Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth

Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth Juan Ponce de Leà ³n (1474-1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. He was one of the first settlers of Puerto Rico and was the first Spaniard to (officially) visit Florida. Hes best remembered, however, for his search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. Did he really search for it, and if so, did he find it? The Fountain of Youth and other Myths During the Age of Discovery, many men got caught up in the search for legendary places. Christopher Columbus was one: he claimed to have found the Garden of Eden on his Third Voyage. Other men spent years in the Amazon jungle searching for the lost city of El Dorado, the Golden Man. Still others searched for giants, the land of the Amazons and the fabled Kingdom of Prester John. These myths were very pervasive and in the excitement of the discovery and exploration of the New World it did not seem impossible to Ponce De Leons contemporaries to find such places. Juan Ponce de Leà ³n Juan Ponce de Leà ³n was born in Spain in 1474 but came to the New World no later than 1502. By 1504 he was well-known as a skilled soldier and had seen much action fighting the natives of Hispaniola. He was given some prime land and soon became a wealthy planter and rancher. Meanwhile, he was surreptitiously exploring the nearby island of Puerto Rico (then known as San Juan Bautista). He was granted rights to settle the island and he did so, but later lost the island to Diego Columbus (son of Christopher) following a legal ruling in Spain. Ponce de Leon and Florida Ponce de Leà ³n knew he had to start over, and followed rumors of a rich land to the northwest of Puerto Rico. He took his first trip to Florida in 1513. It was on that trip that the land was named Florida by Ponce himself, because of the flowers there and the fact that it was near Easter time when he and his shipmates first saw it. Ponce de Leà ³n was awarded the rights to settle Florida. He returned in 1521 with a group of settlers, but they were driven off by angry natives and Ponce de Leà ³n was wounded by a poisoned arrow. He died shortly thereafter. Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth Any records that Ponce de Leà ³n kept of his two voyages have been long since lost to history. The best information concerning his journeys comes to us from the writings of Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, who was appointed Chief Historian of the Indies in 1596, decades after Ponce de Leons journeys. Herreras information was likely third-hand at best. He mentions the Fountain of Youth in reference to Ponces first voyage to Florida in 1513. Heres what Herrera had to say about Ponce de Leà ³n and the Fountain of Youth: Juan Ponce overhauled his ships, and although it seemed to him that he had worked hard he decided to send out a ship to identify the Isla de Bimini even though he did not want to, for he wanted to do that himself. He had an account of the wealth of this island (Bimini) and especially that singular Fountain that the Indians spoke of, that turned men from old men into boys. He had not been able to find it because of the shoals and currents and contrary weather. He sent, then, Juan Pà ©rez de Ortubia as captain of the ship and Antà ³n de Alaminos as pilot. They took two Indians to guide them over the shoals†¦The other ship (that had been left to search for Bimini and the Fountain) arrived and reported that Bimini (most likely Andros Island) had been found, but not the Fountain.    Ponces Search for the Fountain of Youth If Herreras account is to be believed, then Ponce spared a handful of men to search for the island of Bimini and to look around for the fabled fountain while they were at it. Legends of a magical fountain that could restore youth had been around for centuries and Ponce de Leà ³n had no doubt heard them. Perhaps he heard rumors of such a place in Florida, which would not be surprising: there are dozens of thermal springs and hundreds of lakes and ponds there. But was he actually searching for it? Its unlikely. Ponce de Leà ³n was a hardworking, practical man who intended to find his fortune in Florida, but not by finding some magical spring. On no occasion did Ponce de Leon personally set off through the swamps and forests of Florida deliberately seeking the Fountain of Youth. Still, the notion of a Spanish explorer and conquistador seeking a legendary fountain captured the public imagination, and the name Ponce de Leon will forever be tied to the Fountain of Youth and Florida. To this day, Florida spas, hot springs and even plastic surgeons associate themselves with the Fountain of Youth. Source Fuson, Robert H. Juan Ponce de Leon and the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida Blacksburg: McDonald and Woodward, 2000.

Module 3 - SLP Biotechnology and Reproductive Rights Essay

Module 3 - SLP Biotechnology and Reproductive Rights - Essay Example ncy on medical grounds when the pregnancy will certainly cause grave mental and physical health problems to the mother or when the child will suffer from similar consequences (Greenwood, 2001). The main ethical considerations taken into account by physicians before performing an abortion is the well-being of the mother as well as the child. If the continuation of the pregnancy possesses increased physical as well as mental risk to the mother which is also confirmed through concrete medical diagnosis physicians would consider abortion as a viable option (Hewson, 2001; Trupin, 2012). There are several maternal illnesses that when diagnosed during pregnancy can affect the health of the mother if the pregnancy is carried to term. Malignant diseases such as cancer could pose a significant health risk to both the mother and the developing fetus (Trupin, 2012). In the Abortion Act of many countries such conditions are deemed to be ethical for performing an abortion. Conditions such as untre ated eclampsia might give rise to significant health risks to both the mother and the child. In such cases a late abortion could be considered by the treating physicians. The environmental conditions of the women and her family will also be considered by physicians before making a decision. Apart from maternal factors congenital abnormalities of the child is also often considered for performing abortions. When such anomalies are detected during routine prenatal tests a decision on whether to perform an abortion could be made based on the religious and personal views of the parents (Hewson, 2001; Trupin, 2012). Studies estimate that about 3-5% of all newborns have some form of birth defects and most of which can be detected during prenatal testing. These include chromosomal or genetic disorders, developmental problems due to fetal or maternal infections, and drug effects that could be to the growth of the child (Trupin, 2012). More recently people from the medical and legal fraternit y

Customer Inserts Grade Course Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Customer Inserts Grade Course - Essay Example For example, the article states that the demand for there is an increase in the demand for BMW cars within the European Union car market segment. In addition, the demand for tried and tested Mercedes –Benz is also increasing. Lastly, more current and prospective clients are eager to buy the Audi cars. The Audi cars are composed of the quality Volkswagen parts. The article further states that the demand for cars in the German car market segment had increased by an estimated 10 percent. In order to increase their car sales, the article excellent shows that the car manufacturing companies had to offer discounts to its current and prospective clients. The economic theory of demand states as the prices of goods and commodities decline (through the offer of discounts), the demand for the car manufacturing company’s products increase. The article shows facts stating the increase in the demands for the have actually increased due to the discounts given to the company’s p resent and future clients. The article also shows actual financial figures to bring home the story that some of the car manufacturers are losing money and on the brink of joining the long line of bankrupt companies. The article shows that Peugeot – Citroen’s parent company, PSA, generated a huge financial for the prior year. Specifically, the Peugeot - Citroen’s parent company, PSA generated a net loss of â‚ ¬92,000,000 ($121 m). The article correctly warns that General Motors did not reveal its actual global losses. General Motors is the car manufacturer of Opel – Vauxhall). In addition, the article correctly shows an article to confirm the General Motors car, Opel – Vauxhill. The additional car sales loss amounted to $14 billion. The article also indicates that the European Union’s new car sales had declined to only 13,000,000 units. The figure is far lower than the car demand for 2007, alone. The European car sales figures had continue d to drop below the poverty level because the client’s car sales had declined for the past four years of painstaking car marketing. Specifically, the school’s academic references persuading the readers to study the statistic car figures as a way to understand the financial statements. Even then the European Car manufactures state that the South Korean brands are better sellers compared to the many European Brands. Next, the article shows excellently includes the primary and secondary references in terms of degree of relevance to the topic being discussed. The inserted graph shows that the top selling car is the Renault. The same article shows that the second top selling car is the Renault Kangoo. The third top selling car is the Fiat Panda. The fourth top selling car is the Opel Corsa. The Fifth top selling car is the Opel Asra. The car brand that is ranked as the lowest selling bran is the Peugeot 207. Likewise the 2nd lowest selling car brand is the Citroen C3. The t hird lowest selling car brand is the Ford Focus. The article indicates that the secondary source for car brand rankings is the reliable Guter Rat Magazine. The article also shows that the government can step in to prevent the car companies from being dragged into the bankruptcy bandwagon. The article indicates that the United States Government bailed out the American Car Company, General Motors Company, by giving the car manufacturing company financial rescue money. Similarly, the United States government gave a timely financial support to the car

Racial Profiling- Reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Racial Profiling- Reflection - Coursework Example his of course led me to research the alternatives and to look at how we could stop the use of racial profiling, while still retaining a positive approach to the reduction of crime and terrorism specifically. I discovered that our history was not extremely bright with regards to the approach to race and criminal justice. Through our past indiscretions and current problems I learned that this was an approach that required drastic change for the future well-being of the criminal justice system in our nation. My desire to pursue and realize true equality met with the reality of our current system and while slowed in my approach I have become more focused on this as an issue that must see relief. I am sickened by the use of racially motivated approaches within the system, and feel very strongly that these approaches can only further hinder our progress and the modernization of the system as it stands today. It is my desire to see an end occur regarding racial profiling and in fact any use of race as anything more than a designator within the current criminal justice system. Overall the information that I discovered in research has allowed me to approach this issue from a completely different angle than I would normally take it. That of history and the desire to be more than our

Enviromental Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Enviromental - Assignment Example Mass of Ozone in troposphere = 2.28Ãâ€"1013g. Similarly, it means 3 ppm = 3 volumes of Ozone gas/106 volumes of air. Ppmv of Ozone in stratosphere = (ppm/MW) Ãâ€" 22.4. Therefore, ppmv = (3/48) Ãâ€" 22.4 = 1.4ppmv. This means that 1 million volumes of air have 1.4 volumes of Ozone by mass. 1 million volumes of air in stratosphere represent 2.5Ãâ€"1020 g of air. What about 1.4 ppmv of Ozone? Mass of Ozone = (1.4Ãâ€" 2.5Ãâ€"1020)/1Ãâ€"106. Mass of Ozone = 3.5Ãâ€"1014g. Partial pressure, Px = CxÃâ€"P where Px is partial pressure, Cx is the partial concentration of gas x and P is the entire pressure. N2O, MW of 44, has a concentration of 0.31ppm at ground level. Ne, MW of 20, has concentration of 18 ppm at 30km. Pressure of Ne with respect to the altitude of 30 km is given by Pa = 0.9877a, where a = altitude in 100’s of meters. Therefore, Pa = 0.9877300= 0.0244atm. Partial pressure of Ne = 18ppmÃâ€"0.0244 = 0.44 atm. Partial pressure of N2O = 0.31Ãâ€"1 = 0.31 atm. Therefore, Ne has a greater partial pressure that N2O. 100% relative humidity represents 0.031atm H2O. On the other hand, liquid water is present at 100ug/m3. Assuming a temperature of 25oC, then we will convert ug/m3 into ppmv using the formula ppmv = (mg/m3 Ãâ€" oK)/ (0.08205 Ãâ€" MW). With respect to water vapor, ppmv = (0.1 mg/m3 Ãâ€" 298)/(0.08205 Ãâ€" 18). Ppmv = 20.18. Using PV = nRT, then moles of air in 1 mol of gaseous mixture = 1Ãâ€"106 / 6.023Ãâ€"1023 = 1.66Ãâ€"10-18. Converting moles into volume we get 4.06Ãâ€"10-14 cm3. Therefore, the urban atmosphere contains 20.18 molecules of liquid H2O /4.06Ãâ€"10-14 cm3 of air. On water vapor, 30% relative humidity represents (30 Ãâ€" 0.031)/ 100 = 0.0093 atm. In 1 atm, volume of gas = 24.45L, in 0.0093 atm, volume of vapor = (0.0093 Ãâ€" 24.45)/1 = 0.227L. Based on theory, 1 mol = 24.45L (Dr Richards 01). Therefore, 0.227L contains (0.227Ãâ€"1)/24.45 = 0.0093 molecules/L. In terms of cm3, the atmosphere has 9.3

Contemporary Brand management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Contemporary Brand management - Essay Example In this paper, the concepts of branding and its relation to the brand NIVEA have been discussed. The paper comprises of theoretical concepts of brand positioning and brand analysis related to NIVEA brand. The concept of ethics and branding of NIVEA have also been included. Finally, the ways of improvement of brand management has been recommended in the paper. 2.0 Brand Brand is regarded as a trademark that distinguishes itself from other brands or products. The visual uniqueness of a brand is the combination of several features such as name, symbols, letters, shape, slogan, signature, colour and others. Name is considered as the most vital element of brand. The name of the brand cannot change frequently but other elements can be changed in due course of time. There is an important reason to change the name of products or services. It is generally conducted to expand the brand appeal in new markets where the original name may not act as advantageous or considered as standardised in th e ‘international trademark portfolio’ of the company. Brand may generate higher revenue that may have an influence on the overall performance of the business (Interbrand, 2004). Product is considered as a thing that can be bought or used, but brand is the promise related to certain things i.e. intangible. It may be guarantee of quality, heritage, prestige and others. A company when enters a new market, might launch new products, but they are totally depended on their existing brand for success (Davis & Baldwin, 2006). Brand is considered as the image related to products or services that can be developed in the mind of the consumers. On the other hand, company image relates to prospective customers, valued customers, lost customers and group of people associated with the company (Scribd, 2011). NIVEA is one of the international skin care companies and family owned brands by Beiersdorf. The brand is targeted in satisfying the need of the consumers. Their products range fr om female face as well as body products to shaving gel, sun care lines and deodorants for men (Keller, n.d.). The market of the brand is segmented based on the fulfilment of consumer’s needs. Segmentation is done in two ways: one relates to include consumer with identical tastes or needs and the other, consumers are highly content by products so as to meet the needs. The NIVEA brand introduced three product segments, i.e. protection, after sun and self tan. There are various products that come under this segment (Scribd, 2011). The women were the major target market of NIVEA, especially the upper section of the society. They are delighted with the products of NIVEA that involve both care and to beautify the skin. However, nowadays their products range from women towards men care products (Slideshare, 2011). There are several competitors of NIVEA that include L’Oreal, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Estee Launder Cos, Avon Products and Johnson & Johnson among others (Adbran ds.net, 2011). The cream of NIVEA has become the primary product of their business and it is indicating their brand name as well. Besides NIVEA cream, other related products such as sun care products, body soap, powder, tanning lotion and oil also become the major products of the brand. The cream has received brand identity as a ‘caretaker’ of skin (Keller, n.d.). In order to be more competitive the executive at Beiersdorf’

McDonalds Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Research Paper

McDonalds Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability - Research Paper Example The company provides food for the public and tries to fulfill this service in an ethical way that takes socially and environmentally friendly approaches. The firm’s core values are to provide nutritional wellbeing, environmental responsibility, create a sustainable food supply chain, provide employment and contribute positively to the community. The main aim from each of these values is to provide quality services at each stage of production. The company provides fresh food, using ethical means and productive partnerships (â€Å"Social Responsibility†). The company has also provided employment for individuals in 117 countries in the world. This reduces the unemployment rate and improves people’s living conditions in the community. The company’s menu caters for approximately 1,900 customers in different restaurants across the country (â€Å"Social Responsibility†). McDonalds is one of the most successful businesses in the world. It is the most popular foodservice provider in the world and has one of the highest returns on the stock market (Singh). The company has a good reputation and tries to maintain this by listening to the customer’s needs and catering for them in every way possible. The company is committed to the community and the customers and puts their needs first. Each year the company aims to enhance its sustainability efforts. The stakeholders in the company implement the best possible strategies, with the aim of finding new opportunities and setting new targets to advance and improve the company. The company has implemented numerous sustainability programs and policies. The company has tried to work together with partners at different stages of food production to improve the conditions of the employees. In 2007 Mc Donald’s set a goal and implemented measures to improve the working conditions of employees in the Florida Tomato industry. The company only