Energy drinks research paper Essay

Modern life has become fast-paced and the multitudes of work to be done require plenty of effort now more than before. Be it in school or in the office, many people have turned to energy drinks as a source of boost for their inadequate physical endurance and mental strength in addressing the demands of modern living. As the name itself easily suggests, ‘energy drinks’ are supposed to supplement people with the energy they need. Since they contain a combination of vitamins and plenty of caffeine, energy drinks have become a popular alternative to coffee and other caffeinated beverages. It is not surprising, therefore, if there are people who have developed a form of dependency on energy drinks after consuming them regularly for a certain period. However, there are also those who see energy drinks not as a boom but as a bane to the health of individuals. While these drinks may provide people with additional energy, it is often stated that they also have negative effects on the human body especially if they are taken habitually and in amounts that exceed safe limits. There are reasons why certain people support the consumption of energy drinks. On the other hand, there are also reasons why some others oppose the same, to the point that attempts have been made to ban the production, distribution and sale of energy drinks in some areas. This paper seeks to explore those reasons by surveying past and recent literature with respect to the effects of energy drinks on the human body. After an assessment on whether energy drinks can potentially endanger the lives of people, this paper will suggest ways on how to increase the awareness of the people on what these drinks have to offer, whether good or bad. This paper will also try to explore the possible measures which can be adopted in order to properly regulate the production, distribution and actual selling of energy drinks to the larger public. Energy drinks: the good side There are several reasons why people buy energy drinks. Today, it may be said that even age and status in life no longer pose rigid limitations as to who exactly can take advantage of what energy drinks have to offer. Some individuals can consume a certain dose of energy drinks for no strong reason except that they simply want to quench their thirst. The most apparent effect of energy drinks is that they boost a person’s energy. This is due to the ingredients contained in most energy drinks. For instance, energy drinks contain caffeine, sugar, B vitamins and certain kinds of herbs. The combination of these ingredients is said to help increase a person’s physical, mental and cognitive performances. For this reason, it is not surprising that people have patronized energy drinks. In fact, there are numerous brands of energy drinks out in the market, each one purporting to cater to specific preferences and conditions of the consumers. Some brands are labeled as an excellent source of energy for athletes while some other brands are tagged as powerful mental boosters for office workers and students. At any rate, it may be said that the fast-paced modern world requires from every person quick and efficient responses—and energy drinks are there to help them achieve that daily routine. Aside from caffeine, there are at least other common ingredients of most energy drinks: taurine and glucuronolactone. Both are produced naturally by the human body. Energy drinks can replace both glucuronolactone and taurine that the body loses during stressful situations and high physical activity (Olson). Both are important to the human body as they naturally cleanse the body from harmful toxins and provide natural energy boost. People who work overtime or who labor intensely are part of the large numbers of those who consume energy drinks. Even students who are prompted by long hours of studying and doing schoolwork have the similar disposition to use these drinks as a source of the energy they need in order to complete their tasks over extended durations. In a way, it can be seen that energy drinks may be responsible for motivating people to continue with their tasks. On a larger scale, a workforce able to perform better and produce more output within a constrained period will certainly yield positive results. Although energy drinks may not be solely responsible for such consequence, it may nevertheless be safely assumed that it has its share. The history of the energy drink is replete with indicators that it was initially produced to aid the physical well-being of individuals. As early as the second half of the twentieth century, energy drinks were already being produced in Japan with the same modern tagline as increasing an individual’s physical energy levels. Without doubt, early energy drinks were particularly formulated for people engaged in intense labor or those involving protracted hours of work that require physical endurance. Through the years, the benefits of energy drinks were later seen as applicable to athletes. Today, athletes and even people who are active in sports rely on energy drinks in order to supplement or quickly replenish their stock of energy. Similarly, energy drinks are oftentimes labeled as drinks that promote wakefulness. Apparently, those who stand to benefit from the mental alertness induced by energy drinks are the people who are in a desperate need to stay fully awake due to particular circumstances. Students who need to study overnight or to be awake in class after still feeling sluggish belong to this group. In particular, employees who need to beat deadlines the following morning and who are barely able to stay awake for the rest of the night also fall to this classification. Some employees working in graveyard shifts also consume energy drinks. For example, nurses and doctors who spend late hours in the hospital may rely on energy drinks from time to time in order to help them keep awake and alert for the rest of the evening. The same may also be said about corporate employees in outsourcing companies that serve clients from other time zones. At the most, energy drinks are perceived as useful aid for those who need to stay awake for different reasons. Without doubt, there is a different side to energy drinks. There are concerned groups who express their opposition to the consumption of energy drinks especially on regular intervals. At the heart of the sharp criticism against energy drinks is that they are said to contain chemicals and other substances that may endanger the health of individuals. While it may be conceded that energy drinks have short term benefits, it is likewise urged that they also have negative consequences in the long run. Thus, instead of promoting a person’s health, energy drinks may actually harm a person. Energy drinks: the bad side. Monster Energy is one of the more popular energy drinks available in almost every store in America. Interestingly, the product contains double the worth of strong coffee’s caffeine for every single serving of sixteen ounces (Laitner). It may be admitted that there is nothing inherently wrong with drinking caffeinated beverages like Monster Energy. In fact, medical experts may even suggest some of their patients experiencing sluggishness to consume a certain dosage of energy drinks every once in a while. However, it is the dosage and frequency of consumption that is crucial. Like other beverages sold in the market, energy drinks should be consumed only in moderation. Stated otherwise, people should not consume energy drinks more than what is actually needed by their body. As of the first quarter of 2011, the American Association of Poison Control Centers has already logged at least three hundred and forty incidents of adverse health effects as a result of consuming energy drinks with high caffeine levels, and that most of the data gathered revealed that many young people are part of the statistics (Laitner). The numbers may be insignificant on the whole scale but they tell one thing: the risks are real. More importantly, even young people who are presumed to be at a better health condition than most adults are not immune from the risks. That being said, the effects of energy drinks potentially cut across the age borders. There are also alcoholic energy drinks being sold in other parts of the world. In Australia, medical authorities have warned about the negative effects of these drinks to young people (Collier). What is more interesting is that these drinks are being consumed by teenagers aged between twelve and seventeen (Collier). At a very young age, these individuals are already exposed to the harms brought about not only by energy drinks but their combination with alcohol. Apparently, the effect on the body of these alcoholic energy drinks is a combination of a feeling of being simultaneously ‘alert’ and ‘drowsy’. The Australian Drug Foundation has already warned about the negative effects of these drinks and the research recently conducted confirms these effects (Collier). One of the more serious consequences of consuming energy drinks on a regular basis and beyond the required amounts is that it can cause health problems to a person’s cardiovascular, central nervous, musculoskeletal and renal systems (Babu). These risks are not to be taken lightly since they comprise the critical parts of the human body. Impairments in any one of these system of organs can greatly weaken a person and affect one’s daily routines. Apparently, these effects may come in the long term. This is probably the tricky part. Since these effects begin to be felt only after a certain period, a person may initially think that his consumption of energy drinks has not been affecting his health. However, once the effects have already begun to set in, it might be too late and the person may require hospitalization and complicated medical treatment. A harmless start may soon turn into a physically daunting end. Energy drinks contain plenty of sugar and the sugar contained in them are known to cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal pains which, in any case, will never improve the performance of any office employee, student or athlete (Miller). The effects become more pronounced if a person consumes energy drinks on a regular basis. Without doubt, a person may thereafter suffer from regular stomach upsets and diarrhea. Instead of actually helping an individual perform better at his or her tasks, the contrary is more likely to happen. It has been noted that the American diet is already filled with B-vitamins and, consequently, energy drinks which are most of the time likewise filled with B-vitamins do not really help the body. On the contrary, energy drinks can only potentially yield to an overload of B-vitamins in the human body (Brody). In effect, the body may not be able to absorb the overload of B-vitamins thereby resulting to certain bodily reactions. Vitamins should still be taken in moderation only as they can also adversely affect the body when taken in uncontrolled amounts. Even the term ‘energy drink’ is highly ambiguous. For the most part, the term itself is neither approved nor created by the FDA and the USDA; the manufacturers themselves coined the label (Babu). While these drinks are not being pulled out of the shelves for using a label that is not sanctioned by the FDA and the USDA, they continue to play on the sensibilities of the public. It is a fact that energy can be taken from any food. Most of them come in the form of calories. To say that a certain beverage is an ‘energy drink’ is to create the impression that it gives energy more than what one could normally derive from the average daily meals and snacks. It may be true that these energy drinks can provide people with energy but it is another matter altogether to claim that they can radically increase the energy levels of an individual. It may even be pointed out that a person may opt to eat fruits and vegetables several hours before a physically and mentally grueling task instead of consuming a can of energy drink before performing the task. It is a healthier approach with more benefits for the human body without the aid of artificial ingredients and chemicals. Identifying the problem and providing solutions It may be said that a person has the freedom to choose whatever he wants to consume. The basis for saying this is that a person has full autonomy over his own body. Thus, no one can be prevented from purchasing what is openly available in stores. This proposition is crucial since it establishes the idea that the main concern should naturally be focused on the individual. However, this does not relieve the manufacturers of energy drinks from any responsibility. On the contrary, the imperative to pay attention to the consumers necessitates that manufacturers have a big role to fill. It has been observed that there is little scientific research available and government regulation with respect to energy drinks (Seifert, et al.). This is worrisome since energy drinks have been manufactured and sold throughout the world for at least two decades. It may be one of the significant reasons why there are only very few available comprehensive information about the negative effects of energy drinks on the human body. In this day and age where more and more energy drink products are being produced—an indicator that there is a growing market for energy drinks—it is indeed imperative that more information about energy drinks should be made available to the public. It is important to inform and educate consumers about the effects of energy drinks on the human body. One way to achieve this is to provide the right information on the labels of products. Instead of purely flaunting catchphrases that tease the sensibilities of consumers, products should contain labels that clearly warn consumers of the negative effects of energy drinks if and when they are consumed in high quantities and in regular intervals. It is safe to say that a serving of Monster Energy once every week, for example, does not necessarily endanger a person’s health. However, regular consumption of the product—akin to an addiction—will certainly take its toll on the body. For this reason, products should contain warnings about the regular consumption of energy drinks. The warning should be visible enough and should not be placed in an obscure part of the product. This is a direct approach in informing the general public about energy drinks without the intervention of the government. Manufacturers should be responsible enough to take the initiative. Schools can also take part in informing young students about the energy drinks. Forums and symposiums may be conducted within school premises. Medical practitioners and representatives from the FDA and USDA can be invited as guest speakers. Students should be encouraged to give frank questions about energy drinks in order to remove any lingering doubts about their effects. Teachers may also include in their discussions on biochemistry or on human anatomy the benefits and harms of energy drinks. Documentaries about the effects of energy drinks may also be presented before classes of students. All of these suggestions can easily be done and require very minimal resources on the part of the school. Moreover, they immediately address the need to inform the younger population. The government should regulate energy drinks more stringently. The legislature should come-up with laws that will put a limit on how much caffeine, for instance, can be included in energy drinks. The same should also apply to other chemicals in these drinks. This approach has been done in other consumable products and should likewise be applied in the case of energy drinks since even teenagers today are getting hooked on the product. Needless to say, it is the duty of the government not only to make sure that the products available in the market are safe for human consumption but also to provide guidelines on product manufacturers so that no harm will be made. The FDA and the USDA should also do its role in making detailed analyses on every energy drink sold in the market and in crafting a comprehensive assessment on whether or not each of these products is safe for human consumption. The reports may also serve as the basis for the legislature to impose certain limits on the amount of chemicals that can be put into the products. These agencies have the expertise and skills to make conclusive and, in some cases, binding reports that cannot be dismissed easily by product manufacturers. The government can also carefully scrutinize the published and broadcasted advertisements of energy drink manufacturers in order to determine whether these manufacturers are making any unfounded claims which can gravely confuse the consumers. False advertising can certainly fool consumers into thinking that what the product professes to offer when in fact such is not the case. In order to clear any misinformation, the advertisers themselves should have the moral impulse to avoid making false claims just to make a sale. Needless to say, any false advertising can backfire on the advertiser, especially if the negative consequences of it have begun to take shape and an increasing number of consumers have likewise begun to air their grievances. Before it is too late, advertisers should take the initiative. Doing so can save them time from long years of litigation and money. A more radical suggestion is to impose an absolute ban on all energy drinks. Unfortunately, this suggestion will not hold water. Although it is admitted that energy drinks can potentially endanger the health of the people, imposing a full ban will likewise affect those who consume energy drinks within prescribed safety limits, especially those who need these drinks at the most important moments in their lives. Even the federal government can also face losses in the form of revenue taxes if and when the production of energy drinks is finally banned throughout America. Given the reports earlier mentioned that children nowadays are more and more becoming immersed in the consumption of energy drinks, it is also important to address this vital concern. The first step is that local grocery stores should see to it that they do not sell energy drinks to children especially those below seventeen years of age. This is a measure that can easily be done. However, it may be admitted that it has certain limitations. For instance, children can consume energy drinks at home if their parents stock a certain supply of this beverage. Still, something can be done. Parents should see to it that their children do not have access to energy drinks at home. This is where responsible parenting is of full use. Older siblings can also prevent their younger siblings from getting their hands on energy drinks whether at home or in the public. Efforts will have to come from the entire family. Teaching children at a young age to refrain from consuming energy drinks at their stage is crucial. It will help reinforce the idea in the child’s mind that there are consumable products that are not yet fit for their health. In the long run, children who will grow-up in an environment where they are taught to refrain from consuming energy drinks may soon minimize their consumption of such products when they have already grown. Independent research organizations should further engage themselves in the current efforts to comprehensively study and assess the consequences of energy drinks on the human body, from children to adults. Since more energy drink brands are being manufactured and sold, it is admitted that any attempt to make a comprehensive research can take a long while. Apart from time, more financial resources will also be needed in order to carryout a comprehensive study. Nevertheless, civic organizations can provide research grants. The government should likewise tap the private sector actively engaged in doing research by providing similar research grants. People and energy drinks: the future America is teeming with activity around the clock. Many people living in cities that never sleep, so to speak, are oftentimes predisposed to take full advantage of every waking hour of their lives. They work for protracted hours in order to get a bigger pay. Students do their school tasks over long hours. Young people party from dusk until dawn. On the other hand, many athletes and individuals with very active lifestyles maintain their physical routines almost every day. It is not surprising, therefore, if energy drinks have become an integral part of the American lifestyle. By themselves, energy drinks can help an individual, especially if these drinks are consumed in moderate amounts. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There is an imminent danger: as the world becomes more fast-paced, people may fall into the temptation to consume energy drinks to the point that they will become dependent on these beverages in order for them to perform their daily routines. If the government fails to step-in and regulate energy drinks, and if very little research is done in the coming years, there may come a point when energy drinks will eventually become an indispensable part of the American culture. People may no longer begin to express their concern over the consequences of energy drinks since there is no comprehensive and conclusive basis to back-up their concerns in the first place. This can only push manufacturers to further develop their products, which translates to energy drinks with other chemicals that replaces caffeine, for instance, but with twice the effect. In general, energy drinks if left thoroughly unchecked can only grow into an even bigger social bane. In the end, nothing can replace a healthy lifestyle—not even energy drinks. A healthy body and a healthy mind need not depend on energy drinks in order to properly function even under stress. Proper diet, regular exercise and a lifestyle free from any form of vice are still the best solutions for any person who expects to face tight deadlines and activities at work or in school. Works Cited Babu, Kavita. â€Å"Energy Drinks: The New Eye-Opener for Adolescents. † Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine 9. 3 (2008): 35-42. Print. Brody, Jane E. â€Å"Scientists See Dangers in Energy Drinks. † NYTimes. com. The New York Times. 31 Jan. 2011. Web. Accessed 29 Apr. 2011. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/02/01/health/01brody. html Collier, Karen. â€Å"Kids wired on alcoholic energy drinks. † Herald Sun. Herald and Weekly Times. 29 Apr. 2011. Web. Accessed 30 Apr. 2011. http://www. heraldsun. com. au/news/kids-wired-on-alcoholic-energy-drinks/story-e6frf7jo-1226046546571 Olson, David E. , and Michael D. Maltz â€Å"Energy drinks: are they safe? † Nine MSN Health and Wellbeing. MSN. 3 Aug. 2010. Web. Accessed 29 Apr. 2011. http://health. ninemsn. com. au/family/familyhealth/689831/energy-drinks Laitner, Bill. â€Å"Some love the kick they get from energy drinks, but others worry about risks. † Detroit Free Press. Gannett. 1 May 2011. Web. Accessed.

Unit Final

In the interest of thoroughness, footprints should be preserved even if they do not show any details. Although the size and shape of the shoe or pattern in the heel or sole is of lesser evidential value, a representative print should nonetheless be preserved for its value as an investigative lead. (Fisher, Barry A. J. , Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, pegs 226-227). A footwear print may be a foot Impression or a footprint (dust print). Foot impressions occur when the foot treads In some moldable material such as earth, sand, clay, snow, etc.Footprints are formed on a hard base when the foot or the sole and heel of a shoe are contaminated with some foreign matter such as road dirt, gust, flour, blood, or moisture. Footprints may also be latent when naked or stocking- covered feet on a smooth surface have formed them. Footwear impression evidence and information from the gait pattern may indicate that the subject was walking or running, had sustained an injury or walked with a limp, was possibly intoxicated, had a tendency to walk toe-in or toe-out, or was carrying a heavy object. (Fisher, Barry A. J. , Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, pegs 226-227).Foot Impressions are generally found outdoors; the first precautionary measure Is Hereford to protect the Impression from alteration or destruction, preferably by covering It with a box or cordoning off the area. Impressions In thawing snow are especially troublesome, so a box covered with snow to prevent thawing should protect them. If a foot impression is in such a position that it is possible for it to gradually fill up or be damaged by running water, it must be surrounded by a wall of earth, sand, or snow; alternatively, a hole may be dug close to the impression and the water drained toward the hole.However, these protective measures are only tops and the actual preservation should be undertaken as soon as possible. Preservation should be done by photographing and casting or, in the case of dust p rints, should be lifted. (Fisher, Barry A. J. , Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, pegs 231-232). When photographing the Impressions the camera should be placed vertically above the Impression on a tripod with a scale placed next to the impression. The film plane should be parallel to the Impression so as not to cause distortion In the photograph.It is good practice to place two scales in the photograph at right angles ND a second perpendicular to the first, in the region adjacent to the heel. If the bottom of the impression is appreciably deeper than the surface of the ground or snow, the scale should be brought down to the same level. Before photographing, any material that may have fallen into the impression should be cleaned away immediately. If it is not possible to carry this out without damaging the impression, it should be omitted.Because the details in foot impressions are three dimensional, the photograph should be made under illumination that will bring out those de tails o the best advantage. Direct sunlight enhances the details by creating highlights and shadows. When the sky is cloudy and the daylight diffuse and practically without shadow, artificial light must be used; foothold or flash illumination is suitable. (Fisher, Barry A. J. , Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, pegs 232-233).Dental stone is a type of gypsum or calcium sulfate that can be used to cast shoe impressions. At one time, plaster of Paris was more widely used for this purpose; however, dental stone is superior and readily available from dental supply companies. Dental stone can be used for casting most impressions; even snow. Foot impressions in loose, dry sand and earth can be taken without any special preparation. Some literature suggests removing loose twigs and leaves, but this practice can damage the impression and is highly discouraged. Fisher, Barry A. J. , Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, peg 233). In lifting firearms, great care must be taken not to destroy evidence. The best way to lift a pistol or revolver is to hold it with two fingers on the checkered part of the butt, or possibly by the ring on the butt. Shotguns may conveniently be held around the checkered part of the neck of the butt; if necessary the weapon can be lifted by a steady grip with the fingers on the trigger guard.It is undesirable to lift a weapon such as a revolver or pistol, because the weapon may be cocked and a shot may be fired if the trigger happens to be touched. It should be taken as a general rule never to lift a weapon found at the scene of a crime before first making sure that no one is in the direction in which the muzzle is pointing; of course one should not risk being hit if the weapon fires while being lifted. The weapon may actually be cocked so that even the slightest movement could cause a shot to be fired.The procedure for lifting up a gun by putting a pencil or stick in the barrel is absolutely wrong. This may destroy valuable clues in t he barrel that might possibly have been of use in elucidating the case. In a contact shot (I. E. , when the muzzle is in contact with a body), which is common with suicide, it often happens that blood, grease, fragments of fabric, and textile fibers are blown into the barrel of the gun by the violence of gas pressure and the splash of tissue and blood in all directions.

Civil War (Ken Burns Review) Essay

Episode V ,†The Universe of Battle†, of The Civil War series directed by Ken Burns reflects on how the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a major turning point in the Civil War. He details how the Union defeat at Gettysburg, the work of women, and the entry of black men into the Union army enabled the North to significantly weaken the Confederacy. The Union and Confederacy both suffered thousands of casualties in the bloody battles that took place. However, by the end of 1863, the North was led to a â€Å"new birth of freedom† while the South had to come to the realization that the â€Å"bottom rail was on top†, now. Burns begins the episode with the first of three battles that took place in the rural town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1863. The Union was led by Commander Meade who served under General Grant and the Confederacy by General Lee. Due to Lee’s commanders not delivering tactical support on the first day of battle, the North was able to hold their high ground, but did this not compare to what was going to happen in the following two days. The second day of battle the number of soldiers present in Gettysburg grew substantially, on both sides. A significant part of this battle is when the Union stopped the Confederacy form gaining position of Little Round Top. This was long day of battle, whole regiments in the Confederacy were lost this day. By third day of battle Lee was acting as if he was invincible and this was detrimental for his men. Union soldiers slaughtered the Confederacy and they never entered that far into Union territory again. Lee had failed his men and he knew it. This must have been very hard on Lee. It was shocking to hear that he tried to resign after he lost this battle. I thought it was very interesting that the Confederacy’s need for shoes is was what led them in to Gettysburg. I bet they never thought that the result of this stop would end up in 150,000 men fighting 51,000 men dying in the greatest battle ever fought in the northern hemisphere. The actual pictures, paintings, and simulated video used while describing these battles were really good and the helped me to gain a sense of what it was like to be there. I also enjoyed the irony in the fact that the North entered Gettysburg from the south and the South entered from the north. It was also interesting that the troops fighting over the Little Round Top were both from equal distances from Gettysburg in the opposite directions. Next, the importance of women supporting the war was examined. Women not only held down the farms and houses when the men were off at war, but many women also left their homes to care for the soldiers. In the north women started the Sanitary Commission and demanded better treatment and better food for the soldiers. This commission was made up of hundreds and thousands of women. In the south Sally Tompkins and a staff of six, nursed 1,333 wounded men. Unlike the North, the South did not have a Sanitary Commission and most men were treated in houses. In the north, Mary Ann Bickerdyke was a important female figure in the war. She traveled with the Union army for four years and sixteen battles. General Sherman stated, â€Å"She ranks me†. This statement by Sherman was extraordinary, especially for this era. It makes me happy that she received the credit that was due to her. Many women served as nurses, food gathers, and cooks, but I am exceptionally impressed with Mary Ann Bickerdyke’s story. I imagine she gave up a lot and the fact that she stayed strong during all of the gruesome battles she saw really says a lot about her character. Following the role of women in the Civil War, Burns details the forty-eight day siege of Vicksburg. During this battle the residents of Vicksburg were cut off from the world and were in desperate need of supplies. When Union had control over the well being of the Vicksburg residents, 31,000 Confederate soldiers under the command of General John C. Pemberton withdrew due to the concern of the health of the Vicksburg residents. The Union victory of this battle was significant because the Confederacy was now cut in two. I was surprised that Pemberton was a northern man fighting for the Confederacy. I would expect that soldiers would support their states. I also found it very interesting that after this siege, the fourth of July would not be celebrated in Vicksburg for eighty-one years. That is just crazy to me! Burns goes on to examine the first black regiment and the first federal draft call. In New York, a mostly Irish mob held an uprising over the draft. They were opposed to abolition because they feared blacks taking their jobs. It also made them angry that the draft favored the rich in that they could easily hire substitutes to take their place. Meanwhile, the uprising in New York was ended and the enlistment of the first blacks into the Union army had begun, this was a huge blow to the Confederacy. However, the blacks did not receive fair treatment, but they were key to the war. I am not surprised that black soldiers would fight without pay, but it was surprising that they declined it because it was not equal to the pay of the white soldiers. I like the pictures of the black soldiers. You could see by their facial expressions that their pride was different from that of the white men. In some of their pictures some of them were actually smiling unlike the pictures of white soldiers I have seen. I think it because they were truly happy to be fighting for their cause. Frederick Douglass put it best when he stated that blacks were, â€Å"the pivot upon which the whole rebellion turns, this war, disguise it as they may, is virtually nothing more or less then perpetual slavery against universal freedom and to this end the free states will have to come.† The 650 men of the all black 54th Massachusetts regiment proved to the Union that blacks were useful soldiers during the battle at Battery Wagner in South Carolina. Even though the Confederates were ahead in this battle, the battle ultimately ended in a protracted siege that was enabled by the 54th. It was because of their battle other black regiments were deemed worthy to fight. Finally, the episode ends with Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. On November 19, 1863 Lincoln delivered one of the most memorable speeches in American history. Lincoln declared the love he had for his people and his unwavering pursuit for equality in just 269 words. I never realized that this speech was just a â€Å"side speech† at a dedication ceremony. It is almost unbelievable that Lincoln thought that this was a failed speech considering that even today most Americans know at least the first line of the Gettysburg Address. It is a shame that the photographer was not able to capture him delivering his speech, it would have been a great image to reflect upon today.

Role of Perception in Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Role of Perception in Decision Making - Essay Example It has been found that cultural background indeed helps in shaping the behavior of an individual (Husted and Allen, 2008). Today we are living in the times of globalization and liberalization of economies, which makes it obligatory on the part of the organizations and individuals to work with people from different cultural backgrounds. At times an organization also gets to be known as having particular culture by taking in consideration the working behavior and cultural background of the workforce. Managing a whole lot of diversity forms the key component of the effective management process. Diversity within an organization can also be effectively managed if one can analyze how we form a typical perception about someone. Workplace diversity is stated to have a positive as well as a negative aspect. The diversity on account of gender also influences the behavior of an organization. Thompson's (2000) came out with a detailed study suggesting that men hold more negative views of diversity than women. This view gets strength from an experiment carried out on 2686 workers at an electronics company. This expe riment came out with findings that women of all racial/ethnic backgrounds held more positive perceptions of diversity than Caucasian males (Hostager and Meuse, 2008). ... Well a number of similar studies have also found out that there is no significant difference in ethical perceptions of men and women. But at the same time, it needs to be emphasized that no study has so far indicated that men are more ethical than the women counterparts (Marta et al, 2008). This goes on to show that there's indeed some amount of truth in the fact that women are more ethically perceptive/ sensitive. While managing an organization such factors need to be taken into account for effective management of the organization. What are the positive and negative effects of using perceptive "shortcuts" when judging others Perceptions are supposed to help in the process of making judgments as well. While stuck up in some tricky situation and the manager is entrusted with the task of judging a person, a process, a team or an organization then the perceptive 'shortcuts' come in handy. But, there is also a possibility that making use of such 'perceptive shortcuts' could actually result in a wrongful judgment. Often, collective behavior of a team depends upon the nature of judgments taken by some individuals (Husted and Allen, 2008). The model of Trevino on ethical decision making in business tries to explore the relationship between individualism and collectivism. The key elements of this model are; the perception of a moral problem, moral judgment, and ethical behavior. Some of the positive and negative effects of using perceptive shortcuts can be summarized as; i. Positive effects a. Decision can be taken quickly b. Follow up action is also aided by the perceptive shortcuts c. Process of decision making become easier d. It helps in

Respiratory Synovial Virus (RSV) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Respiratory Synovial Virus (RSV) - Term Paper Example Almost every child will have atleast one RSV infection in the first 3 years of life (Krilov, 2011). The disease is prevalent in most parts of the world and is associated with some morbidity and mortality. Mortality rate however is low and less than 1 percent even in hospitalized children. Increased mortality is seen only in high risk groups like immunodeficiency, chronic lung disease and prematurity (Marlais et al, 2011). In these children, even the hospital stay is prolonged. There is some evidence that infants who have suffered RSV infection are likely to develop abnormal pulmonary function tests related to asthma or obstructive disease (Krilov, 2011). It is yet unclear whether the virus itself causes the disease are those who have such problems are prone to the disease. The disease occurs in all races and both the sexes. Reinfection can occur any time in life, with limitation to upper respiratory tract. Virology The virus has 10 genes which encode 11 proteins, M2 has 2 open readin g frames. NS_ and 2 inhibit the activity of interferon-1. N encodes for the nucleocapsid protein resulting in association with the genomic RNA, forming nucleocapsid. The matrix protein that is essential for viral assembly is encoded by M. The viral coat is formed by G, SH and F. G is the surface protein and is glycosylated heavily. It mainly functions as the protein of attachment. F is also a surface protein. It mainly mediated fusion and helps in the entry of the virus into the cell and also transfer of the virus from one cell to another through syncytia (Ji, 2009). Site of infection Infection due to RSV is restricted to the respiratory tract. In young children and infant, the lower respiratory tract gets involved. The virus gets inoculated in the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract and the virus gradually spreads to the lower respiratory tract through cell-to-cell transfer along the syncytia (Garzon et al, 2002). Clinical presentation Clinically, the child begins with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and small airway disease many manifest within 2 days. Clinical features include coryza, cough, wheezing, few crepitations, low grade fever and poor appetite. In some children, the disease is advanced and manifests as retractions, cyanosis and low oxygen saturations on oximetry. Secondary bacterial infections are rare with RSV infection, except for otitis media which occurs in 40 percent cases. In very small infants apnea and sepsis like picture can occur. In older children, RSV is more limited to upper respiratory tract. In elderly people, RSV is a severe disease (Marlais et al, 2011). In those with immunodeficiency also, severe disease occurs. Because of decreased oral intake and increased loss of water through increased breathing, children with RSV infection are likely to be dehydrated (Krilov, 2011). Risk factors Factors associated with increased risk of developing the infection are attendance to child care, lower socioeconomic status , crowding, exposure to pollutants in the environment like traffic pollutants and smoking, absence of breast feeding, multiple births sets and family history of asthma. Other risk factors include prematurity, age less than 3 months, congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease, congenital immunodeficiency and severe neuromuscular

Jpmorgan income&growth PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jpmorgan income&growth PLC - Essay Example 18). Both Income shareholders and Capital shareholders play exemplary role towards enhancing Capital growth and initiating strategies that would ensure the company realizes positive outcomes from its massive financial investments. The company has successfully invested in a relatively diverse portfolio comprising between 50 to 70 percent of all equities of the United Kingdom as well as a wide range of other assets. In order to accomplish its long-term financial investment goals, JPMorgan Income & Growth Investment Trust plc has extended the diversity of its Capital investments to include equities, assets, convertible bonds and bond funds (Dadrian 2006 p. 18). Despite the trading and logistical challenges of the UK stock exchange market, the company has managed to accumulate substantial investment, which are not only manifesting in the United Kingdom but also in other bordering economies. In particular, the company has increased its portfolio in direct equities base in the United Kingd om (Dillman 2006, p. 34). This has boosted the realization of the financial and investment goals of the corporation without compromising the individual ideas and preferences of its Income and Capital shareholders. Diversified assets have also been critical to expansion and accomplishment of the financial and investment objectives of the company. ... To attain long term financing, the firm has instigated a comprehensive plan with its primary aim being to identify the trustworthy and reliable sources of finance. Among the vital sources in its priority list are term loans, debenture, bonds, warrant, and lease. Term loans are loans from commercial banks and other financial institutions with clear repayment schedule along with a floating interest rate (Gupta 2005 p. 43). These loans are essential in realizing a major investment in the organization upon acquisition. Commercial banks offer short term as well as long-term loans to prospective clients. Since JPMorgan Income & Growth Investment Trust has had plans to meet its internal and external financial needs, term loans are hence inevitable. Acquisition of such loans would depend on the conveniences of the repayment schedule and the interest rates charged on such credit facilities. Bank loans have been instrumental to the major expansion of the company’s Capital and Asset base in the past few years (Gupta 2005 p. 43). In effect, the Income shareholders and Capital shareholders have managed to rip huge returns since the acquisition of these credit facilities of various commercial banks. However, repayment has emerged to one of the greatest challenges the company has to grapple with owing to the difficulties in the investment market. Thus, the company has initiated schemes with a view to ensure it diversified its long-term monetary ambitions are well spread across the board. Term loans have advantages and disadvantages to the company in equal measure. The main befit of these short term and long term loans is that they help the organization meet its growing financial

Reason, Faith and Logos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Reason, Faith and Logos - Essay Example Introduction Foundational to spiritual and philosophical investigations are the notions of reason and faith. Adherents to faith argue that true recognition of god or the divine cannot be grasped through the implementation of modern notions of reason. These views are contrasted with the perspective of humanist philosophers who advance notions of reason and science as necessary foundations of knowledge. In The Gay Science section 125 Nietzsche proclaims that God is dead – adding that we have killed him. Bearing in mind the long history of philosophical reflection on the interrelation of reason and faith, this essay considers whether religious faith has anything very significant to fear, or to gain, from the arguments of philosophers. Analysis There exists considerable exploration into concerns specifically related to the interaction of faith and reason, with many philosophers and theologians contending that faith is not necessarily removed from reason. Indeed, religious theologi ans and philosophers to justify religious belief have used both of these concepts. Some contentious have argued that when reason is properly implemented it affirms faith; in this sense reason and faith implement essentially the same methodological means of grasping reality or the divine (Wolterstoff 1998). Still, other perspectives that are less stringent than these understandings indicate that while reason and faith adopt different processes of understanding the world, the use of reason will never be able to contradict faith, as faith is the ‘true’ grasp of this divine order (Wolterstoff 1998). However, other thinkers have argued that the very existence of a notion of ‘faith’ necessitates that it be in-direct contention with notions of reason (Alston 1998). Essentially, this argument considers that there would be no use for a faith concept if faith truly aligned itself with reason. Understandably there is a significant history of thought devoted to the not ions of reason and faith and their interaction. One of the earliest recorded such philosophical considerations can be attributed to Greek antiquity. This period of philosophy, known as the classic period, witnessed an explosion of intellectual growth, as a variety of thinkers wrote and debated questions that ran to the essence of the universe and humanity’s place within it. While Judaic traditions were developed during this period, to a large degree their focus was on human existence; conversely, the Greek’s considered notions of faith in regards to larger cosmological concerns (Melchert 2002). To a degree it appears that two separate traditions of thought developed in Greek society, with one embracing religious beliefs and the other more philosophically based notions of reason (Melchert 2002). Still, these Greek belief patterns were not entirely exclusive. Some theorists contend that faith and reason interacted in Greek society through the mythmaking system that devel oped (Melchert 2002). In these regards, Greek gods emerged that also embodied some civic virtues. These virtues would then be dispersed down to daily life, as individuals would attempt to incorporate them into their value system and regular interactions. It was only later that

Up To Interpretation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Up To Interpretation - Research Paper Example The modern era of artwork has seen a fundamental shift in the means by which the public interacts with art. Whereas before, the artwork was somewhat straight forward and readily discerned, the artwork of the modern period has left a great deal more up to personal interpretation; choosing to exploit the constructivism that has defined so much of our modern era. As a means of fully appreciating such a reality, one has to question the true nature of art: whether its subjectivity is an overall strength or an overall weakness. According to Janoaro and Altshuler, â€Å"The treasure of art, however, is that its reality lives on after its subjects die. The final product is an addition to reality, not simply a way of reproducing it†. As such, it is the strong belief of this observer that Janoaro and Altshuler have perfectly encapsulated the heart of the matter regarding art and its appreciation. Rather than confining art to a type of fantasy in which one must only appreciate within the garb of tired convention and conformity, the availability of modern art to allow for a type of constructivism and subjectivity is one of the greatest developments that art has seen come to fruition over the past 100 years. Due to the introduction of this level of subjectivity, art has been able to mean more to individuals who may otherwise have never had an interest in the convention. Moreover, it has provided for a type of open mindedness that has allowed the arts to grow and develop in ways and at a rate.

What is the object of copyright How should the law define the 'work' Essay

What is the object of copyright How should the law define the 'work' in the context of literary property - Essay Example The copyright’s interpretation and protection is mainly related to the indigenous creation of the work. It does not apply to the idea that underlies its creation. As such, copyright protects the presentation of the idea. For instance, an idea behind a book is not protected but the presentation of the idea in the form of a book through the content is protected. This means that other individuals can also utilize the same idea and write a book based on that idea; however, they cannot claim copyright if the content of the book is copied or if it is an adaptation of another writer’s presentation of that idea (The UK Copyright Service, 2004). Names, titles, phrases and specific colours are ineligible to be granted a copyright, because they are not considered to be unique or distinct. They are also not sufficiently tangible to be protected by copyright law. However, a logo which contains all these components can be protected by copyright. Therefore, the form in which an idea or a creative work is presented can be protected by copyright law. Nevertheless, just the idea behind such a presentation cannot be protected (The UK Copyright Service, 2004). The Institute for Public Policy Research or the IPPR claims that millions of consumers infringe the copyright law by illegally copying the content of CD’s and DVD’s. The usual practice is to store the content of CD’s and DVD’s on computer hard disk drives or on optical discs. This practice makes it look as though there is some kind of private right to duplicate copyrighted content. According to Ian Kearns, Deputy Director of IPPR, the existing English law with regard to copyrights cannot counter the unlawful practices adopted by consumers, due to the sophistication of the technology employed (HOME NEWS, October 30, 2006; Pg. 15 ). The existing law provides a legalised private right to copy, to the people. Under this private right, consumers are freely copying the contents of CD’s or DVD’s onto their

Public and Private Finance in Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public and Private Finance in Property - Essay Example ncreased consumption levels, reduction in unemployment rate, increased exports, growth in corporate profits as well as increased foreign direct investments. The British government does not only depend on tax revenue to fund its budget but also other sources which include state owned organizations, privatizations, foreign direct investments, sale of assets. The British government own several corporations, which forms a commendable source of revenue to the government in form of profits. For instance, the UK government own the postal service company- Royal mail, train-operating company-East Coast, and education holding company- BPP Holdings. The British government has been involved in a number of privatizations whereby the government relieve its ownership and interest in parastatal to private investors. An example of such privatization includes that of the British rail in 1993. British government is major player in local business and this is evident through participation in sovereign we alth funds. The UK government own motorways, harbours, airport terminus and sewer lines that forms an important source of revenue to the government when members of the public use these infrastructure. The government has also in a number of occasions disposed off its assets to get additional revenue in order to fund its operations. Government Expenditure The UK government has been experiencing a number of challenges with its expenditure patters for a long period. It is quite unfortunate that the UK government’s total expenditure for its fiscal years have always surpassed its revenue (Parliament, 2012). This trend has remained like this for a considerable period. The government has been forced in most cases to borrow surplus funds from the public in order to meet its expenditure need.... The British government does not only depend on tax revenue to fund its budget but also other sources which include state owned organizations, privatizations, foreign direct investments, sale of assets. The British government own several corporations, which forms a commendable source of revenue to the government in form of profits. For instance, the UK government own the postal service company- Royal mail, train-operating company-East Coast, and education holding company- BPP Holdings. The British government has been involved in a number of privatizations whereby the government relieve its ownership and interest in parastatal to private investors. An example of such privatization includes that of the British rail in 1993. British government is major player in local business and this is evident through participation in sovereign wealth funds. The UK government own motorways, harbours, airport terminus and sewer lines that forms an important source of revenue to the government when memb ers of the public use these infrastructure. The government has also in a number of occasions disposed off its assets to get additional revenue in order to fund its operations. The UK government has been experiencing a number of challenges with its expenditure patters for a long period. It is quite unfortunate that the UK government’s total expenditure for its fiscal years have always surpassed its revenue (Parliament, 2012). The government has been forced in most cases to borrow surplus funds from the public in order to meet its expenditure need.

Construction ICT Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Construction ICT - Research Proposal Example In this section I will talk about the main problem situation regarding the lacking of implementation in the construction process and management. In this section I will discuss about the main problem situation and its possible effects regarding the effective construction process management and handling. The trouble that causes a serious hurdle in the construction industry is the lack of the communication. In this scenario the worker and management are ignorant to the in progress state of the development of the construction site. We also have less interaction in case of the on site construction management. Then we have a most important problem on the subject of the data transfer. In the absence of the ICT tools it is tremendously complicated to supervise and handle the construction process. The on time data movement is really indispensable for on time project handling. For instance we have traced a new alignment regarding roof settlement. This data requires instantaneous transfer to access the new construction strategy or handling information. There is also the main problem regarding the less effective management of the overall human resource on the site. In the presence of the ICT tools we would be able to handle the overall workforce in a better way. The customary way of construction lacks the on site labour communication and handling of the overall construction resource. Next main problem in absence of ICT tools is regarding the effective resource management and handling on the site. In this scenario the construction site resources are managed manually that is more time consuming and complicated task. In the field construction we have no observation means for the overall workforce performance. This means that workers are working in separation and there is no check on their performance assessment. The automotive vehicle tracking and management is not possible in the overall scenario. IT in Construction In this section I will talk about the implementation of the most modern developed information based technology in the construction industry. This technology has changed the on the whole working structure and configuration of the construction market. "Now the methods of construction engross more enhanced tools and techniques regarding the overall development of the construction business" (Sarshar et al, 2004). This carrying out of the information technology in the field of construction business projected an innovative approach to enhance the construction developments in the course of utilization of mobility and information technology. This policy intended to build up effectiveness, consequently, reducing expenditure as well as time of the resources facilities procurement practice. It is as well intended to build up the freedom of a structuring or capability, meeting customers' needs. The role of ICT in the vision of the construction business was presented, and a multi step technique was planned for carrying about a balanced acceptance through the business of IT (Arayici et al, 2005). ICT based technology All the way through the world the majority of the organizations accept as true that the effectual utilization of

Denver Art Museum Essay Example for Free

Denver Art Museum Essay The Denver Art Museum is one of the few luxuries Colorado residents and tourists alike, have the pleasure of experiencing. It is truly a world class facility, from the outside in. Within the confines of its walls reside masterpieces from the likes of Monet, Degas, and Picasso. There is a broad spectrum of art from all corners of the globe represented here. This includes art from various European nations, as well as that of far eastern cultures to American Indian design. Each exhibit presented work which seemed to grasp and shed light onto the respective time period or culture represented. I found three particular compositions to be representative of their era or genre. The first of which is an oil painting on a wood panel by an Englishman named William Larkin to be completed in 1610. This piece, entitled Mary Radclyffe, is a portrait of King James’s wife, Mary Radclyffe. It is very obvious to see, after reviewing the Roman artistic style of idealizing an individual in a realistic way, that this is a idealized view of Radclyffe. As a matter of fact, William Larkin was one of the last artists to work in this refined, elegant portrait style of Elizabeth I. The clothing Radclyffe is donning in the aforementioned painting is typical of the high class during the time it was completed in the early 17th century. This piece can also be classified as having a Baroque nature about it. The Baroque cultural movement pertained to not only art, but music, dance, and literature as well. The artistic style emits a sense of awe and a tremendous attention to detail which is seldom mistaken for any other method. This Idealized style derives from Plato and the â€Å"higher reality of eternal truths† which he refers to in his book, the Theory of Forms. â€Å"Plato’s theory of forms proposes that all sensory objects are imitations of Forms, which, like the simplest mathematical equations, are imperishable and forever true. † (Fiero I: 98) The next piece which caught my attention is a sculpture I have always been intrigued in. Shiva, King of Dancers, or Shiva Nataraja, comes from Tamil Nadu during the Chola Dynasty, in India. The Chola Dynasty enjoyed a long ime span of power from the late 9th century all the way up to the 13th century. The bronze sculpture standing 36’ 7/8† tall, encompasses radial balance contains a strong symbolic message, typical of most Hindu art. This iconic statue portrays Shiva dancing, with his right foot supported by a crouching figure, and his left elegantly raised in the air. The figure appears to have four arms, so it is clearly not meant to be realistic. Shiva is understood to be two conflicting things. One side of him signifies total tranquility, whereas he is also filled with total activity and energy on the other side. Not only does this depict what many people from this culture aspire attain, but people in many different cultures all over the globe as well. Although this particular work was made centuries after the Greeks revolutionized portraying the human body in sculpture, this freestanding figure was almost directly influenced by the Greeks. Not only for the fact that it is freestanding and praises the individual, but also because it pays homage to something greater than the human. As it says in the text, The Humanistic Tradition, â€Å"they paid perpetual homage to the gods. (Fiero I: 109) Not only that, but the perfection of the piece also comes from the Archaic period in Greek sculpture. More specifically, â€Å"the quest for realism was offset by the will to idealize form. (Fiero I: 109) This is also an idea from the philosopher Plato in his book, Theory of Forms. At the end of my journey of cultural enlightenment, I felt an obligation to take a gander at the African art exhibit because of how unique the style is compared to the rest of the museum. While there were many interesting works in the gallery, a certain piece done by Moyo Ogundipe caught my eye from a distance. Perhaps one of the better known images within the gallery, Soliloquy: Life’s Fragile Frictions was completed in 1997 and was done in acrylic on a 54’ x 78’ canvas. The cool collection of analogous colors really drew me into the image. The content in the piece is said to be inspired by the Egungun Festival in the village where the artist grew up. Some of the influences were drama, acrobatics, poetry, mime and pantomime, and black magic all play a role in creating the mood and atmosphere of this piece. Although this piece isn’t an ancient African work of art, it embodies my view of African art for its vivid color selection, organic shapes, chaotic nature, and intricate detail in the patterns. To me, this composition is reminiscent of an Egyptian scene done on the tomb walls in the 14th century. It tells a story in a similar fashion which the Egyptians did and depict the importance of the figure by size in a comparable way as well. This style is referred to as conceptual â€Å"that is, based on ideas rather than perceptual†¦ based on visual evidence. † (Fiero I: 34) Each piece I reviewed from the Denver Art Museum clearly depicted the transcendent nature of how art progresses. Each culture and movement reflect the ideals of the past through either subject matter, content, style, or technique. In many cases, philosophy and literature influenced the development of art especially Plato’s teachings. Overall, I felt more comfortable when I was in the North building because of not only the subject matter, but the architecture as well. Call me old fashioned, but I find that I appreciate art in a more intimate setting like the North building provides. From the wood floors, to the tighter confines of the vicinity between each piece, and the amount of information provided for each exhibit, I felt like I walked away with a deeper appreciation for the art in this building. The Hamilton building gave a unique presentation of each exhibit, though. I enjoyed the abstract architecture although I don’t think it is very practical for a museum. The next time I venture out to the museum, I will definitely spend more time in the temporary exhibitions, as I did not even scope that specific area out.

The Motivation And Rewards Management Essay

The Motivation And Rewards Management Essay Motivation and rewards has been chosen as our topic for this assignment. Motivation and rewards is very important for any organization or even any industry. Motivation is a behavior that cannot be created but can be influence while rewards are something that the employees gained from doing a good job in their work (Thomas, 2009). AirAsia was the company that chosen for this assignment. AirAsia do implement the motivation and rewards in their company successfully. AirAsia is a low-cost airline business which had become more and more popular around the world. AirAsia was established on year 1993 and started its business in year 1996 (McNamara Troftgruben, n.d). Government owned corporation is the found of this company. AirAsia is the largest company that introducing pioneer of low-cost travel and largest low-fare and in Asia and they have their slogan which known as Now Everyone Can Fly. AirAsia is a successful example for other airline companies. It has been transformed as an unthinkable concept to be successful in airline industry. This success can be proved from a money-losing task to profitable. Although AirAsia introducing no-frills service to their customer and using second hand aircraft, but it would still be a threat for other Asia airline companies (Michael Swathe, 2011). AirAsia have a very good performance in consumer mind by offering low fares, majority on-time record for flights and maintaining staff with high productivity and work ethic. Based on the information in Indonesia Straits Times, it is stated that in August 2011, Malaysian Airline form an alliance with Air Asia but the agreement of both airlines were voided because the alliance was struck down by the Malaysian government. (Leslie Lopez, 2011) AirAsia now is a successful airline company which expand from 2 planes to 80 planes and from 200 000 passengers to over 75 million passengers in 7 years time. It is a visible success that we can see year by year. (McNamara, 2012) Content Motivation In management, motivation defined as a power to force someone to work in certain way so that it able to reach certain desired goal. As what people always said, motivated people always work harder as compare with those unmotivated people. According to Lavinsky (2012), a company should make the employees feel doing something meaningful. As a result of a survey done by BNET show that majority agrees doing something meaningful were the most motivating things about work. According to Lavinsky (2012), motivation is internal and external factors that inspire employee interest, in which they need to, listen, focus and understand employee needs and wants through an effective communication. A company manager should change the question from Whom to How. An example given by Lavinsky (2012), say How we can improved this process? rather than, Who screwed up this up? This action might able to motivate the employees so that they will be more careful for their work so that wont disappoint their company. To have motivated workers, a manager must treat workers as individual, empower employees, redesigning jobs, and provide a comfortable and flexible workplace. Below are the meaning of the effective management practices (Griffin, 2006) :- Effective management practices Description Empowering employees Empowering employees means that giving the individual in an organization authority, autonomy, trust and encouragement to complete their tasks. Redesigning jobs Redesigning jobs is one of the best motivations in the workplace. Usually individuals go to work every day doing the same routine. This makes the workers become less motivated. Something actually can be done by the managers to improve the condition before the employees become de-motivated and bored. The way that manager can use is job redesign. Concern and knowledge are required for managers and have them bring it with them to the organization and then apply motivational theories into their work to improve the productivity and satisfaction of the employees. Creating flexibility World nowadays is all about flexibility. People nowadays have too much things to take care of but they do not have enough time to do it. Employees value more about personal time. Due to the family needs, a traditional nine-to-five working hours every day except Sunday may not work for many people. Therefore, flexibility which let employees to control and set their own working hours is the best. In AirAsia point of view, they believe that their entire staff act as contributor for the company, therefore, they always been treated as a big family and equally. This is an example of empowering employees. The company will have constantly talked with their employee in order to understand their needs and wants. They will organized a monthly staff forum and create some fun programs to help them release their working stress. In the event, they also give employees an opportunity to speak out their point of view towards their working place (McNamara, 2012). According to Zhu (2010), even though the salaries gave to employees were low, but all employees were giving broad range of incentives. Such as, share offers stock options, productivity and performance-based bonus. Those motivations may give employees sense of ownership and it able to improve in effective and focused workforce. Despite that, Airasia employees are able to perform in multiple roles in flat organizational structure because the airline has implemented a flexible work rules (Zhu, 2010). This can be an example of creating flexibility. Flight attendants also can be work at check-in counter. They can change to different department after they work for one month. By doing this, the employees wont be bored to working in the same area. Flexibility will motivate the employees to work harder because they are happy with all the flexible rules given and thus, they can gain more experiences in that industry. Even though AirAsia always try to minimize their expenses cost, but they are very determined on employee work ethic. Therefore, AirAsia always provided their employees the best training and ensure that they are happy in their working place. (Foo, 2012) This can be called as redesigning jobs. As a result, AirAsia gets to establish a numbers of quality and excellence employees because the employees are sa tisfied with their jobs that are always fresh to them. Reward A reward is a scheme to support desirable behavior. Rewards can be in terms of financial and non-financial. Example of financial reward is bonus pay and example of non-financial reward is degree of achievement, opportunity to growth or even praise from the top management or manager for doing a good job. Reward is different from motivation. Reward is something that the worker or employees gain from putting effort in their jobs while motivation is something that they need to have in order to put more effort in their jobs. Intrinsic and extrinsic are the two types of rewards that can motivate employees. (Mcrill, n.d ). Types of rewards Description Intrinsic rewards Intrinsic rewards are self-administrated. An intrinsic reward refers to the motivation that comes from inside of an individual rather than from any outside rewards such as bonus, gifts and so on. It is an outcome that gives an individual personal satisfaction such as an experience after completing a job, professional growth and sense of pleasure. The individual will feel good because he or she have the feeling of learning and achieving something which can be also called as personal development. Besides that, the individual will also have the feeling of competency and self-control over her work. The motivational stimulus in intrinsic do not depends on the actions of other people. People always trust that the most powerful rewards come from a persons inside. Extrinsic rewards Extrinsic rewards are externally administrated. Extrinsic rewards are usually can be seen like financial in nature. For example, an increase in wages, special assignments or incentives for reaching some quota. In addition, extrinsic rewards can be also as simple as getting a verbal compliments, public recognition, and awards for achieving something, promotions and some other extra responsibility. The motivational stimulus in extrinsic depends on the actions of other people which is also opposite from the intrinsic rewards because it originates outside the individual. All those rewards are very important for most of the workers therefore the rewards can be motivating. They will feel they are valued or been appreciated. In every management, intrinsic reward is a must to be given to the employees. While in AirAsia, they have a very good relationship with their employees. Employees reward given by AirAsia is very worthy. Every year, some of the employees will be chosen to get free flights to different destinations if they do well in their jobs. They also provided up to 90% of discount for their employees on concession travel. This encourages employees to put more effort on their responsibility in order to get the rewards. Besides that, AirAsia awarding bonuses based upon each employees contribution to the company productivity, and expects to increase loyalty through its ESOS (Employee share awarding scheme) which will be available to all employees and it also may help employee to improve their performance. The groups management encourages open communication which creates a dynamic. AirAsia also awarding long service awards for their employees who work more than 10 years. Motivation and Rewards Although its mention above that reward is different from motivation, under some circumstances, reward able to build in motivation. In social psychological terms, it also referred as the hidden cost of rewards. According to Frey (n.d), he has using an economic concept to define this theory, which is bonus against effort. A purely price effect shown increase in bonus also can increase employee effort towards their work. In other word, motivation always link with reward. AirAsia do apply this in their management. Not only AirAsia, even other companies will do. Before they serve the customer, they do find many ways to satisfy the employees such as giving motivation and rewards. When the employees are satisfied and happy with the job, they will be more enjoying and run their tasks better. Thus, AirAsia customers will be treated in a better quality of service. Lastly, as what have discussed above, a financial or non-financial rewards might given by the company to their employee in order to motivate them to be more responsible towards their job. Example, AirAsia award bonuses to their employees based on their performance, so it is a kind of motivation that able motivate their employees to work harder in order to achieve the desired goal, which is to get the bonus. Findings Multiple roles performance of AirAsia in a flat organizational structure has the possibility as mentioned by Zhu (2010) which is to compromise the AirAsias production in the future as it evolves. The efficiency and the effectiveness on task maybe lowered when multiple tasks assign to the employee. This is because employee will feel de-motivated when the job scope assign to them is too wide for them to focus on the job. Besides that, too wide of job scope and multiple task assign to employee can lead to confusion on the job in the organization. Hence, this could possibly result in a low efficient state for the AirAsia as the organization trying to expand for a better growth and affecting the airlines productivity indirectly because the ability to perform is a short-term worthwhile competitive advantage due to over dependence on the employees (Zhu, 2010). http://business-strategy-competition.knoji.com/strengths-and-weaknesses-of-airasia/ Moreover, Air Asia receives a lot complaint from customers on their service (Solano, 2012). There are several complaints has been made from the Air Asia customers. Flight delays, unnecessary charge payment being conduct and not able to change the flight or get a refund when the customers could not make it on the booking date were some of the complaints that the customers made. There are also complaints like bad services from the staff that are in charge on the particular shift. Besides that, as what stated by Solano (2012), Air Asia did not have their own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. Therefore, if Air Asia continually received the same complaints and did not make any improvements on the spot, this would result the loss of customers and also the productivity of the company. As confidence and satisfaction levels of customers drop, it affects Air Asia profitability. http://prezi.com/w-ee64ceukic/airasia/ In addition, Air Asia has fast track promotion as what mentioned by the Malaysia Airline Families. Fast track promotion actually means that it is the fastest and most direct route to achievement. Malaysia Airline Families says that if an employee worked for Air Asia since 1997, his or her salary will still remained based on the last drawn salary as of year 1997. Last drawn salary is the last drawn monthly essential salaries which also includes the pension allowance. When the payment of salaries are below their expectations and no increment that is being awarded from year to year, this could lead employees to be de-motivated from working in the organizations. Despite that, they might plan to shift to the other company that provides them with increment that they think they should have it. (Malaysiairlinefamilies, 2013) http://airasiafamilies.wordpress.com/category/experiencing-bad-services-with-airasia/ However, Air Asias employees were not unionized as been stated by Zhu (2010).Air Asia policy was mainly focused on maximizing efficiency and productivity of the company. Besides that, Air Asia also tends to keep their staff costs at a consistent level with low-cost carrier industry standards. This means that the Air Asia employees were provided with a wide range of incentives. Even though salaries offered to the employees were lower than the salaries of their rivals, at least Air Asia still offer their employees with a wide range of incentives. This shows that Air Asia still give their employees some benefits. The awards being given to the employees are the performance-based bonuses (PBB), share offers, and stock options (Zhu, 2010). http://business-strategy-competition.knoji.com/strategic-actions-adopted-by-airasia/ Other than that, pilots in Air Asia were provided with some rewards or benefits to improve the flight operation. Air Asia adopted a sector pay policy. They can both keep flight and minimum their operating time. Besides that, flight sectors can be covered as many as possible within a day. Therefore, Air Asia adopted a sector pay rather than an hourly pay scale for their pilots. Moreover, Air Asia gets to cut down the number of cabin crew or can be said by saving on employees cost is because of the absence of the in-flight services (Zhu, 2010). This can be said as a method of minimizing organizational expenses. It is a trend in the global airline industry nowadays especially in the Air Asia. http://business-strategy-competition.knoji.com/strategic-actions-adopted-by-airasia/ Recommendation We highly recommend that the management of AirAsia should reconsider their training course for their employees and provide re-training if possible. According to Adams (1998), management training courses fail because they: (i) are too generalized; (ii) fail to meet the specific needs of trainees; and (iii) fail to take into personal characteristics such as age, educational back-ground, previous work experience and willingness to participate in training. Besides that, Analoui (1997) mentioned that considering the perceptions, personal interests, objectives and preferences of trainees could result in greater understanding of training objectives. Hence, employees will have a clearer view of the roles in performing a certain task and carry it out more effectively. Role perception is one of the MARS model component which affects employees voluntary behaviour and performance. The management can kill two birds with one stone by implementing it because it will increase the effectiveness and e fficiency of the management. For example, every actions performed by the employees is in the best interest of the company and not otherwise. Besides that, AirAsias management should also further improve on their organizational (affective) commitment in the workplace. Affective commitment is the employees emotion attachment to, identification with and involvement in a particular organization. In another word, affective commitment is a persons feeling of loyalty to the place where he or she works. First and foremost, organizational commitment can be boosted via organizational comprehension. This refers to the overall comprehension of the organization, including its strategic direction, social dynamics and physical layout. For instance, giving staff information and opportunities to keep up to date about organizational events, communicate with co-workers, discover what circulating in different parts of the organization and study about organizations history and future plans. Besides that, trust is the key to unlock employees loyalty. This refers to the positive expectations that one person has towards another person or group in situation involving risk. AirAsia should increase employees job security to enhance trust that employees have in the management and the employment relationship. Last but not least, Four-drive theory can be practically applied to the management of AirAsia. The theory explains the innate drivers to acquire, bond, learn and defend and that incorporates both emotions and rationality. Besides that, emotions play a central role in employee motivation. These drives create emotions, which represent the prime mover or source of effort of individual behaviour. The first recommendation is that the management of AirAsia should create a best workplace that helps employees to fulfil all four drives. Therefore, the management should provide sufficient rewards, learning opportunities, social interaction and so forth for all employees. The second recommendation is that fulfilment of the four drives must be kept in balance; that is, AirAsia should avoid too much or too little opportunity to fulfil each drive because the four drives counterbalance each other. For example, change and novelty in the workplace will ease the drive to comprehend but too much of it will initiate the drive to defend to such extent that employees become territorial and resistant to change. Thus, it is vital for the management to provide balanced opportunity to fully utilize it. Conclusion Air Asia as known by everyone that a successful and well established airline company not only in our country Malaysia but also in the world. There have many way to define the successful of this airline company, one of it is using the correct way to manage the company, and the way is motivation and rewards towards the company, all of that we had mentioned above. Everyone knows that human capital is important for a company, and the human capital of a company means is employee of one company. A motivated and rewarded employee can be a productive employee. A productive employee can be a very profitable employee. While employees that are de-motivated, they will become less productive, less creative, and this may cause less of an asset towards the company. Now more than ever, company needs motivated employees. When the employees become more productive, the company will also become more productive, while productivity of a company increase, the profit of a company will also increase. With th is the company will stay in the competitive business and ready to go conquer the world. In this assignment, we have learned much of things, one of it is motivation and rewards are a good corporate culture that will direct a company to a successful way. Furthermore although Air Asia is a successful and well established airline company, it also may have some weaknesses that we mentioned in the findings part, but that is not a problem. We just need to find out the way to solve the problem. By this a company just can continue leading in the industry and unscathed in this kind of we call it competitive and cruel business world.

Fatty Acid Profile Oil Contents Tocopherol on pigeon

Fatty Acid Profile Oil Contents Tocopherol on pigeon Pigeons, whose relation with humans traces back to ancient times (B.C. 3000-5000), are seen in almost every geographical region of the world except for the poles. Pigeons live side by side with humans and other animal species in the nature; and they are bred as a source of food, as a hobby, symbol, and for experimental aims (cooper et al.,1984). Pigeons constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order columbiformes (Baptista et al.,1997).All races of breeds of domestic pigeon Columba livia domestica have been evolved from rock pigeon also called a rock dove Columba livia livia or jungli kabootar (wild pigeon) that cohabits with man every where in the world. The domestic pigeon breeds are believed to have been developed in the east and Europe had no original breed of its own. Wild pigeons are pale grey with two black bars on each wing (Blechman et al., 2007). There has been a growing interest in meat from alternative animal species like deer (Volpelli et al., 2003),ostriches (Cooper, 1999; Horbanczuk, 2002), and pigeons (ZieleziÅ„ski and Pawlina, 2005). Lean meat is very low in fat (20-50g/kg), pork and poultry have a favourable balance between polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids (P : S) (Wood et al., 1997 ). Pigeon meat is considered a delicacy and is gaining popularity among consumers in Europe mainly in Great Britain, France, and Italy as well as in the United States and China (ZieleziÅ„ski and Pawlina, 2005). Pigeon meat is characterized by high nutritive value. Due to low cholesterol and a fairly high protein content, it can be used as a valuable inclusive component of the human diet. As far as FA composition is concerned, pigeon meat resembles meat types of poultry species (Pomianowski et al ., 2009). Vitamin E is a general term used for the designation of tocopherols and tocotrienols (ÃŽÂ ±-,ß-, ÃŽÂ ³-, ÃŽÂ ´-) (Acker et al ., 1993) . Variations in vitamin E deposition in fatty tissues have been found between different poultry species (Mecchi et al., 1953). It was found that concentrations of tocopherol in turkey liver and breast muscle were only one-fifth to one-third, respectively, those of broilers fed similar dietary levels (Marusich et al., 1975). They function as the most effective lipid soluble antioxidant ,protecting cell membranes from peroxyl radicals and mutagenic nitrogen oxide species (Acker et al ., 1993). Tocopherols provide immunoprotection (Meydani ,1995), antiproliferative (Azzi et al .,1995) and anticlotting effects (Dowd et al .,1995),platelet adhesives and thrombosis (Hodis et al ., 1995) . Increased vitamin E intake has been inversely associated with the lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases (Losonczy et al.,1996). Bells palsy or idiopathic facial paralysis is a dysfunction of cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) that results in inability to control facial muscles on the affected side. Several conditions can cause a facial paralysis, e.g., brain tumor, stroke, and Lyme disease. However, if no specific cause can be identified, the condition is known as Bells palsy(Salinas et al., 2010). Bells Palsy is a condition causing drooping of one side of the face.People often remember exposure to a cold before developing Bells palsy. Anywhere from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 250 people develops Bells palsy in any given year,most commonly striking people over 70 years . but could occur at any stage of life (Rister, 2003 ). Named after Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who first described it, Bells palsy is the most common acute mononeuropathy (disease involving only one nerve) and is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paralysis (Salinas et al., 2010). Nutritional Supplements required for Bells Palsy Treatment , include: Vitamin B12 essential fatty acid(5,000 milligrams daily) Pyruvate(3000 milligrams daily) Vitamin E (400 IU daily) ( Rister , 2003). No treatment for Bells Palsy, whether conventional or alternative is more effective than vitamin B12, but if patient has shingles three other Supplements may also help to accelerate recovery. Laboratory experiments have shown vitamin E, Sodium Pyruvate (a support supplement) and membrane stabilizing free fatty acid (Rister, 2003). This project was designed to find out the biochemical basis of the recommendation of the pigeon meat by most of the physicians for the patients of Bells Palsy In the present project, the flesh of wild and domestic pigeons will be analysed and compared for the concentrations of oil , Tocopherol and Fatty acid profile. This comparative study will also furnish the scientific reason of preferable use of wild or domestic pigeon for the treatment of patients of BellsPalsy. The main objectives of the present study are as follows : To evaluate compare oil contents in flesh of wild and domestic pigeons To evaluate compare Tocopherol contents in flesh of wild and domestic pigeons To evaluate compare Fatty acid profile in flesh of wild and domestic pigeons REVIEW OF LITERATURE Pomianowski and Mikulski (2009) excised Two muscles, breast and thigh, from 3 pigeon meat-type breeds (Europigeon,WrocÅ‚awski, King) and were analyzed for proximate analysis, cholesterol content, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Among the breeds considered, the lowest protein content of breast muscle was found in Kings (21.73%), whereas the highest fat (7.07%) and ash (1.11%) content of breast muscle (P à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 0.01) was located in WrocÅ‚awski pigeons. The cholesterol content of both muscles was lowest in Europigeon (23.6 to 25.2 mg/100 g of tissue) as compared with the King and WrocÅ‚awski pigeons (30.2 to 44.4 mg/100 g of tissue). The total content of polyunsaturated FA was lower in thigh than in breast muscles (by 4.5 to 12%, depending on the breed). As far as FA composition is concerned, pigeon meat resembles meat types of poultry species. However, due to low cholesterol and a fairly high protein content, pigeon meat can be used as a valuable inc lusive component of the human diet. Young and Stagsted (2003) illustrated that in nonstressed birds, antioxidative status was reflected in decreased TBA-reactive substances (TBARS) in pectoralis major (PM ) ,iliotibialis (IL) and liver of ascorbic acid-ÃŽÂ ±-tocopherol-supplemented chickens and likewise in liver from oregano-supplemented chickens compared to that of nonstressed control birds. However, postmortem temperature, pH, and water-holding capacity were not affected by supplementation. Drip loss from oregano-supplemented chickens showed increased protein oxidation in specific bands, but this did not relate to water-holding capacity or antioxidative status. When exposed to stress, the concentration of TBARS in the control animals increased in PM and IL. Ascorbic acid-ÃŽÂ ±- tocopherol supplementation protected IL, and oregano supplementation protected PM from stress-induced increases in TBARS. This differential effect between muscles may indicate differences in protection mechanisms. In conclusion, ascorbic acid-ÃŽÂ ±-tocopherol and oregano supplements to chickens protect against stress-induced increase in TBARS, in different muscles. Abulude et al. 2006 determined the Anatomical weight, proximate composition, selected mineral contents and sensory evaluation in male and female pigeon birds ( Columba guinea G) found in Akure, Nigeria using standard methods . The species analyzed individually , were high in protein (60.63-66.92%), fat (13.28-15.34%) and ash (11.17-15.54%). Moisture, fibre, and carbohydrate contents varied within a narrow range. The mean energy level was 386.93  ± 30.45 Kcal. The mineral contents were highly variable. The abundant elements were Na, K, Ca and Mg and the remaining elements were present in amounts below toxic levels, while Cd was not detected. The sensory scores in terms of juiciness, attractiveness, tenderness, texture and flavor revealed that these samples were good for consumption. The chemical values indicate good quality protein and dietary minerals. Sheldon et al .2007 studied , the effect of varying dietary vitamin E levels on the oxidative stability, flavor, color, and volatile profiles of refrigerated and frozen turkey breast meat was examined. Breast meat was excised from four carcasses per treatment and evaluated after refrigeration (1 and 7 d) or frozen storage (30, 90,150 d) for oxidative stability and sensory quality by Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) analysis, descriptive flavor profiling, and headspace gas chromatography. The TBA values were inversely related to the dietary vitamin E levels. Refrigerated samples had TBA values 78 to 88% lower for the 10 ´ and 25 ´ vitamin E treatments, respectively, than for the NRC control treatment. No differences in TBA values (refrigerated samples) were detected for the 10 ´, 25 ´, and 20 ´ (3 wk feeding duration) or across all treatments for samples frozen for 5 mo. The 10 ´ and 25 ´ NRC diets produced the most typical and acceptable turkey meat flavors with the fewest oxidized off-flavor notes for both fresh and frozen samples as opposed to the more oxidized flavor notes detected in the control samples. Mean color scores increased, indicative of less pale meat, as the level and duration of feeding dietary vitamin E increased. These findings showed that varying dietary vitamin E levels significantly influenced the oxid ative stability and functionality of turkey breast meat. Dsemeth and Messeyne (1981), studied that the fatty acid pattern of the triglyceroides (TG) and phospholipids(PHL) from liver, adipose tissue and crop of the pigeon at various stages of posthatching development and determined the influence of the changing diet. In each tissue and at all ages PHL contained more stearic and polyenoic but less monoenoic acids than the corresponding TG. Especially in the young squabs the acid composition of the liver (TG as well as PHL) is different from that of the adipose tissue and the crop. In each tissue and at all ages of pigeons, the TG had a relatively simple fatty acid pattern consisting mainly of Ci6 and C, »components and containing more palmitic (16:0), palmitoleic (16:1) and oleic (18:1) acid but only trace amounts of long-chain polyunsaturated acids compared to the corresponding PHL. This class contained a higher amount of stearic (18:0) and linoleic (18:2) acid and up to 31% (liver at hatching) C20 and C22 polyenoic acids, mainly ar achidonic (20:4) and docosahexaenoic (22:6). MATERIAL AND METHODS Place of working : The study will be conducted at following laboratories : Research Laboratory , Department of Zoology, GC University Faisalabad Pesticide Chemistry Lab, Plant Protection Division ,Nuclear Institute For Agriculture And Biology (NIAB) . Specimen Collection : Random samples of domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) and wild pigeons (Columba livia livia ) will be procured from local supplier at Faisalabad city. Preparation Of Samples: The selected pigeons will be slaughtered ,defeathered and excised to take out four body parts ( Chest, Wings, legs liver ) . Proximate Analysis: Proximate analysis of the samples for moisture , Protein ,Fat , ash and minerals will be done according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists; AOAC(2000) . Analysis For Tocopherol Fatty Acid For the analysis of Tocopherol Fatty acids composition, following methodology will be adopted : Blending / mixing of Flesh: High Speed blender ( Braun Multimix MX_32 , Germany ) will be used to mix flesh thoroughly . Extraction Of Fat From Pigeon Flesh: The extraction of fat will be done by using Soxhlet apparatus .25g of each sample will be taken in extraction thimbles .And 125 ml of n_hexane will be taken in 250ml round bottom flask (Quickfit).The extraction will be proceeded for 12 cycles to collect complete oil . Concentration of oil : From the extract of n_hexane and oil , n_hexane will be evaporated by using rotary evaporation apparatus . The extract will be transferred to Round bottom flask, and then will be evaporated the content of n-hexane at appropriate temperature of water bath (60 °c) under suction up to dryness. Preparation Of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME)- Fatty Acid Analysis -: Preparation of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) and Fatty acid analysis will be done by using Official Method and recommended practices of American Oil Chemists Society ;AOCS(1993) . Tocopherol Analysis : For the qualitative and quantitative analysis of tocopherol HPLC coupled with Fluorescence detector will be used (Gliszczynsha Swiglo and Sikorsha ,2004) .Analysis of Tocopherol will be done by using all HPLC analysis of tocopherols at room temperature on waters 600 high performance liquid chromatograph(Waters , Millford ,M.A,USA). For determination of tocopherols in oils , a mobile phase consisting of 50 % acetonitrile (Solvent A ) And 50 % of methanol (Solvent B ) was used with the flow rate 1ml / min. Injection volume was 20  µl ; rheodyne injection was used . Tocopherols were identified by using their retention times with those of corresponding standards and by spiking of samples with appropriate standards .

Ambush :: essays research papers

The short story â€Å"Ambush† by Tim O’Brien is a story about a young American soldier, O’Brien, in the Vietnam War. While on watch O’Brien spots a young enemy soldier approaching his position. He throws a grenade and kills the young man. Years later O’Brien’s is faced with the decision of answering his daughter when she asks him if he ever killed anyone in the war. Not only was killing the man a tough decision, but now O’Brien must answer his daughter. Ultimately he lies to her and I think that is the correct choice in that situation. O’Brien’s daughter is only nine years old when she asks her father that painful question. I believe that the taking of someone else’s life is such a life changing event that it should only be discussed by mature adults. If O’Brien chooses to tell his daughter the truth when she is older, that is okay; that is what I would do. Later in his life O’Brien thinks back and tries to sort out the mixed up issues of the foggy dawn in Vietnam. Sometimes he believe that the young man would have just kept walking and never seen him, but sometimes he believes he did the right thing and forgives himself. Although I don’t know any war veterans, and I have never killed anyone, there was an event in my life similar to the one in this story. When I was in third grade my dad was electrocuted and actually was clinically dead. He was later revived and when my mom talked to him the hospital he told her some far out things. She has briefly mentioned some of them to me throughout my life, but I