves felt cut off from the corporate culture of ARGO. This was understandable, but certainly an area that could be improved upon. One strength area that was implemented rested in the CEO of the company taking two days in February to hos t a retreat style event over two days. This event provided the entire company a chance to connect with its various leaders and to be reminded of the corporate vision of ARGO. The nature of the work that the company is quite stressful, and given the remote location of many of the job sites, disconnect can often set it. These events provide an opportunity not only for the CEO to share what has been happening in the company, but also to hear from various managers about aspects of the business that need improving. In this sense, the company has done well an deploying a system of enablers, under the RADAR logic of the EFQM model. Rather than simply sending out corporate memos that dictated company policies on a continent wide scale, the company has enabled its respective managers to carry out leadership functions based on their own unique situations, as long as they within the company vision. By meeting together once a year, in a strategic environment, the company is further enabling an atmosphere of teamwork and congeniality to be developed that should serve to enhance the quality of relationships experienced by all employees. A second strength exhibited in this area involves the change to have all managers leave their enclosed office and work out amongst their staff in an open plan layout. This puts the focus on the employees. It makes them feel that they are valued and important. In addition, it allows the manager to have a better grasp of the overall work culture in the office. You see, when a manager remains in a closed office, or even one with a strong open door policy, they cannot possibly pick up on the attitudes and feelings of their staff. They do not know the struggles that are potentially being encountered by the team, nor do they really know what is going well. By sitting amongst the staff, problems can often times be headed off before they emerge into serious situations. This also enables the managers at ARGO to truly reinforce a culture of excellence that is being talked about in this leadership section. When sitting in a closed office, the staff are not really able to see what the manager is doing. If things are not going well within the organization, the manager will be the one initially to blame because the staff will no see that they are truly performing their duties in line with the culture and vision of the company. This has been express before on EFQM self-assessments where the employees do not always believe

The Christian Counselor's Manual...by Jay Adams Essay

The Christian Counselor's Manual...by Jay Adams - Essay Example Therefore, the work is an important contribution to the Christian pastors and counselors and it deals with essential questions such as who is qualified to be a counselor, how can counselees change, how does the Holy Spirit work, what is the role of hope and the function of language etc. In the opening chapter of the book, the author discusses about the persons involved in counseling and he maintains in the second chapter that the Holy Spirit is the principal person in counseling. The third chapter deals with the human counselor and discusses about who should counsel, counseling as ministerial, qualifications for counseling, authority in counseling, counselors as directive and the personality of the counselor. The final chapter of the first part offers a discussion on the counselee and includes topics such as sources of knowledge, no surprises necessary, solutions for every problem, what the counselor needs to know, how prior knowledge helps, and counselees can change. "Part Two: The Presuppositions and Principles" includes seven chapters and the first of these covers the topic presuppositions and principles basic to counseling.

Companies for Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Companies for Social Responsibility Essay Whether made in business, politics, science, or sports, most decisions are judged as either right or wrong, ethical or unethical. Regardless of what an individual believes about a particular action, if society judges it to be unethical or wrong, whether correctly or not, that judgment directly affects the organizations ability to achieve its business goals. For this reason alone, it is important to understand business ethics and recognize ethical issues. Ð «ocial responsibility, an organizations obligation to maximize its positive impact on stakeholders and to minimize its negative impact. Philosophers increased their involvement, applying ethical theory and philosophical analysis to structure the discipline of business ethics. Companies became more concerned Bowie contends that when a business also cares about the well-being of stakeholders, it earns trust and cooperation that ultimately reduce costs and increase productivity.24 Much evidence shows that social responsibility, including business ethics, is associated with increased profits The opportunity that employees have for unethical behavior in an organization can be eliminated through formal codes, policies, and rules that are adequately enforced by management. For example, financial companies Company Q is a small local grocery store chain located in a major metropolitan area. They have recently closed a couple of stores in higher-crime-rate areas of the city, reportedly because these two stores were consistently losing money. After years of requests from customers, all of their stores have started offering a very limited amount of health-conscience and organic products—all of which were high margin items. When asked by the area’s food bank for donation of day-old products, management declined deciding instead to throw the food away, citing worries over lost revenues due to possible fraud and stealing by employees who might say they are donating the food. Company Q is a small local grocery store chain. Unfortunately company Q is having a hard time with the idea of social responsibity, which in turn is hurting their business. Let’s first look at the definition of corporate social responsibility. This is a term that means a company big or small tries to maximize its positive impact on, investors, customers and on the community. Now let’s look at why Company Q is low on the evaluate scale of social responsibility. Company Q has three areas that could use some improvements, in the regards to social responsibility. The first one is the donation of the day old products to the community food banks. The community will look bad on the company for just throwing the day-old products out. And there is a way of placing rules and regulations on the employees so the company is not losing profits and having to deal with fraud. The second one is that the company has taken years to respond to their customers asking for health conscience and organic products. And then after finally getting some health option the store only offers limited amounts. Because the company took a long time to respond to their customers need. The consumer thinks that the company really does not care too much on what they need or think. The third one is losing their two stores in a high-crime area that was reportedly losing money. Having two abandoned store does not give the company a good look, it shows stockholders that the company cannot flourish and survive. And also the company’s reputation with their consumers starts to go down, and less people will go to their stores. By seeing just these three areas of company Q’s ethics it is clear that the company is not seeing the big picture on being social responsibly. The company is on the low end of leaving a positive impact on its customers, investor and their community. The company is not responding to the consumers’ needs and wants, in a timely manner and when they do, it is a low end response. The consumer will go somewhere else, and in turn the company will lose money. The community will see that the company does not even try to help to make the area a better place to live. Then what happen are the leaders of the community talk with the people around them about the company and more consumer stop shopping at their stores. If the company help with some charities in the area that the stores are in might get a little bit better and the crime would go down. And finally not looking in to the reasons or trying to find solution on the stores that were having troubles. Evaluate Company Q’s current attitude toward social responsibility. 1. Recommend three areas that could be improved regarding the company’s attitude toward social responsibility. TABLE 2–2 Fortunes Best and Worst Companies for Social Responsibility Best Companies Worst Companies 1.International Paper 2.United Parcel Service 3.Starbucks 4.Fortune Brands 5.Walt Disney 6.McDonalds 7.Medco Health Solutions 8.Herman Miller 9.Weyerhaeuser 10.Union Pacific 1.Constellation Brands 2.WellCare Health Plans 3.Sears Holding* 3.Dana* 5.Federal-Mogul 6.Beazer Homes USA* 6.SC Holdco 3 (Swift Co.)* 8.Dollar General 9.Brown-Forman 10.Delphi There are four levels of social responsibility—economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic—and they can be viewed as steps (see Figure 2–3).34 At the most basic level, companies have an economic responsibility to be profitable so that they can provide a return on investment to their owners and investors, create jobs for the community, and contribute goods and services to the economy. Of course, businesses are also expected to obey all laws and regulations. Business ethics, as previously defined, comprises principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business. Finally, philanthropic responsibility refers to activities that are not required of businesses but promote human welfare or goodwill. Ethics, then, is one dimension of social responsibility. Reputation is one of an organizations greatest intangible assets with tangible value. The value of a positive reputation is difficult to quantify, but it is very important. A single negative incident can influence perceptions of a corporations image and reputation instantly and for years afterwards. Corporate reputation, image, and brands are more important than ever and are among the most critical aspects of sustaining relationships with constituents including investors, customers, financial analysts, media, and government watchdogs. It takes companies decades to build a great corporate governance. Accountability refers to how closely workplace decisions are aligned with a firms stated strategic direction and its compliance with ethical and legal considerations. Oversight provides a system of checks and balances that limit employees and managers opportunities to deviate from policies and strategies and that prevent unethical and illegal activities. Control is the process of auditing and improving organizational decisions and actions. The stakeholder model of corporate governance adopts a broader view of the purpose of business. Although a company has a responsibility for economic success and viability to satisfy its stockholders, it also must answer to other stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, government regulators, communities, and special interest groups with which it interacts. Due to limited resources, companies must determine which of their stakeholders are primary. Once the primary groups have been identified, managers must then implement the appropriate corporate governance mechanisms to promote the development of long-term relationships.47 This approach entails creating governance systems that consider stakeholder welfare in tandem with corporate needs and interests. The opportunity that employees have for unethical behavior in an organization can be eliminated through formal codes, policies, and rules that are adequately enforced by management. For example, financial companies Thesis Paper Outline Format I. Introduction: In this section, give the reader an idea of why your paper will be important and/or interesting, what you will be arguing, and make the organization of the paper clear to the reader. a. Explanation of purpose and background information (optional): Explain why this topic needs to be written about (may require some background on the topic) b. Thesis statement: A basic statement of your position; your answer to your research question c. Expanded thesis statement: A brief listing of the major points that you will make in your paper, in the order in which you will make them II. Arguments: Each of your main arguments can either argue a point that supports your position, or argue against something you believe is wrong. This is a lengthy paper, so ideally you will have more than three arguments to make. You should make as many as you can. Organize your arguments to flow from one to the next or, ideally, to put your strongest arguments first and last. d. Argument 1 i. Supporting evidence (author, pg. or para. #) ii. More supporting evidence! (author, pg. or para. #) iii. Even more supporting evidence!! (author, pg. or para. #) e. Argument 2 iv. Supporting evidence (author, pg. or para. #) v. More supporting evidence! (author, pg. or para. #) vi. Even more supporting evidence!! (author, pg. or para. #) f. Argument 3 vii. Supporting evidence (author, pg. or para. #) viii. More supporting evidence! (author, pg. or para. #) ix. Even more supporting evidence!! (author, pg. or para. #) III. Conclusion: This section of your paper should summarize and look to the future. g. Acknowledge the opposing side of the argument h. Re-emphasize your own argument by summarizing the main points that you made i. Draw final conclusions about the strength of your position Fictional Outline for a Thesis with Parenthetical Citation in MLA Format I. Introduction a. Background i. The number of flavors of ice cream produced by major companies has quadrupled over the past decade (â€Å"Consumer Choice† 25). ii. People debate which flavor is the best. b. Thesis: High-quality vanilla ice cream remains the best ice cream flavor on the market. c. Expanded thesis: People will continue to enjoy vanilla ice cream more than any other flavor for its simplicity, versatility, and its cultural significance. II. Argument d. Vanilla ice cream is the best because it is simple, yet never boring. iii. Vanilla ice cream can be made with only four ingredients (Breyers 6). iv. In her new book Rachel Ray argues, â€Å"The flavor of vanilla is a simple, yet classic one that goes well with any meal!!!† (43). v. Despite the simplicity of vanilla ice cream, it comes in many different varieties, such as French Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, and other delicious variations (â€Å"Edy’s Ice Cream† par. 6). e. Vanilla ice cream is better than any other flavor because it is versatile. vi. Vanilla can be eaten plain, but also goes well with many different toppings. vii. Vanilla is the most popular base flavor for Blizzards at Dairy Queen (McBurty 56). viii. Vanilla is easily made into a milkshake as well as eaten plain, which is not the case with a flavor like cookie dough (dangerous when sucked through a straw!) (McKay 73). f. Vanilla ice cream has significance in American culture. ix. Chef Julia Child has written, â€Å"Vanilla ice cream is one food that bridges generations. I share it with my children and grandchildren each summer† (16). x. Classic American movies like Back to the Future and Anne of Green Gables have prominently featured vanilla ice cream (â€Å"Ice Cream in the Movies† par. 8). xi. American presidents have served vanilla ice cream at the White House for over 200 years (Clinton 8). xii. Research has found that more Americans prefer vanilla ice cream than any other flavor (â€Å"Gallup Poll† par. 3). III. Conclusion g. Although chocolate is a close second, vanilla reigns supreme. h. Nothing can beat vanilla ice cream’s simplicity, versatility, and cultural significance. i. In the future, others will attempt to beat it. j. Try as they might, no manufacturer can come up with a way to top classic vanilla.

Development of Preschool Children

Development of Preschool Children 3 and 4-year-old children are often referred to as preschoolers. Preschool children want to become more independent and do things for themselves. They are enthusiastic about learning and acquire their knowledge through experiences and playing. Their motor, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills all developing, as they try to gain inner control. Preschoolers want to establish themselves as individuals and can more easily express their needs since they have a greater grasp of language. The preschoolers body is continuing to lose baby fat and gain muscle. Their arms and legs are becoming more slender and their upper body more narrow and tapered. Some children grow taller so much more quickly than they gain weight and muscle, that they may begin to look somewhat skinny and fragile. This doesnt mean that they are unhealthy or that anything is wrong; some children just fill out gradually as their muscles develop. Most preschoolers grow about 2 to 3 inches in height and gain about 5 pounds each year. Also boys tend to be slightly larger than girls (Berk, 2008). A childs face also will mature during this time. The length of their skull will increase a little, and the lower jaw becomes more pronounced. At the same time, the upper jaw will widen to make room for their permanent teeth. Because of this growth, their face actually will become larger and their features appear more distinct. Children are playful by nature. Their earliest experiences of exploring with their senses lead them to play, by themselves at first and then eventually with others. Usually between 4 and 5 years old, preschoolers discover that they share similar interests and seek out kids who are like themselves. They discuss, negotiate and come up with ways to create elaborate play scenes; take turns; and work together toward mutual goals. Childrens play can be divided into 4 categories, some of which overlap. Dramatic play is fantasy-directed play like dressing up in costumes, pretending to be different characters, using toys to represent characters in stories, and creating imaginary settings. Some examples of manipulative play are using small toys like blocks or Legos to build objects, putting together puzzles, and making bead necklaces. Physical play uses the whole body in activities with bikes, balls, jump ropes, hoops, and play structures. In creative play children use art materials such as paint, clay, markers, pencils, glue, etc. Preschoolers improve their mobility skills through a variety of motor activities involving the entire body. Gross-motor development includes locomotor dexterity, which requires balance and movement, and upper-body and arm skills. Examples of locomotor skills are jumping, hopping, running, and climbing. Toddlers can climb up one step at a time, but preschoolers can use alternating feet to climb stairs. Most preschoolers progress from riding a tricycle to a bicycle, and some older preschoolers are able to roller-skate. Two basic upper-body and arm skills developed during the preschool years are throwing and catching a ball. Preschool children gain more precision in fine-motor development between 3 and 5 years old. They attain more control of finger movement, which lets them become capable of using small materials that require grasping and control. According to the National network for child care some milestones in gross and motor skills in preschoolers include hopping on one foot, galloping, beginning to skip, pumping themselves on a swing, zipping, snapping and unbuttoning, cutting, lacing and making representational pictures like house, people or flowers (Malley, 1991). During the preschool years children are in the preoperational stage. Throughout this stage children think in terms of concrete materials, believe that everyone thinks as they think, are perceptually bound and make judgments based primarily on how things look (Morrison, 2009). In the preoperational stage, children are very heavily influenced by their perceptions and do not fully grasp the concept of conversation. Children who have trouble with conservation have trouble understanding that the quantity of something can stay the same regardless of physical transformations. One example of this is if a child is shown 2 identical cups filled with the same amount of beans, and then you pour the beans into 2 different size cups, a child will think that one cup has more beans, not understanding that the same number of beans is in each cup. Another characteristic of the preoperational stage is egocentrism, which is the failure to distinguish the symbolic viewpoints of others from ones own (Berk, 2008 pg325). Children also have trouble with logic and abstract thinking during this stage, because so much of their knowledge is based on their perception. Being in the preoperational stage comes with some key changes in thinking and cognitive development. In addition to acquiring language, children also start to discover fantasy and imagination. With developing language skills comes the awareness of that something can be represented even though it is not seen. For example, the word balloon describes a balloon, just like the image of a balloon does, even if the balloon itself isnt actually visible. Children also start to use their imagination by pretending that objects are other things, transforming sticks into swords, big boxes into houses, and dirt into a racetrack. Preschoolers sometimes have imaginary friends. They have a tendency to brag and can be bossy towards their peers. They have a desire to feel important and worthwhile. At times they can be aggressive but enjoy being with other children and want to make friends. They like to pretend to be important adults such as a teacher, parent, doctor, shop owner or police officer. They want and seek out praise for their achievements. Social experience, along with cognitive development, contributes to gains in emotional understanding (Berk, 2008 pg 370).Emotional understanding is a childs ability to express his or her emotions appropriately, to correctly understand other peoples emotions, and to understand the outcomes of certain emotions. Children with high levels of emotional understanding can cope with their own or other peoples emotions in a way that creates positive social interactions. Preschoolers usually start to develop self-conscious emotions as they start evaluating themselves, instead of simply reacting to peers or adults evaluations. For example, a toddler may be perfectly happy coloring all over themselves from head to toe with markers, but wont experience guilt or shame until someone expresses their displeasure at the situation. A preschooler may still enjoy drawing on themselves, but as soon as they see a parent coming, shame and guilt may surface as a result of considering their appearance. A chil d may also now experience a sense of pride when Mom or Dad says, You did a great job cleaning up your mess. Preschool is a time when children start to develop friendships with their peers and this is essential for positive social and emotional development. Preschoolers think of a friend as someone they have fun with and are willing to share their belongings with. Preschoolers give twice as much reinforcement-greeting praise and compliance-to children they identify as friendsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they are more cooperative and emotionally expressive-talking, laughing, and looking at each other more than nonfriends do(Berk, 2008 pg 376).While preschoolers understand the uniqueness of friendship their concept of it is still immature. They can be best friends with a peer one day and not like them at all the next. Parents can influence their childs early peer relationships both directly and indirectly, by giving their child more frequent social experiences, discouraging teasing, being emotionally positive and demonstrating cooperative play. Social experiences are critical in the development of a preschoolers moral understanding. Disagreements with siblings or peers over toys, taking turns or ideas give children their first concepts of fairness and justice. Children also learn by observing how their parents react when then have broken a rule and the way they talk about moral issues. Children who are advanced in moral understanding usually have parents who can adapt the way they communicate with their child about honesty, arguments and sharing in a way the child can easily understand. During preschool children have a massive increase in language development. This escalation in language skills represents the development of cognitive abilities. Children become more complex thinkers and these changes are exhibited in their language. Preschoolers are curious about language and rely progressively more on language to make their wants and needs known to adults and peers. Preschoolers can learn an average of 5 new words a day increasing their vocabulary from 200 words at age 2 to 10,000 words by age 6 (Berk, 2008 pg 356). To build their vocabulary so quickly, children use the fast mapping process where they connect a new word with a primary concept shortly after being introduced to the new word. There are different theories on how children acquire their vocabulary. Some theorists believe that children are naturally predisposed to distinguish word meaning using mutual exclusivity, which is a childs assumption that words refer to entirely separate categories (Berk, 2008). These theorists also believe that syntactic bootstrapping, which is the discovery of word meanings by observation of how words are use in the structure of a sentence, plays a major part in language development (Berk, 2008). Another theory is that word learning is controlled by the same cognitive strategies that children apply to nonlinguistic information. These strategies become more e ffective as childrens information processing, communication skills, vocabulary size, knowledge of categories and mastery of syntax improve (Berk, 2008 pg 357). Generally preschoolers can use simple sentences that follow a subject-verb-object order. Once they have mastered three word sentences they start to make small additions and changes in words that allows them to express word meanings in different ways and more efficiently. As with vocabulary development there are different theories on grammatical development; from the use of semantic bootstrapping (using word meanings to figure out grammatical rules), to the belief that children master grammar through direct observation, and including the idea that they have a special language making capacity for assessing the language they hear and develops the discovery of grammatical regularities. Preschool children have typically well developed conversation skills. They use gestures and objects to assist them in conveying their meaning. By 4 years old a child can adapt their conversation to fit the age, sex, and social status of the person theyre talking to. Their conversations tend to be less mature in highly demanding situations (like while on the telephone) where they cannot see the other person or use conversational aids (Berk, 2008). There are several ways in which parents and teachers can enhance all the developmental skills of a preschooler. Some activities that enhance physical and motor skills are dancing, swinging, sandbox play, throwing, playing with play dough and finger puppets, putting puzzles together, drawing, and stringing and lacing activities. Through directed and undirected play, children are naturally able to practice and learn both gross and fine motor skills and coordination (Snuggs, 2008). Enhancing cognitive development is about strengthening and exercising a childs thinking skills, not just giving them information. Activities like hide and seek (using variations of counting), Simon Says, I Spy and board games like Memory, Connect Four and Tic Tac Toe are all beneficial ways to enhance a preschoolers cognitive development. Planning activities in which the children have to work and plan together, helps build their social skills. Providing an opportunity for different personalities to interact, plan and work together, preschool children will learn the skills of compromise and sharing, while developing their social and emotional skills. A class play is an ideal group activity for the children to participate in. The most important thing we can do to ensure healthy social and emotional development is to be a positive role model. By being trustworthy, caring, and patient role models, we can help children develop a positive attitude. By showing respect to our children we help them learn to show respect for others. In order to enhance positive language development in preschoolers it is important to be patient while they are talking and give them time to express themselves. A few activities that can help further their development are having them draw a picture and make up a story about it, singing songs and using word play and letters to build the childrens phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge and vocabulary. I believe that each preschooler is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating environment where they can grow and develop emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. Parents and teachers should adapt to the needs of each child so that they can feel capable and successful.

Classical and Renaissance Paradigms of Heroism in Hamlet Essay

Classical and Renaissance paradigms of heroism in Hamlet In the early part of the seventeenth century, when William Shakespeare wrote The tragedy of Hamlet, prince of Denmark, Europe was the center of a waning Renaissance that had, over the past three centuries, changed the intellectual bedrock of the West beyond recognition. The moral code of conduct for the common people had been transformed into one that embodied the tenets of Christianity, but there was one thing left undone. The upper classes still clung to the old ways – the Graeco-Roman ideas of royalty, nobility and heroism. The question of what it meant to be a king or a prince had yet to be addressed in the context of the Renaissance. The paradigms of heroism and rulership set forth in the great Greek epics yet held sway over members of royalty and the noblesse. In the play Hamlet therefore, Shakespeare attempts to provide the prototype of a hero of the Renaissance, personified by Prince Hamlet. The qualities necessary for such a hero are compared and contrasted with those associated with classical heroism through the use of classical allusion and transitions between religious and secular language. Further, the juxtaposition of Hamlet with the characters Laertes and Fortinbras – both of whom are to be regarded as heroes of the old paradigm – shows with enormous clarity, the conflict that prevailed between the two schools of thought. Shakespeare depicts the quintessential classical hero as having a number of great qualities. These are not enumerated explicitly; rather we are led to infer them from the playwright’s frequent allusions to the mythical champions of the Graeco-Roman tradition. On the urging of Hamlet, one of the players recites part of a s... ...re death. In the end, it seems that the playwright rejects (in some sense), both paradigms of heroism through the act of killing off their representatives. The consequences of the delayed revenge of Hamlet, in the opinion of this reader, denote a warning by Shakespeare that philosophy should not degenerate into endless argument, which feeds on itself and might lead to procrastination. In addition, while preservation of honor should not be the raison d'Ã ªtre for a good ruler, neither should it be completely abandoned. That Fortinbras (a classical hero) succeeds to the crown of Denmark seems to indicate the necessity for the idea of the Renaissance hero to evolve further before it can become a viable replacement for its precursor. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. George Lyman Kittredge. Waltham, MA: Xerox, 2008.

Warriors Dont Cry :: essays research papers

Warriors Don’t Cry Melba Pattillo Beals- A junior when she entered Central High School, Melba did a lot of growing up that year. With the Supreme Court overturning their decision, the same day of that decision, on her way home from school she was attacked and almost raped. She endured a lot of harassment that year. She got her heels stepped on between every class and was singed by the water when she tried to shower after gym class. She had all her clothes sprayed on by ink and she got her eyes sprayed with acid which caused her to have to wear glasses. That same year she lived through what was supposed to be the happiest time of a girls live. She got her first boyfriend and had her first date, but all she could ever think about was how she was going to make it through her next day. Although eventually she did happen to make a friend (Link) that helped her by telling her places to avoid, he could not be seen in public with her. That year Melba turned 16 and though that year she had nobody attend her par ty due to the fact that they were scared to come over to her house due to all the bomb threats everybody especially the Little Rock Nine were receiving. Everyday became a struggle for Melba, she woke-up, got dressed and went to school were she tried to make herself not seen to avoid the harassment, then she had to give interviews to reporters (which she had determined that that was her future job), and then went home to an endless ringing phone from threats or plain old hang ups. That year she had to due without a lot of the teenage things, once her friend Minnijean was expelled, she had no one to talk to, at home or at school. After that terrible year Melba spent at Central, she did not return there for her senior year. Instead, she went to stay at the home of Dr. George McCabe and his wife Carol in the Santa Rosa, California. Dr. Lois Peyton Pattillo (Mother Lois)-Giving birth to a sick baby the same day that Pearl Harbor was bombed started the life of Melba Pattillo Beals. Mother Lois was one of the first African American to integrate the University of Arkansas where she received her master’s in education. She worked as a seventh grade English teacher and was the main source of income for her family.

Employee Rights In The Workplace :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays Work

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employee Rights violated in the workplace have caused major lawsuits. Many employees' information is not safeguarded; a lot of information is open to the public. There are a lot of web sites where anyone can access and get information some of these sites are: www.anywho.com, www.zabasearch.com, and www.accurateinformationsystem.com. These are some of the sites that are open to the public. Anyone can go onto these sites to find your personal information. Although the sites are very useful for job employment it should be limited who can access this information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For a little money, say $25, one can obtain someone's Social Security number, previous addresses and possibly their driving record. "Most people don't realize how much information about them is out there," says Deirdra Mulligan, staffs counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology. This statement is very true; some can provide detailed financial histories, including information about bank accounts and credit card balances and loans. This information needs to be safeguarded from the public, it is important to have this useful information for a job but, What about when in it not involving your employment? Technology has advanced from the 1980?s and even 1990?s it is scary knowing that it is not hard for hackers and stalkers to get information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are also a few ways to prevent this information from getting out by following some of the suggested steps: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Filling out surveys 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Credit checks (applying for credit cards) 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Registering with a club 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Locking your work cabinets when leaving the area 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Locking your computer when not working   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All of these suggested steps are very useful. One of the laws that are important in the healthcare workplace is HIPAA (Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996). This law to was invented to improve portability and continuity of health insurance coverage in the group and individual markets, to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in health insurance and health care delivery, to promote the use of medical savings accounts, to improve access to long-term care services and coverage, to simplify the administration of health insurance, and for other purposes. Patients realized that they need to know that they are protected under healthcare. Although we have this law it is still not protected among the employees in the workplace. Majority of the employees in the workplace tend to translate a lot of other employees information through word of mouth. Disciplinary action should be given when spreading information about another employee.

History of La Cosa Nostra

Running Header: {History of La Cosa Nostra} History of La Cosa Nostra UNK Dr. Neal CJ 380 12. 01. 2011 Envision a world where crime is king; a world where mobsters were more influential than political figures, controlled law enforcement, and ran cities to line their own pockets. They stole from whom they wanted and murdered those that got in their way. While it sounds like something out of a movie, it actually happened here in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. The American Mafia has evolved over the years as various gangs assumed and lost dominance: the Black Hand gangs around 1900; the Five Points Gang in the 1910s and ‘20s in New York City; Al Capone’s Syndicate in Chicago in the 1920s. Since the 1900s, thousands of Italian organized crime figures, mostly Sicilian Mafiosi, have come illegally to this country. The Italian Immigrants crowded into older lower class neighborhoods of American cities, sometimes given names such as â€Å"Little Italy†. These neighborhoods suffered from overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions. Living together in such closed communities created little more than a microcosm of the society they had left in Europe (par. 3, Black Hand). Some criminals exploited this fact, and began to extort the more prosperous Italian’s in their neighborhood creating a crime that would eventually snow-ball into an epidemic known as ‘The Black Hand’ (par. 3, Black Hand). The extortions were done anonymously by delivering threatening letters demanding money, signed with crudely drawn symbols, such as a knife or a skull. People paid the Black Hand extortionists in the fear that American law had no understanding, or power, to help them (par. , Black Hand). Many who fled here in the early 1920’s helped establish what is known today as La Cosa Nostra or the American Mafia (par. 10, FBI). La Cosa Nostra, or the LCN as it is known by the FBI, consists of different â€Å"families† or groups that are generally arranged geographically and engaged in significant and organ ized racketeering activity (par. 30, FBI). The LCN is most active in the New York metropolitan area, parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, and New England. It has members in other major cities and is involved in international crimes (par. 1, FBI). During the 1920s Prohibition era, when the 18th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcoholic beverages, Italian-American gangs along with other ethnic gangs entered the booming bootleg liquor business and transformed themselves into sophisticated criminal enterprises, skilled at smuggling, money laundering and bribing police and other public officials (par 2, History Channel). By the end of the ‘20s, two primary factions had emerged, leading to a war for control of organized crime in New York City. The murder of faction leader Joseph Masseria brought an end to the gang warfare and in 1931 Sicilian-born crime boss Salvatore Maranzano crowned himself the â€Å"capo di tutti capi,† or boss of all bosses, in New York (par 3, History Channel). Two of the most powerful La Cosa Nostra families, known today as the Genovese and Gambino families emerged from Maranzano’s restructuring efforts. Maranzano named Luciano the first boss of what would later be known as the Genovese family. Unhappy with Maranzano’s power grab, Lucky Luciano had him murdered that same year (par 3, History Channel). Charles â€Å"Lucky† Luciano became the new leader. Luciano then masterminded the formation of a central organization called the Commission to serve as a sort of national board of directors for the American Mafia, which by then consisted of at least 20 crime families across the country (par 3, History Channel). New York, which had become America’s organized-crime capital, had been divided into five main Mafia families; everywhere else the Mafia operated, there was just one crime family per city. The Commission’s role was to set policies and mediate disagreements among the families (par 3, History Channel). In 1936, Luciano was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison. Ten years later, he was released from prison and deported to Italy, never to return. When he was convicted, Frank Costello became acting boss (par. 49, FBI). Costello led the family for approximately 20 years until May of 1957 when Genovese took control by sending soldier Vincent â€Å"the Chin† Gigante to murder him. Costello survived the attack but relinquished control of the family to Genovese. Attempted murder charges against Gigante were dismissed when Costello refused to identify him as the shooter (par. 50, FBI). In 1959, it was Genovese’s turn to go to prison following a conviction of conspiracy to violate narcotics laws. He received a 15-year sentence but continued to run the family through his underlings from his prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia (par. 51, FBI). The Genovese family went through a succession of bosses until Lombardo, his two captains in prison and his health failing, turned full control of the Genovese family over to Gigante, the man who tried to kill Costello 30 years earlier (par. 56, FBI). Gigante ran the family from behind the scenes while pretending to be mentally ill until he was convicted of racketeering and murder conspiracy in December 1997. Gigante’s odd behavior and mumbling while he walked around New York’s East Village in a bathrobe earned him the nickname â€Å"the Odd Father† (par. 58, FBI). The other powerful New York mafia family was the Gambino Family. The Gambino family was named for its most powerful boss, Carlo Gambino, a smart, cunning individual with a fascination for the works of Prince Machiavelli. His sharp business sense, and traditional values, earned him the respect of his allies. Don Carlo was never arrested during his career as boss, and he died of natural causes in 1976, leaving brother-in-law Paul Castellano in charge of operations. From 1976 until his assassination by John Gotti in 1985, Castellano would come to be known as the â€Å"Boss of Bosses†. Big Paulie Castellano was never a mobster in the classic sense, but rather a racketeer. He didn't even hang out with other gangsters, preferring the company of businessmen, and other â€Å"important† individuals. Castellano had few enemies, but John Gotti believed Aniello Dellacroce should have been made boss, and he had often been chastised by Castellano for dealing drugs and conducting operations without prior consultation. When Big Paulie was arrested by the FBI after bugs planted in the mobsters home had provided several hours of recorded evidence, rumors began to circulate as to whether he would rat out fellow Gambino Family members, John Gotti, now acting in lieu of Dellacroce who had recently died of brain cancer, decided it was time to plan Big Paulie's retirement (par. 1, Gambino Family/Paul Castellano). Castellano was gunned down outside Sparks Steakhouse in Manhatten as Gottie and Sammy the Bull Gravano watched from a nearby car. Throughout the 80s, Gotti earned the nickname, the â€Å"Teflon Don†; for none of the charges brought against him would stick†¦ At least until the early 90s, when he was indicted and tried on a RICO (Racketeer Influenced, and Corrupt Organizations) case; this time facing a prosecution armed with mobster turned informant Sammy â€Å"The Bull† Gravano, who had been Gotti's own underboss, and who provided damning testimony against his former boss, particularly about about the Castellano murder. Gotti was sentenced to life imprisonment, and later made several attempts at a second trial, all of which were denied. John Gotti died of cancer in the Springfield, Missouri federal prison hospital, on June 10th, 2002 (par. 1, Gambino Family/ John Gotti). Another of the five families is the Bonanno crime family, originally headed by then twenty-six-year-old Joseph â€Å"Joe Bananas† Bonanno, Sicilian-born and one of the youngest bosses of all time. The Bonanno War or â€Å"Banana Split† occurred when the Commission demoted Bonanno to underboss, sparking fervent family in-fighting among those who sided with Bonanno and those who sided with the new boss, Paul Sciacca. The fighting continued until 1968, when Bonanno suffered a heart attack and retired, though by this point the Commission had stripped the Bonanno family of its seat (par. 3, Investigation and Discovery). Troubles with the law have plagued the family, leading one newspaper to report that 75 of its 150 members have been indicted on various charges (par. 5, Investigation and Discovery/ Bonanno). The Columbo Family is the fourth of the five families. Following the Castellamarese War of 1929-1931, the family emerged as the Profaci family. It was headed by Joseph Profaci, without much threat to his leadership, until the 1950s. After Profaci’s death, Joseph Magliocco took over for a short time before the family was handed over to Joe Colombo, and the family bears his namesake to this day (par. , Investigation and Discovery/ Columbo). The family has been greatly depleted from its heyday, and continues to be ruled by Carmine Persico, now 73 years old, from prison with help from those family members who remain on the ground (par. 6, Investigation and Discovery/ Columbo). The Fifth Family, the Lucchese crime family, as it is known today, emerged out of the Castellamarese War of 1929-1931 , with Gaetano â€Å"Tommy† Gagliano serving as the appointed boss and Gaetano â€Å"Tommy† Lucchese as the appointed underboss. The family was known for its successful forays into industries such as trucking and clothing. Following Gagliano’s death in 1953, Lucchese took over and successfully ran the organization for many years with an excellent reputation. He never received a criminal conviction in his 44 years in the Mafia (par. 1, Investigation and Discovery/ Lucchese). By the mid-20th century, there were 24 known crime families in America, comprised of an estimated 5,000 full-fledged members and thousands of associates across the country. Prior to the 1960s, some government leaders, including FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, voiced skepticism about the existence of a national Italian-American organized crime network and suggested instead that crime gangs operated strictly on a local level. As a result, law enforcement agencies made few inroads in stopping the Mafia’s rise during this period (par. 6, History Channel). Since its beginnings La Cosa Nostra has been involved in a variety of rackets including gambling, loan sharking, labor union corruption, prostitution, and drug trafficking to name a few. Labor unions provide a rich source for organized criminal groups to exploit: their pension, welfare, and health funds. There are approximately 75,000 union locals in the U. S. , and many of them maintain their own benefit funds. In the mid-1980s, the Teamsters controlled more than 1,000 funds with total assets of more than $9 billion (par. 66, FBI). Labor racketeers attempt to control health, welfare, and pension plans by offering â€Å"sweetheart† contracts, peaceful labor relations, and relaxed work rules to companies, or by rigging union elections (par. 67, FBI). Labor law violations occur primarily in large cities with both a strong industrial base and strong labor unions, like New York, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Senator Estes Kefauver’s Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime did not out rightly expose the complete, brutal reality of the Mafia to the American public. Nor did the Appalachian incident ignite immediate action on the part of the federal government. However, something changed when dozens of Mafia bosses met one 1957 November day at Joseph Barbara’s estate to select Vito Genovese as the boss of bosses. The response by law enforcement of the past had been to try to take down the bosses. But what became evident with the realization of the existence of such a â€Å"syndicate† was that even if Mr. Big were removed, his family would remain intact; it would simply transfer hands, usually resulting in the family being renamed. New legislation would have to be of an entirely different mold in order to be of any use to law enforcement, and such a campaign wouldn’t come into play until after the death of FBI Director Edgar J. Hoover (par. 9, The Mafia and American Law). In 1970, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, this proved to be a powerful tool in the government’s war on the Mafia, as it allowed prosecutors to go after crime families and their sources of revenue, both legal and illegal. During the 1980s and 1990s, RICO laws were used to convict numerous high-level mobsters. Some Mafiosi, faced with long prison sentences, broke the once-sacred code of omerta and testified against their fellow mobsters in exchange for a place in the federal witness-protection program. At the same time, Mafia membership declined as insular Italian-American neighborhoods, once a traditional recruiting ground for mobsters, underwent demographic shifts and became more assimilated into society at large (par. 7, History Channel). References GangRule. com, The Black Hand. (2011). Retrieved 6:52, December 7, 2011, from http://www. gangrule. com/gangs/the-black-hand Italian Organized Crime, (2011). The Federal Bureau of Investigation website. Retrieved 2:32, December 7, 2011, from http://www. fbi. ov/aboutus/investigate/organizedcrime/italian_mafia Mafia in the United States. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 5:25, December 7, 2011, from http://www. history. com/topics/mafia-in-the-united-states. The Five Families. (2011). The Investigation Discovery website. Retrieved 2:32, December 7, 2011, from http://investigation. discovery. com/investigation/mobs-gangsters/five-families-03. html The Gambino Family. (2002). The Gambino Family website. Retrieved 6:52, Dece mber 7, 2011, from http://www. gambinofamily. com/carlo_gambino. htm

Competitive Strategies for Wal-Mart

The emergence of Wal-Mart as a big box retailer has changed retail in the United States, according to a 2008 article on Wal-Mart and competition in AllBusiness. com. Big box retailers typically have stores exceeding 50,000 square feet. This type of store is standard, with large windowless single-story buildings. Several other big box retailers like Toys â€Å"R† Us, Best Buy, Target, Lowe's and Home Depot have created competition for Wal-Mart. However, Wal-Mart has stood out as the perennial merchandise big box retailer, according to the AllBusiness. om article. Because of its big box status, Wal-Mart has exceeded small retailers in profits. Annual revenues for 2004 were slightly over $288 billion. Revenues in 2006 exceeded $350 billion. Wal-Mart maintains its status as a big box retailer by seeking profits through a high volume of low-price items. Low-Cost Leadership Wal-Mart's slogan is â€Å"Spend Less. Live Better. † The giant retailer prides itself on providing customers with low-cost items that beat competitors. Wal-Mart reported a 3.6   percent increase in net income from cost cutting, according to an August 2010 Associated Press article. Also read MGMT-QUIZ about types of competitive strategies Customers are cautious about spending because of a slow economy, and Wal-Mart continues to be their low-cost option. Customers choose to shop at Super Wal-Mart centers for groceries, rather than the local grocery store because of discounted items. For example, Wal-Mart offers $1 ketchup bottles and $4 for a case of soda. The Associated Press article stated that Wal-Mart benefited during the recession as affluent shoppers were forced to downgrade to cheaper options.

Research Reflection

If I had one Job to choose in this world it would be a veterinarian specializing in equine. When I was little this was what I knew I wanted to grow up and do, even knowing I would have to go to school for what seemed to be forever to receive my doctorate. Since before I was walking I was riding horses, which lead into the rodeo route when I turned eleven and was the main focus point my whole life and if there's passion I had, it was rodeo.The environment and passion rodeo provided me made me want to become a vet so much more; I wanted to know everything possible. When I was about sixteen is when I realized how much I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian. I was on the rodeo road hard core at this point in my life, it even took me out of normal high school to be home schooled while on the road. My main horse was getting hurt on a regular basis which led me to develop a close relationship with a vet who was an equine specialist.When you're a vet you can work for yourself and if it is s omething you enjoy and want to have the knowledge and willingness to learn, you will be successful by the knowledge and the fact that people will trust you with their animals that they hold lose to their hearts. The hours may be long and tiring but when you enjoy your work the hours don't seem as long as they are. When someone puts their trust into you, you appreciate that and don't want to let them down. Its not Just an animal to people, it's like a child and for some people they can have up to half a million dollars invested.The work environment is so amazing as you are inside and outside helping what you love, for me its horses. When you walk into the office to advise you're there for your appointment your greeting with smiling faces to make you comfortable owing you're in good hands. You have places to unload and place your horses while your waiting so they are not uncomfortable if they are in pain or sick. My goals in this role of life would first to be to finish school top in the class showing the knowledge and education provided to me.I would want to have an internship with a well-known and trusted equine vet to establish and create the knowledge of someone who has been in the business and established. I would want to open my own business after I have created a small knowledge for the customers for myself. Once my business was opened I would want to have another veterinarian on board to handle the over boarding of many customers and emergency services for patients. I would want to create and share knowledge with customers and establish for the long run of the work place.I would want to be trusted and a well-known place to go when you're in need of any help with your equine. My interest were much conformed into a lot of different major categories, unfortunately my dream Job of a veterinarian was not on there. The closest thing to my interest would be animal caretaker. With my dream major not being listed, it Just wows me that my interest are more geared to creating of animals. The education level needed for an animal caretaker is only a high school diploma and previous work experience. The annual salary is only about $21 ,OHO.O which is another reason to me that sometimes the things you enjoy Just are not good ideas for the economy the way it is. Currently before completing my education that is less than half of my annual salary. My prior knowledge I was very well aware that unless you can struggle, or make it through school you cannot follow your heart to a small time Job that satisfied our needs; when it is that situation makes that your hobby not career. Parker, Heather M. â€Å"CUFF. Org – Interest Profiler. † CUFF. Org – Interest Profiler. College Foundation, 14 July 2014. Web. 4 July 2014 My dream Job of a vet compared to an animal caretaker differs in a few different ways from the salary to structure. The salaries vary greatly from a five figure annual salary to up to six. The Job satisfaction would be t he same but as an animal caretaker you will not be able to provide care to heal or verify an illness. You will not have the same petition and the status in the community of the equine world; more of a barn hand to the owner on the supply chain. As a vet you have the same legal liabilities as a doctor with humans, you have to care and be passionate.Ethical values are a moral code each of us has grown into as a personality; it has become part of you good or bad. The NAVA has established a set of principles and they are available online as well, they are well rounded values everyone should stand up to. You never want to portray unprofessional; you want to uphold your profession. You want to treat your customers as if you wanted to be rated. You never want to take advantage of them or withhold the truth or information. You are resuming the obligation of your clients to make decisions for the health of the animal.The purpose of ethical codes is to ensure that everyone is getting treated fairly and the same, with respect. If you go to the doctor and they diagnose you with this terminal illness or something serious, you believe them and take them serious. The question comes in if you go through a lot of test and understanding to only find out that you have wasted your money because there is nothing really wrong with you. That would upset anyone, even to be glad to know you're okay but you have been betrayed by someone you have trusted that's not ethical or morally right.There are many consequences from actions from you performing unethical acts, you can never gain the trust of clients and create new customer relationships. As I stated earlier you want to establish a great patient and client base, they need to trust you and understand that you're going to help; without that you may never make it in your profession. They can also range to legal issues; it is illegal to perform necessary medical acts without the patient and client understanding consent.Acting ethically is something that should be a natural act for you, as when you were a kid treats others how you would like to be treated. If you're in the medical field think that you want your doctor to treat your mother how he/she would treat their mother. Same thing applies in the veterinarian world; there is a lot of investment and love in an animal like a child. If you are in it for the money or position on the pole of hierarchy your already thinking unethically. When it comes to the care and health of there and others loved ones you should naturally want the best.