Review Of Escape From New York Essays - Snake Plissken,

Review Of Escape From New York In the opening sequence of John Carpenter's Escape From New York, an anonymous narrator sets the tone of desperation and hopelessness with the line once you go in, you never come out. The narrator is referring to the only rule in the maximum security prison built on Manhattan Island. The prison, which was built in 1981 as a reaction to the crime rate going up 400 percent, has no guards. It's every man for himself. The once busy streets of New York city are now nearly deserted, decayed, and run by criminals. The hell on Earth is so unbearable that some attempt to break out of the prison, on a raft, in an almost Escape From Alcatraz fashion in the opening scene. The plot thickens as a group of terrorists hijack the President's plane and crash it in New York. The President is now somewhere in the New York prison and holds an important tape containing a speech that could prevent another world war. Snake Plissken, a tough, renowned war hero and recent inmate of the prison, is the government's only hope to save the world. Snake must capture the President within 24 hours so the President can present the tape at a peace summit the next day. In exchange for his good deed, the government promises to pardon him for every crime he has ever committed. The only catch is the two capsules implanted in his head. If he doesn't complete the mission in 24 hours the capsules will explode. Along the journey, Snake meets a rainbow of characters. He runs into Cabbie, who has driven the same taxi for 30 years in New York. He represents the nostalgia of the once great Big Apple. Snake fights the evil Duke of New York to capture the President. The Duke is the typical bad guy clad in lavish gold chains and surrounded by a group of dimwitted followers. Snake befriends Brain, a timid reserved genius and Maggie, his beautiful girlfriend. Their love affair adds a humanistic touch to the cold insensitive surroundings. In the midst of escaping from the prison, Brain dies on a bridge. Maggie refuses to go on with Snake and calmly awaits her own impending death on the bridge. Dismal tragedy doesn't dominate the movie, however. Elements of humor are found in scenes such as the prisoners' song and dance rendition of the Broadway tune Everybody's Coming to New York and the recurring line mentioned to Snake by each person he meets: I thought you were dead. In addition to humor, several strong themes are found in the film. Escape From New York can be easily compared to a mythic epic journey despite Snake's anti-hero I don't give a damn qualities. The gods (the government) sends Snake on a journey to capture the President. Difficult obstacles hinder his quest. At one point, he must fight a giant with clubs (baseball bats with spikes attached) and a shield (a trashcan lid). Escape From New York can also be compared to a Western with a futuristic twist. The good guys (Snake) and the bad guys (the Duke and his gang) are clearly defined. Old fashioned pistols are replaced with explosives and machine guns. The most obvious theme, however, is its attempt to address today's social problems. If the crime rate actually rose dramatically, what would America do about it? Would they take such drastic measures and put all the misfits of society on an island to die to avoid the risk of repeat offenders? The issue of America's diminishing trust in fair honest government and its leaders is also raised. When Snake is told that the President is missing he nonchalantly says, So? Get a new one. This movie attempts to enlighten the viewer about these issues in addition to entertaining them. Many critics have complained that this movie leaves too many questions unanswered, but I find Carpenter's use your imagination approach to the movie refreshing. In the final scene, Snake asks the President how he feels about the lives lost in the attempt to rescue him (the President). The President, who is about to go the air, impatiently responds this country appreciates their sacrifice. Snake walks away dissatisfied with the President's halfhearted answer as the President plays the tape containing the important

Why We Lie Essay Example

Why We Lie Essay Example Why We Lie Paper Why We Lie Paper Why we lie Lying has been around since the creation of human. Adam and Eve lied to god because they were scared after they ate from the forbidden apple tree. There are lots of reasons that could make people tell lies, Even though each reason might be different from the other in the end they all of them stem from one root cause which is being unable to bear the consequences of telling the truth. On the other hand, sometimes we lie because the truth may hurt someone we care about so we lie and from there we find some reasons why people lie. A guy and a girl have been married for more than five years. After all these years, one day the girl told the guy that she had lied to him many years ago about her previous love relationships! Infect when the guy and girl first met and started dating, the girl told the guy that he is her first and only boyfriend (love). .They got married after a long dating season. About five years later, the girl thought that she has to tell the truth to her husband and told him that she dated three other guys before him! The girl lied to him because she was afraid that the guy would not accept her as she was if she would have told him that she dated three other guys before him and maybe that she had sex with them too! The husband smiled at his wife and said â€Å"that is fine honey, because you lied for a good reason just to keep me by you†. From this short story, we learn that lying can be used for good reasoning and it is not always bad. Moreover, when a person loves someone so much he/she will do anything to stay with that person including lying, and this type of lying is usually called white lie. There are many different types of white lies that are told, such as, lies of flattery for example; if someone gives another person a gift and the gift was not what the person wanted, this person would reply â€Å"thank you so much! I love it! † This type of white lie is told because telling someone that their gift was undesirable would make the teller look like an inconsiderate being. On the other hand, lying is not always for a good reason even if people try because they do not want to hurt someone’s feelings. A doctor had a clinic that was located next to a coffee shop where he buys his morning coffee every day before going to work. At the coffee shop there was a beautiful woman working there and the guy liked her and someday he asked her out. As they were dating, the guy told everything about his past to the girl and asked her too says everything about her past. The girl told the guy that she had four boyfriends before and that she had no sexual relationship with any of them, and that one of them cheated on her with her best friend. She also told the guy that she has had some minor flirt relationships and kissed two other guys. The two of them dated for about ten months and everything was going as smooth as silk until the girl decided that it is time to tell the truth to her current boyfriend. So the girl told the guy that she lied and did not tell him about another guy with whom she had a relationship in the past. She told him that she met the guy on a social network some time ago before she started dating him and that she had sexual relationship with him and with another one. The boyfriend was very angry when he heard this fact after ten months of dating. The guy responded to the girl by saying â€Å"if you would have told me the truth from the beginning, i would have stayed with you but now it is too late I cannot trust you anymore†. The girl lied to the guy because she wanted to stay with him for money only and not because she liked him. There are many reasons to lie and one of them is like the story above. Lying to others has good benefits for others to prevent from falling into their own problems and escape them but at the end they will get hurt because lying does not last for long time. Once people learn how to lie successfully, they tend not to forget it because of the many benefits it brings. It is an art that progresses slowly from childhood into the adult years all the way to the last day we live. People lie to themselves and others for various reasons; some lie to make their story more compelling, a few lie to get them out of trouble, and others, such as lawyers, lie because they are accustomed to it. Even though people regard lying as a terrible thing, it is not. Lying does have its advantages.

E-commerce Individual Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

E-commerce Individual Assignment - Essay Example Although, there has been a failure of various electronic commerce initiatives but e-commerce is still of significant use to the economy of many companies. To understand the importance of the e business in the company, the case study will focus on the Gulf Agency Company that is a global leading provider of shipping and logistics materials. However, the company does not utilize the e- business modules in an efficient and effective manner due to the challenges and threats in the industry. The case will evaluate the areas of weakness of the Gulf Agency Company due to the failure of utilizing the e -business and discuss the various e business modules that it can employ to improve the situation. Meanwhile, the case will articulate its failing of the company based on the e-business can evaluate the areas for growth and development. 2. Internal and external analysis of GAC 2.1 SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis of the GAC will help in highlighting the areas of the business inefficiencies and i neffectiveness in its current business processes due to lack of an efficient and effective e business. ... 56).Thus, the SWOT analysis assist to examine the effectiveness of management providing clear comprehending of the e business before any action is taken. The process of undertaking internal analysis closely parallels of performing external audit that is done by the company’s representatives, managers and employees. The internal look analysis is based on the management, marketing research and development and the information technology system. The significant source of the strength of the GAC in its business operation is the availability of adequate financial resources and well trained staff in functional area strategies. However, instead of the company concentrating too much on its strength it is vital to look for the weakness that would diminish the organization ability to offer quality products and services. Most of the weakness of the GAC business operations arises are recognized from the perspective of the customers so that to have an honest evaluation of the failures the c ompany is facing and will affect the future of the company. The company is currently facing the weakness of not having a proper management system in that time and balanced scorecard has not been incorporated with the tailored training of the business that make it prone to challenges. Meanwhile, in current company’s research shows that to combat the difficulties of economies of scale the company needs expansion in its business portfolios so that to reach a wider market by way of diversification of products in the market and doing mergers. Further, the interview conducted on its employees revealed that there was an inefficient and ineffective of the e-business techniques that caused problems in outsourcing. The company needed to implement outsourcing

Illegal Immigration and The Cost to US Citizens Essay

Illegal Immigration and The Cost to US Citizens - Essay Example mmigration in the United States and would provide with both the view points on it concluding as to if it should be stopped or not (Illegal immigration). It was found that the number of illegal immigrants residing in the United States were almost 10.8 million in January 2009 (Reuters 2010) Most of these immigrants belonged to Latin America, Mexico, and Central America. These immigrants have crossed borders illegally through different ways to enter USA. Most of them enter USA to earn a better living there as it is a developed country. The proponents of illegal immigration believe that they have a positive effect on the economy of the United States as these immigrants tend to work a lot for the service sector. A report known as Perryman report of 2008 found that these illegal immigrants were adding up to $245 billion to the GDP of United States. These proponents believe that it is because of these illegal immigrants that the service sector of United States is booming. The wages that the illegal workers take from their employers is quite less as compared to the wages written in the constitution and this is because it gives an edge to em ployers. The proponents believe that illegal immigration can create a lot of jobs which naturally other citizens of United States would not be willing to take. It is because of their courtesy that all the sectors of the United States are working in an organized manner. However all these views are opposed by the opponents of illegal immigration as they believe the opposite of what the proponents believe (FOX NEWS 2010; Illegal Immigration). The opponents of illegal immigration argue that these immigrants are taking the rights of the citizens of United States and are depriving them of the basic necessities as laid down in the constitution. The jobs taken up by the illegal immigrants in United States can be taken up by legal citizens if they are given the chance. The opponents not only lay down the problems of economy because of these

Human Rights and the Privacy law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rights and the Privacy law - Essay Example The rights contained within the law are based on European Convention on Human Rights articles. It also gives further effects to freedom and rights that are guaranteed under the European Convention. This means that judges must study and give effect to the legislation in a way that is compatible with the convention rights. It also implicates unlawfulness for a public authority to act in an incompatible way with the conventional right. The Human Rights Act protects; the right of life, the prohibition of torture and inhumane treatment, protection against forced labor and slavery, the right for freedom and liberty, the right for fair trial and no punishment without law and freedom of thought belief and religion. The act also gives respect privacy and family life providing the right to marry.Privacy and freedom of speech are important human rights that have not been strongly protected in English law. The freedom of speech has been a residual liberty traditionally because it existed only wh en the statute did not restrict its exercise. Liberty law on the other hand, is largely governed by the common law and is concerned with the protection of individual rights to reputation. This is vital for freedom of press and speech. However, there has been no explicit right of privacy. Even though the European Convention guarantees both rights, the English courts must take account of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in order to interpret and apply Convention rights under HRA (Human Rights Act 1998).

Obesity in Developing Countries

Obesity in Developing Countries Overweight and Obesity: The emerging Trend of Childhood Malnutrition in Urban Centre in Nigeria Abstract Background: Overweight and obesity initially thought to be the problem of the developed countries is rapidly rising in the developing countries constituting a high proportion of nutritional problem in these countries. Several factors, including changing life style and improved economic power are believed to contribute to this trend. This pattern if unchecked is known to lead to several medical complications and hence the need to assess the burden of this condition, factors contributing to the rise and possible ways of reversing the trend. Method: Four hundred and twenty primary school children from public and private schools were selected using multistage stratified random sampling. Relevant information were obtained using a questionnaire, and anthropometric indices were recorded. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS version 16, and frequencies were compared using Chi square. Result: Seventy three (17.4%) of the pupils were found to be overweight/obese. Pupils from private school accounted for majority of these cases with 28 (13.3%) and 29 (13.8%) of them being overweight and obese respectively. High socioeconomic class and consumption of energy dense diet were significantly associated with high prevalence of overweight/obesity (P Conclusion and Recommendation: Prevalence of overweight/obesity among primary school pupils is quite high in Lagos, Nigeria. High socioeconomic class, consumption of energy dense food and lack of adequate physical activities appear to be major factors contributing to this high prevalence. Introduction of daily school meal and mandatory physical activity in all the schools would go a long way in imbibing healthy eating and life style pattern into these children. Public enlightenment and campaign on the importance of healthy life style and complications associated with overweight and obesity would probably reverse the trend. Key Words: Overweight, Obesity, Primary School Pupils Introduction Malnutrition is a serious public health problem that is caused by either deficient or excess intake of nutrients in relation to requirements. Under nutrition (Nutrient deficiency) has been the prevalent type of malnutrition in developing countries like Nigeria.1-3 This has been attributed to the synergistic interaction between several factors, most importantly, inadequate nutrient intake and infection.4-6 This is not the case with developed countries like the United States of America (USA), where over-nutrition is a major challenge amongst the school aged children. Studies done in the USA on the overweight status and eating patterns among adolescents showed that the prevalence of over-nutrition was higher amongst those from a low socio-economic class.7-9 Recently, overweight thought to be the problem of the developed world is spreading to the developing world.10 Several studies in Africa and other developing countries have documented an emerging trend of malnutrition with overweight and obesity increasing at an alarming rate in comparison to under nutrition.10-12 However, in these developing countries, contrary to the finding in USA, overweight and obesity appear to be commoner among the high socioeconomic class.13-15 The effect of urbanization and the associated change in life style have been shown to contribute immensely to the current trend of malnutrition in the developing countries.16,17 However, children of low socioeconomic status from such urban centres remain significantly associated with under nutrition rather than over nutrition.18 This further underscores the central role of socioeconomic status in malnutrition. The increasing rate of overweight/obesity means that obesity-related chronic diseases are likely to become common among the children. Being overweight is known to significantly increase the risk of asthma, Type 2 diabetes, gallstone, heart disease, high blood pressure and several other diseases.19 This will further impose a great challenge to the already over stretched health care system in the developing countries. We thus aim to assess and compare the prevalence of overweight/obesity among primary school pupils attending public and private schools, in Ikeja Local Government area of Lagos and to identify common factors associated with overweight. The information generated would be useful in guiding the concerned authorities in designing appropriate interventions in the various schools. Materials and Methods Study area: The study was carried out in public and private primary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State Nigeria. Ikeja is the capital city of Lagos state, the most populated and urbanized state in Nigeria with over 10million residents.20There are 114 registered private primary schools and 32 public primary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area. Study design: It is a field-based cross-sectional descriptive study Study Population: This consists of pupils in public and private primary schools in Ikeja LGA. Sample Size determination: Calculated minimum sample size for each group of school is 200 pupils. Sampling method: Multistage stratified random sampling was used. Based on the numbers of schools, three Private and two public primary schools were selected. Participants were selected randomly using the class register as a template in each of the classes of the schools selected. Exclusion criteria: children whose parents denied consent, children with obvious skeletal deformity and those with known chronic medical conditions like Chronic renal failure, heart disease etc. Ethical consideration: Ethical clearance was sought and obtained from the Ikeja LGA Education Authority. The head teachers of the selected schools also gave well informed expressive approval after receiving appropriate information. All the selected pupils were given consent form and introductory note to the study to their parents for their signature or thumb print. There was no consequence for the pupil if he or she refused to participate or parents denied assess. Data obtained were treated with confidentiality and only for the purpose of this research. Study procedure: A structured questionnaire was used in collection of relevant information required to meet the objective of the study. All the participating pupils were interviewed at school, while the section to be completed by the parents were sent through their wards and were returned the following day. Information obtained included socio-demographic data like: age, gender, parents’ occupation, average monthly income and educational attainment. Information on dietary intake include type of diet, frequency and 24 hours dietary recall. Involvement in exercise and physical activity were also sought. Socioeconomic status was assessed using the model by Ogunlesi et al 21, while the dietary pattern of the child was assessed using food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Weight was measure using a bathroom weighing scale with sensitivity of 0.5KG while height was measure using a stadiometer. Nutritional status was determined using the Z- score system in accordance with National Centre for Health Statistics/ World Health Organization (WHO) reference value.22 Data analysis: The data obtained were entered into and analysed using EPI INFO version 3.5.1. Tables were used in data presentation. Chi square and Fisher’s Exact test were used in comparing frequencies. RESULTS A total of 420 children were studied, 210 pupils from each group. The children from the private schools were younger with a mean age of 7.7Â ±1.9 years as against 10.3Â ±2.6 years for those in public school (t=11.58, p=2=305.34, p= The dietary pattern among the two study groups were significantly different; 90 (42.9%) pupils from the private school consumed beef daily as against 49(23.3) from the public schools. Similarly, approximately half 103(49.1) of the pupils from the private school eat white bread daily as against 45 (21.4%) from the public schools. Seventy five (35.7%) and 29 (13.8%) eats eggs while 44(21.0) and 11(5.2%) eat fried plantain and yam for public and private schools respectively. Again 25 (11.9%) and 13(6.2%) from private and public schools consume at least a can of coke/Fanta daily. These differences were all statistically significant P= Regarding extracurricular activity, the pupils in public schools engaged more in physical activity compared to those in private schools. One hundred and thirteen (53.9%) pupils from the public schools trek daily for a distance of at least one kilometre as against 8 (3.8%) pupils from the private schools. Similarly, 77(36.7%) pupils from the public schools engage in competitive sports daily as against 33(15.7%) from the private. The difference between the two groups regarding physical activity was statistically significant P= Table II shows the distribution of the study population by BMI percentile. The nutritional status varied significantly between the pupils from the public and private school. While under-nutrition was the predominant form of malnutrition in the public schools 33(15.7%), overweight and obesity predominated in the private schools 57(27.1%). Table III below show the effect of various studied variable on BMI percentile. The highest frequency of overweight was observed among those aged 5-6years while the least frequency was among those aged 11 and above. This pattern was statistically significant (X2=21.90, p= 0.01). Although more female pupils when compared to male pupils, were found to be overweight, but this was not statistically significant. More than half (50.9%) of the pupils of low socioeconomic class were undernourished while majority of overweight children (76.7%) were of high socioeconomic class. This pattern was statistically significant (X2=150.0, p= Discussion The overall prevalence of 17.4% for overweight and obesity in this study is quite alarming though similar to the findings from previous studies.6, 12, 23 Owa et al12 reporting from Nigeria in 1997 found a prevalence of 18% for obesity among children aged 5-15 years using fat mass percentage and body mass index based on the US standard. Similarly, Mogre et al23 reported a prevalence of 17.4% for overweight and obesity from Ghana in 2013 among school aged children (5-14 years). This finding from this study and the others above further support the rising trend of overweight and obesity among children in developing countries and that the burden of the problem might not be different from that in the developed countries.24 However, other studies have found much lower prevalence for overweight/obesity. Adegoke et al 14 in 2009 reported a prevalence of 3.1% for overweight/obesity from Ile-Ife South West Nigeria using anthropometry, while Alkali et al 15 in 2015 reported a prevalence of 6.5% from Gombe in North East Nigeria. These lower prevalence reported by Adegoke et al(14) and Alkali et al15 may be due to the difference in socioeconomic status between the study-populations, while greater than 86% of our study population were either of middle or upper socioeconomic class, 48.2% of those studied by Adegoke et al14 were of low socioeconomic class with only 19.6% belonging to the upper class. Although Alkali et al15 didn’t give socioeconomic distribution of their study population but Gombe located in the North East of Nigeria is a small town with small scale businesses and subsistence farming as major occupation compared to Lagos which is the most industrialized City in Nigeria. Furthermore, we studied children in primary schools alone but Adegoke et al14 as well as Alkali et al15 studied both primary and secondary school children. It has been severally documented that prevalence of overweight/obesity decreases in children with advancing age.25,26 In contrast to the developed countries where overweight/obesity is commoner among the low socioeconomic class7-9, majority 56 (76.7%) of these overweight children in this study were of high socioeconomic class. This pattern is similar to findings from other studies from other developing countries13-15,27. This fact was further confirmed by the significantly higher incidence of overweight/obesity among pupils from Private schools compared to those from public schools. In Nigeria, Privates schools particularly in the urban centres charge exorbitant fees affordable only to the rich while public schools are usually free and attended by the low socioeconomic class. In this study, 83.8% of the pupil in public schools were of high socioeconomic class as against 1.9% of those in public schools. Several factors could be responsible for this increasing pattern of overweight/obesity among the affluent class in the developing countries. In the first place, the parents of these children are likely of the working class with little or no time to plan and prepare healthy food for them.28 It is also known that such parents in an effort to compensate for the deficient care constantly provide junk food and snacks for these children.29 Nutritional habit and pattern have been shown to influence the nutritional status of the society.30 These are further driven by aggressive advertising practises, relatively low cost of energy dense food and improved purchasing power which are now most prevalent in developing countries and conducive for the development of overweight and obesity and subsequently the associated morbidities.31 This is in agreement with the finding in this study from Lagos, the most urbanized State in Nigeria, in which Children from the private schools and of high socioeconom ic status significantly consumed food of high energy density such as soft drink, egg, white bread, etc when compared to those from the public and low socioeconomic status. Sedentary life style has been well documented as a cause of overweight and obesity29,32,33 in children. Pupils from the private schools were significantly less involved in physical activities when compared to those from the public schools but engaged more in indoor activities like television viewing and computer games. Similar to previous studies, this practise was significantly associated with overweight and obesity. The low level of physical activity among those in private schools could be due to several reasons. Most of these children are usually driven in car to school by their parents or use the school bus. This is in contrast to the public school which lack school bus and majority, 53.9%, of the pupils trek to school daily. Secondly, while most public schools are usually sited in a planned location with enough space for sporting activity the same cannot be said of the private schools which do not have enough space for outdoor activities with only 15.7% of the pupils engaged in competitive sports. Pressure on the pupils from affluent society for good academic performance including regular extra lessons at home after school hours could also contribute to lack of outdoor activities at home. In this study, overweight and obesity were higher among the younger age groups compared to the older pupils with the highest frequency of 18.2% among those aged 5-6years. Similar pattern of decreasing incidence with advancing age among children less than 13 years was also observed in a study from India25 and Saudi Arabia26. However, other studies have found a contrary pattern: increasing incidence with advancing age34. The reason for this variability in finding is not clear. Females had slightly higher prevalence of overweight and obesity when compared to the male, though this difference was not significant. This is similar to the finding of Mohana et al 35 from India. The effect of gender on overweight and obesity in children remains inconclusive, while several studies have found significantly higher prevalence among the female gender 34,36-38 others have reported significantly higher prevalence among the males.39-41 The reason for this variability is not clear but studies with higher female prevalence have suggested cultural factors as a possible explanation as female children in certain society mostly engage in indoor activities. Conclusion and Recommendations The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children living in urban centres in developing countries like Nigeria is quite high and is comparable to that in the developed country. This problem is mainly a problem of children from high socioeconomic status. Dietary pattern and sedentary life style are important factors contributing to the high prevalence among these group of children. In contrast, under-nutrition has remain a major problem among the low socioeconomic status. We recommend introduction of school meal program in both the public and private school to augment calorie intake among the public school children and modulate same for those in private schools. Provision of sporting facilities must be made mandatory requirement for registering of private school and if already a requirement must be enforced on new and existing private schools. Finally, public enlightenment on the medical implications of overweight/obesity in children should be aggressively pursued by the relevan t agencies before the complications begin to set in. Conflict of Interest The authors had no conflict of interest whatsoever to declare

Diversity, Ideology, and Teaching Writing Essay -- Maxine Hairston Col

Diversity, Ideology, and Teaching Writing People come from many different environments which brings or doesn’t bring many different opportunities. These two essays highlight the multicultural, multiethnic, multiclass salad bowl that this world and this country possess. The first essay discusses the social demographics in the college classroom. The second essay is from a person who was not able to attend college, probably because of the lack of opportunity to do so. When I read these two essays it helps me realize the reason that I have chosen my major. The essay " Diversity, Ideology, and Teaching Writing" written by Maxine Hairston discusses the diversity in college classrooms in 1992. She highlights the idea that these students come from different backgrounds and have a lot to offer the class through their experiences. Also, they come in at different levels of writing and understanding. She believes that these students can learn from one another. They can learn about the diverse society that we live in. She states that " Real diversity emerges from the students themselves and flourishes in a collaborative classroom in which they work together to develop their ideas and test them out on each other." She looks at this diversity as an opportunity for students to learn and collaborate about society. Their papers and analysis would come from experiences that the class has had in life. The second essay, written by Kathy Camper also discusses diversity in our society. It is from the point of view of a person who was not given an opportunity to attend college. This essay is written about the future where almost everything involves computers. Persons that were not given the same means for a better education fall behind and c... ...I do want to make a difference for the people who write essay two. I want to help provide everyone an equal opportunity starting in the first grade, not waiting to college to level the playing field. I believe that a diverse community is great for everyone as long as everyone is given the same opportunities. The professor in essay one is asking "how can I provide these students the best education so they will succeed in our competitive society?" In essay two the question is "can I receive an education just to survive?" Providing college students an education that challenges their analysis of writing, involving computers, and involving a compassion for all individuals will help the students be competitive in society and the future work force. To answer question two we must require and provide the ways and means to an equal education across class, race and ethnicity.

Work Place Ethical Dilemma

Work place Ethical Dilemma Brenda Paz BSHS-331 August 25, 2010 Roberto Vara Jr. Work place Ethical Dilemma According to Freeman, S. (2000) Ethics: An introduction to philosophy and practice ethical dilemma is a complex situation that will involve conflicts between moral imperatives. This is also called ethical paradox which plays a central role in ethics debates. We are not animals and thus should not act and behave like animals. All humans have social acceptable behaviors we must abide from. Standards we all follow to what we believe, having our own opinions, from obeying the law and knowing what is morally right and wrong.For example the ethical admonition to â€Å"treat others as you would like to be treated† is not always easy to follow especially if the individual you should treat with respect does not in turn respect you. This is an example of ethical decision clashing. About three years ago I experienced an ethical dilemma in the workplace which made me feel puzzled, un appreciated and even confused for just doing and following procedure and protocol to my work responsibilities which my job duties required me to do.I worked for a nonprofit organization which helped advocate for individuals with disabilities and their families. My job title was that of a project assistant of a youth group which empowers young adults with disabilities gather the tools necessary to live a more independent and healthier way of life. The problem to the dilemma consisted in nepotism taking place by my immediate supervisor. The organization I worked for was just a small branch which was extended from the main office which was located in Albuquerque, NM.I did not have another immediate supervisor to question any such ethical dilemmas. Each year our project needed to provide accountability of ten new additional youth members to the group. Membership to the group required the creation and development of a goals and dream planning map. Once the member reached three months of attendance to monthly meetings the individual was then issued a stipend of five hundred dollars to assist in reaching such set goal in the plan. As a project assistant one of my job responsibilities was to locate youth with disabilities and invite them to become part of the group.Part of our initial protocol was not to use the stipend as the initial incentive to join the group but rather to make the youth group more appealing by emphasizing social group gatherings, activities, advocacy and the initial growth of one’s self confidence and development in learning to advocate for themselves and others who cannot speak for themselves in front of congress. My supervisor however did not follow protocol and often selected individuals from her immediate social circle of friends and family members to join the youth group.Secondly those initial members were not required to meet the three month required time limit of monthly meeting attendance to acquire the stipend. One day I politely q uestioned her selection process and she quickly gave the explanation that she needed to meet the quota and had to sign up 10 youth members no matter who they were so the project would not loose funding. Yet when I confronted her about trying to sign up my son or family members with disabilities I was informed I could not because I worked for the organization.I was informed by her that she needed to bend the rules to meet quota but when I offered to help by suggesting to enroll individuals with disabilities from my social circle I was denied. I should have just dropped the issue right there and them, however I went on to question her actions and she abruptly stated† How dare you question me? Don’t try to undermine me Brenda†, then she just changed the conversation right away. Well, soon after that our work relationship was very shaky and when my employment contract ended I was not offered a new contract again.Based on what I learned since I began my study at the Un iversity of Phoenix and through my continued work experience I think I would have handled the situation in the same manner but I would have chosen my words differently. At the time I believe my questioning of her actions and the way I came about it was wrong in the sense that I was trying to fight fire with fire. I was trying to justify my possible actions and suggesting the same methods she was using to recruited my circle of members in the same manner.I now realize that you should not try to suggest justification of one’s actions by doing the same thing the other individual is doing. I needed to fight fire with water and in turn make her analyze her actions and view her ways in a cam and professional manner. Then if that did not work I should have escalated to the next level and called her supervisor in Albuquerque just as a note of information not an accusation. According to _________Ethics can be seen as both the highest and the lowest standards of practice expected of a practitioner, reflecting both the standards of the community and the profession.Codes, rather than being precise dictates, are actually combinations of rules and utilitatian principles that do not provide a rational as to why a particular behavior is right or wrong in a particular situation or circumstance. Therefore, many issues cannot be resolved solely by relying on codes of ethics. Practical judgment and informed conscious reasoning are necessary in the proper application of codes of ethics. Various professional organizations have established codes of ethics for their members however in similar professional, the codes of ethics and acceptable behavior can vary greatly.When faced with an ethical dilemma, a practioner would do well to think of the formal code of ethics of his/her profession and then through a formal ethical decision making process to expedite s sound solution.References Freeman, S. J. , (2000). Publication manual of the Wadsworth group, a division of Thomson Learn ing Inc. Ethics: An introduction to philosophy & practice Environmental Protection Agency Website, (2009), Publication research group of the Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from http:// www. epa. gov/progress/#i

Satellites - fiction essays

Satellites - fiction essays It was around 3:30 when I got the call. The man wouldnt explain why, but I needed to get down to the station. A jet was waiting. At 5:00 I arrived at the station. The room I was escorted into seated about thirty people, and every seat was filled. I recognized some people, but others seemed completely foreign to me. They were introduced as various government officials from countries around the world. Before I had the chance to move, a man rose out of his chair and spoke, Welcome, we brought you here for your expertise in these situations. Situations we have never before come across. I immediately assumed he was talking about the search for alien life. A few companions and I have been searching for any signs of life for almost twenty years. About two days ago we picked up a small radio signal. Our astronomers found an object floating out along the solar system at around 800,000 miles. By tracking the trajectory, we can defiantly rule out one of our satellites. The representatives from other countries with space programs have also denied it being theirs. We only have one possibility left. Our first problem was to decide what to do with the object. After much deliberation, we came to the conclusion to send out a ship to retrieve the satellite. Afterwards, my team and I could study the foreign object. Then the big problem came. Should the public be told about this object? The people did have the right to know, and they would probably find out eventually, but until we could learn more, we wanted to avoid the chance of a mass panic. The meeting ended with the decision not to inform the public; at least not for a while. Two months later, the ship finally returned after successfully capturing the satellite. My team and I would spend the next three years studying and dismantling the satellite, but it was clear from day one what we were dealing with. ...

Carbon Neutral Alternative Fuels

Carbon Neutral Alternative Fuels Carbon neutral is a term used to describe carbon-based fuels that when burned will not increase carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. These fuels neither contribute to nor reduce the amount of carbon (measured in the release of CO2) into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is plant food, which is a good thing, and it also helps keep our planet warm. However, too much CO2 can lead to what we now call global warming. Carbon neutral fuels can help prevent too much CO2 from accumulating in the atmosphere. It accomplishes this when the released carbon is absorbed by plant crops that will help produce tomorrow’s next gallon of a carbon-neutral fuel. Every time we travel in a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle, we add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. That’s because burning a petroleum fuel (which were created millions of years ago) releases CO2 into the air. As a nation, 250 million passenger vehicles are currently registered, about 25 percent of all passenger vehicles in the world. In the U.S., our vehicles burn around 140 billion gallons of gasoline and 40 billion gallons of diesel a year. With those numbers it’s not difficult to see that every gallon of a carbon-neutral fuel that is burned can contribute to the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere, thus helping to reduce global warming. Biofuels Many people believe the future lies with carbon-neutral alternative fuels made from crops and waste products that are known as biofuels. Pure biofuels such as biodiesel, bio-ethanol, and bio-butanol are carbon neutral since plants absorb the C02 released by being burned. Biodiesel The most common carbon neutral fuel is biodiesel. Because it is produced from such organically derived resources as animal fats and vegetable oil it can be used to recycle a wide range of waste material. It’s available in a range of blend percentages- B5, for example, is 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent diesel, while B100 is all biodiesel- and there are biodiesel filling stations throughout the U.S. Then there’s the small number of drivers who homebrew their own biodiesel and some who convert their diesel engines to run on straight vegetable oil recycled from restaurants. Bioethanol Bioethanol is ethanol (alcohol) that is produced by the fermentation of plant starches such as grains like corn, sugarcane, switchgrass and agricultural waste. Not to be confused with ethanol that is a by-product of a chemical reaction with petroleum, which is not considered renewable. In the U.S. most of the bioethanol comes from farmers who grow corn. Many American passenger cars and light-duty trucks can operate on either gasoline or a bioethanol/gasoline blend called E-85- 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline. While E-85 is not a pure carbon neutral fuel it does produce low emissions. The big downside to ethanol is it is less energy-dense than other fuels, so it reduces fuel economy by 25% to 30%. With gasoline prices hovering around $2 a gallon E-85 is not competitively priced. And good luck finding a gas station that sells it outside the Midwest farming states. Methanol Methanol, like ethanol, is a very strong alcohol made from wheat, corn or sugar in a process similar to brewing, and is considered the most energy-efficient fuel to produce. A liquid at normal temperatures, it has a higher octane rating than gasoline but a lower energy density. Methanol can be mixed with other fuels or used on its own, but it is slightly more corrosive than traditional fuels, requiring engine fuel system modifications on the order of $100-$150. During a brief period of time in the early 2000s, there was a small growing market for methanol cars in California until the state’s Hydrogen Highway Initiative Network took command and the program lost support. Sales of these cars were sluggish due to the low price of gasoline at the time and the lack of service stations that pumped the fuel. However, the short program did prove the reliability of the vehicles and garnered positive feedback from drivers. Algae Algae- specifically microalgae- is a source for a carbon-neutral alternative fuel. Since the 1970s federal and state governments along with private investment firms have poured hundreds of millions into algae research as a biofuel with little success to date. Microalgae has the ability to produce lipids, which are known as a potential source for biofuels. These algae can be grown on non-potable water, perhaps even wastewater, in ponds so it is not using arable land or massive amounts of water. While on paper, micro-algae seems like a no-brainer, formidable technical issues have flummoxed researchers and scientists for years. But the algae true believers aren’t giving up, so maybe someday you’ll be pumping an algae-based biofuel into your car’s fuel tank. Diesel Fuel From Water And CO2 No, diesel fuel from water and carbon dioxide is not some Ponzi scheme intended to fleece dim-witted investors. Last year Audi, together with German energy-company Sunfire, announced it was able to synthesize a diesel fuel from water and CO2 that can fuel automobiles. The synthesis creates a liquid known as blue crude and is refined into what Audi is calling e-diesel. Audi claims that e-diesel is sulfur-free, cleaner burning than standard diesel and the process to make it is 70 percent efficient. The first five liters went into the tank of an  Audi A8  3.0 TDI driven by Germany’s Minister of Research. To become a viable carbon-neutral fuel, the next step is to ramp up production. A Complex and Difficult Challenge Our addiction to oil has had dire consequences. It seems that the logical solution would be to develop or discover an alternative carbon-neutral fuel not derived from petroleum. However, finding an alternative that is abundant, renewable, economical to produce and environmentally friendly is a complex and difficult challenge. The good news is, as you read this, scientists are working hard on this difficult challenge. Updated by Larry E. Hall

Griselda Blanco de Trujillo The Godmother of Drug Trafficking Essay

Griselda Blanco de Trujillo The Godmother of Drug Trafficking - Essay Example Griselda Blanco is one such personality who emerged and established her in the underworld so strongly that she was given the title of Godmother. It throws light on the fact that women are becoming increasingly involved in criminal activities, most importantly drug trafficking. This paper summarizes the rise and fall of Griselda Blanco. In the spring of 1975 Griselda Blanco’s Learjet arrived at the Bogota airport from Miami. As soon as the jet touched down, the runway was flocked by a cavalcade of black Limousines carrying fully armed enforcers. Blanco, the five feet tall, oval faced 32-year-old who weighed 165 pounds, was instantly escorted by her crew towards a famous night club in the Columbian capital. She was visiting her husband, Alberto Bravo, who was her confidante and her partner in crime. Together, they formed a cartel that â€Å"moved hundreds of kilos of cocaine in the US, and employed nearly 1,500 dealers â€Å"(Brown 95). That fateful day Griselda was a woman on a mission, which was to confront her husband for his wrong doings and corruption involving millions. Safely tucked inside her boot was a loaded pistol which left little doubt about her intentions. Bravo was eagerly waiting for her to assume nothing about her sudden visit to the drug-trafficking hub of America, i.e., Colombia. As they came in person, her rage alarmed him and the six guards who surrounded him. Nothing could stop this woman from the vengeance she nestled in her heart for her husband, who was the king of cocaine smuggling in Colombia. Bullets were fired from both the groups killing several guards. Bravo was killed on the spot by Griselda, who targeted his head and fired without thinking twice that this was her husband whom she wanted to eliminate. With just one careful shot, Griselda became the legendary godmother of the drug mafia in America. Griselda Blanco, the woman with a cleft chin, was hardly passable as a drug dealer, let alone the drug lord. However, this was indeed a fact that she became the undisputed queen of underworld mafia, and was the most feared one due to her ruthless tactics and aggressive approach. The surprising factor is that she was also a mysterious figure to the law enforcement agencies, and her complete criminal records were only revealed through her own kept diaries. Guy Gugliotta and Jeff Leen wrote that â€Å"in 1977 DEA agents in Medellin discovered the bookkeeping records of Griselda Blanco and began to learn of the ties between the traffickers they pursued† (Gugliotta and Leen 28). Blanco was born in a poor family on February 15, 1943 in the slums of Cartagena Columbia (Brown 96). She had a childhood and spent most of her early years in the barrio (Riano-Alcala 42). She became a prostitute at the young age of eleven to get rid of her turbulent life and abusive mother. As she belonged to the land of crime †Columbia," she was involved in various criminal acts like pocket picking, abducting children from wealthy families, robbing and shooting people for money since the age of eleven (Brown 96). Bob Polombo, US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agent said that â€Å"I just think it was inherent to Griselda Blanco. This goes back to her life, the way she was brought up. She was just a violent person† (Brown 96).   The period from 1960 to 1980 was a bountiful time for drug dealing all over

Alzheimer's Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alzheimer's Disease - Essay Example It is a disease that occurs mostly in older people and adversely affects various parts of the brain, which subsequently results in a loss of memory, thought and speech. Some of which have been provided as follows. Alzheimer 's disease is a form of dementia that is, "associated with the breakdown of the nervous tissue in the brain." (http://bse.airtime.co.uk/defb.htm) According to the ALS Therapy Development Foundation, Alzheimer's disease is, "a form of degenerative brain disease resulting in progressive mental deterioration with disorientation, memory disturbance and confusion. It leads to progressive dementia, often accompanied by dysphasia and/or dysphasia. The condition may also give rise ultimately to spastic weakness and paralysis of the limbs, epilepsy and other variable neurological signs." (http://www.als.net/als101/glossary.asp) The online site of the Medaus Pharmacy states that only in a few cases does Alzheimer's exist before the age of fifty. This disease results in a complete eventual breakdown of speech-patterns and results in disorientation and apathy in the patient. Other symptoms include the loss of intelligence, memory, judgment and the ability to think abstractly. In addition, diverse changes in the personality and behavior of the patient can often be seen as well. (http://www.medaus.com/p/147.html) It is natural for a person with Alzheimer's to remember things that may have happened years ago clearly and to forget those of the present. Any form of dementia (be it Alzheimer's or otherwise) does not occur all of a sudden; rather it is a slow process that often occurs over the course of months or years. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/) The number of people with Alzheimer's disease is likely to increase to 34 million by the year 2050. 350,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed annually and the approximately 50,000 patients die from the disease each year. It has been found in literature that life expectancy is directly proportional to Alzheimer's. In other words in every country where the life expectancy its citizens has increased (this would mostly include the developed nations around the world) so has the prevalence of Alzheimer's. (http://www.ahaf.org/alzdis/about/adabout.htm) In addition, it has been found that, "women have a slightly greater chance of developing Alzheimer's than men do at the same age". (http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspxarticleId=14) There are basically two types of Alzheimer's disease; the early onset and the late onset. The early onset is the type of Alzheimer's that occurs before the age of 60. Though is not very common it is highly progressive and greatly degenerative. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000760.htm) "To function properly, the brain must have a minimum number of healthy cells. In Alzheimer's disease brain cells progressively die. If the number of neurons is also suddenly reduced, the patient's mental state may deteriorate abruptly. Several conditions may be responsible for the loss of neurons, including: strokes, subdural hematomas and space-occupying lesions inside the skull." (Handy et al, 1998, pp.105) Though the symptoms of each patient are unique, there are some basic indicators, which are likely to be experienced by most patients. These are given as follows, (http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/disorders_dementia.shtml) Lack of concentration, Confusion about time & place(s), Negligence of one's own self, A