African American President Essay

Between the two articles; â€Å"Hell Yeah, There’s Still Slam-Banging Black Music† by Greg Tate and â€Å"Starting Now, There Is No Such Thing as Black Music† by Cord Jefferson, they are basically discussing the beginning times of when Black Music came about and how it became labeled Black Music. Also how there should be no such thing as Black Music due to certain circumstance. Going back to when Black Music first became labeled Black Music and thinking about all the important Black leader who stood up for their rights and some who accomplished successful things that were once thought could only be accomplished by the Whites, I believe Black Music being labeled Black Music should stay the same. I also think whether to be considered Black Music or not, it will always be up to ones decision on what they consider the type of music they listen to no matter what anyone else says. What is labeled Black Music today I think has very significant and important meaning to the African American culture because just like the article â€Å"Hell Yeah, There’s Still Slam-banging Black Music,† African Americans don’t even have a country to call their own. I think having something simply as a type of music the Black’s created to call their own I don’t think should be a big deal at all and should not be changed. The article also mentioned that everything Black’s did back then became a beauty, especially their music which I think would be easy for anyone to see just knowing the history of African Americans and what they had to do just to be where they are today, slave and discrimination free. There is also plenty of successful African Americans we know about living today and from back then that went through a lot just have some recognition for the African American culture. Some of these successful African Americans not only include Musicians, but also actress and or performers, novel writers, business owners, and today a African American President. I do believe there is a such thing as Black Music simply because the music portrayed as Black Music is still continued today as well as when it first started. In the article by Cord Jefferson, he’s trying to compare basketball to the matter calling it a White’s sport because it first being played by White males, but it wouldn’t make sense being called a White’s sports today when today it’s played by many different races other than White males. Not saying that there aren’t non-Black people recording what we as Americans consider Black Music, but the larger majority of artist recording what’s labeled as Black Music today are African Americans. That’s basically how it’s been since the beginning start of Black Music and that’s how I believe it will stay.

Million Dollar Baby Film Essay

In the film ‘Million Dollar Baby’,directed by Clint Eastwood is mainly based around the theme of how the important characters as vehicles to convey the theme familial love and support. This is shown when the theme is set up through Maggie and Frankie having broken relationship with their families, but it was resolved when they came together. Having familial love and support is important to an individual’s wellbeing. Without love, humans become isolated and unsatisfied. Therefore, by coming together, they express a similar familial love although they are not biologically related and experiences this fulfillment in life. The characters from the film demonstrated the beauty of this relationship. Eastwood successfully conveyed the idea through various visual and oral techniques. Throughout the film, secondary characters also supports the success of the protagonists to show family support is essential for the main character to achieve their specific goals. Eastwood conveys the idea of the importance of familial love for Maggie, in â€Å"Million Dollar Baby†, through the relationship between Maggie and Frankie, her boxing trainer. Maggie and Frankie, both have broken relationships with their own families but the resulting emptiness is filled when they came together. Maggie does not want to live in a dysfunctional family as her family cares little for her well-being. Her plight is summed up in the quotation when the audience is told that she wants to escape from her miserable life, â€Å" I’m 31, Mr. Dunn, and I’m here celebrating the fact that I spent another year scraping dishes and waitressing which is what I’ve been doing since 13. My brother’s in prison, my sister cheats on welfare by pretending one of her babies is still alive, my daddy’s dead, and my momma weighs 312 pounds. The only thing I ever felt good doing was boxing.† Although Maggie saves up enough of her prize money to buy her mother a house, her actions are not appreciated. Her mother berates Maggie for seizing her welfare payments and Medicaid benefits. Frankie’s support provided the energy for Maggie to succeed in her career. In Frankie’s situation, he was alienated from his daughter for an unexplained reason. This is shown when Frankie’s letters along with his pain comes back to him with‘ Return to Sender’ written on them. Frankie expresses the pain of rejection through his facial expressions. Lighting was used in the film to portray this. Dim lighting was used whenever Frankie appears. His face was made barely visible with many shadows, one side being darker than the other. This technique of the different shades on the character’s face symbolized the two sides of Frankie’s life. The darker side symbolizes the terrible past of his life while the brighter side symbolizes the bright future Frankie will share with Maggie. Dim lighting on the returned letters is also used to express the sad mood in the scene. The letters are on the ground forcing Frankie to bend down to pick them up, which symbolizes his daughter’s rejection and his distant relationship with he r. When Frankie says to Maggie â€Å" I made many mistakes in my life. I just want to prevent you from doing the same† it demonstrates his regret. This shows the relationship progress between Frankie and Maggie. He wanted to redeem himself by finding a ‘replacement’ daughter-Maggie. In â€Å"Million Dollar Baby†, Frankie’s life changed because of Maggie’s entrance. They each had personal needs due to the lack of familial love so personal fulfillments developed to satisfy each other. Both Frankie and Maggie have a lack of familial love therefore, as they meet, a non-biologically related love and support develops. Two examples of dialogue stand out in particular showing the development in their relationship. Maggie said: â€Å" You’re gonna leave me again?† ,Frankie replied, â€Å" Never† and when Maggie expressed â€Å" I’ve got nobody but you, Frankie.† Frankie answered with a definite answer of â€Å"Then youà ¢â‚¬â„¢ve got me.† Eastwood used both dialogues to express the same idea of that strong bond between Frankie and Maggie that has developed throughout the film. Frankie is the only one who helped and supported Maggie through her victory as he saw her as his own and wanted to make her the best by training her harshly which can be seen as another type of love. Maggie sees boxing as one important part of her life and does not want to give up. Finally won by her determination, Frankie accepts Maggie by making an agreement between them. Frankie then slowly shapes her into a viable fighter. The other technique used to show her success was lighting. The lighting used at the beginning of the film was dim and dark indicating the dark sides of Maggie’s life. When she succeeded, it changed into a very bright background. The brand, Everlast, on the speed bag was used subtly to show Maggie’s determination. She used this support to work hard to change her life and be successful for once in her life. It all paid off when she was standing inside of the boxing ring. Without Frankie’s support, she might have never dreamed of that day. The theme of familial love and support plays a significant role in the film â€Å"Million Dollar Baby†. It is shown through Frankie and Maggie’s development of familial love due to their dysfunctional family. Familial love and support was also conveyed by the secondary characters supporting the protagonists as they express care and support to each other. Familial loves is shown as a complex idea in the film as biological love fails and another form of family is reconstituted. The audiences also learn that love is a powerful force that can transform families and provides fulfillment in the lives of people and to be successful in life, you have to have love.

Bus 475 Week 3 Learning Team: Functional Area Interrelationships

Functional Area Interrelationships October 29, 2012 BUS/475 University of Phoenix Abstract Huffman Trucking is a trucking company that was established in 1936. Throughout this paper, we will discuss the company’s mission and vision statement. It will also identify the type of organizational structure and how each of those roles supports the company’s goals. The collaboration process among the functional areas must also be established to support the goals.Finally, the stakeholders will be reviewed and how the company plans to protect them and how their communication is vital to the success of Huffman Trucking. â€Å"Huffman Trucking started in 1936 in Cleveland, OH. By 1945, the company had increased in size to 16 tractors and 36 trailers. † (Virtual Organization) Today Huffman trucking is one of the largest trucking companies in the United States. The company has four locations across the U. S. ; Cleveland, OH, Los Angeles, CA, St. Louis, MO, and Bayonne, NJ.The company has created a core foundation to continue to grow the company and sustain financial stability. Since the inception of the organization in 1936, Huffman trucking has grown their fleet of tractor-trailers from one to over 800 tractors, 2,100 45 foot trailers, and 260 roll on/ roll off units. Huffman trucking also employees 925 drivers and 425 technical support staff members, which is based from the increase in business that they have seen over the years from their acquisitions of five other freight companies.The mission of Huffman trucking is â€Å"to be a profitable, growing, adaptive company in an intensively competitive logistical services business environment†. Huffman Trucking according to the mission statement wants to be a competitive company within the logistics industry, and they also want to maintain the growth and profitability that they have experienced over the years. The vision statement of Huffman Trucking is â€Å"to be a model company to our stockholde rs, employees, customers, and all stakeholders†.Through the vision statement that Huffman Trucking has put into place at their organization they want to be a company that does right by all the people that are investors in the company, as well as, the employees and customers that are also valued by the organization. In analyzing the mission and vision statements of the company, Huffman Trucking existence is to maintain their market share in the logistics industry by treating the customer, employees, stock, and stakeholders with the upmost respect and consideration.The reason that Huffman Trucking uses the business structure that they have is to maintain the solid structure of the employment, and maintain the growth of the business in the industry of logistics. Huffman Trucking is a company that prides themselves on the idea that taking care of the employees will help the employees will take care of the customers, and the revenues from the customers will help the business and th e stock and stakeholders maintain their edge. Huffman Trucking is a leader in the industry of logistics, and is one of the larger corporations that are in operation.The contracts that Huffman Trucking has are strong stable contracts that will help the vision and mission of the company to be successful in the completion and achievement of the goals that they set for the organization. Huffman Trucking has a strong foundation and the future of the organization is solid with the contracts that are in place from years to come. The services that Huffman Trucking offers to its customers are services that can help the growth of the business, and to maintain the competitive edge that Huffman Trucking has over its competition.Huffman Trucking is a privately held United States based company. Huffman Trucking’s Mission Statement is â€Å"to be a profitable, growing, adaptive company in an intensively competitive logistical services business environment†(Huffman Trucking, 2012). Hu ffman’s Trucking Vision Statement is â€Å"to be a model company to our stockholders, employees, customers and all stakeholders† (Huffman Trucking, 2012). Huffman trucking has implemented the following steps of the collaboration process that must be employed to achieve organizational goals.The action plan to implement the collaboration process is to create an important objective, build, sustain, or enhance a core competence or competitive advantage, important new market opportunities as well as mitigate significant risk to the trucking business. Facilitating the close cross-company by merger and acquisition strategies play a part in Huffman trucking. Expanding the company’s geographic coverage and independently developing whatever resources and know-how were needed to be successful was imperative. Huffman Trucking has facilities in four major cities in the United States, Cleveland, OH, Los Angeles, CA, St.Louis, MO, and Bayonne, NJ. In order for Huffman Trucking to be a successful business there had to be several things put into place. The mission of the company is to be a profitable, growing, adaptive company in an intensively competitive logistical services business environment. The vision of Huffman Trucking is to be a model company to our stockholders, employees, customers and all stakeholders. In order for Huffman Trucking to be able to achieve the mission and reach the vision for the company there had to be the use of collaborations within. Such collaborations would include lateral and vertical collaborations.Lateral collaboration is where a group of people with the same ranking work together to accomplish a task. An example of lateral collaboration would be if two or more of the floor employees work together to try and come up with a way to increase production. A vertical collaboration would occur when a person of higher rank works with a person of lower rank to accomplish a goal. The CEO of the company working with a floor shift ma nager to try to increase production would be an example of vertical collaboration. Looking on the service request page, there has been many requests for service made by different people.One request that was made was made by the CIO for a Windows server upgrade for all the network locations. The expected goal of this server upgrade is to provide a migration path from the current network to one running Windows Server 2008. An action plan will be put together in order to accomplish this goal. Vertical collaboration will be used as the CIO works together with the IT department in order to accomplish the task of upgrading the server. They will work together to make sure that the server upgrade allows Huffman Trucking to do everything that it needs to be successful such as the right domain model and network dministration for all sites. An action plan will then be put into effect for lateral collaboration. This will allow the front line staff to develop ways that the upgraded server can he lp them. Examples of that would be that Administrative control of domain controllers can be decentralized if needed and allows the drivers to have access to at least one computer at each site. Huffman Trucking takes great pride in their company not only for their employees and customers but also for their stakeholders.They have developed a mission statement for their stakeholders; â€Å"We will maintain continuous awareness of our stakeholders and apply the test of reasonableness to assure our business practices are commensurate with stakeholder expectations. † (Virtual Organization) By identify awareness to the stakeholders, they will want to continue to invest in Huffman Trucking. Some of the stakeholders include; President/CEO, VP of Transportation, VP of Equipment, VP of Real Estate, VP of Terminal Operations, VP of Sales, Shareholders and all employees.The collaborative interaction between the Huffman Trucking Executive Management is critical to the success of the busine ss. They are the making the deciding factors for each category that they are over. At the end of the day, each VP relies on another VP in order to proceed with their decisions. The management team must work together in order to ensure that Huffman Trucking and the Stakeholders are happy and successful. At the end of the day, if the stakeholders do no collaborate together all of them will lose out. Huffman Trucking has created a company that continues to grow and build upon their success year after year.By staying true to their mission and vision statement the company will be able to open up more locations in the United States. Huffman trucking has a clear strategic plan that allows them to have a strong internal and vertical collaboration. By keeping their focus and foundation alive to their shareholders, stakeholders, employees, and customers Huffman Trucking will continue to be a leading trucking company. References Virtual Organization Portal. (2012) Huffman Trucking. Retrieved o n October 29, 2012 from http://ecampus. phoenix. edu

Are GMOs helpful or harmful Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are GMOs helpful or harmful - Essay Example This has resulted in many scientists coming up with the ways of increasing productivity of the already existing land. In fact, some ways of growing GMO include irrigation of arid areas and use of fertilizers. On top of that, there have been efforts to reclaim land from the seas and oceans. For example, dykes constructed in Netherlands for creation of more land necessary for horticulture farming. Despite the above suggestions, there has been starvation in some countries when they are strike by drought like in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Therefore, scientists have come up with the idea of growing crops that are genetically modified. The idea has been met with a lot of criticism despite being seen as the only viable solution to hunger elimination. GMOs can be either harmful or helpful according to various arguments and perspectives. They are helpful because of the following; there has been lack of enough traditional seed to be planted. This suggests that it will result to food shortage if the genetic foods are banned. The food shortage consequently results to increase of the cost of food which is already high. The high prices on the food are because of increase in demand and unfavorable weather changes. However, with genetic food, more food will be produced and the cost of food will instead go down. For instance, in US, the Agricultural Department has rein-stored the modified weed killer resistant sugar-beet because more than half of sugar produced in US has been genetically modified. There are also modified cotton and soya beans (Kilman and Tomson 10). Another benefit of genetic foods is that the crops are resistant to pests and viruses due to use of technology. Hence, food prices go down due to the continuous practice of large scale farming will be easy. For example in Europe, they have adopted genetic modification to reduce the high demand for wheat and avoid future shortages which can result to starvation (Pendrous 24). There has been

Social Determinants of Health and Wellbeing Essay

Social Determinants of Health and Wellbeing - Essay Example 1999). A safe environment, adequate income, meaningful roles in society, secure housing, higher level of education and social support within communities are associated with better health and well being. It is these determinants that we refer to as the "social determinants of health" (Baum F. 1999). The key determinants of health are ethnicity, cultural factors, educational attainments, economic conditions, housing, employment security and access to and use of health care services contributing together to portray socioeconomic status in the society of Canada (Raphael, D., 2006). The SODH National Conference focused on the public policy environment (income and its distribution) and not on the characteristics associated with the individuals (income and social status). There are 11 SODS they are: Aboriginal status, early life, education, employment and working conditions, food security, health care services, housing, income and its distribution, social safety net, social exclusion, unemp loyment security (Raphael, D., 2006). The approaches for SDOH are Mid-level approach are a focus on mid-level determinants of health.

Develop finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Develop finance - Assignment Example b) On what basis do McKinnon and Shaw argue for financial liberalisation? Answer: McKinnon and Shaw were of the opinion that ceilings in interest rates, requirements of high reserve and restriction on allocation of credit can be accounted for the poor performance of investment mechanism. The work of the researchers is based on the role of the liberalized rates of interest on mobilization of savings as well as distribution of funds to investments that are high in earning. They indicated the role of the financial sector in order to increase the volume of savings. c) What imperfections in financial markets were disregarded by the McKinnon-Shaw style models and with what result? Answer: The hypothesis of Shaw and McKinnon is of the opinion that savings can be chocked by financial repression. They opined that only financial liberalization can lead to higher savings as well as investment which are the step to achieve accelerated growth. The hypothesis has failed to settle the debates on fi nancial liberalization. The process of financial liberalization is not at all smooth and continuous. Exogenous shocks can be held responsible for liberalization reversals in the developing countries. It is difficult to take the costs and benefits of financial liberalization into account. ... The net earnings of a country are recorded in the current account while the net change in the ownership is recorded in the capital account. The former is the sum total of balance of trade, cash transfers as well as factor incomes. The later consists of reserve account as well as the loans and investments between the country and the globe. There are mainly three types of financial capital namely equity capital, debt capital and specialty capital. The debt form of capital is injected into a business knowing that the capital must be returned back at a future date that is predetermined. The equity form of capital is the cash written by the holders of shares as well as the owners of the business into the organization that has no offsetting liabilities. The last from of capital is gold standard. It is among the few sources of capital that have almost zero economic cost. b) What are the dangers associated with international debt flows? Answer: The dangers of international debt flows are dan gers in credit rating, bankruptcy danger, judgments, loans and late payments. The credit rating is negatively affected by debts. Bankruptcy can also be thought of as one of the dangers of debt. When the debt level reaches at such a height that is infeasible to pay, bankruptcy acts as the option. But it will be unfair to think bankruptcy as debt free card. A situation of bankruptcy can also negative effects on the credit report and can also affect the availability of credit in future. A high level of debt can result in multiple late payments if the available resources are not able to cover up the payments. c) Have developing countries benefited from FDI? Answer: FDI plays a more significant role in the developing countries than in the developed countries.

Economic theory of statistical discrimination Coursework

Economic theory of statistical discrimination - Coursework Example On the other hand in unconscious bias theory, the employers may have a preconceived stereotype towards a certain group which may affect his/her decision making in situations such as giving promotions or pay rises. Such people have preconceived stereotypes when making decisions which object how they would make an unbiased decision. Such people may be trying to do otherwise but they will be affected by the unconscious bias while making decisions. As Wax, (2011) notes, unconscious bias plays a major role in social disparity by race and gender (p. 877). These theories justify the need for anti-discriminatory laws and policies. It is important to help in the ruling of legal suits that have been filed against companies for discriminatory claims. The Employment Non-Discriminatory Act of 2007 is an important act in safeguarding the rights of employees against discrimination. I don’t feel there is any law or policy that should be done away with. Since managers are educated and they know how to handle the employees it is important to put in place strict measures to address cases of

Integrating the Least Developed Countries into the World Trading Essay

Integrating the Least Developed Countries into the World Trading System - Essay Example The European Community has developed numerous economic and trading layers through which the bloc manages and deals with the economic and trade affairs with other countries of the world. The European Union consists of 27 members (Jacoby 2004; Kelley 2004; Vachudova 2005). This expansion enables EU as a unitary actor to exercise considerable geo-regulatory and geo-economic power (Damro 2006; Young and Peterson 2006). The other instruments employed by the EU to enhance its influence beyond Europe borders include conditionality (Lister and Carbone 2006) and development aid (Holland 2008). The members of EU have developed an integrated policy including agriculture policy, common competition policy, and common external tariff policy. The members have also observed the uniform application of four basic components of freedom such as capital, movement of persons, goods, and services. The entire bloc has allowed the citizens of member countries to enjoy free cross-border mobility without using or facing any visa restrictions. The members also use Euro as a single currency to exchange goods and services. South Africa in 1999 (Dur 2007; Frennhoff-Larsen 2007; Sanabuja 2000; Szymanski and Smith 2005).The first generation association agreements in the period of 1970s observed the establishment of customs unions with the states of Malta and Cyprus. The European Economic Area (EEA) represents a single market of the European Union. The major function of EEA is to work as a free trade area along with maintaining its own distinct and separate tariff level. Free Trade Areas (FTA) are the regulatory framework underway between various developing and developed countries of the world. The FTAs with other countries including Slovenia, Estonia, Bulgaria and Lithuania and other central and eastern states have been concluded. In addition to that, the Mediterranean Partnerships encompass economic and trade relationships between various countries from the Middle East and other parts of the world. The focus is to increase and strengthen the economic ties and relationships. In this regard, Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) preferences are also another mechanism put in place to develop and maintain economic and trade relations with a number of developing countries. The framework of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is increased when the inclusion of the recent ‘Everything But Arms’ initiative took place in which economic and trade framework was further analyzed and developed a workable framework with the developing countries with an aim of strengthen economic and trade relationships. However, there are various experts who do not agree with the notion that EU trade policy extends the share of benefits that it has given to the EU farmers. And they also contend that one way or other, the EU trade policy works at the cost of the developing countries.  

Deforestation in the Amazon Rain Forest Research Paper

Deforestation in the Amazon Rain Forest - Research Paper Example The majority of the rainforest, just over 60 percent, is within Brazil, and the rest of the rainforest falls within the territory of countries such as Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and others (Senna, Costa, & Pires, p. 14). Rainforests once covered over 14 percent of the earth’s surface; however, the same percentage has now decreased to almost 6 percent and the most significant chunk of this deforestation has taken place in the biggest rain forest of Amazon. The deforestation of Amazon Rainforest is perhaps, the most significant concern for green movements, environmental activists, experts, governments, NGOs and various other stakeholders. Human activity and demand in the region has already destroyed a significant portion of rainforest and caused immeasurable damage to the animal species, ecosystem, and the current and future human generations (Rice, p. 25). This paper is an attempt to explore the dynamics of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest and most import antly, its impact on the soil with respect to soil degradation, soil erosion, and soil leaching. Discussion Prior to the second half of the 20th century, the access to the interior of the rainforest was highly restricted and in the absence of roads, railways and others forms of communication, it was almost irrational to conduct mass deforestation of the Amazon for any purposes (Marshall & Watson, p. 327). The costs of transportation were so high that people did not see deforestation as a profitable venture. However, during the 1960s, many farmers initiated deforestation with the slash and burn method for agricultural purposes. With the creation of roads and railways for transportation and the increasing demand for natural resources, deforestation of the Amazon began at massive rates. The rise on population and the aspirations to become a modern economy further increased the demand for wood and wood products and thus, year after year, rates of deforestation kept increasing. For many years, deforestation within Brazil did not catch the attention of the policymakers of the country as a significant environmental issue because they had evidence to believe that there is a strong link between deforestation and economic growth within the country (Senna, Costa & Pires, p. 14). During the period of 1988-1991, the figures revealed a strong correlation between the slowing down of the economic growth and the decline in the deforestation of the Amazon forest. This correlation was validated by the figures of the period of 1993-1998, when the boom in the economic growth appeared to parallel the increase in deforestation activity of Amazon. Many experts even started claiming this link is not merely a correlation but causation. More importantly, it is a unidirectional causation where deforestation activity within Brazil is causing economic growth and; therefore, it was indispensable (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 89). However, by the mid 2000s, it became apparent to the poli cymakers and the public that the link between deforestation and economic growth is not a significant one. Since then, there has been a significant decline in the deforestation of Amazon. In fact, the rate of deforestation of Amazon in the year 2011 was the lowest during the past couple of decades. Experts believe that many factors have caused this decline. First, during

Partnerships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Partnerships - Essay Example opriate information may indicate that it is better for the organization to adapt ways that would eliminate any existing limitations instead of remaining independent. This brings the idea of partnership. In addition, an organization can empower its employees through sharing information with them. This would help the employees in making the most appropriate decisions concerning partnerships since they have adequate information beforehand. Moreover, empowerment through creation of clear goals as well as objectives would aid in empowering the employees to make goal-oriented decisions. For instance, the employees might suggest establishment of partnerships as the main way of realizing specific goals as they are well informed on the goals of the organization. Furthermore, creating an environment that encourages making mistakes through taking risks would also be helpful in establishment of partnerships. This would encourage the employees to try new things with the customers and encourage ot hers to do the same. However, berating an individual for trying something would keep others from doing the same and hamper creativity and development in the organization. From an experience perspective, my employer does not punish or even yell at us, the employees, for having introduced a customer to a new idea and asking them to try it. Instead, my employer encourages us to continue trying new things and rewards those successful in developing new ideas. This has extended to the point that risk taking is a competitive advantage that our organization uses to compete in the

Investigatory project Essay Example for Free

Investigatory project Essay Banana is very much common in the Philippines. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants and is grown in at least 107 countries, primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent to make fiber, banana wine and as ornamental plants. Musa acuminata or Musa balbisiana or commonly known as Banana has an impressive potassium content and is highly recommended by doctors for patients whose potassium is low. vitamin B6, soluble fiber, and moderate amounts of vitamin C and manganese are also abundant in Banana. Putting all of the nutritional figures together, it clearly shows that banana is one of the healthiest fruits. There is a protective outer layer (a peel or skin) with numerous long, thin strings, known as the phloem bundles, which run lengthwise between the skin and the edible inner portion. They are strings that go up and down the length of bananas and enable to help distribute nutrients to every part of the growing bananas. Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing halitosis, and delivers active ingredients such as fluoride or xylitol to help prevent tooth and gum disease (gingivitis). STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The problem that connects in this project is â€Å"What will be the effect if the skin of the banana will be used as an alternative for toothpaste.† The answer or hypothesis in the said problem is â€Å"if the skin of the banana will be used in making a new kind of toothpaste then, it would enable to help whiten the teeth, the product to be made would be cheap and it will be acceptable by the consumer†. Prev Page

Fashion work Essay Example for Free

Fashion work Essay During last February 2009 F/W New York fashion week, I had met uncountable number of people and cultures but on reflection, all the memories have been torn apart. Probably     because of my bad memory but I also was drunk on my cold medication. The last day when Ralph Lauren collection was on, that morning was even harder than others. When I was in agony between leaving the room or not, I remember that Korean PR manager told me about that Ralph Lauren wanted to say hi to Korean press people that time. Finally, I got into my clothes like a dying snail and got to the collection place right before the show started. While I was actually put opposite with his runway, I   Ã‚  envy   Ã‚  his talent and time which allows him to keep changes the way he wants. If any one can be like him, growing older may not be such a bad idea. After the show, Ralph Lauren waves his hand to people and literally all the people stood up to give him applause. Ralph Lauren, wearing white shirts with definite Ralph Lauren vest worn with vintage looking casual pants, was a lot order but better than the one that I used to remember. Like he was proving, that style is not something you try, it is something you live with. His face and style flows together like a story. After almost all people have left, he was walking up to Korean presses with kind smile on his face. Then, he gave a handshake with each and every one of us. I don’t remember what exactly we’ve talked about but I certainly remember how soft his hand was. It was hard to believe that he 40 years of Ralph Lauren has passed that hand. Just because I’ve met the fashion legend Ralph Lauren my self, my choice of that morning was very smart. If we go back 40 years of his life, how would young Ralph Lauren be? Passionate fashion issue maker just like the Marc Jacobs or Alexander Wang now days? If we fast forward the video of last 40 years of Ralph Lauren, the base is as same as current Ralph Lauren. â€Å"When I was young, I saw a pair of beautiful blue suede shoes every day on my way to school. Of course I didn’t have money to buy that right away so I waited to my birthday and I’ve got it. As time goes by, I became an adult but my mind is still just like a boy who wants something from the show window. It is only that something is not a suede shoes any more, but excitements about wanting and expecting something is still same like the old days to me.† It doesn’t matter if the style is pastoral or modern, whether the inspiration is African or American; his pursuing images are always same. American style elegant woman from natural family of America. The only unreal thing is that there is no sadness and/or poverty. The reason why even his design does not board us even when they present above and beyond the time frame is that Ralph Lauren’s women are arranged in classic discrepancy as wearing safari jacket on top of beaded dresses or wearing motor cycle jacket with diamond earring. As a start, he launched neck tie business in 1967. As he launched his premium men’s wear in 1968, Ralph Lauren genuinely started to grow as a company. Now, Ralph Lauren has lines of women’s wears, children’s wears, accessories, home furnishing and perfume. Those lines are ‘Polo by Ralph Lauren’, ‘Ralph Lauren Purple label’, ‘Ralph Lauren Collection’, ‘Black Label’, ‘Blue Label’, ‘Lauren by Ralph Lauren’, ‘Polo jeans Co,.’. ‘RRL’, ‘RXL’, ‘Rugby’, ‘Ralph Lauren childrens’ wear’, ‘American living’, ‘Chaps’, ‘Club Monaco’ etc†¦ Him, who never studied in design, quit school and worked for Necktie Company. His co-worker’s mind and style was ordinary. But, he wore custom jacket that has huge collar and side spread. He liked to create his own style. And when he first built his own tie company, he did not make famous narrowed tie but made wide spread tie which would look great on stylish people like Duke Windsor from 1930’s magazine and/or movies. â€Å"We label the neck tie our selves to the nick tie I’ve designed with my wife Ricky and her parents. That label called Polo and that was our start.† His necktie became the must-have items to raise men’s integrity. Based on his necktie, he launched men’s wear brand name ‘Polo by Ralph Lauren’ to show the entire look of American’s classical style with chic European tailoring. â€Å"I like the I.V. league look. That is comfortable and traditional. When I started to design men’s wear I used classic items like navy blazer, wrap tie, saddle shoes. Old schools for instance the likes of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton inspire me all the time.† Along the way, Ricky was the biggest reason for him to be interested in design women’s wear. Ricky is the traditional English style woman who is his partner of life and biggest inspiration of creative ideas.

Effect of Oxidative Stress on HAGE Expression

Effect of Oxidative Stress on HAGE Expression Cancer is a group of diseases which involves uncontrolled cell growth, metastasis and invasion of cells to other tissues via lymph node or blood. Cancer is caused by many factors such as (i) Chemicals such as tobacco, alcohol, asbestos etc., (ii) Viral infections such as Human Papiloma Virus, Epstin Barr Virus, hepatitis B, C etc., (iii) Ionizing radiations such as X-Rays, UV-Rays, Gamma Rays etc., (iv) Hereditary factors such as mutations in BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, p53 mutations, APC gene mutations, Retinoblastoma gene mutation etc., (v) Hormones which promote growth proliferation such as growth hormones, estrogen, progesterone etc. Cancer is classified into malignant and benign tumours. Malignant tumours are mostly liquid tumours which metastasize to other tissues via lymph node and blood. Benign tumours are mostly solid tumours which stay at one particular tissue and seldom migrate. Malignant and Benign tumours are re classified on the type of cell and tissue from which they originate. They are classified as follows: i) Carcinomas: These are the malignancies of the epithelial cells, which line the internal organs of the body and also present on the surface the body such as skin. ii) Sarcomas: These are solid tumours present in connective tissues such as bones and lymph systems (Crowley 2006) Furthermore the tumours are classified according to (i) site of origin as in lung cancer, breast cancer etc., (ii) type of cell such as rhabdomyosarcoma and acute lymphocytic leukaemia. (Ruddon 2007) The progression from a normal cell to malignant one involves the dysregulation of genes implicated in the control of normal proliferation / death over many years. These are normal functions regulated by proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Proto-Oncogene And Tumour Suppressor Gene Protooncogene is found to be normally expressed in all vertebrates including humans. It is also found to be expressed in some insects and yeasts. Protooncogenes play an important role regulating normal cell growth and differentiation. They also perform functions such as signal transduction and mitogenic signal execution RAS, MYC, TRK, ERK are some examples of protooncogenes (Novakofski 1991). Oncogenes are derived from protooncogenes during the process of carcinogenesis. The formation of active oncogene leads to abnormal cell proliferation and thus contributes to the formation of tumour (Alitalo and Schwab 1986). A protooncogene can be converted into an oncogene in a variety of ways such as (i)Transduction induced by retroviruses which cause the integration viral DNA with the host. This DNA on translation give rise to viral proteins which cause the activation of protooncogene, thereby leading to cancer. (ii) Mutation within the protooncogene leading to an increased activity of the pr otein. (iii) chromosomal translocation where the gene for proto oncogene is translocated to other loci, which cause its abnormal expression. For eg in the translocation of abl in chromosome 9 to bcr region chromosome 22 as found in Philadelphia chromosome (Rowley 1973) (iv) Amplification induced by gene duplication, mis-regulation of gene which leads to overexpression of protooncogenes. (Todd and Munger 1999) Unlike oncogenes, the tumour suppressor genes normally inhibit cell growth in variety of ways such as (i) repressing the genes important for cell cycle progression. For eg., pRb (retinoblastoma ) controls the G1 stage by being hypophosphoryated and not allowing the release of transcription factor E2F which promotes G1-S transition. (ii) Stopping cell cycle on detecting DNA damage. DNA damage induces p53 which now leaves from its interacting partner Mdm2 and increases the activity of p21. This p21 protein then inactivates cyclin dependent kinases which are essential for cell cycle progression, (iii) Apoptosis may also be promoted by p53 when damage is irreversible. (iv) inducing DNA repair proteins to repair DNA damage and prevent abnormal cell proliferation. (Yoshida, et al. 2000) There are a number of mechanisms by which a cancer cell survives in a body. This is illustrated in the diagram below.(Weinberg and Hanahan, 2000) Treatment The choice of therapy depends upon the location and stage / grade of the tumour, as well as the health of the patient. There are a number of therapies for treating cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiaotherapy, hormonal therapy etc., The deregulation of many genes in cancer cells leads to the over-expression of altered proteins which can be used as biomarker which can provide help for the diagnosis and / prognosis of the treatment but can also be used as potential target for immunotherapy. Cancer antigens and their classification Tumour antigen is an antigenic substance produced in the tumour cells and triggers an immune reaction in the host. They are useful in identifying tumour cells and are used in cancer therapy. Tumour antigens are classified as Cancer testis antigen, Differentiation antigens, Tumour specific unique antigens, Overexpressed Self Antigens, Viral antigens, Post-translationally, Oncofoetal antigens, Idiotypic Antigens as shown in the table below Copied from (Li, et al. 2005) Amongst all these categories, cancer testis antigen represent the most promising group of antigen to be used in future immunotherapeutic interventions due to their restricted expression to mainly to tumour cells with the exception of placenta and testis which are immune-privileged sites and therefore would not pose any real issue for the risk of autoimmunity.(Simpson, et al. 2005) HAGE HAGE also known as DDX43 and CT13 antigen belongs to this category of antigens and was first identified by Martelange et al using cDNA subtraction approach of a human sarcoma cell line.(Martelange, et al. 2000)Using rational hybrid analysis, it was found that HAGE gene is located on chromosome 6. HAGE was found to be overexpressed in several tumours. There is a low expression of HAGE in normal tissues since the expression is regulated by hypermethylation HAGE is also over expressed in tissues such as testis, placenta, and ovaries. HAGE is usually expressed at the m-RNA level though recent studies in melanoma cells suggest that HAGE could also be expressed at the protein level.(Mathieu, et al. 2010) The name DDX43 comes from the fact that HAGE also belongs to another group of protein known as Dead box proteins and referred to as DDX43. (Abdelhaleem 2004) Dead box proteins These proteins were discovered in the late 1980s. (Gorbalenya, et al. 1989)Dead box proteins belong to the family of RNA helicases and play an important role in the transcription, post transcriptional modifications such as splicing, transport, translation, decay and biogenesis of ribosomes. NTP hydrolysis provides energy to these enzymes and they unwind dsRNA or disrupt RNA-Protein interaction. DDX and DHX are widely studied Dead Box Proteins. There are many classes of DDX and HAGE belongs to DDX43. They are so named because they contain the amino acids D-E-A-D (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) in one of their motifs namely Motif II. Besides they also contain motifs such as motif I, Q-motif, motif VI, motif Ia, Ib, III, IV and V as shown in the diagram below. These motifs bestow properties such as ATP binding and hydrolysis, RNA interaction, remodelling activity etc to these proteins. The consensus sequence of DEAD box family is shown below Copied from (Linder 2006) Regulation and Function of HAGE Both function and regulation of HAGE have not been studied in great detail (Scanlan, Simpson and Old 2004). In normal tissues HAGE expression is regulated by DNA hypermethylation, Histone modifications such as histone aceylation, histone deacylation and histone methylation. However in cancer, there could be many mechanisms of upregulation of HAGE. The most commonly thought mechanism is the demethylation of DNA which leads to HAGE over-expression. (Roman-Gomez, et al. 2007) HAGE could also be induced due to transformation of normal cells during cancer or due to the action of oncogenes. HAGE might also be induced randomly. HAGE may play a role in pre-mRNA splicing, ribosome biogenesis, transcription and initiation of translation. (Rocak and Linder 2004) This project will focus on Head and Neck Cancer. Head and Neck Cancer Head and Neck cancer are the cancers that arise from the upper aerodigestive tract such as nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and paranasal sinuses. Most of them are of squamous cell carcinoma type of the head and neck and have been given the acronym -SCCHN or HNSCC. (Argiris, et al. 2008). The diagram of the anatomy of the head and neck is illustrated below Copied from (Wu, et al. 2009) More than half a million patients are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every year. Head and Neck cancer in fact accounts for more than 3-10% of the cancers(Gourin and McMains 2005). Smoking, alcohol, chewing of betel leaf with tobacco and areca are the major risk factors for this cancer. Recently, HPV type 16 has been identified as one of the causes for head and neck cancer and account for 40% (Goodger and McGurk 2000) The progression of this tumour is complicated. It progresses from the normal features to hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia, severe dysplasia, carcinoma, invasive carcinoma and metastasis. The progression may be caused by due to genetic instabilities such as loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 9p21, inactivation of of p16 and loss of 3p, loss of 18q, inactivation of PTEN, some translocations, 17Beta heterozygosity or TP53 mutation. (Argiris, et al. 2008) Copied from (Argiris, et al. 2008) Interestingly HAGE was found the John van Geest group to be overexpressed in 40% of HNSCC cancers (unpublished data) and although much of its function is now emerging no information exist at the moment regarding the regulation of its expression. However it has been observed that cells left for longer period of time in the incubator had a significantly higher expression of HAGE at the mRNA and protein level. Aim of this project The observation that HAGE was over-expressed in 40% of HNSCC led to hypothesis that cells under stress i.e lack of nutrients, decrease oxygen level, as well as other factors influence HAGE expression. Moreover it has been found that HAGE is also expressed in 20% of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and 50% Chronic Myeloid Leukemia as well as many solid tumours such as HNSCC (Adams, et al. 2002). This suggests that there must be something in common between these 2 very different forms of cancer. CML and solid tumours are known to have a high expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), therefore it might be possible that ROS induces HAGE expression. Thus this project will focus on the effect of oxidative stress has on HAGE expression. The effect of other stress such as temperature may also be investigated. METHODS Cell Culture The PCI 13 and PCI 30 cell lines would be supplied by Prof E Tatour. These cell lines are specific for Head and Neck cancer. The cells would be grown in RPMI 1640 +10%(v/v) FCS+2mM L-glutamine and incubated at 37oC and 5%C02 atmosphere. Extraction of m-RNA The culture media would be removed and washed with DPBS(Dulbeccos phosphate buffer saline). Then DPBS will be removed followed by the addition of RNA-STAT 60. RNA pellets would be then retrieved and re-suspended in ddH2O. RNA extracted is then quantified using NANODROP 8000 UV spectrophotometer. RNA would be then added in measurement wells of the spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer would be read at 260 and 280nm and the amount of RNA will be calculated. The RNA concentration is calculated in  µg/ µl before being adjusted to 1 µg/ µl by ddH2O. RNA samples would be then stored at -80oC and used for conducting RT-PCR and RTq-PCR in the future. RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase PCR) From the extracted RNA cDNA will be synthesized. 2  µg of RNA sample will be mixed with 1  µl of oligo-dT primers and diluted to 15  µl of ddH20 in an Eppendorf tube. All RNA samples would follow the same process. UNO Thermoblock will be used to heat the tubes to 70 °C for 5 min which allows the primer-RNA annealing. 10  µl of reverse transcriptase mix, which will be prepared by mixing Muloney Murine Leukemia Virus 5-X buffer, dNTPs, RNasin RNAse inhibitor, M-MLV-reverse transcriptase and ddH20. The tubes will be then pre-heated in a water bath at 39.2 °C for 80 min which allows cDNA synthesis. Tubes will be removed and kept again in the UNO-Thermoblock and heated to 95 °C for five minutes which stops the reaction. These tubes would be stored at -20 °C for future use. Real Time qPCR cDNA generated from RT PCR will be used as a template and the reagents used will be (i) 6.25 µl iQ Sybr Green, (ii) 0.5 µl gene specific sense primer (iii) 0.5 µl gene specific anti-sense primer, (iv) 4.75  µl ddH20 and 0.5 µl cDNA template. These reagent mixtures will be added to all tubes for a specific gene. Samples will be usually carried out in duplicate with a negative control that contains the reaction mixture without cDNA. Rotogene 6000 real-time qPCR analyser will be used to carry out RT qPCR. Relative gene expression using 2ΔCT method will be calculated with the help of the expression of housekeeping genes HPRT-1, HSP-27 and HSP-90. The primers which will be used in real time qPCR experiment is given below. These primers are supplied by mwg-Eurofins. The primers have a stock concentration of 100pmol/ µl and will be diluted to a working concentration of 10pmol/ µl. From this working 0.5 µl (5pM) of primers will be used. Total Protein extraction Cells will be grown to 75% confluence in T75 flasks. Cells will be trypsinised, washed and re-suspended in DPBS and these cells will be then counted using trypan blue. Cells will be diluted to 1X106/ml using DPBS and 5 X106 cells would be taken in a 1.5ml eppendorf. Centrifugation will be done to pellet the cells. The supernatant will be discarded and lysis buffer containing a cocktail of RIPA buffer and 10% protease inhibitor will be added to the pellet. The eppendorf tube will be then placed on a tube rotator at 4 °C for 30 min. It will be then kept on ice for 30 min. Cells will be again centrifuged at 14000 RPM for 30 min at 4 °C. Aliquot of the supernatant will be prepared to be stored at -20 °C for future use. Total Protein Assay Total protein assay will be carried out using BioRad Dc protein assay reagents. Series of dilutions (0.2,0.4,0.5,0.8,1.0,1.5,2.0mg/ml) will be created using stock BSA solution with the concentration of 10 mg/ml. Protein extracts and standards would be tested in triplicates and duplicates respectively. Assays will be performed in 96-well round bottom plates. 25 µl and 200  µl of reagent A and B will be added to all the samples and the samples will be incubated at room temperature for an hour. Proteins will be then read at 750nm and their concentrations would be calculated based on the standard values. Western Blotting 30  µl of sample will be loaded into the wells of SDS PAGE gels. 1X tris-glycine-SDS will be used as the running buffer. A known molecular weight ladder will also be run alongside the samples. Initially 70V current will be applied to aid the migration of proteins through the 5% stacking gel. Once the proteins reach the 10% separating gel, 90V current will be applied. After the proteins run through the gel, they will be transferred to the PVDF membrane with the help of liquid transfer. This membrane will be prepared by washing with 10% methanol for 5 seconds, ddH2O for 5 min and transfer buffer for 10 min. Liquid transfer will be carried out using the following steps. 1. Cold transfer buffer will be used to immerse a gel frame. To this gel frame a sponge pre soaked in transfer buffer will be placed Then a filter card, gel, PVDF membrane, another filter card and a second pre soaked buffer sponge will be placed in order starting from the first filter card. Proteins will be transferred with the help of electric current of 100V applied for one hour. After completion, membranes will be cut and treated with different antibodies.10% (w/v) Marvel milk solution will be used to wash the membrane for one hour at room temperature. This washing blocks the non-specific binding sites. The blocking solution will be then discarded and the antibody diluted to 10% (w/v) in Marvel milk solution will be added. This antibody coated membrane will be agitated overnight on a plate rocker at 4 °C. The next day there would be 3, 10 min washes with TSBT(Tris-Buffered Saline-Tween-20). During these washes the membrane vessel will be agitated in plate orbital shaker at room temperature. After completing the washing process, a secondary antibody specific to the primary antibody will be added. The steps for adding the secondary antibody are same as the primary antibody addition except for the fact that no overnight incubation is required and the secondary antibody will be incubated only for one hour while being agitated on the shaker at room temperature. The marker will also be stained using streptavidin-HRP secondary antibody. After performing the above step the membranes will be developed. Membrane development will be performed by placing the membrane in a tray and washing it with ECL reagent. The membrane would be then exposed for a certain period of time using CCD camera. Assay for ROS-DCFDA Stress Test Stock Solution Preparation The stock solution of Hanks Buffered Salt Solution (HBSS)will be prepared according to the manufacturers protocol. DCFDA(2,7-dchlorofluoroscein -diacetate) Assay To test ROS levels DCFDA test will be performed. Before conducting the DCFDA assay, the standardization of optimum concentrations of H2O2 and DCFDA for detecting cell stress should be performed. It is important to note that H2O2 should be added only sub-lethally and should not be added in proportion which may cause cell death. The PCI 13 and 30 cells will be plated out in two 24 well plates. 1ml of each type of cells plus RPM1640 10% FCS media will be added to 8 wells per plate and will be incubated overnight at 37 °C. The media will be removed the next day and increasing concentration of DCFDA will be added to both plates and the cells will be incubated with Tinfoil wrapping to prevent light exposure and incubated at 37oC for 30 min. The cells will be then washed and then cold HBSS will be added. After this step the cells will be stressed with increasing concentration of H2O2 (see diagram below). The cells will then be again wrapped in tin foil and placed on a rocking platform for 15 min. The same method will be followed for treating other wells with different concentrations of DCFDA. Experiments will be performed at least twice for each cell line. H2O2 will be removed after 15 min and cells will be trypsinised with 100microL trypsin and Versene. 800 microL of DPBS will be added to one of the 2 wells an d will be pipetted thoroughly so as to remove the cells from the well surface. This will be then transferred to the other well and then 1ml of solution would be transferred to Flow associated cell cytometry (FACS) tube for analysis. The same procedure will be carried for other sets of wells. DCFDA fluorescence would be measured using Gallios flow cytometer and results would be analysed in Kaluza program. Time Line For The Project During the month of May, all techniques such as Western Blotting, mRNA/protein extraction, Real Time PCR will be learnt. This time is indicated in red colour in the graph below. This will overlap with the time duration, from May to the end of June, during which hydrogen peroxide experiment will be performed as per written in the method section and the expression of HAGE will be monitored at both the mRNA and protein level. Also from the start of June to the end of July repeat experiments will be performed and if time permits, the effect of thermal stress on HAGE expression will also be investigated. This is indicated in the graph below. SUMMARY Cancer Testis Antigens (CTA) are antigens that are expressed in a variety of tumours. They are usually absent in normal tissues with the exception of testis and placenta where they are expressed as self tolerant antigens. Since these antigens have strong immunogenicity and their expression is mostly restricted to tumours, they are ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy. Therefore much research is ongoing for the identification of CTA. Recently helicase antigen HAGE was identified as a CTA and was found to be over-expressed in HSNSCC, AML and CML. Thus there might be a common link between these different types of cancers. Moreover ROS is known to be induced in all these tumours and it may be possible that ROS causes increased expression of HAGE. Thus the aim of this project would be to investigate the effect of oxidative stress on HAGE expression. HAGE expression would be analysed both at the m-RNA and protein level in two cell lines namely PCI 13 and PCI 30 using techniques such as m-RNA extraction, RT PCR, Western Blotting and Protein assay. The ROS level would be evaluated using the DCFDA assay. Since the mechanism of HAGE regulation is unknown, positive result in the project would help in elucidating a mechanism by which HAGE could be regulated.

Radio Frequency Identification Essay -- Cyberstudies Art Technology Es

Radio Frequency Identification "Select one particular area of the arts, media or communication industries and discuss the way in which new technologies could influence future developments in that field† â€Å"This is the most dangerous technology humanity has come up with since the nuclear bomb. Our children's generation will judge us by how we handle this† (Centaur Communications, 2003). What possible atrocities could this be in reference to? Could it be Saddam Hussein’s hidden weapons of mass destruction, or perhaps an opposition to genetic engineering? No, this is a statement from marketing academic Albrecht describing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. What is RFID and what are the connotations of adopting this technology on future generations? This paper will attempt to answer these questions by examining the following issues: Firstly it will start by providing an explanation and definition of RFID. Next it will discuss possible future developments of this technology as being currently explored by major corporations as well as the public concerns related to possible developments. Finally it will look at the probability of these predictions becoming reality and assess the advantages and disadvantages of these predictions coming to fruition. RFID is fundamentally a form of active one-way communication, where electronic tags are programmed with unique information which enables objects to be identified or tracked by receivers. These tags can then be placed on almost an infinite array of items such as pallets, clothing, vehicles, grocery items and even animals, which opens up a vast range of possible uses for them (Advanstar Communications, 1999). RFID tags could be explained as a type of revolutionary bar... ...ontline Solutions, 7, p48. Centaur Communications Ltd. (2003). Insight: Tagging along. New Media Age, p24. Forester, T. (1987). High-tech society. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd. James, G. (2004). Can’t hide your prying eyes. Computerworld, 9, p35-36. Jones, P., Clarke-Hill, C., Shears, P., Comfort, D. & Hillier, D. (2004). Radio frequency identification in the UK: opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 32, p164-171. Lillo. A. (2004). Store of the future is here today. Home Textiles Today, 19, p11. Neff, J. (2003). P&G products to wear wire. Advertising Age, 50, p1. Rosenberg, J. (2003). Bye-bye to bar codes. Editor & Publisher, 36, p20. Stackpole, B. (2003). RFID finds its place. Electronic Business, 9, p42. Wagstaff, J. (2003). Eyes on you, the shopper. Far Eastern Economic Review, 31, p31. Radio Frequency Identification Essay -- Cyberstudies Art Technology Es Radio Frequency Identification "Select one particular area of the arts, media or communication industries and discuss the way in which new technologies could influence future developments in that field† â€Å"This is the most dangerous technology humanity has come up with since the nuclear bomb. Our children's generation will judge us by how we handle this† (Centaur Communications, 2003). What possible atrocities could this be in reference to? Could it be Saddam Hussein’s hidden weapons of mass destruction, or perhaps an opposition to genetic engineering? No, this is a statement from marketing academic Albrecht describing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. What is RFID and what are the connotations of adopting this technology on future generations? This paper will attempt to answer these questions by examining the following issues: Firstly it will start by providing an explanation and definition of RFID. Next it will discuss possible future developments of this technology as being currently explored by major corporations as well as the public concerns related to possible developments. Finally it will look at the probability of these predictions becoming reality and assess the advantages and disadvantages of these predictions coming to fruition. RFID is fundamentally a form of active one-way communication, where electronic tags are programmed with unique information which enables objects to be identified or tracked by receivers. These tags can then be placed on almost an infinite array of items such as pallets, clothing, vehicles, grocery items and even animals, which opens up a vast range of possible uses for them (Advanstar Communications, 1999). RFID tags could be explained as a type of revolutionary bar... ...ontline Solutions, 7, p48. Centaur Communications Ltd. (2003). Insight: Tagging along. New Media Age, p24. Forester, T. (1987). High-tech society. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd. James, G. (2004). Can’t hide your prying eyes. Computerworld, 9, p35-36. Jones, P., Clarke-Hill, C., Shears, P., Comfort, D. & Hillier, D. (2004). Radio frequency identification in the UK: opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 32, p164-171. Lillo. A. (2004). Store of the future is here today. Home Textiles Today, 19, p11. Neff, J. (2003). P&G products to wear wire. Advertising Age, 50, p1. Rosenberg, J. (2003). Bye-bye to bar codes. Editor & Publisher, 36, p20. Stackpole, B. (2003). RFID finds its place. Electronic Business, 9, p42. Wagstaff, J. (2003). Eyes on you, the shopper. Far Eastern Economic Review, 31, p31.

The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyrias Lov

The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover 'My Last Duchess' and 'Porphyria's Lover' are poems written by Robert Browning in the form of a dramatic monologue. They both contain themes of love, jealousy, contempt and obsession. In the beginning of 'My Last Duchess' the Duke is speaking about his wife's portrait to an envoy. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover is speaking directly to the reader, conveying his thoughts, personifying the weather perhaps emphasizing his unhappiness ('the sullen wind soon awake') seeing as he had a 'heart fit to break'. Both the Duke and the Lover are watching the women whilst they speak. The Duke hints at her having affairs; 'Fr. Pandolf's hands worked busily', 'busily' implies that he did more than just paint her picture. The Lover in 'Porphyria's Lover' shows a similarity, as he too was suspicious of her love, believing she would not give herself fully to him as she was 'from pride and vainer ties', from a higher rank. Both Porphyria and the duchess are of high ranking. The difference here is that the Duke believed his wife did not give herself fully to him, but was as equally impressed with everyone and everything, and the Duke was too proud to give her the same attention. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover believed Porphyria was too proud to give him her undivided attention. The Duke felt that the duchess treated every trivial object with the same affection she had for him, 'too easily impressed, she liked whate'er she looked on'. Although both the Duke and the Lover felt unloved in the beginning neither made any attempt to convey this to their lovers. The Lover pretended to be asleep when Porphyria entered the home ('When no voice replied'... ... a sculpture created for him; showing the pompous aspect of his character. In the beginning of the poem, the Lovers' tone is cold, hostile and annoyed portrayed through words like 'sullen', 'spite' and 'vex'. When Porphyria appears, his attitude becomes obsessive and appreciative, as he watches her every movement as she 'glides' around the house, observing her 'yellow hair'. There is still a bitter quality to his words as he contemplates her love for him ('Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor To set its struggling passion free'). When the Lover realized Porphyria did genuinely love him his tone is ecstatic and rapturous. 'Porphyria worshipp'd me; surprise Made my heart swell While I debated what to do. That moment she was mine, mine fair,' The line exposes his arrogance after he has murdered his Lover, 'And yet God has not said a word'. The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lov The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover 'My Last Duchess' and 'Porphyria's Lover' are poems written by Robert Browning in the form of a dramatic monologue. They both contain themes of love, jealousy, contempt and obsession. In the beginning of 'My Last Duchess' the Duke is speaking about his wife's portrait to an envoy. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover is speaking directly to the reader, conveying his thoughts, personifying the weather perhaps emphasizing his unhappiness ('the sullen wind soon awake') seeing as he had a 'heart fit to break'. Both the Duke and the Lover are watching the women whilst they speak. The Duke hints at her having affairs; 'Fr. Pandolf's hands worked busily', 'busily' implies that he did more than just paint her picture. The Lover in 'Porphyria's Lover' shows a similarity, as he too was suspicious of her love, believing she would not give herself fully to him as she was 'from pride and vainer ties', from a higher rank. Both Porphyria and the duchess are of high ranking. The difference here is that the Duke believed his wife did not give herself fully to him, but was as equally impressed with everyone and everything, and the Duke was too proud to give her the same attention. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover believed Porphyria was too proud to give him her undivided attention. The Duke felt that the duchess treated every trivial object with the same affection she had for him, 'too easily impressed, she liked whate'er she looked on'. Although both the Duke and the Lover felt unloved in the beginning neither made any attempt to convey this to their lovers. The Lover pretended to be asleep when Porphyria entered the home ('When no voice replied'... ... a sculpture created for him; showing the pompous aspect of his character. In the beginning of the poem, the Lovers' tone is cold, hostile and annoyed portrayed through words like 'sullen', 'spite' and 'vex'. When Porphyria appears, his attitude becomes obsessive and appreciative, as he watches her every movement as she 'glides' around the house, observing her 'yellow hair'. There is still a bitter quality to his words as he contemplates her love for him ('Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor To set its struggling passion free'). When the Lover realized Porphyria did genuinely love him his tone is ecstatic and rapturous. 'Porphyria worshipp'd me; surprise Made my heart swell While I debated what to do. That moment she was mine, mine fair,' The line exposes his arrogance after he has murdered his Lover, 'And yet God has not said a word'.

Fgm: Female Genital Mutilation :: essays research papers

FGM: Female Genital Mutilation Female genital mutilation has been practiced in country's around the world for thousands of years, and will continue to be practiced, until those that practice it decide to stop. Many people who live in country's that are more industrialized, like the U.S.A., tend to think that no ones believes on right and wrong is correct, except their own. That is what comes up in conversation about FGM. Personally, I am not pro-FGM when it comes to its practice. However, I believe people who want to practice it, should be allowed to, without a bunch of "activists against the practice of FGM" telling them to stop, or even "informing" them about the potential health risks. The reason I am against even explaining the health risks to the people that practice this is, because whenever you have people that believe enough in something to base their entire life around it, there is nothing you can do or say that will get them to change; it would be like talking to a wall. They will only change when the people themselves that live by these traditions get fed up with all the side-effects caused by the practice of FGM. It is every person and community's right to decide for themselves, without the intervention of outsiders, to decide to do whatever they want to do to their bodies and minds. I know, "these women that are being circumcised, aren't freely deciding on this to be done to them, they don't know any better, they've been brainwashed". I have two responses to this. The first is, if they have grown up in this culture all their lives, and this procedure has been done to their mothers, sisters, great grandmothers, etc. on the fear that if it is not done, something tearable will happen, there is no way they would not want it done; no matter how much pain it causes, and besides those that are able to break away from the thought of why it must be done, will do so with or without the help of outsiders. But if they're that committed to the tradition, they will change for no one. The second point is, when you decide you are going to educate these people about how their traditions are wrong and unhealthy, that is saying you know better. You may think they are stupid for preforming FGM, but you must remember, they think you are just as stupid for not performing it. Perhaps, these people that perform FGM have philosophy classes too, where they

Rationing During World War Ii

Rationing During World War II 30 March, 2012 Rationing During World War II Rationing is defined as a fixed allowance of provisions of food, especially for soldiers or sailors or for civilians during a shortage (dictionary. com). In 1942 a rationing system began to guarantee minimum amounts of things people needed. During World War II, people couldn’t just walk into a store and buy whatever they wanted. Ration books are books that contained coupons where shopkeepers could cut out the coupon for the person to use.War ration books and tokens were issued to each American family, controlling how much gas, tires, sugar, meat, silk, shoes, nylon and other items any person could buy (Rationing on the US Homefront). The Office of Price Administration (OPA) issued each person in a household to get a ration book, even children and babies. Ration books were organized by color: buff-colored books were mostly for adults, green ration books were for pregnant women, nursing mothers and childr en under the age of five, and blue ration books were for children from ages six to sixteen (Rationing on the US Homefront).On National Registration day, 29 September, 1939, every person in a household had to fill out a form explaining with details about who lived in their house. Ration stamps were only valid for a certain period of time so it would prevent hoarding of the stamps. The government issued ration books because they were worried that when items became scarce that the prices would go up, and poor people couldn’t buy the things they needed (Barrow, 2010). Rationing made sure that people got an equal amount of food every week. The government tried their hardest to make it fair for everyone.Still, some people thought that rationing was unfair (Barrow, 2010). People were encouraged to provide their own food in their homes thus starting the ‘Dig for Victory! ’ campaign. The ‘Dig for Victory! ’ campaign was where men and women made their yards an d flower-beds into gardens to grow vegetables (Dig For Victory! , 2004). A typical ration for one adult per week was: butter 50g (2oz), sugar 225g (8oz), cheese 50g (2oz), jam 450g (1lb) every two months, bacon and ham 100g, meat to the value of 1s. 2d (1 shilling and sixpence e er week, eggs 1 fresh egg a week, dried eggs 1 packet every four weeks, margarine 100g (4oz), milk 3 pints (1800 ml), tea 50g (2oz), sweets 350g (12oz) every four weeks (Barrow, 2010). With the above list of rationed items, each person was allowed sixteen points to use on whatever rationed item they wanted. Pregnant women, mothers who are nursing their children or children under the age of five were allowed to pick their choice of fruit, daily pint of milk and double eggs first (Barrow, 2010). Clothes rationing began two years after food rationing started.During World War II, there was a shortage in material for clothing. The shortage made people to â€Å"make due and mend† so that way factory workers could make uniforms, and parachutes for the war (Giullian, 2010). The government gave each person a ration book for clothes. Just like food rationing, when people wanted to buy new clothes, all they had to do was bring their ration book to the store and then buy they clothes they wanted, then you hand over your ration book to the storekeeper and they mark off what the person got in their ration books.The coupon system allowed people to get a new set of clothing each year. Coupons were a different color so they wouldn’t use all their coupons at once. The government told the people when they could use their other coupons. At first, each person was given 60 coupons to last them the whole year. Later on the coupon amount dropped to 48. Children were assigned an extra 10 ration coupons for their clothing in case they grow during the year. What would you buy with 60 coupons to last you the whole year?Fourteen years of rationed food and it finally came to an end because meat and ba con restrictions were lifted. Rationing of food ended nine years after the war ended. Rationing ended on 4 July, 1954 (Barrow, 2010). Fourteen years of rationing, people could finally enjoy buying the necessities they needed for their daily life. Men, women, and children went back to a normal lifestyle they were used to. References Barrow, M.. (2010, Month. Day). In  Rationing During WWWII.Retrieved Mar. 26, 2012, from http://www. woodlands-junior. kent. sch. uk/Homework/war/rationing. htm (2004, Mar. 1 ). In  Dig for Victory!. Retrieved Mar. 26, 2012, from http://h2g2. com/dna/h2g2/A2263529 Giullian, M.. (2010, May. 10). In  Rationing. Retrieved Mar. 25, 2012, from http://ussslcca25. com/rationing. htm In  Rationing on the US Homefront during WWII. Retrieved Mar. 25, 2012, from http://www. ameshistoricalsociety. org/exhibits/events/rationing. htm

Loren Baritz’s “God’s Country and American Know-How” Essay

In Loren Baritz’s â€Å"God’s Country and American Know-How†, it briefly describes the birth of our nation, characteristics, and theories through out America’s history. â€Å"America would become god’s country† (435) is not only the title of the summary but the basis of our founding father’s thoughts. In the begin only few words were spoken of the outside world, problems consisted within our borders that had to be dealt with. These included Indians, witches, and worst of all shrewd Yankees. The â€Å"new world was puny† (436) and could not be the protector of the free world. World War One was a large factor that increased American thinking of the â€Å"invincible war machine†(440) these thoughts continued up till World War Two, Americans now knew they we were superior, with the development of nuclear weapons technology has proven their superiority on the battlefield. JFK, Eisenhower, and George F. Kennan are just some of the examples Loren quotes from, but these great men show the change in American views and opinions. â€Å"We went to war in Vietnam in the name of ideas, of principles, of abstractions.†(438), this statement is only the beginning of America’s â€Å"city on a hill† (435) beliefs. Soon after the Vietnam War began the thinking changed from â€Å"United States could not be beaten in war† (440) to â€Å"Vietnam should have taught us that we could not continue to play the role of moral advisor and moral enforcer to the world† (437). Loren shows the readers not only the birth of our nation, but how Americans have gone from isolated to protector of free nations, and a World Power. By supporting his thoughts with quotes and grave description this story will not only open your mind to your thinking but to the thoughts of the nation we live in today. Works Cited Baritz, Loren. â€Å"God’s Country and American Know-How† Real Culture; contexts for critical reading and writing. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbor. 5th Ed. New York: Parison Longman, 2004. 434-41

Genetic Engineering

Scientists cross breed them. Most commonly used are genetic fruit flies to study the effects of genetic changes on development. Flies are preferred over other other animals because their vertebrae are simpler than other organisms. Modified bacteria are used to produce the protein insulin, to treat genetic diseases like diabetes, hemophilia, and dwarfism. Transgenic animals have had their genes altered. A majority of these animals are mice. Scientists can now produce these animals thanks to Crick and Watson discoveries. A transgenic plant; however, has genes that have en inserted in them rather than through pollination.Benefits of these plants are that they can fight droughts, as well as insect resistance. Less pesticide would be used. An example of a transgenic plant is the rape plant, which pollinates weeds. According to Google. Com, DNA fingerprinting is the analysis from samples of body tissues or fluids in order to identify individuals. It is very unlikely two people would have t he same fingerprint. DNA fingerprinting is beneficial in many ways including paternity tests, crime investigation and identify organisms causing a diseases.The testing can be done voluntarily by providing a sample of blood or a swab of the cheeks inside a person's mouth . The Human Genome Project was completed in April 2013 and it was a computerized system where you donate your DNA to be scanned into a computer base worldwide. They match your DNA with people all over the world. You paid to have your DNA sent in and all our genes sent together are known as a ‘genome. ‘ The project is beneficial because they can track diseases and help prevent them. Gene therapy is a technique that helps prevent or treat disease by using genes.Gene therapy is not unethical, it could prevent diseases from passing down through generations. I feel this way because it could help cure diseases that we never had the privilege to cure before. If I were to create my own transgenic organism it woul d be a mix between contractible that captures light from the sun and a cow. Transgenic cow, can provide food and sunlight received from the bacteria. It does not take up farmland all it has to do is stand in the sun. It can get all the protein and nutrients needed. Cows give us milk and meat, which could be healthier without all the pesticides. I would all the animal cannon. Genetic Engineering Genetic Engineering – A Curse or a Blessing? What is geneitc engineering? Many struggle to understand the real meaning and outcrops of this complicated, highly expensinve procedure. Genetic Engineering is a direct human manipulation of an organism’s DNA structure. As intricated as it seems, it’s a technology that has been used for decades, and is soon to outbreak into a real â€Å"Cloning Aeon†. Therefore, how could we know the benefits and the drawbacks of this technique?Let us take a hinge at the striking, egregious discoveries this subject has brought to the world: from SciFi novels to the first synthetic life forms, from genetical engineered wheat to dreaful mutations of the human bodies. Indeed, it seems as if we are already living the much-dreamt-of blazing, scientific inventions. Still, if so many types of drugs and cures have been made-up from just a few mutations, one may wonder how come the biggest issues regarding human incurable illnesses have not been resolved yet.No one can deny this: we own a technology way beyond our understanding, we hold a highly destructive power in our rubber science lab gloves, yet we feel listless when facing the most questionable allegation: Where are the cures for Cancer, AIDS and Alzheimer, diseases that break our world apart? Isn’t it curious how scientist try to create artificial lives instead of curing the genuine ones? We should admit that it’s not to be our â€Å"contemporany age† anymore. It’s a dawn of biohackers. Biohacking comes along with interests.Interests come along with strifes. And strifes inevitably lead to casualties. By the same token, millions of people could be left to struggle in an obscure, isolated self-made world in which they think they could be saved. It’s a tryout, it’s a new selection that many conspiracies theories affirm. Although we should not forget the cloned Dolly sheep and the rest of the pioneers in this area, I dar e say that genetic engineering has not yet proved to be something more than a handicap to what human society might mean.

Alcohol and its Effects on the Human Body

The Campral website mentions that about 17. 6 million drinkers in the U. S. are considered alcoholics, or at least experience drinking problems to a certain degree. With the country’s current population being listed by the U. S. Census Bureau site at 303,963,066 people, this would amount to a staggering figure of 1 in 20 Americans finding trouble with this type of substance abuse. Drinking alcohol does not automatically qualify an individual as an alcoholic. While many would identify two to four types of drinkers, the Alcohol Treatment Clinics site was able to classify individuals who drink alcohol under six classes.These are health drinkers, social or responsible drinkers, problem or irresponsible drinkers, under aged drinkers, binge drinkers and alcoholics. The first type of drinker or health drinkers, would typically consume alcohol for health-related reasons. They are moderate drinkers who usually prefer to drink red wine, which is widely- known for its benefits to the car diovascular system. One example would be the French people whose healths have often been linked to their dietary habits that include wine. Social or responsible drinkers are those individuals who drink alcohol only during particular occasions.They engage in drinking to be able to interact or socialize with the group. They do not regard alcohol highly, but think of it as just an addition to meals. Their consumption of alcohol is done at a leisurely pace and they would never combine drinking with risky behavior such as driving. Working professionals who drink to have a feeling of belongingness and to facilitate conversations with coworkers in corporate parties or events easily come as an example for this category. On the other hand, problem drinkers would be the polar opposite of social drinkers. They can become very obnoxious and angry once they are drunk.Sometimes, they experience a loss of memory with regards to the events that transpired during their drinking session. This type of drinker does not have a definitive stereotype, and most probably could be described as an individual who â€Å"transforms† or â€Å"morphs† drastically when drunk. Their behavior when drunk might stand in stark contrast to their normal sober behavior. A specific type of problem drinker would be under aged drinkers. This classification was created due to the differences in the physical and psychological states of these individuals as compared to older people.Legal action may also arise for those individuals under this classification. The legal age for drinking is generally pegged at 21 in the United States, with exceptions made for cases covering health and religious reasons. Binge drinkers can go without alcohol for long periods of time. However, they tend to overindulge themselves during the times that they do drink. Some problems that can be caused by binge drinking are alcohol poisoning, uncontrollable mood swings and eventual alcohol dependency or alcoholism. In t erms of their behavior, they may act either as problem or social drinkers.Although aggressive behaviors as well as the usual symptoms of being drunk may or may not be exhibited by this group, a high possibility of causing severe damage to the liver and other health issues remains a great threat for them. Alcoholics have no control over their drinking habits. They often turn to alcohol to be able to deal with problems and drink an excessive amount of strong alcoholic drinks regularly. Because of this, they would often find it hard to function in other aspects of their lives, such as in their jobs. Their relationships with significant people in their lives may also take the backseat in their list of priorities.People who regularly face problems and turn to alcohol to â€Å"drown† them as well as those experiencing regular episodes of depression seeking to find â€Å"euphoric† feelings may turn into alcoholics, especially when they become reliant on the substance to deriv e that desired state. Those people who continuously indulge in alcohol for whatever other reason or at other levels, may also be candidates to becoming alcoholics as well. Some argue that this is due to the genes that a person carries. In its website, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was also able to identify four major symptoms which characterize alcoholism.The first sign would be the presence of strong cravings or urges to drink within an individual. Next would be a person’s inability to halt drinking once he or she has engaged in this activity. Upon stopping drinking, an individual may also suffer several withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and shakiness, collectively termed as â€Å"physical dependence†. Lastly, an increase in tolerance for these substances often results to alcohol dependents drinking greater amounts of alcohol to induce euphoric or â€Å"high† feelings. Reactions to alcohol may vary from one afflicted individual to the next.Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, depressed, quiet or withdrawn. They may also feel tense, sad, anxious or confused. Alcoholism, like any other illness, may strike at any age. These individuals may be aware of the consequences of alcoholism, but the compulsion to drink within them often overpowers them, so they just can’t stop drinking. Alcohol becomes the most important part of their lives. It totally consumes them so that all their thoughts and actions somehow become associated with alcohol. Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on the body.When coupled with an individual’s failure to take care of his or her nutritional and physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive drinking, matters are further complicated. The effects on major organ systems are cumulative, which also includes several disorders for the digestive system. Blackouts, hallucinations, and extreme tremors may be experienced by the alcoholic. Aside from occasional emotional instability or â€Å"mood swings†, permanent damage to other systems such as the cardiovascular and nervous systems may also be induced in alcoholics (Mack, Franklin and Frances 109).The organ most probably vulnerable to damage would be the liver, since this is where alcohol breakdown takes place. If constantly left to the task of removing alcohol from the blood, the liver may eventually become worn out. This may hinder the liver from properly performing its usual duty of removing other harmful substances in the body. One of the most dangerous diseases of the liver caused by long-term alcohol use is cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis causes the liver to become inflamed and scarred, which leads to the destruction of the liver and eventually the person’s death (Mack, Franklin and Frances 109).Alcohol also affects a person’s cardiovascular and circulatory systems. It causes an increase in blood pressure, which makes the heart pump harder to be able to cir culate blood around the body properly. This may cause an increase in heart rate while at the same time reducing the heart muscle’s pumping capabilities. Abnormal heart rhythms may also be developed due to severe alcohol consumption. In fact, long-term and heavy use of alcohol may cause a condition of the heart called alcoholic cardiomyopathy.The consumption of alcohol reduces the effectiveness of heart muscles to contract and may eventually lead to heart failure (Snyder 39). Lack of blood flow resulting from this condition may also lead to multiple organ system failure. One’s nervous system is also not spared from the damage. Doctor Salomon Snyder states that â€Å"alcohol’s action on the brain is what causes people to feel intoxicated. A sudden intake of large amounts of alcohol may result in death because nerve impulses to the brain are dangerously blocked. Alcohol also has an increasing effect on our brain chemistry, which causes our behavior to change.This can make people do things that they would not do when they are sober† (37). Over time, heavy drinking may cause permanent damage to the central nervous system. Drinking even a small amount of alcohol can make you sleepy, confused, uncoordinated and unsteady. Heavy drinking can cause or worsen urinary incontinence, problems with walking, depression, sleep disturbances, memory loss, high blood pressure, and bleeding in the digestive tract (Snyder 40). Some other observations on alcohol usage according to the Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs, include its immense effect on our brain.This results in difficulty walking, poor balance, and slurring of speech. At higher alcohol levels, a person’s breathing and heart rate will also be slowed and vomiting may occur. Alcohol is also known to cause sleep disturbances. Numbness and tingling sensations may also occur in the arms and legs due to the low thiamine levels (38). Most people see alcoholism as a disease closely related to males. It is shown by the figures however, that as many as half of the nation’s alcoholics are actually women.The reason why most female alcoholics cannot be seen is that they are usually closet drinkers. You rarely see women exhibiting behavior associated with alcoholism in public, while this phenomenon may be more readily observable for men. It is actually easier for a woman alcoholic to damage her body than it is for a man. The physical damage is aggravated since women generally wait longer to seek help since the society places a greater stigma on women than on men with regards to this. The livers of women are not as capable of processing alcohol when compared to those of men.This makes women alcoholics susceptible to developing liver problems with lower levels of alcohol in their bodies and after shorter periods of drinking (Snyder 62). The presence of large amounts of alcohol in women may interfere with fertility by upsetting the hormones in their body and can increase t he chances of a miscarriage. Women alcoholics who become pregnant may cause damage to the fetus in their wombs, which is called fetal alcohol syndrome. It can cause complications such as physical deformities and mental retardation (Labtestsonline).Elizabeth Somer claims that â€Å"women are more susceptible to tissue damage from elevated alcohol levels and have an increased risk for breast cancer, osteoporosis and dementia† (224). She goes on to mention that over 60 health problems can be linked to this addiction, including damage to the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The mechanism has yet to be determined on why alcohol is considered a carcinogenic or cancer-causing substance, but most theories point to alcohol’s tendency to increase the amount of estrogen present in a woman’s body.Increased levels of this hormone have been linked to occurrences of cancer. People suffering from alcohol dependency perceive indulging in alcohol consumption as a ne cessity. Problems of whatever nature in their lives are ignored by these individuals so long as they can persist in their drinking. Thus, people afflicted with the disease often find themselves hindered from achieving their full potential as productive members of the society. By continuing in this sort of behavior, these individuals might go on to create not only problems for themselves, but also for others around them.Alcohol causes a change in brain chemistry which results in changes in behavior such as increased aggression and reduced fear which may lead us to take needless risks. Alcohol can cause people to be rude, verbally abusive, and physically threatening. This is because some people turn to alcohol to express hostile feelings that they wouldn’t be able to express when they are sober. These factors almost always lead to trouble or confrontations with people around the alcohol dependent, including complete strangers. Perhaps no other scenario presents this more clearl y than when people drive while under the influence of alcohol.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, an individual was killed in alcohol-related car crashes about every half-hour, while injuries occurred every two minutes during 2005. Half of roughly 400 children riding with the drunk driver dying during that span died. Overall, alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths amounted for about 40% of the total traffic-related deaths for 2005. These crashes amount to about 51 billion dollars lost each year. Alcohol alone does not cause alcoholism, because if it did, everyone who drank would be an alcoholic.There are a number of factors that lead to alcoholism. Some scientists support the argument that becoming an alcoholic is purely the result of an individual’s genetics. Because of genetics, people tend to inherit an inability to handle alcohol, just like other people inherit other diseases from their parents (Niaaa. nih. gov). This may explain why alcohol ism seems to run in families from generation to generation, and why some people become alcoholics from the first time they drink. Aside from one’s genetics, one also cannot discount the role of one’s environment as well as the lifestyle one engages in.If children were exposed to drinking with drinkers who were careful and moderate for example, they would be more likely to become responsible drinkers. However, if they grew up seeing heavy alcohol use they would be more likely to also engage in that act also. Children that are exposed to a large amount of peer pressure from the kids around them also increase their likelihood of drinking. Some may start out as social drinkers who are able to control their drinking, but they may lose this control and be carried away, eventually becoming alcoholics themselves (Alcoholtreatmentclinics.com). Alcoholism seems to run in families. Although there is nothing conclusive, some studies have shown that all alcoholics have had a close alcoholic relative (Snyder 100). Like many drug abusers, alcoholics often drink hoping to â€Å"drown† feelings of anxiousness or depression. Some drink to reduce strong inhibitions or guilt about expressing negative feelings. The first, and probably one of the most difficult things that an alcoholic must do, is come to an admission that they have a problem.It is unlikely that they will be first to admit it, and they may usually deny that they are being controlled by their addiction. With their inability to discern things for themselves, other individuals such as close friends or relatives may sometimes have to take the initiative in reporting potential alcoholics. The difficulty with this lies in the fact that people cannot be forced to seek help against their will, unless special circumstances are present like being ordered by the court to do so. The NIAAA website offers eight steps for people who want to aid alcoholics who are unwilling to seek help.The first step, stoppin g â€Å"cover ups†, calls for those closely related to the alcoholic to finally make him or her accountable for the consequences arising from the addiction, instead of presenting excuses for the afflicted individual to others. This may be quite a difficult process, since our initial reaction would be to â€Å"protect† family or friends. When putting things in perspective however, we may eventually come to the conclusion that allowing alcoholics to be accountable to the products of their actions would be a much better option than continuing to risk his or her life because of our consent in their addiction.By taking this step, we are actually starting to really offer protection to them. An attempt must then be made to talk to the drinker. It was recommended that this be done immediately after any conflict or problem developed due to alcohol abuse. This must be done in a private setting where both parties involved must be calm and sober. One can choose places where relaxe d feelings are being evoked like the bedroom, or any other location where your conversation is not likely to be disturbed.By accomplishing this step, the alcoholic individual is shown that their rights are still being respected, while at the same time emphasizing the seriousness of your intentions. The third step calls for the concerned individual to voice out his or her growing anxiety regarding the alcoholic’s substance abuse, and how this has developed problems, including the most recent conflict. If the alcoholic has a tendency of being verbally or physically abusive towards people when drunk, this would be the appropriate time to mention it.Choose words which would be most effective in finally making the afflicted individual aware of just how grave the situation really is. Consequences of the drinker’s refusal to get help must then be stated next. These may include things such as moving out of the house. The site mentions that this is not a form of punishment for the drinker, but is performed to protect people close to the individual from harm. One should always be prepared to perform the statements that were mentioned at this stage and not simply bank on making empty threats.The degree of just how radical your threats would be, should of course, depend largely on the offenses made by the alcoholic mentioned in the third step. In the fourth step, a schedule may then be made for the local counselor or organization within the area, after gathering data on possible options for treatment and the alcoholic gives his or her consent. With regards to this, one can locate the best possible sources of help via the internet or by consulting the local directory. When the scenario arises that the alcoholic would refuse to cooperate, a friend may be called upon to perform the first four steps.Choose a friend who the alcoholic has great trust in, or perhaps someone who has already undergone rehabilitation themselves. Individuals with past experiences deali ng with alcohol problems may be very effective at this point, since they may provide deeper insight on how the rehabilitation process works. They may also provide the needed moral support when the alcoholic finally relents to seek professional help. Another option might be to confront the alcoholic as a group. With a group, one would essentially obtain several inputs regarding the situation.One of these ideas could prove to be the critical element in the alcoholic’s decision-making process. Coming face-to-face with several people may also heighten the situation’s level of gravity as perceived by the alcoholic. This step however, must always be performed under the supervision of a trained health care professional familiar with such matters to ensure. A briefing may be done prior to the confrontation to ensure that no actions detrimental to the goal of making the patient seek help will be committed. Lastly, individuals who live or know alcoholics might want to join group s such as Alateen, which caters to children of alcoholics.Organizations such as these provide the needed information and support for people who are closely connected to alcoholics to watch out for themselves, whether the alcoholic chooses to get help or not. If the alcoholic was physically abusive during the drunken state, it would of course be wise to know the options that one has in the situation. By getting adequate information, misery and regrets might be avoided by a lot of people, like averting situations when an alcoholic would inflict lifelong physical deformities on people close to him.Alcoholism is a disease that cannot be totally cured but people can at least recover from it and return to a normal way of life. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website mentions how an effective program of medication and counseling may aid individuals in their struggle towards stopping alcohol abuse. Although the effects may vary from one person to the other, just like in other illnesses, the Institute firmly believes in the effectiveness of alcohol treatment. Family, friends, counselors and organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous may offer the needed help and support towards the recovery of the afflicted individual.Sometimes, entering a detox center may even be necessary since this recovery process can be extremely difficult. In fact, some withdrawal reactions may include high fever, loss of appetite, nausea, uncontrollable shaking, hallucinations and even possible coma or death (Snyder 40). Limiting an individual’s intake of alcohol is deemed an ineffective strategy for alcoholics. Stopping the substance abuse may call for the outright absence of alcohol in one’s life. Some medications have been recommended to help alcoholics with regards to this. These include disulfiram (Antabuse ®), naltrexone (Depade ®, ReVia ®) and acamprosate (Campral ®).They may aid an alcoholic in alcohol reduction if not abstinence. Each type of medicine works in a different way. One’s craving for alcohol may be reduced, deter symptoms from alcohol abstinence from manifesting or make a person feel sick after alcohol consumption. No one medication however is deemed totally effective. Each case must still be assessed carefully before choosing which type of medicine to take. Just as much as alcoholics should not be feared, they should also not be loathed by our society. As mentioned in the earlier part of the essay, some people develop the drinking habit out of their perceived inability to handle problems.At the onset, this â€Å"habit† may actually be curbed through adequate attention and moral support being given to the individual by friends and family. Parents who try to educate their children on proper or social drinking might be doing their children a big favor, instead of letting young kids have their first drinking experience with peers. They can include ideas on just how much â€Å"too much† to dr ink is, as well as place specific rules on what activities to avoid upon consuming alcohol (driving, swimming, and other risky activities).Valuable insights may also be gleaned by parents from the experience of drinking with their children regarding their child’s behavior when engaging in the activity, and if the situation should arise, when their kids are drunk. If a person does get afflicted with the disease, there would still be many options available to counter the disease as mentioned before. Although it could prove to be a lifelong struggle, there are individuals who have been able to master the affliction and become successful people in society, with famed writer Stephen King being one of them.The issue of alcoholism is clearly not an easy one to confront not only for those mired in this addiction, but also for the people around them. Although the fight to recovery may not be easy, the right attitude from all the people involved combined with proper education on the to pic, could mean the difference for the health and safety of many people within our country. With the right approach, we can finally see the handling of alcoholism as an issue of giving second opportunities and success, instead of resigning ourselves to its usual tragic outcome. Works Cited â€Å"Alcoholism.† Labtestsonline. org. 1 May 2008 Chopra, Deepak, M. D. Overcoming Addictions. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997. â€Å"FAQ for the General Public. † Niaaa. nih. gov. 1 May 2008 â€Å"Impaired Driving. † Cdc. gov. 1 May 2008 Mack, Avram H. M. D. , John E. Franklin, M. D. , and Richard J. Frances M. D. Treatment of Alcoholism and Addictions. New Jersey: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. , 2001.Snyder, Solomon H. M. D. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs – Alcohol and Alcoholism. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1992. Somer, Elizabeth. 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. â€Å"Types of Drinkers. † Alcoholtreatmentclinics. com. 1 May 2008 â€Å"U. S. POPClock Projection. † Census. gov. 1 May 2008 â€Å"Understanding Alcoholism. † Campral. com. 1 May 2008