Growth Rate Flattens Essay Example for Free

Growth Rate Flattens Essay The reality of software development in a huge company like Microsoft – it employs more than 48,000 people – in that a substantial portion of your work involves days of boredom punctuated by hours of tedium. You basically spend your time in an isolated office, writing code and sitting in meetings during which you participated in looking for and evaluating hundreds of bugs and potential bugs. Yet Microsoft has no problem in finding and retaining software programmers. Their programmers work horrendously long hours and obsess on the goal of shipping product. From the day new employees begin work at Microsoft; they know they’re special and that their employer is special. New hires all have one thing in common- they’re smart. The company prides itself on putting all recruits through a grueling â€Å"interview loop,† during which they confront a barrage of brain-teasers by future colleagues to see how well they think. Only the best and the brightest survive to become employees. The company does this because Microsofties truly believe that their company is special. For instance, it has a high tolerance for nonconformity. Would you believe that one software tester comes to work every day dressed in extravagant Victorian outfits? But the underlying theme that unites Microsofties is the belief that the firm has a manifest destiny to change the world. The least consequential decision by a programmer can have an outsized importance when it can affect a new release that might be used by 50 million people. Microsoft employees are famous for putting in long hours. One program manager said, â€Å"In my first five years, I was the Microsoft stereotype. I lived on caffeine and vending machine hamburger and 20 hour workdays. †¦. I had no life. I considered everything outside the building as a necessary evil.† More recently, things have changed. There are still a number of people, who put in 80 hours weeks, but 60 and 70 hours weeks are more typical and some even are doing their jobs in only 40 hours. No discussion of employee life at Microsoft would be complete without mentioning the company’s lucrative stock option program. Microsoft created more millionaire employees, faster, than any company in American history- more than 10,000 by the late 1990s. While the company is certainly more than a place to get rich, executives still realize that money matters. One former manager claims that the human resources’ department actually kept a running chart of employee satisfaction versus the company’s stocks prices. â€Å"When the stock was up, human resources could turn off the ventilation and everybody would say they were happy. When the stock was down, we could give people massages and they would tell us that the massages were too hard.† In the go-go 1990s, when Microsoft stock was doubling every few months and yearly stock splits were predictable, employees not only got to participate in Microsoft’s manifest destiny, they could get rich in the process. By the spring of 2002, with the world in a recession, stock prices down and the growth for Microsoft products slowing, it wasn’t so clear what was driving its employees to continue the company’s dominance of software industry.

The Strength of a Single Parent Shown in The Scarlet Letter Essay

What is a single parent? Is it one who destroys their child’s life? Is it one who ultimately cannot raise a minor on their own? Or is it one who dedicates their lives to the well being of their kid? Imagine a parent, and for whatever reason they were left alone to raise a child. That parent you imagined has to work long hours just to put a meal on the table. That parent has to play the role of the mother and father. That parent has no financial support. Unfortunately, in our society, this image of a single parent is looked down upon. There are people that don’t realize how much a single parent goes through to give their child a better life. When it comes to the controversial issue of parenting, I believe that a single parent has the ability to raise a child just as effectively as two parents can. The reasons why are because the minor can learn life lessons that can only be acquired with a single parent, the single guardian can be the best choice for the young one, and a single parent has the ability to put all their attention and care to the son or daughter. Although some readers may object that it is impossible for a single parent to take care of a child than two parents, I would answer that it is not impossible. In The Scarlet Letter, a woman named Hester and her baby daughter Pearl were ostracized from society; and the young mother was left alone to take care of her daughter. Ultimately, my goal is to demonstrate that a child with a single parent can be raised properly by using the example of Hester and Pearl. By being with Hester, Pearl got to experience a different manner in life which enabled her to see an outside perspective of Puritan life and learn moral lessons from it. Pearl was not born into the typica... ...† (271). Hester had effectively raised a youngster to become something that was not expected. Despite being shunned upon on, Hester found a way to positively show Pearl moral lessons with the scarlet letter. Even when the townspeople wanted to take Pearl away from her mother, they were not triumphant to do so. The mother’s life was solely about Pearl; to keep her protected, warm, fed, clothed and loved. My conclusion, which is that based on the success of Pearl’s life, is that a single mother can raise a child. A single parent has the capability to nurture and love a son or daughter just as two parents can. A single parent sometimes is the best choice of who the minor can be with. A single parent may have challenges, but they can overcome them just to keep the child they love alive and well. Is it time now to realize what a single parent can truly accomplish?

Erasmus vs Luther; Discourse on Free Will Essay

The Erasmus-Luther Discourse on Free Will begins with the Diatribe concerning free will, written by Erasmus. Luther then refutes Erasmus’ Diatribe with The Bondage of the Will. The question being debated is whether man is in control of his own will, or whether everything is preordained by God, thus leaving man without free will. Their diverging philosophies have been interpreted as being the basic difference between Catholic and Protestant positions regarding free will. This debate offers two very conflicting views, although both philosophies were basic principles in their respective religions. Erasmus builds his argument without a solid foundation; like building a house without a foundation, it can easily crumble. Thus, Luther convincingly attacks Erasmus’ Diatribe. Erasmus holds that man is left with the choice of doing either good or evil. It is man’s choice and therefore, free will exists. In the opinion of Erasmus, the freedom of the will in Holy Scriptures is as follows: if on the road to piety, one should continue eagerly to improve; if one has become involved in sin, one should make every effort to extricate oneself, and to solicit the mercy of the Lord. Two conclusions concerning Erasmus’ beliefs can be drawn from this statement; firstly that man can himself find repentance and secondly that God is infallible, meaning that a person engages in evil acts with his own will. The definition of free will given by Erasmus is â€Å"the power of the human will whereby man can apply to or turn away from that which leads unto eternal salvation.† While addressing the topic of Adam and Eve, Erasmus states, â€Å"In man, will was so good and so free that even without additional grace it could have remained in a state of innocence, though not without help of grace could it attain the blessedness of eternal life, as the Lord Jesus promised his people.† Erasmus, therefore, believes eternal salvation is attainable with the help and mercy of God, but Erasmus also believes that Adam and Eve caused man to have original sin. Erasmus goes on to write, â€Å"In those without extraordinary grace the reason is darkened, but not extinguished. Probably the same occurs to the power of the will: it is not completely extinct but unproductive of virtuous deeds.† In short Erasmus believed that man has free will and therefore is punished or rewarded according to the choices he  makes. He backs his argument with many quotes from the scripture but so does Luther, thus the argument shifts, and the sense of scripture is the debate. Luther, who wrote The Bondage of the Will to refute what Erasmus had written in the Diatribe, disagrees; stating that man does not have freedom of the will. In the first few pages, Luther proclaims â€Å"The Holy Scripture is no skeptic, and what He has written into our hearts are no doubts or opinions, but assertions more certain and more firm that all human experience in life itself.† Furthermore, he goes on to say â€Å"The essence of Christianity which you (Erasmus) describe†¦is without Christ, without the Spirit, and chillier than ice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Luther immediately implies that Erasmus has not been saved. Luther abhors those who claim to be self-reformers, once again contradicting Erasmus. â€Å"You say: Who will reform his life? I answer: Nobody! No man can! God has no time for you self-reformers, for they are all hypocrites. The elect who fear God will be reformed by the Holy Spirit.† Perhaps the quote that best exemplifies Luther’s position is as follows: Thus the human will is like the beast of burden. If God rides it, it wills and goes whence God wills; as the Psalm says, â€Å"I was a beast of burden before thee† (Psalm 72:22) If Satan rides, it wills and goes where Satan wills. Nor may it choose to which rider it will run, nor which it will seek. But the riders themselves contend who shall have and hold it.† This philosophy contends that both good and evil are worked by a higher being. Both authors in this work make reference to Judas and his betrayal of Christ. Both parties acknowledge the foreknowledge of God, but Luther proclaims that God willed it. Thus the Protestant faith grew on the principles of predestination and the absolute belief that the scriptures are to be interpreted literally. At no point does Luther ever stray from the central point of his refutation, proving Erasmus wrong by presenting the conclusive evidence needed. Erasmus, on the other hand, never really plants his feet in this argument. Erasmus covers his tracks by changing the terms of the debate throughout his work. For example, Erasmus fails to define the limits within which the reader should think that the will is being acted upon. One can not conclude that  Erasmus does not fully believe what he states in his Diatribe, but he admittedly discloses â€Å"I have always preferred playing the freer field of the muses, than fighting ironclad in close combat.† Erasmus proclaims that their debate is in the sense of scripture, yet how can one who defends free will pigeonhole the interpretation of the reader? Luther is much more direct in laying out his arguments and criticizes Erasmus for stating a bare definition without explaining its parts. The debate has very much become a personal matter by the time Luther’s discourse commences. There is no mutual agreement whatsoever, thus it is easy to see why the views of Catholics and Protestants were so divergent. Erasmus is clearly trying to convince his readers, most particularly Luther, that free will does indeed exist. Luther continues to stay his course and states that God wills all. Everything is preordained, evil included. Of the assertions, Luther simply states â€Å"one must delight in assertions to be a Christian at all!† While Erasmus seems leery to take a firm stance in his debate, he is changing the circumstances of the debate, which clearly is an attempt to prevent Luther from pinning him down in Luther’s The Bondage of the Will. After thoroughly refuting everything Erasmus has stated, Luther proclaims that Erasmus has â€Å"asserted nothing but made comparisons†. Whether there be complete merit in either man’s philosophy, Luther h as quite convincingly made Erasmus’ position appear flawed.

How to Make Glow-in-the-Dark Drinks

Have you ever wanted  to make a glowing cocktail? There isnt a safe chemical you can add to make a drink glow in the dark on its own.  There are several edible substances that glow brightly from fluorescence under black light or ultraviolet light. To work the magic, simply add black lights to light your own glowing concoctions. Key Takeaways: Glow in the Dark Drinks There is no chemical that may be safely mixed into drinks to make them glow in the dark.However, many safe liquids glow (fluoresce) under black or ultraviolet light. Of these, the brightest glow is produced by tonic water, which appears blue.Without a black light, drinks may be made to appear to glow using presentation tricks. You can use a glowing glass, ice cubes containing small lights, or use a glow stick as a stirrer. If you want to make glowing drinks, get a pocket-sized black light (ultraviolet lamp) and take it shopping with you. Shine the light on products and look for a glow. Note that the glow may be a different color from the product. Also, you will discover many plastic containers are highly fluorescent. Here is a list of beverages and additives that reputedly glow in the dark under black light. Absinthe and Blue Curacaoâ„ ¢ contain alcohol, but the other items can be used for any occasion. Some fluorescent and phosphorescent substances will glow for several seconds after the light source is removed. Blue raspberry Little Hugsâ„ ¢ (kiddie soft drink)Mountain Dewâ„ ¢ and Diet Mountain Dewâ„ ¢Ã‚  Tonic Water (or any drink containing quinine glow blue)Many sports drinks (especially those with B vitamins such as Monsterâ„ ¢ energy drinks)AbsintheBlue Curacaoâ„ ¢Some bright food colorsCertain flavors of gelatinVitamin B12 (glows bright yellow)Chlorophyll (like from spinach juice, glows blood red)Milk (yellow)Caramel (pale yellow)Vanilla ice cream (pale yellow)Honey (golden yellow) Of these options, tonic water glows the most brightly under black light. Cranberry juice is not fluorescent, but it may be mixed with tonic water to offset the flavor and tint the blue so it appears purple or reddish. Clear soft drinks typically appear to glow under a black light because the bubbles from the carbonation reflect back the visible portion of light from the lamp. Tonic water glow bright blue under black light. Photo by Cathy Scola / Getty Images Make Drinks Appear to Glow You can make any drink appear to glow by using glowing products: Use glow sticks as cocktail stirrers. Simply snap the glow stick before serving the drink. The glow from the stick will illuminate the liquid. Now, while the oily liquid inside glow sticks is nominally non-toxic, it tastes truly awful. Check the glow stick for damage before placing it in a drink. Also, do not microwave the stick prior to use. Some people do this because the heat makes the glow brighter (although it doesnt last as long). Microwaving glow sticks can cause damage to the appliance and may cause the stick to break open.Add a glowing ice cube. If you have a black light, try ice cubes made using tonic water. Tonic water fluoresces bright blue. Another option is to freeze a small light into the water to make a true glowing ice cube. A simple method is to enclose an LED glowie inside a small zipper plastic bag. All you need is a coin battery, an LED (in the color of your choice), and a small bag. Another option is to use a glowing plastic ice cube. These are available in some stores and online. Basically, you chill the ice cube and turn on the light before adding it to a cocktail. Two advantages are that the luminous cubes are re-usable and they dont melt and dilute the drink. Some types of LED glow cubes can display multiple colors or even morph between them.Use a glowing glass. With a black light, simply use a fluorescent plastic glass. These are widely available at grocery and liquor stores. You could also add a light to a regular glass or purchase special glasses that contain lights.Add phosphorescent objects to the drink. There are many plastic glow-in-the-dark objects that may be added to drinks. Stars are the obvious choice! Source Zhejiang Guangyuan Toys Co., Ltd. Glow Stick Light Material Safety Data Sheet.