Insight

The Intricate World of Human Genetics

2011-01-16T11:22:00.004+01:00

Have you ever imagined a world where you can look into your child’s eyes and know his/her genetic destiny? Or imagine a world where every facet of your child’s medical history, its strengths, and its vulnerabilities could be uncovered by tapping into a computer. Think about a situation where you can predict the exact number of years you will live or another in which an exact replica of a major organ in your body (maybe your heart or kidneys) can be transplanted if yours fail. No problem of rejection or transplant reactions. Welcome to the world of human genetics.

Today, we know more about how to build a human being than ever before. Since the human genome has been sequenced in June 2000, knowledge about this aspect of what makes us humans keeps increasing daily. The funniest thing about this science is that it revolves just around four alphabets of the gene – A, C, G, and T representing Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine and Thymine respectively. We are all made up of cells, the basic structural and functional unit of every human being. Deep inside the nucleus of each cell are some tiny fine strands (too small to be seen with the naked eye) interwoven together. These strands are the chromosomes, containing thousands of genes in all. The genes are also made up of the DNA, which carries the information which makes us what we are. Your genetic make-up determines whether you’ll have blue eyes or brown eyes, black hair or red hair, whether you’ll be tall or short.

Evolutionists have postulated that millions of years ago, that the earliest form of life was a single cell. During this period, the single cell multiplied by cloning, creating multiple identical copies of itself over and over again. There was neither diversity nor variation. It was just the same type of cell with the same genetic make-up. After some time, some sexual forms of life started evolving from some of these earlier cells deep in the ocean. It was these sexual forms of life that gave rise to the unique diversity we find today. Now, during fertilisation, a segment of DNA from each parent combines to form a zygote (offspring) which has the full complement of DNA. The offspring takes a little bit of each parent; takes the mother’s blonde hair colour and the father’s blue eye colour. Just a bit here and a bit there. This is what makes us unique and different from every other individual.

It has been established that the genetic information in our DNA is what determines our physical characteristics. How can we then use this information to predict what is going to happen to us in the future. The branch of genetics which deals with this is just in its early stages – the science of prediction. A recent research was conducted on some army recruits at the Army Training Headquarters, Bassingbourn, United Kingdom. About 100 recruits were used for the study. The recruits made almost perfect guinea pigs for the experiment because the effect of the environment on each of them was almost the same. They were all exposed to the same environmental factors – same food, same source of water, same amount of exercise, same number of sleeping hours, same training, etc. After several weeks of conducting the study, it was discovered that the ACE gene, located on chromosome 17 has two forms which determined athletic abilities. One version of the gene seems to be particularly associated with endurance capability and fatigue resistance of muscle while the other version seems to be particularly associated with strength capacity. Which one would you rather have, the strength form or the endurance form? The body muscles depend on oxygen for their metabolic activities. With the endurance form of the gene, the muscles are able to use less oxygen to produce the same energy than the strength form. This means that the muscles can survive longer periods of oxygen deprivation. This fact is more relevant in people having heart attacks. Whether such individuals would survive the attack would depend on which form of the ACE gene they carry. In the long run, our survival depends on this gene.

In another study, the thrill-seeking gene, D4DR, on chromosome 17, was found to differentiate adventurous people from non-adventurous people. With this gene, you can predict whether an individual would become hooked on drugs or go into extreme sports later in the future. The D4DR gene determines the release and effect of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the deeper confines of the brain. When there is an increase in the release of dopamine, we feel excitement. Some people’s bodies are resistant to the actions of dopamine. This is what drives them to extremes in order to derive the same excitement that others derive with simple actions. This is also what makes someone to jump from a plane several miles up in the air (in the name of parachuting) or another to get addicted to hallucinogens, just to create an upsurge in dopamine release.

Can our genetic information predict who would become a criminal in the future? And on the basis of this information be able to nip these criminal intents in the bud. A landmark legal case took place some years ago. A man was driving home after work late one night. Suddenly, he felt the urge to stop in front of a shop. He walked up to the store clerk, demanded for all the proceeds of the day. After he had got this, he shot the clerk in the head. The clerk died. The defendant’s lawyer argued the case in a way that had never been done. He pleaded the court to allow the defendant’s genetic information be brought to the court and used as an evidence. He argued that the defendant had in his gene information that made him a criminal. He believed that deep down in his gene was a factor which made him commit the crime. The judge denied the admissibility of the evidence. At the end of the day, the defendant was sentenced to the death row. This case nevertheless brought about a lot of questions regarding the issue of criminality and genetics.

Studies like that of the ACE gene above have shown how much information can be gleaned from our DNA. But would you rather know that you would die a little bit younger because you possess the strength version of the gene? Or would you want to know as a 10,000km marathon athlete that you have the strength version, when your opponent has the endurance form?
The knowledge we have about genetics is much. Today, we know much more than we do years ago. And one thing is certain, in the years to come, we will be able to predict even more about our lives, because this world of prediction has already begun.

MARK TWAIN’S SATIRICAL INFLUENCE ON MODERN DAY SOCIETY

2010-08-03T22:18:00.005+01:00

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pseudonym, Mark Twain, is a famous American writer and humorist, whose best work is characterized by broad, often irreverent humor or biting social satire. Twain’s writing is also known for realism of place and language, memorable characters, and condemnation of hypocrisy and oppression (“Mark Twain,” 2009). What does the word ‘satire’ mean? According to the Encarta English Dictionary (2009), ‘satire’ is the use of wit, especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule, to criticize faults. As you follow along, you will see that Mark Twain, no doubt, had a lot of influence on the modern day society through his satirical writings.

Twain’s work was inspired by the unconventional American West, and the popularity of his work marked the end of the domination of American literature by New England writers. Twain was a master at rendering colloquial speech. He had a very important role in creating and popularizing a distinctive American literature built on American themes and language. His ability to accomplish a change in the literature also had an effect on the American reverence for European and British culture and all other things associated with it. So his satire has greatly influenced the course of history.

In his widely acclaimed masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he talks about a teenage boy by the name of Huck Finn whose father is an alcoholic. His father kidnaps him, but he manages to escape and together with a runaway slave, Jim, they sail down the Mississippi on a raft. Instead of turning Jim in, Huck goes against the society and makes a decision to help Jim break free from slavery. Through this adventure, Mark Twain focuses on three traits: racism, alcoholism and mob mentality. You know that Mark Twain has passed some valuable messages across, one of which being similar to a book judged by its cover (Quest4Glory, 2004). His messages have been the basis of most human right activists in our present day. For example, though racism was part of the story, yet the moral of the story remains clear: there is more to people than color, just like there is more to a book than its cover.

Also, Mark Twain, through his book The Gilded Age (1873), described the social, political corruption that has ravaged the American nation. And today, the period of the 1870s is regarded as ‘The Gilded Age’. This is one of the influences of Mark Twain’s satire on modern day society. Again, many writers, generations after his demise regarded Mark Twain as their major inspiration. Examples include Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, etc.

We can therefore assert that modern day society has been greatly influenced by Twain’s satire. You can see that his works have opened the eyes of the American people and that of the world to issues of racism, freedom, morality and self-definition in the society.

List of References
Mark Twain. Microsoft Encarta 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation.
Quest4Glory, 2004. Huckleberry - Satirical Plot. Retrieved June 27, 2006, from http://echeat.com

HOW IDENTICAL ARE IDENTICAL TWINS?

2010-08-03T22:18:00.002+01:00

'Now, Clarice,' says Cora at last, 'you turn your lovely head to the right, so that I can see what I look like from the side'. [Mervyn Peake, 1911 – 1968].

We have all had experience with identical twins at one time or the other. Even you reading this article might be an identical twin. But are identical twins really identical? There has been a lot of research (twin studies) on the behaviour of twins, especially identical twins. It has been said that we are a product of nature and nurture, that is, every individual is a product partly of genetic influences and partly because of the environment in which he or she is raised.

According to the online dictionary, Wikipedia, Twins are two offspring resulting from the same pregnancy, usually born in close succession. They can be the same or different sex. Twins can either be monozygotic or dizygotic. Monozygotic twins are also colloquially referred to as identical twins and dizygotic twins as fraternal twins (“Twin,” 2009).

Monozygotic twins are derived when a single egg is fertilized to form a zygote which divides, as a result of mitosis, into two separate but identical embryos. Monozygotic twins are always of the same sex (except in rare cases of chromosomal defects). They also have the same traits and similar physical appearances.

We have always claimed that identical twins are identical right from their physical appearance down to their genome – DNA. A group of researchers from the University of Alabama, Leiden University Medical Centre and VU University, The Netherlands; and Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden recently published their findings. They studied 19 different pairs of monozygotic/identical twins. From their observation, they found differences in the CNV (Copy Number Variation) in DNA. CNVs (multiple copies of a single gene or absence of a set of coding letters in the DNA) were discovered only a few years ago.

According to Carl Bruder, PhD, and Jan Dumanski, PhD, of University of Alabama’s Department of Genetics (the study’s lead authors), “the presumption has always been that identical twins are identical down to their DNA,” “…that is mostly true, but our findings suggest that there are small, subtle differences due to CNV. Those differences may point the way to better understanding of genetic diseases when we study so-called discordant monozygotic twins...a pair of twins where one twin has a disorder and the other does not.” They also bring out the fact that while one twin might develop a particular disease, Parkinson’s for example, the other may not.

Apart from these findings, the effect of the environment must not be overlooked. While identical twins form with the same set of genes, human development is not purely genetic. There is the impact of the environment. For instance, while still in the womb, some monozygotic twins share placenta. A twin might get better share of the nutrients than the other. Also, the external world out there has its own influences.

There have been further studies carried out to verify the fact that identical twins are really identical. But the bottom line presently is that identical twins are not actually identical. And sooner or later, we would have to throw away those old biology texts.

List of References
Twin. 2009. Wikipedia 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin
University Of Alabama (2008, February 20). Identical Twins Not As Identical As Believed. Science Daily. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2008/02/080215121214.htm

Seven Easy Steps to Write an Essay

2010-07-28T00:30:00.004+01:00

A lot of times, the process of writing an essay might be an annoying and frustrating process. But does it have to be? My answer is an emphatic "No". Writing an essay can even be easy and fun. This paper offers a 7-step process of writing essays. These steps include:

• Research
• Analysis
• Brainstorming
• Outlining
• Writing
• Revising
• Language/Editing

1. Research: The first step in the whole writing process is to really understand what you are writing about. It is after this that all other things come in. The topic of the subject is very needful for research. You have to check for information about the subject because you cannot write brightly on something you do not know anything about. There are several places where you can get information. These include the internet, academic databases, and local libraries. The internet is especially a very important resource. There are over 500 billion web pages on the web, each or which can be quickly accessed through search engines such as Google.com, yahoo.com. The academic databases are also important sources of information. These include JSTOR, CQ researcher, Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, Academic Search Premier. You can also check your local libraries for more information about your subject of interest.

2. Analysis: The nest step is to analyze all the information at your disposal. This is because not all information will be necessary at that particular point in time. Although, in most cases, you analyze your information as you research.

3. Brainstorming: This refers to the art of thinking creatively and intensively. After the first two steps above, you would have generated a lot of ideas and concepts. Then you brainstorm over them. At this point, you ask yourself some critical questions about the subject. You examine the biases of the authors of the ideas you have gotten. You explore all the evidence you have and attempt to give a reasonable explanation. You do not have to just copy the ideas you have gotten. You attempt to create a new original idea. This gives your writing an edge.

4. Outlining: Have you ever seen a construction engineer that attempts to build a magnificent structure without having the blueprints? No. Similarly, a good piece of writing must have a set of blueprints or outline. Drawing up an outline gives a picture of what the final picture would be. When creating an outline, your points must be brief and concise, about one line each. Each point must summarize a whole idea. Then, you draw up a suitable arrangement for the outline, that is, how each point would fit in the whole build.

5. Writing: Now comes the writing proper. A classical essay should have three sections: an introduction, a middle part and a conclusion. The major role of the introduction is to capture the reader’s attention and to state your focus – the main topic. The introduction also should not be too long - a lengthy introduction is hardly needed. The middle part is the main body of the essay. It should contain two and above number of paragraphs. Each paragraph should explain a particular idea and in most cases should start with a topic sentence. Each paragraph should proceed in a logical sequence and all the ideas must be connected with transitions. When you write your ending (conclusion), you should restate your focus, summarize your main points, and more importantly should leave a lasting impression on the mind of the reader.

6. Revising: After finishing the first draft, it does not end there. You still need to revise all what you have written. You need to check the following traits: idea, organization, voice, word choice and fluency of the first draft. These traits are the major factors that determine the quality of the essay.

7. Language/Editing: Finally, you go over your work again and check for punctuation, capitalization, spelling, grammar, and sentence errors. You can use some tools offered in the Microsoft Word software. These scan your essay for spelling and grammar errors. Also, take note of the writing style. Add all necessary citations according to the writing style chosen.

Once you have gone through all these steps, your essay should be ready for submission or publication. Congratulations!

Seven Simple Steps to Improving/Building your Memory

2010-07-28T00:16:00.003+01:00

Memory has been said to be the diary of life we all carry with us. Memory is important to every human and even all living organism. Practically, all of our actions and reactions depend on our memory. Memory allows us to retrieve events and situations from the past and from moments ago. Memory has been defined as processes by which people and other organisms encode, store, and retrieve information (“Memory (psychology)”, 2008). Simply put, memory is the act of storing and recalling information which you have learned or experienced. Most of us use only five percent to ten percent of our memory capabilities. How can we increase this? Some of the simple steps are outlined below:
• Conviction and Determination
• Create a relaxed environment
• Pay attention and concentrate
• Associate information with what you already know
• Use memory techniques
• Develop healthy habits
• Practice, practice, practice

The first step is to convince yourself that you do have a good memory and that this would improve. Most people have a misconception that they have a bad memory. There is no such thing as a bad memory. There are can only be trained or untrained memories. Remove the thought that you have a bad memory and decide to improve it. You need to commit yourself to the task and revel in your achievements. As you go on, you test yourself. It would motivate you when you are happy with your success.

The next step is to monitor your learning environment. The place where you want to study should be free and not cluttered with books and the likes. The memory works in an organized way, so your environment also should be organized. The brain cannot do much productive work under stress. Any learning process done under such condition would amount to nothing. It is important to relax the brain so as to accommodate enough facts as possible during the learning process.

Also, concentration is vital to the learning process. You cannot remember something you never learned in the first place. This means if you never encode it into your memory, you would never be able to recall it. It takes about eight seconds of intent focus to process a piece of information through your hippocampus and into the appropriate memory centre (“Improving Your Memory”, 2009). Do one thing at a time. No multitasking. This is why a quiet and relaxed atmosphere is needed for constructive learning.

The brain is made up of billions of cells called neurons. These neurons are like links or pathways for data storage. These neurons are also linked together by trillions of dendrites. The brain tends to store recent information by forming links to previously stored data. It works like a computer by organizing information in such a way that, for instance, science-related information is stored together in one compartment, arts-related information is stored together in another compartment. As you read, try to create associations. Create vivid mental images. Let’s say for example, you are reading about atomic bombs. You can try and link this to the atomic bombs dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US military, which you must have learned at one time or the other during your high school history lesson. This images formed makes it easier to recall the big picture (the atomic bomb) later on when it is needed.

The use of memory techniques cannot be overemphasized. There are several memory techniques in use by different people. One of the most effective memory techniques is the use of mnemonics. The word mnemonic was derived from the name of the Greek goddess, Mnemosyne, and it has been used as far back as the Greek civilization. An example is the ‘nonsense word’, ROYGBIV. Each letter stands for a color in the light spectrum. You can create your own mnemonics as you read. Mnemonics can be in form of sentences, as in “Every Good Boy Does Fine” which represents the musical notes of E, G, B, D and F; Acronyms, as in ROYGBIV; Rhymes and Alliteration, as in “thirty days hath September, April, June and November”; etc. Mnemonics form links and associations between new information and old information using facts and figures. Other memory techniques include the Number/rhyme technique, Alphabet technique, Mind maps (Memory maps).

Healthy habits are vital to memory improvement. Some of these habits include regular body exercises, stress management, good sleep habits, avoidance of smoking, and good nutrition. These habits aid in the healthy development of the brain. Regular exercise improves the oxygen supply to your brain. Cortisol, which is a stress hormone, when accumulated in large quantities can damage the hippocampus which is vital in the whole memory process. You must have noticed that when you do not sleep at night, you become tired and unable to concentrate the next day. Sleep is necessary for consolidation of memory.

The last step is to practice, practice, and practice. Note the verb. It is very important that you practice. If you do not practice, you forget all the learning techniques and you are back in square one. Practice makes perfection. Your memory is inexhaustible. The only limits are the ones that you allow by your own thinking.

List of References
Memory (psychology). Microsoft Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2007.
Improving Your Memory. (2009). Help Guide 2009. Retrieved August 10, 2009, from http://helpguide.org/life/improving_memory.htm

Reaction Paper on Franz Kafkas’ A Country Doctor

2010-07-04T17:57:00.004+01:00

Franz Kafkas’ A Country Doctor is a nightmarish story full of challenges and frustrations. The story is about a doctor who, because of his dedication to his job and duty to humankind, had to go through a lot of difficulties and make some sacrifices. The doctor went through a lot of challenges and these gave him some feelings of frustration. The doctor can be said to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed because of the losses on his own part – his servant girl, Rosa; his flourishing practice – all because he had to answer the call of a dying man.

The first challenge the doctor faced was that of the unending harsh weather. There was a severe snowstorm standing between him and his destination ten miles away. The icy winter was also a cause of his horse’s death. The doctor’s feelings of frustration were evident when he commented thus, “Naked, abandoned to the frost of this unhappy age, with an earthly carriage and unearthly horses, I drive around by myself, an old man.” The doctor’s response to the cold weather was to wrap himself in a coat of fur, although he had to discard this on his return journey when he had to quickly escape from the house of his patient.

The doctor’s second challenge was that of transportation. After meeting the frost challenge headlong and overcoming it, he could not go anywhere. This was because the cold icy winter had resulted in the death of his horse. Now, there was no other horse for him to use. His carriage was just as useless. His servant girl, Rosa, had to run around the village to see if she could help the doctor borrow a horse, but alas, could get none. He demonstrated his frustration when “distracted and tormented, he kicked his foot against the cracked door of the pigsty which had not been used for years.” However, his problem of transportation was solved when out of the pigsty crawled a team of two powerful horses which the groom hitched up to the doctor’s wagon.

The groom posed another challenge to the doctor. The intention of the groom was to exchange his animals with the doctor’s servant girl. The emergence of the groom with his animals from the pigsty was, to the doctor, a kind of God-sent solution to his problem at that point. When the groom’s intention became known to the doctor, the doctor could not do much. He was indeed helpless. All he could do was to cry out “You brute” in fury. Then the doctor’s attention was shifted from Rosa to the ‘beautiful team of horses’. Unknowingly, he climbed into the carriage happily, but before he could do anything to rescue Rosa, he was bounded out of the scene. His frustration was evident when his thoughts returned to Rosa throughout the remainder of the story.

Another challenge faced by the doctor was that of how to manage his patient’s condition. His inability to immediately discover his patient’s sore fully demonstrated his incompetence as a physician. Upon his arrival at the house of the patient, he was received with open hands and large expectations. The father gave him a glass of rum, the sister helped him to remove his fur coat, the mother enticed him, all in order for him to save their dying son and brother. Yet, he had to disappoint them due to his incompetence.

A nightmare has been defined by Psychology Today as "a dream occurring during....sleep that results in feelings of inescapable terror, fear or extreme anxiety" (Stephens). This story by Franz Kafkas can well be described has a nightmare because it, in its entirety, fulfills the conditions for the definition. The doctor in this story demonstrated feelings of anxiety when he said that he “couldn’t see what to do” about the condition of his patient. In the course of the story, the doctor described himself as being tormented, demonstrating his feelings of terror, fear and anxiety. Also, some pieces of the story are things that cannot happen in real life, except in a dream. Examples are the emergence of big, powerful horses out of the pigsty; horses peering through the open window of the invalid; the family removing the clothes of the doctor, leaving him naked.

One of the themes of this story, as indicated by Kafkas, is opportunism. Opportunism, as defined by Wheeler, refers to taking advantage of a person’s situation for purposes of personal advancement (112). This was exactly what happened between the groom and the doctor. The groom knew that the doctor needed a horse badly. He allowed the doctor to make use of, not only one horse but two horses. He did this so that he could take advantage of the doctor’s situation and have Rosa all to himself. The doctor had no choice but to leave his servant girl in the hands of this malicious groom. In fact, the doctor was totally helpless to rescue Rosa.

The habit of placing blame on other people is another theme which was obvious in this story. The doctor places blame on other people by using confusion tactics in arguments, subtly or overtly changing the subject (Bancroft 67). The doctor knew that he had inadequacies, but instead of living up to them and confronting them squarely, he prefers to push the blame on others. He blamed the absence of a horse for his inability to travel to the patient’s house. He blamed his neighbors for failing to give him a horse, an action probably due to his poor relationship with them. On and on like that, he just continued to put blames on others.

WORKS CITED

Bancroft, Lund. Why Does He Do That?. Berkley Books. 2003.

Stephens, Laura. “Nightmares.” 30 Mar. 2006. Psychology Today 25 May 2009

Wheeler, Edward. Current Literature. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1997.

Natural Cure for Acne: 10 Proven Tips

2010-06-29T10:07:00.003+01:00

Acne is an eruptive skin disease which occurs most commonly around the ages of puberty, especially in adolescents and young adults. Acne, in extreme cases can be extremely burdensome and embarrassing. In some people, it can even be disfiguring. The most common form which occurs in adolescents is called Acne vulgaris, while the extreme form is called Acne conglobata. There are other forms, for example, the one caused by chlorinated compounds (chloracne), and Acne rosacea.

The common form is usually caused by hormonal changes taking place in the body. Hormones stimulate the production of sebum, and if this is not washed away from the skin, accumulates, and blocks the sweat pores. Outbreaks of acne can be controlled by several means, both natural and cosmetic. The natural therapies would be examined below.

With the prevalence of so many anti-acne medications nowadays, the decision to select the perfect cure for acne becomes mind-boggling. Most people do not even think about a natural cure anymore. Most commercial facial cleansers are harsh on the face, not to even talk of the side effects of the synthetic therapeutic agents. Another drawback to this is the high cost of some of these medications. Although there are different home remedies for acne, finding the most suitable one should not be very difficult. Some of the tips are enumerated below:

1. Facial cleansing. It is very important that you wash your face at least twice daily with soap and water. A sulfur-based soap is more preferable. If that is not accessible, then you can stick with an ordinary soap. The best times to wash should be first thing in the morning, especially when you have just woken up, and right before you go to bed at night. While washing, be gentle with your face – do not use any rough sponge or cloth. Doing this can actually stimulate the sweat glands to secrete more sebum, thereby causing more acne.

2. Never pick or squeeze pimples or blackheads. As tempting as this may be, never attempt to squeeze blackheads or pimples. Doing this will increase the production of sebum. Also, this makes your skin liable to infection, causing sebum to spread subcutaneously leading to more pimples.

3. Never wear your make-up to sleep. Leaving your cosmetics on overnight actually contributes to clogging the pores, predisposing your skin to more pimples. If you have to use make-ups at all, try and use water-based types. Also, wash it off your face before you sleep every day.

4. Drink lots of water. A lot has been said, and is still being said, about the therapeutic effects of water. However, in this context, constant intake of water helps to keep the skin moisturized. Taking at least eight glasses of water daily would go a long way in preventing and hastening the healing of acne.

5. Good nutrition. Malnutrition plays an important role in the development of pimples. The quantity and quality of food we eat influences almost all the processes that goes on in our bodies. Improper diet, in one way or the other, may affect the skin in the long run, and make the skin liable to the development of acne. This is why some natural therapist would tell you to go for raw potatoes, a particular kind of fruit, or something. Actually, the Vitamin C contained in these vegetables assists in the normal development of the skin (specifically, the production of collagen) and protects against the invasion of microorganisms.

6. Use of natural astringents. An example is leafy mangoes, which can be accessed at any nearby grocery store. Natural astringents help in deep cleansing of the pores. The leafy mangoes should be boiled for about five minutes, and allowed to cool. When the temperature becomes bearable, it can be applied to the face. In severe cases of acne, the mango can be allowed to soak overnight, and the procedure undertaken first thing in the morning. This is one of the best natural ways to clean your blocked pores.

7. Honey mask. Researches have shown that honey has a lot of antibacterial properties, and so, it is a great natural agent that can be used for disinfecting and healing minor skin blemishes. As far as the days of the Roman empire, honey has been used repeatedly to treat wounds. It also help prevent the formation of scar tissue. Honey can also serve as a moisturizer. Although, applying honey to your skin may look a bit weird, I can assure you that this would yield outstanding results, especially in conjunction with some of the other methods outlined above. You may apply it few minutes before a shower to make removing it easier.

8. Eat lots of carrots. Carrots contain beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A, just like Vitamin C helps protect the skin by strengthening the protective layer of the skin. It also helps reduce the production of sebum. Another major function of Vitamin A is its ability to function as an antioxidant. Antioxidants rid the body of toxins, especially the free radicals. Researches have actually linked a deficiency of Vitamin A to the development of acne.

9. Consume foods rich in chromium and zinc. The use of chromium is common in weight-losing diets, but it is also important for healing skin infections and inflammation. Zinc has antibacterial properties and is an important constituent of oil-producing glands on the skin. A deficiency of these elements can predispose to the formation of acne. If you cannot identify or access foods that contain these elements, you can take elemental supplements containing these two elements at least once a day. Taking these supplements will help in healing the skin, and also prevent pimples.

10. Clean or replace your pillowcase fortnightly. Your pillowcase is usually the only piece of fabric that comes in contact most frequently with your face everyday. It also absorbs dirt and oils from your face. Using the same pillowcase for a very long time causes the reapplication of absorbed oil and dirt to your face, thus causing breakouts of pimples. Frequent washing or replacement of your bed sheets and pillowcases would help prevent this.

A lot of people live under a wrong impression that these natural remedies are just old wives’ tales, and that they do not really work. Little do they know that right in their cupboards and kitchens lie the most cost effective therapies that can help them get rid of their acne. As a common concluding statement goes, “…a trial will surely convince you.” I can only hope that you would try out some of these inexpensive, time-proven remedies for the successful eradication of your acne.

FREELANCE WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

2009-08-20T09:51:00.002+01:00

A lot of people browse through the internet these days, searching and looking for work-at-home opportunities. In fact, there are numerous job opportunities online. Although some of them are just scams meant to dupe unsuspecting people. A lot of sites would ask you to pay a certain amount just to give you some information about these opportunities. Well, knowledge or information, as some people say, is power. But do you really have to pay for this information? Just pay some attention to this.

Freelance writing offers infinite myriad of opportunities. Freelance writing comes with several benefits. There are several companies online who are ready to pay you a certain amount of money upfront just for writing on what you desire and love to write on. Some other companies share some of their earnings accrued as a result of using your writings as an advertising tool. Some people say that with freelance writing, you can become a millionaire. I dare say that its not one with which you can make a million in three days. But it is a source of constant income which a lot of people now depend solely upon.

Just as some other job or career positions, you need hard work, persistence, and determination to succeed in this business. Apart from these, all other requirements are minimal. It does not take much to be a writer. Just putting together a simple article on how to take apart your desktop can fetch you some cash.

There are several companies who are ready to pay you for writing anything you want to. I have worked with several of these companies. However, there are some little differences in these companies. I have done reviews of several of these companies which I shall be posting in a few days.

Check the left side panel for the reviews.

Managerial Decision Making

2009-08-01T18:25:00.001+01:00

Decisions are very important factors that determine the growth of organizations. Decisiveness is a quality which distinguishes very good managers from very bad managers. A person who is not good in decision making is not fit to be called a manager but an administrator. Corporate investment decisions often involve substantial amounts of money. Many investment decisions are also difficult to reverse and can affect the company's business far into the future. (“Corporate Finance,” 2009). There are different theories on managerial decision making. One of such which effectively summarizes this is Vroom and Yetton’s normative model of decision making. According to Vroom and Yetton (1973), each decision is influenced by two major factors: decision quality, and acceptance. But in most cases, managerial decision making usually involves three major stages, each of which are enumerated below:

Firstly, the manager needs to define the problem or challenges facing him which calls for the decision making. In getting any work or job done, it is best to start from the beginning. In this extremely important step, a good context of the problem must be grasped. This means that he has to get a good understanding of the problem to be solved.

Next, the manager gathers data, lists and enumerates the alternatives before him. He collects all relevant facts and figures, from which he identifies all the various alternatives of choice. This is needed to facilitate and support the decision making process. Information collection can be done through research, brainstorming or experimentation. It is important during the information gathering phase to also consult “people who know” and “people who matter”.

Finally, after weighing all the alternatives, he chooses and implements the best alternative. In this step, he ponders over the issues peacefully without distractions, and then decides on the best choice or best courses of action.

In conclusion, managerial decision making may just involve a “Yes” or “No” decision. In which case, the solution is simple. But in cases where the issues are of serious nature, even making a “Yes” or “No” decision may involve all the different steps enumerated above.

List of References
Corporate Finance. Microsoft Encarta 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation.
Vroom, V.H., & Yetton, P.W. (1973). Leadership and decision-making. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.

Becoming a professional writer

2009-08-01T16:45:00.003+01:00

A person who sings is a singer, a person who teaches is a teacher, a person who drives is a driver, etc. What about a person who writes? A writer? Almost everyone would have written one thing or the other in the course of his or her lifetime, even the illiterate ones. Does that make every Tom, Dick and Harry a writer? If not, who then is a writer?

According to the free online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, a writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms (“Writing,” 2009). A writer who has a touch of professionalism and makes a living from his writings is considered a professional writer.

Becoming a professional writer needs no special skill or training. Anybody from anywhere can venture into professional writing and succeed in it. The most important thing is the diligence and determination of the person involved. This is essential because to make something out of writing, the person has to be convinced that success is sure. Once this is on ground, all other necessary general skills would be acquired. Another interesting thing is the fact that the person learns while he writes.

In addition, other things that characterize the work of professional writers include ability to write in clear and simple language, and at the same time providing a lucid explanation of the subject matter. The writer, with the chosen writing style, must be able to communicate easily and give a pictorial description of the subject being discussed in such a way that will create a vivid mental image in the minds of the readers. A good professional writer must be empirical and proficient in the use of rhetoric.

However, a professional writer must avoid copying the works and ideas of others and claiming it as original. This is known as plagiarism. But at times, quoting other people’s words and works may lend credence and authority to the person’s writing. In this case, the quotations have to be used with carefulness. Including too many quotations in a particular document, or quoting a poorly written or confusing article may weaken the overall quality and impact of the writer’s work. In other words, the writer’s work must be unique and original.

Professional writing can be in different forms (including but not limited to) music, prose and poetry. Accordingly, a writer in specialist mode may rank as a poet, novelist, copywriter, composer, lyricist, playwright, journalist, screenwriter for film or television, etc (“Writing,” 2009).

Benefits of professional writing are numerous to mention. Professional writers make money from the sales of their published articles. This is achieved through the use of two major platforms – the print media such as magazines, newspapers, books, etc, or the emerging online media, the internet. Also, writing brings along a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. Writing is a delightful experience that allows the exploration of the writer’s imagination, and, at the same time, development of the writer’s intellectual prowess. In short, writing goes hand-in-hand with reading, and so is good for academic excellence.

A wise man once said, “You can only take a horse to the river, you cannot force it to drink.” Becoming a professional writer is not a one-day job, but with constant practice coupled with persistence, perfection is achieved. And along with it comes the remunerations attached.

List of ReferencesWriting. (2009). Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://wikipedia.com