Managing New Technology

Question Discuss the rising influence and impact that emergent nations such as China, India, Korea, Brazil and Russia will have on the future of business over? Answer Key macro and environmental factors are unmanageable external surface causes that impact how an affiliation limits. They are essentially out of the control of the affiliation, and as often as possible need changes in living up to expectations, organization, amassing, and promoting. Pros oftentimes bunch them using the condensed structures PEST or PESTEL (Collins, 2011). Political This macro factors can involve evaluation approaches, government-issued confirmation represents, the openness to federal understandings, and even changes in the directing regulatory social occasion. General laws and principles, for instance, trade understandings and charges, may influence the give and essential stores and open markets for an extensive variety of associations too. Economic An industry advancement, monetary downturn, or getting to be climbing expenses issue can all alter the way an affiliation plans for the future and limits in the present. Monetary points of view are regularly tricky to evaluate, since financial desires and studies contrast comprehensively between experts. Nonattendance of job levels, relative forex trading rates, and the state of the overall money related system can all help or harm an affiliation's ability to get obliged parts and keep up a consistent profit (Ghumann, 2005). Social The conclusions and enlistment of the people make up individuals by and large scope of macro atmosphere edges. For example, a gathering that places an accentuation on guided to oneself occupations with space for inventiveness may cause associations to change work elucidations and accommodate the model of the working environment to appeal workers. Social styles, for instance, a slant for on-premium flexible media devices, can similarly influence which things an affiliation creators and where it decides to spend publicizing dollars (Collins, 2010). Technological This factor can influence how an affiliation does affiliation. An alternate kind of rigging, machine processor, or thing made through creative work can help an affiliation stay upgraded and before the business bend. Holders must have the ability to immaculately see which new redesigns will be truly profitable, and which are just styles. Environmental This issues are essential to associations both in the extended and short persevering. In the short-term, parts like mischances can impact collecting and give limits, or even wipe out affiliation resources. Ventures, for instance, organic threat evaluation can help associations get prepared to handle countless undoubtedly transient downturn. In the far reaching viewpoint, of course, associations may have an excitement for guaranteeing that their give stores are not hurt by not plausible methodologies. Legal Legal perspectives can restrict or change how an affiliation limits. For example, they may need to search for the organizations of extra supervisory staff or purchase security equip after an alternate protection law is passed. Youth work frequently confine the time an immaterial can perform and need set break times. If an affiliation utilizes a couple of those under 18, it may need to search for the organizations of extra help to cover the time when those under 18 can't really perform. Laws are managed by both close-by regulation and neighbourhood and national laws and rules. Once in a while, associations that do affiliation worldwide are also affected by worldwide laws and rules. References Collins, R., 2010. A Graphical Method for Exploring the Business Environment". [Accessed 27 January 2015]. Collins, R., 2011. Is there a better way to analyse a business environment?, Reading, United Kingdom: University of Reading. Ghumann, M., 2005. Accountability Towards the Community, Karachi: Business Recorder.

Acidity Of Apple Juice In Different Temperature Essays - Fruit Juice

Acidity Of Apple Juice In Different Temperature Acidity of Apple Juice in Different Temperature Question Does temperature effect the pH of apple juice? Hypothesis An increase of the temperature will lower the acidity level of the apple juice. Procedure 1. Fill 2 beakers with 10 ml of apple juice. 2. Heat one of the beakers to 90?. 3. Then add three drops of brom thymal blue to each beaker. 4. Add drops of base in each beaker until a color change has been observed. Data Table-Number of drops needed to neutralize the apple juice Juice Temperature First trial Second Trial Third Trial Average 90? 20? 23? 23? 22? 20? 22? 20? 23? 21.6? Discussion The apple juice changed from yellow to green after 20 to 23 drops of base in both the heated and room temperature juice. Conclusion The data shows that acidity level of the apple juice doesnt change whether its in room temperature or heat our data doesnt support our hypothesis. Science Essays

History of the X-Ray

History of the X-Ray All light and radio waves belong to the electromagnetic spectrum and are all considered different types of electromagnetic waves, including: microwaves and infrared bands whose waves are longer than those of visible light (between radio and the visible)and UV, EUV, X-rays, and g-rays (gamma rays) with shorter wavelengths. The electromagnetic nature of x-rays became evident when it was found that crystals bent their path in the same way as gratings bent visible light: the orderly rows of atoms in the crystal acted like the grooves of a grating. Medical X-rays X-rays are capable of penetrating some thickness of matter. Medical x-rays are produced by letting a stream of fast electrons come to a sudden stop at a metal plate; it is believed that X-rays emitted by the Sun or stars also come from fast electrons. The images produced by X-rays are due to the different absorption rates of different tissues. Calcium in bones absorbs X-rays the most, so bones look white on a film recording of the X-ray image, called a radiograph. Fat and other soft tissues absorb less and look gray. Air absorbs the least, so lungs look black on a radiograph. Wilhelm Conrad Rà ¶ntgen - First X-ray On 8 Nov 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Rà ¶ntgen (accidentally) discovered an image cast from his cathode ray generator, projected far beyond the possible range of the cathode rays (now known as an electron beam). Further investigation showed that the rays were generated at the point of contact of the cathode ray beam on the interior of the vacuum tube, that they were not deflected by magnetic fields, and they penetrated many kinds of matter. A week after his discovery, Rontgen took an X-ray photograph of his wifes hand which clearly revealed her wedding ring and her bones. The photograph electrified the general public and aroused great scientific interest in the new form of radiation. Rà ¶ntgen named the new form of radiation X-radiation (X standing for Unknown). Hence the term X-rays (also referred as Rà ¶ntgen rays, though this term is unusual outside of Germany). William Coolidge X-Ray Tube William Coolidge invented the X-ray tube popularly called the Coolidge tube. His invention revolutionized the generation of X-rays and is the model upon which all X-ray tubes for medical applications are based. Other inventions of Coolidge: invention of ductile tungsten A breakthrough in tungsten applications was made by W. D. Coolidge in 1903. Coolidge succeeded in preparing a ductile tungsten wire by doping tungsten oxide before reduction. The resulting metal powder was pressed, sintered and forged to thin rods. A Very thin wire was then drawn from these rods. This was the beginning of tungsten powder metallurgy, which was instrumental in the rapid development of the lamp industry - International Tungsten Industry Association (ITIA) A computed tomography scan or CAT-scan uses  X-rays  to create images of the body.  However, a radiograph (x-ray) and a  CAT-scan  show different types of information. An x-ray is a two-dimensional picture and a CAT-scan is three-dimensional. By imaging and looking at several three-dimensional slices of a body (like slices of bread) a doctor could not only tell if a tumor is  present but roughly how deep it is in the body. These slices are no less than 3-5 mm apart. The newer spiral (also called helical) CAT-scan takes continuous pictures of the body in a spiral  motion so that there are no gaps in the pictures collected. A CAT-scan can be three dimensional because the information about how much of the X-rays are passing through a body is collected not just on a flat piece of film, but on a computer. The data from a CAT-scan can then be computer-enhanced to be more sensitive than a plain radiograph. Inventor of the Cat-scan Robert Ledley was the inventor of CAT-Scans a diagnostic x-Ray system. Robert Ledley was granted patent #3,922,552 on November 25th in 1975 for a diagnostic X-ray systems also known as CAT-Scans.

The trial of Saddam Hussein Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The trial of Saddam Hussein - Essay Example According to Michael Sharf, the Saddam Hussein trial can be classed as one of the most important cases in international law because (a) the scale of atrocities was high (b) Hussein was a top ranking leader (c) interest of the international community due to the coalition led against Iraq (d) sets a legal precedent for international crimes and (e) effect of the trial and whether it was perceived as fair.1 While Saddam Hussein was guilty of heinous offences against his countrymen, nevertheless, the question of whether or not his trial was fair and whether any substantive human rights issues were raised is a legitimate one, in the interest of future trend sin international criminal law. The basic premise that underlies human rights law is the fact that they are universal2, and therefore transcend social, cultural and political barriers and differences3. An international crime cannot be left within the exclusive jurisdiction of the national authority that would normally exercise control o ver such instances4 since international crimes may implicate those in positions of power and authority in the local Government. War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity5, torture and aggression are all included under international crimes and international criminal law is the law that governs such crimes.6 The International criminal Court which came into being in 2002, has jurisdiction over nationals for crimes occurring on the territory of all states that have ratified the Rome Statute.

Examining a Bussiness Failure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Examining a Bussiness Failure - Research Paper Example The present study would try to analyse the organizational behaviour aspects that could be interrelated with the company’s failure in the recent years. This would include an analysis of the aspects of management, leadership as well as organizational structure towards the unfolding crisis that occurred in the organization. Leadership Leadership is perhaps one of the main drivers of a business. A business essentially thrives on the aspect of the vision of the leader of the organization. One of the main reasons for the crisis situation at Enron can be held accountable to the improper leadership of the organization. The lack of proper vision of the company’s leadership can be traced to the fact that its CEO Jeffrey Skilling resigned from the company that was just beginning to see the light of the crisis situation. Another interesting fact was that the CEO while putting down his papers did not cite reasons for resignation which reflected the negative mindset and lack of leade rship skills of the leader of the organization (Jickling, 2002, p.2). An effective leader in this case could have saved the organization from the crisis that has led to the eventual downfall of the company. An effective leader should have realised the malpractices in the company and should have taken corrective measures and should have displayed visionary traits that could have saved the organization. The role theory of leadership states that leaders must act in a manner so as to set goals for others (Changing Minds.org, 2011). The case at Enron reflects a bad picture as the leader displayed complete lack of responsibilities as he left the firm when it was in the midst of a severe crisis and set a very bad role example. Management The management of an organization comprises of the top management board including the top shareholders and the top executive management of the company. The poor state of management of the organization can be easily identified from its actions as the top ma nagement reflected its existence only on paper. The management indulged in corrupt malpractices that ultimately led to the downfall of the organization (Worldlink, 2007, p.2). The top management of the organization defected from its basic responsibility of ensuring compliance in corporate management in an attempt to protect the interests of the existing shareholders of the firm. The top management showed a complete mismanagement as it allowed the CFO of the organization to allow him to do private based partnerships for undertaking business with the organization that was largely against the basic rules of corporate governance. The management of the organization was largely selected through internal preferences where the executive management had a final say. Independent directors largely acted as puppets of the top management of the organization that largely defeated the basic purpose of having independent directors on the board of an organization. Enron should have followed the corpo rate governance ethics and the management should not have been allowed to have a say on the appointment of independent directors. If the company had adopted a democratic and impartial selection of the independent directors, then the malpractices would have been identified long before and would have

Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman

Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman When in 1792 the French minister for education proposed a revolutionary system of state-supported system of public education for men only, Mary Wollstonecraft was outraged. As a concrete embodiment of the French revolutions promise to redress the wrongs of past, this proposal seemed a betrayal of all that the revolution stood for. Wollstonecraft responded with A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, arguing a simple principle: that if she (woman) be not prepared by education to become the companion of man , she will stop the progress of knowledge and virtue ; for truth must be common to all or it will inefficacious with respect to its influence on general practice. Just one year earlier she had leapt to the defense of Richard Price and Thomas Paine in her Vindication of the Rights of Men against the attack of Edmund Burke in his Reflections on the Revolutions in France, she now turned her attention to the injustice that presented itself in this revolutionary program for universal educa tion in France. The context of the Vindication of the Rights of Woman was written as a response to Rousseaus immensely influential book Emile, which laid out Rousseaus vision of how boys should be educated. In the process Rousseau created a character; a female associate for Emile named Sophie and in the process slighted the education of women. In this essay we would explore that how successfully Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the Rights of Women is expressing the ways in which women could improve themselves and how society would benefit from this in 1790s and how affected the impact on patriarchal oppression and on the feminism as a whole. J.J Rousseau primarily claimed that we are inherently good, but we become corrupted by the evils of society. We are born good and that is our natural state. Through attending to nature we are more likely to live a life of virtue. In Emile, which is Rousseaus influential book, he was able to dramatize his ideas and reach a very wide audience. He made, it can be argue, the first comprehensive attempt to describe a system of education according to that he saw as nature. In his educational theories Rousseau attempted to preserve natures pure state. His concept of negative education allowed a child to discover for himself and to be punished by the nature he sought to defy. The tutor must not try to reason with the child or show authority. Books would not be forced on the child; at twelve Emile would hardly know what to do with a book. Positive education, or direct instruction, would only begin at approximately the age of adulthood, and then the studies would be based on the students natur al curiosity. Rousseau stressed utility, the need for teaching things with practical applications. This concept of negative education as applicable to women was totally inconceivable to Rousseau. Rousseau outlines his theories for the ideal education for the women in chapter V of Emile. He viewed womens options as entirely limited to the roles of wife and mother. What need would there be to allow her to determine for herself when nature had already physiologically dictated her destiny Rousseau demanded a reversion to primitivism in the education of women, offering minimal vocational training while insisting on her inability to reason and her inferiority to man. A womans education must be planned in relation to man.[S]he will always be in subjection to a man, and she will never be free to set her own opinion above his.(Rousseau p:176). He stresses freedom of movement and physical exertion for Emile, asserting that weak bodies contain weak minds. At the same time he discourages Sophie from too much physical activity and uses her weakness as another proof of her inferiority. The object of that cultivation is different. In the one sex it is the development of corporeal powers; in the other, that of personal charms, (Rousseau:pp.322) The power a woman have in Roussseaus poltical doctrine is dependent on the power allotted them by nature. And that power can be reduced to a simple law of nature. For nature has endowed woman with a power of stimulating mans passions in excess for mans power of satisfying those passions, and has thus made him dependent on her goodwill, and compelled him in his turn to endeavor to please her, so that she may be willing is superior strength. Is it weakness which yields to force, or is it voluntary self-surrender? This uncertainty constitutes the chief charm of the mans victory, and the woman is usually cunning enough to leave him in doubt. (Emile: 387) Rousseau emphasized the fundamentally different roles of men and women, he considers men and women complimentary to each other , women roles is to nurture and essential if men free to take on public roles and warrior and politicians. In Emile,Sophie is his sexual identity. Rousseau considers a mans union with a woman a debasement of his nature. Rousseau has a view of marriage apparently quite traditional in many respects, but he does not defend that arrangement traditionally. Rousseaus Emile makes the wife responsible for keeping the man at home and she is to maintain in him a sense of his freedom and yet at the same time use all sort of feminine charms and intelligent deceptions to make sure that he wants to stay at him, still free but also fulfilling his parental duty. Rousseau considers wifes job, simply put, is to deceive the man into staying at home by sustaining for him the illusion of his freedom, by serving his need for such a psychological state, that point is discussed by W ollstonecraft that if Sophie has to play complicated role of such a smart understanding wife, she has to know the men traits and nature, psychology of men to deal with them. Rousseau anticipates this stance and argues against it, making the case that if women seek to compete with men by defining themselves in terms of male virtues, then they will foster a state of society in which they are even more than before the servants of men. Men are better at being men than women are, Rousseau claims. Rousseau explains that Sophies education needs to be different because she is to be future mother, and women are designed by nature for motherhood. While insisting on the importance of motherhood, he stumbles on womens role as mothers. In addressing mothers in Book I of Emile, he acknowledges their primacy in the education of youth. By denying women the ability to reason he denies them the ability to raise children, which Mary Wollstonecraft later attempts to prove. Mary Wollstonecraft applauded Rousseaus scheme for Emile but deplored the neglect of Emils perfect wife, Sophie in her book The Vindication of the Rights of Woman written in response to Rousseau. Wollstonecraft seeks to find a rational explanation for the state of her sex. She questions whether women are really created for the pleasure of men. She initiates her attack on patriarchal oppression in the first page of the introduction explaining how men have created books `considering females rather as women than human creatures, have been more anxious to make them alluring mistresses than affectionate wives and rational mothers (P:11): then on Sophies garb simple as it seems, was only put in its proper order to be taken to pieces by the imagination. To this she retorts, Is this modesty ? Is this a preparation for immortality? she accuses Rousseau of depicting not a wife and sensible mother, but a pleasing mistress. She challenges Rousseaus depiction of men having superior strength and free will to do experiences. Let us then , by being allowed to take the same exercise as boys, not only during infancy , but youth, arrive at perfection of boys, that we many know how far the natural superiority of man extends. She firmly endorses the nothing of the public space in which people can compete, she says, in effect, give women access to this public space, and if we can not hold our own , then lets concede that women are not the same as men and change things accordingly. But let us first give women a chance. In the period prior to the enlightenment women were legally and socially inferior. One example of this is in crime: a man convicted of murdering his wife would be hanged, but a woman convicted of murdering her husband would, by law, be burned alive (Misenheimer,1981:p21). They were also unequal in financial and property rights, women were uneducated and taught to be pure and respectable so they could gain a husband and a home and the legal position of most women totally dependence on their husbands (Mill,1878). Its quite clear that Wollstonecrafts world did have considerable oppression and it was within this context that her attack on male dominance of society was based. She expresses how women are `legally prostituted, attacking marriage and the power men have through marriage (P:75). She attacks that women can only advance through marriage explaining how its the only security of public freedom and universal happiness (P:18). She also argues heavily against the socially constructed' position of women, which has been forced upon them by men. This is possibly her strongest argument against male dominance which conforms to the ideas of what is natural and what has been created by man; similar to the ideas of Thomas Paine, Rousseau. The idea is that the subjugation of women is unnatural and obviously goes against rational, enlightened and more important moral society. Wollstonecraft argues that if marriage is strongest institution and cement of society then men and women should be educated equally regardless of their sexes and marriage never can be held sacred till women, by being brought up with men, are prepared to be their companions rather than their mistresses. Wollstonecraft proposes that education should be accessible through national establishments as private education is confined to only elite class. She proposes her radical idea of educating girls with boys and that girls should be taught anatomy and medicine to make them rational nurses of their infants, parents and husbands. As living in mens society Wollstonecraft realized that her suggestions can cause a stir, hence the major pitch of her appeal for the rights of women might be seen as a call to extend to women the same educational opportunities as those extended to men. She cautions that she has no desire to breed a generation of independent and unattached women like herself, but that she seeks to develop wiser and more virtuous mothers. She believes that childrens characters are formed before the age of seven; hence it is very necessary to raise a child by an educated mother rather than by addle-headed mother. Wollstonecraft trying to make the male society of her time to realize that present education of women focuses far too much on attempts to please and tease men , which is no good basis either for the development of a morally responsible personality , longer lasting marriages or good mothers. And if we educate our women as equal to men, society can really benefit and if they continue to be excluded, society will suffer, it will not progress. Without stressing independence she believes that once women gain intellectual equality, they should be given political and economic equality as well. A Vindication of rights of Woman was a vital piece of work for the Feminists, however it did not really get appreciated among the women of 18th century. It is quite clear that her thoughts were revolutionary for her period and were more suited to the society of the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth century, when feminists would reintegrate Wollstonecrafts work into their movements. But Rousseaus point is still being made by those who think that a good deal of mainstream liberal feminism, for all its impressive record of social and political achievements, is demanding that women live by a standard foreign to them, that they become like men rather than developing fully as women. Those who, like Wollstonecraft, deny the classification of men and women as different, and this debate between Rousseau and Wollstonecraft is still very much alive in modern arguments about feminism. The present fierce arguments between and within various mens and womens groups indicate that the question is n ot yet off the table. These arguments manifest themselves, among other things, in modern concerns about the rising frequency of divorce and of men abandoning their families, of super-moms, of teenage pregnancies, of the need for men to be in control of the family, and so on, all of which remind us that two hundred years after Wollstonecrafts important contribution this great debate, the conversations continue with no loss of urgency.

Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe

Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is also known as Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Virgin of Guadalupe. It is a most famous and most popular Roman Catholic image of a Virgin Mary in Mexico. The legend says that Virgin appeared to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an Indian convert, in 1531 and the witness of that miracle required commemorating it by erection of a church, known as a Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  There were two apparitions of the Virgin Mary and after the second an icon was painted which is, actually, now one of the most famous in Mexico. This event was historically significant as following it a great number of Indians of Mexico converted into Christianity. According to the information provided in encyclopedia Britannica â€Å"in 1754 a papal bull made the Virgin of Guadalupe the patroness and protector of New Spain, and in 1810 she became the symbol of the Mexican independence movement when the patriot-priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla raised her picture to his banne r.† (Encyclopedia Britannica)The story of Virgin’s apparition is derived from the Nican mopohua which is thought to be the original source of that event.   Nican mopohua, written in the indigenous Nahuatl language gives an account of the encounter between Virgin Maria and Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in 1531 on Tepeyac. It says that a widowed convert Juan Diego was traveling to â€Å"attend to divine things† the woman in a bright shine appeared in front of him and said that she was a mother of God and asked Diego to tell the Bishop about her request to build a temple on this hill. She promised to come to those people who, would pray in this temple, and help them.The Nican mopohua is not the only work related to the apparition but it is considered to be the most explicit and most trusted. There is another work relating this story, but this time it is the first Spanish-language apparition account written by Miguel Sanchez. It is this document that for the first tim e refers to Our Lady of Guadalupe as to a symbol of Mexico. He mentions it in the context that â€Å"this New World has been won and conquered by the hand of the Virgin Mary†¦[who had] prepared, disposed, and contrived her exquisite likeness in this her Mexican land, which was conquered for such a glorious purpose, won that there should appear so Mexican an image† (Brading 2001).When in 1810 Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his army fought for the independence of Mexico they used the image of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe as a sign on their clothes and also as an insignia of their campaign. After Hidalgo’s death a mestizo priest led the army during revolution. He also relied on the holy image and as Krauze in his book states he was confirmed that â€Å"New Spain puts less faith in its own efforts than in the power of God and the intercession of its Blessed Mother, who appeared within the precincts of Tepeyac as the miraculous image of Guadalupe that had come to comfor t us, defend us, visibly be our protection† (Krauze, 1997).The Mexican calendar even contains the holiday to honor the Virgin, that is December 12, inscribed by the priest-revolutionary. (Matovina, 2001) Thus during the independence struggle people treated Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe as the symbol and patroness of patriots. They offered up numerous prayers at moments of difficulties and used her image on their ensigns. In this way, Brading observes, political exaltation intervened with religious faith â€Å"to produce a vehement fervor in favor of the sacred cause of liberty. The veneration for this image in Mexico far exceeds the greatest reverence that the shrewdest prophet might inspire† (Brading, 2001). In this way the icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe became not only the sacred symbol of Mexico but also it acquired a profound political implication, the embodiment of the struggle for the independence, so desired by the Mexican people.Though there are still a lot o f disputes as regards the verity of the legend about Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparition its authority still remains very strong in Mexico. In addition to the reputation of the image which inspired people to fight for independence the Virgin is also the symbol of Catholicism in Mexico. As it was stated before the temple was build on the place were Saint Mary was met by Juan Diego, and it was the starting point of active conversion of indigenous people, Aztecs, to Christianity.Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is still a sound support to the Catholics in Mexico and in other parts of Latin America. Starting from 1737 Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was recognized to be a saint protectress of Mexico City and then almost two centuries later her protection spread all over the South America. Nowadays, hundreds of people pilgrimage to the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe located on the Cerro of Tepeyac. There are even cases when people do not just walk but crawl on their knees to the church to pray to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, as it is believed that in this way they can merit the cure for their sickness or gain help in the hardship. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe said to have been miraculously imprinted upon Juan Diego's cloak is displayed there.The woman depicted in this image dresses and looks like an Aztec maiden of the early 16th century. She has brown skin; Meso-American features, and is clothed in a turquoise tunic and a rose colored robe. In short, Our Lady of Guadalupe looks like the Aztecs and not like their European oppressors. The iconic resemblance between themselves and the woman depicted in that image was frequently noted by the contemporary Mexican pilgrims. Many Mexicans love their protectress and often call her with diminutive Virgencita. Pilgrims visit the basilica not only because of where it is, but also because of what it has.The Mexicans often feel admired that she is just like them dark-skinned with black hair and brown eyes. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is much more than a mere depiction of the woman Juan Diego claimed to have seen in his visions. It is also a complex collection of floral symbols, astronomical imagery, and other signs that are distinctively Aztec (Barber, 1997; Castillo, 1995). These symbols reinforce the indexical and iconic connections between Our Lady of Guadalupe and the non-Christian religious traditions of the Aztecs. The floral designs that adorn Our Lady of Guadalupe's tunic are symbolic as well as decorative (Barber, 1997). In accordance with the conventions of Aztec glyphs (standardized pictographic designs used by the Aztecs to convey symbolic meanings) the flowers are rendered with a flatness that allows viewers to see them in full.One of the flowers included in the image, the quincunx, appears only once. It is positioned over the Virgin's womb. According to Barber, this flower represented: the four compass directions of the world, with heaven and the underworld vertically encounterin g earth in the canter, in the â€Å"navel† of the world, or, to use the metaphor, in the navel of the moon, as they call the Valley of Mexico. (p. 72) The placement of this flower over the woman's womb signifies that she bears an important child. That the Virgin is pregnant is also indicated by the black sash she wears around her waste, an Aztec symbol of pregnancy (Castillo, 1995). Located just below the sash is another floral symbol, the nagvioli. According to Castillo, this flower â€Å"represented Huitzilopochtli, the great ferocious sun god of the Aztecs† (p. xix). Our Lady of Guadalupe is thus symbolically linked to Coatlicue, an aspect of the goddess Tonantzin, who was the mother of Huitzilopochtli. This link acknowledges her connection with the goddess she is supposed to have replaced.Also included among the image's floral imagery are nine large, triangular, heart-shaped flowers–the Mexican magnolia–which were traditionally used to represent the n ine levels of the Aztec underworld. In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the name for these flowers is yolloxochitl. As explained by Barber, â€Å"Yollotl, is `heart' in Nahuatl, and xochitl, `flower'† (p. 76). According to Barber, â€Å"Yolloxochitl was an Aztec metaphor for the palpitating heart torn from the body of sacrificial victims† (p.76).Human sacrifice played a prominent role in the pre-Christian Aztec religion. Barber goes on to state that yolloxochitl can also be â€Å"read as another glyph, too: tepetl, hill, and precisely, Tepeyac Hill† (p. 76), the hill upon which Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego and the location of the shrine of Tonantzin that had been appropriated by the Spanish missionaries. This flower, then, ties the Virgin to Tepeyac, the hill's previous pre-Christian tenant, and to ritual practices valued by the Aztecs. Some of the flowers that adorn the tunic of Our Lady of Guadalupe are connected with the Aztecs' rich astro nomical symbolism. According to Barber the eight-petaled flowers: can be identified with a Nahuatl glyph for Venus, the Morning and Evening Star. Venus as Morning Star was associated with their god and culture-hero, Quetzalcoatl, who after his self-immolation was taken up into heaven as themorning star. (p. 73) The image's astronomical symbolism is not limited to flowers that adorn the Virgin's tunic. There are also solar, lunar, and stellar symbols. The most significant of these is the crescent moon upon which the Virgin is situated. To the Aztecs, this symbol represented the Valley of Mexico, their geographical, cultural, and spiritual center.Once it officially affirmed Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church embraced her with a great show of public enthusiasm. Over the years, the Church has assigned to her such honorific titles as Patroness of Latin America and Empress of All the Americas.Works Cited ListBarber, J. â€Å"The sacred image is a divine codex.† In A handbook on Guad alupe (pp. 68-73). New Bedford, MA: Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, 1997Brading, D.A. Mexican Phoenix. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Image and Tradition Across Five Centuries. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.Castillo, A. â€Å"Introduction†. Goddess of the Americas/La Diosa de las Americas: Writings on the Virgin of Guadalupe Ed. A. Castillo (pp. xv-xxiii). New York: Riverhead Books, 1995.Krauze, Enrique. Mexico, Biography of Power. A History of Modern Mexico 1810-1996. New York: HarperCollins, 1997Matovina, Timothy â€Å"Hispanic Catholics: ‘El Futuro' Is Here† Commonweal. 128. 15. September 14, 2001â€Å"Guadalupe, Basilica of.† Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.   22  Mar.   2006