Whats the Scoop free essay sample

After attending a summer track practice when I was in the 6th grade, my parents stopped at JJ’s Ice Cream Hut on Route 3A. My friend and I were wide eyed as we perused the menu to pick an ice cream treat. There were price lists and pictures of scrumptious looking ice cream delights plastered on the large window store front. A teenage girl with a bright smile peeked out of one of the sliding windows and asked us what we wanted. â€Å"I’m going to work here when I get older!† I exclaimed to my parents.A few years later I was 16, working age and it was springtime during my sophomore year when a quick memory of JJ’s flitted into my brain. I asked my mom to drive me to JJ’s to apply for a job. It was perfect timing. A manager was in and there were not a lot of customers. We will write a custom essay sample on Whats the Scoop? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I decided to fill out the application in the car and I hurried back to submit it. The manager seemed delighted to see me back so quickly and asked me to come the following Monday to be trained. I had many situations interacting with customers during my past two summers working at JJ’s. One woman ate half of her toasted coconut dipped vanilla cone and then decided she didn’t like it. With an angry tone, â€Å"This is not what I thought it would be! I didn’t think toasted coconut would be like this.† I gave her another cone and replied â€Å"Oh that’s ok, I hope you like the crunch coat. â€Å" When she left, the customer in back of me made the sign of the cross and said â€Å"Bless you-I would never be able to put up with that.†Another time, a little girl asked for a vanilla cone and my co-worker, Caitlyn, proceeded to scoop vanilla without cleaning the scooper. When the girl reached for her cone she grimaced. I knew right away the a little chocolate on vanilla was not going to be accepted. However, Caitlyn did not notice the little girl’s reaction but without saying a word, I made another vanilla cone and handed it to her. Her mom gave a nod, an appreciative smile and put a two dollar tip in the jar.I come to realize that I have the ability to relate to many different personalities in various situations. It would be easy to be angry at being put in a difficult situation or to complain about the rudeness or pettiness of others; but it’s important to me to find the good in people and maybe my little acts of kindness will make a little corner of the world a better place to live.Obtaining the job at JJ’s Ice Cream Hut was my first real experience of achieving a vision of my future. When I put my mind to it, I have proven I can reach many goals and be successful in what I do. I am on my way.

A Glimpse at the mighty structures of the past

A Glimpse at the mighty structures of the past A Glimpse at the mighty structures of the pastIn the past a cultures buildings and Architecture served as a sign of power wealth and prestige. The Aztecs were able to construct marvelous buildings and temples, which still stand to this day. In a sense the Aztec can be compared to Ancient Rome at its time of greatness, The Aztec Empire ruled as a powerful influence over surrounding areas. Its architecture serves as a demonstration of the Aztec might and power, much like we would brag about our most prestigious cities here in America.The Aztecs were an American Indian people that had a great civilization in Mexico. They thrived in Tenochtitlan, current day Mexico City, during the 1400's and early 1500's (geocities.com). Their architecture reflects an image of the people who developed it. They had been building structures for hundreds of years. This experience and knowledge made their architecture some of the most advanced and elaborate of their time.English: Model depicting the first l ake battle bet...Their greatest examples of architecture include the Sacrificial Temple, the Shrines of the gods, the Emperor's Palace and their everyday homes.The Sacrificial Temple was a very important structure to the Aztecs. They were extremely religious people and believed in sacrifices to please the gods. They were not monotheistic but polytheistic (believing in many gods). The purpose for building a Sacrificial Temple was to sacrifice people as an offering to the gods. The Aztecs believed so strongly in pleasing the gods they worshiped, over 20,000 people were sacrificed a year (www.courses.psu.edu). The construction of a temple wasn't done in a traditional manner; buildings were not built on an empty spot. If a new temple was constructed in the place of an older temple, the older temple was not destroyed; rather, the new temple was built over the older one.

Using Data to Make Decisions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Using Data to Make Decisions - Research Paper Example When it is necessary to reduce your workforce minimizing these actions through retraining, reassignment and reallocation can reduce the loss of employee’s intellectual capital. Critical knowledge must be retained within the company now more than ever. Career and succession plans should be developed for employees which will maximize the life of your employees and reduce productivity losses. Those company’s and managers which invest the time and capital in analytics are more able to meet workforce challenges and decision making demands with accuracy and competence (IBM Global Business Services). As a manager data should be considered a strategic asset and end user needs for analytics should be gathered through a clearly defined process (The Analytical SMB, 2012). Problems or situations that can be addressed through analytics include downsizing, recruiting, and retention. Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are within your workforce allow you to make decisions quickly. Employee evaluations, prior attendance records and discipline records all become important data components in decision making processes. Career plans and tracks can assist in retention of valuable employees and understanding your company’s shortages will allow you to recruit man power in targeted areas. Results in any problem or situation are greatly improved when data collection includes many elements or facets. You should know and understand the needs of the business in order to decide what data needs to be collected.

Reflections on World's Leadership Research Paper - 2

Reflections on World's Leadership - Research Paper Example Further, great leaders formulate and convey strong beliefs and they do not simply impose their will. Instead they rally followers to support their visionary ideas through leading by example. This paper seeks to differentiate between two contemporary leaders using the mentioned features, among others. As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, leadership is termed as an influence association among leaders and followers who are interested in influencing real change, as well as, exceptional outcomes that reflect their shared rationale. Therefore, it is imperative to ask oneself what make an individual a good or a bad leader. For instance, Warren Buffett is termed to be one of the good business leaders in the world. The main question that everybody is interested in is to know what makes him successful as a leader. Buffet is a good leader because; his leadership has made a positive change in the world today (Spindler, 2008). There is a huge relationship between change and leadership and Buf fet has portrayed the ability to change the world and make it a better place. This is attributable to the fact that he has the ability to survive in very uncertain business ventures. As a leader, Buffet has adapted ways in which he can respond to crisis or change and channeled his ambition to change the world by achieving better goals (Mclaughlin, 2013). Understanding whether leaders are born or made is an aspect that is extremely imperative. This will assist in determining whether Buffett was a born a leader. Research and Experience depicts that there is little evidence showing that an individual that rises to power can be termed as a â€Å"born leader.† It is evident that Buffett has had challenges equal to other others leader. However, he has always managed to be successful in his work. This is because Buffett had learned from all his mistakes and managed to turn them into positive aspects. For instance, Buffett ensures that he has shared his leadership at all organization al levels by empowering others to share his responsibilities. This enables him to actively act efficiently in all categories as a leader (Mclaughlin, 2013). This is what creates a huge distinction between good management and leadership. Managers have controlling, organizing, and budgeting powers and Buffett contains leadership skills in all these three levels. These are traits that make an exceptional business leader (Daft, 2007). Another imperative trait that business leaders should posses is communication (Daft, 2007). Buffet is described as an accomplished communicator in all facets of his life. It is crucial to note that communication is the principal aspect in leadership. This is why many skilled communicators are able to appreciate for in the business world. Buffet has the experience to position himself in favorable positions in the business world. He is able to comprehend individuals that he is communicating to easily. He possesses audience knowledge and understands what diff erent people want thus capturing their concentration encouraging them to listen. This makes him a good leader because; he not only knows how to communicate with high profile people, but also with the subordinates with ease. Additionally, Buffett is an outstanding listener and

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse - Essay Example On ingestion the THC is found to be absorbed into the blood stream from where it is carried to the brain, producing a high feeling. The THC molecules is found to affect a number of areas of brain, inclusive of the areas of control balance, perception of time, sound, color and as any other drug the Glucose craving. Psychosis on the other hand can be defined as a cluster of symptoms characterized by hallucination and impaired reality. Psychosis is often symptom associated with Schizophrenia. Cannabis used have shown to produce symptoms similar to psychotic disorder as Schizophrenia, when ingested at large amount. Mounting researchers have indicated that Cannabis found to trigger the onset of Schizophrenia or its relapse and also aggravates the symptoms. (Hambrecht, M. and Hafner,1996). The users of Cannabis experienced unpleasant effects on usage as anxiety and pain, while some may experience hallucinations. The unpleasant effects are found to disappear as cannabis wears off. But some people may have frightening experience as it withdraws. It is found that of 1 in 10 people who use cannabis are found to be addicted to it. It is worrying fact that usually it is the young people who get hooked to it and they smoke cannabis on daily basis. The early the age they are exposed, early is the onset of Psychotic symptoms. It is found to be still more severe in people with existing mental disorders as Schizophrenia or bipolar, where they undergo negative psychological effect on cannabis use. Researchers pouring in point to the direction that cannabis may be the gateway for many other drugs to enter in. Thus one point is established as, in persons having mental illness are for persons with known family history of mental illness, cannabis triggers adheres psychotic symptoms. (Imade and Ebie ,1991) Though the usage of cannabis is known from 1970s now it has become an issue of concern as more young people are found to be the smokers of cannabis. Most cannabis users started in very early teens, thus causing a psychological transition and misadventures on a young persons life. This issue of regular Cannabis use is found to be a menace in developed countries. This has really become a national crisis mainly for countries as Australia and New Zealand. The Government has taken wide range of steps from forming a forum, organizing discussion, releasing pamphlets, funding research to create an awareness about cannabis and its link to mental illness.( Jerrell and Ridgely,1995) So this essay tries to unravel the above facts by discussing and reviewing the articles published with this concern. The List of articles selected and the reason for the selection : 1. Cannabis use and mental health - facts - is an study based on Australian community with case study done among 2 age groups as adolescent and adults, aiming to pinpoint the majority groups age by which they start this habit. 2. Cannabis and psychosis - Information for health care workers - An research report done under the instruction and funding of Victorian government health information, by the state government of Victoria, Australia, tends to explore the relationship between the

Happy Worker Is A Productive Worker Management Essay

Happy Worker Is A Productive Worker Management Essay The axiom of a happy worker is a productive worker has been traditionally accepted by organizations for many years. The globalization trend, technology changes and development as well as the new business practices continuously influence the importance of motivation and job satisfaction in Malaysian organizations. Nowadays many companies are facing intensive challenge in improving employees job satisfaction and their organizational commitment to gain competitive advantage and at the same time retention of their key employees. Successful organizations realize that employee retention is important to sustain their leadership and growth in the market place. In any meeting and conferences, The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) usually reflects the most challenging issues that face the oil and gas industry. Shortage of labor skills was not even an issue to be discussed in the SPE meetings and conferences for couple of years back. However this issue has emerged in the oil and gas industry and retaining top performance employees is becoming a major concern for many oil and gas companies. Recently most of SPE conferences have in their agenda discussions on the shortage of labor skills which really reflect the magnitude and the size of this issue. Obviously, every manager tries to achieve their organization objectives. In this connection they must concentrate in many aspects to fulfill the organizations wish to keep well trained and effective workforce. Employees with higher job satisfaction are important since they believe that the organization would have tremendous future in the long run and the employer gives credit to the quality of their work, hence those employees are more committed to the organization, have higher retention rates, and tend to have higher productivity. In order to make the best use of people as a valuable resource of the organization, attention must be given to the relationship between staff and the nature and content of their jobs. The organization and the design of jobs can have a significant effect on staff where attention needs to be given to the quality of working life. Many managers in the oil and gas companies when asked what motivates their employees and how to retain them always answer with confidence money, money and money as the only retention factor. It is because of this limited view that many companies are having high turnover rates. Money is necessary but it is not sufficient to retain an employee. An oil company needs to do more than increasing salary, in addition it has more options that are non-monetary and are very effective in order to retain and motivate employees. Motivation is an inner driver that drive individuals to act or perform. Specific theories may propose varying set of factors influencing motivation (Harder, 2008). But many scholars agree that motivation is psychological process that causes the arousel, direction, intensity and persistence of behaviour (Locke and letham, 2004; Pinder, 1998). There are numerous motivation theories that have influenced the way organisations manage employees to achieve a motivated work force. These theories attempt to explain why people behave the way they do and advice on factors and strategies which when employed can get the best out of employees in terms of their commitment to work. Notwithstanding, because of the complex nature of the issues worth considering when motivating people, it is always not an easy task when it comes to organisations motivating workers for effective performance. Job satisfaction is important to an organizations success. Much research has been conducted into ways of improving job satisfaction of workers in various sectors of the Malaysian economy, including the academic sector (Wong Teoh, 2009; Noordin Jusoff, 2009), the hotel sector (Abd. Patah, Radzi, Abdullah, Adzmy, Adli Zain, Derani, 2009), the government sector (Yahaya, A., Yahaya, N., Arshad, Ismail, 2009), the non-profit sector (Ismail Zakaria, 2009), the naval sector (Mohd. Bokti Abu Talib, 2009), and the automobile manufacturing sector (Santhapparaj, Srinivasan, Koh, 2005). There has been relatively little research into the determinants of job satisfaction in the oil and gas in Malaysia. Therefore, this paper endeavours to address this literature gap. PROBLEM STATEMENT One of the leading challenges facing by Managers nowadays is execution of effective human capital strategies to augment firms performance. As a result of pressure to perform, the worth of satisfied employees becomes more indispensable. Job satisfaction describes that how much happy an individual is with his/her job. According to Locke (1976) job satisfaction is a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job and job experiences. The happier the individual, the higher is level of job satisfaction. It is assumed that positive attitude towards work and greater organizational commitment increases job satisfaction which in return enhances performance of the individual (Linz, 2002). However, the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction appears to be a very complex one. The fact that employees are satisfied does not necessarily mean that they will perform well and motivated. They may be satisfied because they may not have to work hard, conversely, employees who work hard may not be satisfied. They may be working hard in order to avoid some form of disciplinary action against them (Bhagat, 1982). From findings, the issue of job satisfaction amongst employees also has escalated into other human resource issues such as high turnover. In this era of war for talent, organization realized the high costs associated with turnover and the time spent in replacing the resigned staff. This problem is happening in almost every industry in Malaysia with turnover rate on the rise. Based on the data collected in Hewitts 2007 Total Compensation Management survey, the average employee turnover rate is 18% (Hewitt, 2008). Another report by Hewitt in The Edge Malaysia in 2009, retaining staff would increasingly prove challenging as the turnover rate in Malaysia increased to 10.1% in 2009 compared to 9.3% in 2008. As reported by Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) in their recent Salary Survey for Executives/Non Executives 2010: Average Monthly Turnover Rate (July 2009-June 2010) Non Executive Executive Oil Gas/Petroleum/Chemical Industry 1.56% 0.87% Overall 1.97% 1.35% Source : Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) The report showed that the turnover rate for non executives is much higher than executives and this is linked to low employee satisfaction. The employees desire to hop from one job to another seem to be the trend of today. In three recent surveys conducted in the United States, Canada and Malaysia, it was reported that more than half would abandon their employers if offered comparable jobs elsewhere (McShane, 2009). Despite monetary rewards, commitment amongst employees is still low. Therefore, the researcher is hoping that this study will be able to provide answers to the following statement: Does achievement increase employee satisfaction? Does advancement increase employee satisfaction? Does work itself increase employee satisfaction? Do recognition increase employee satisfaction? Do growth increase employee satisfaction? The manager needs to understand how best to make work more satisfying for employee and to overcome obstacles to effective performance. As mentioned earlier, because of a high competition, therefore every organization has to compete with other organization. In this connection in order to achieve competitive advantage the organization has to retain work for, organization expects that satisfying employees are more performing. Therefore, there is a need for the organization to satisfy their employees to achieve their objectives. For the employees point of view, job satisfaction leads to several benefits such as, reducing moral stress, create new thinking and innovation which lead them to high level, fresh mind, good relationship with co-workers, supervisor and employees etc. Competition as a result of globalisation, information technology and industrialisation has compelled managers all over the world to seek to motivate their employees in order to get the best out of them and to stay co mpetitive. This has led managers to employ all sorts of techniques to motivate and satisfy their employees. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The main objectives of the study is to examine the impact of motivational factors on employee job satisfaction. Therefore, the objectives of this research are as follows: To identify the employee perception in regards to achievement, advancement, work itself, recognition, growth and job satisfaction. To examine the relationship between achievement and employee job satisfaction. To examine the relationship between advancement and employee job satisfaction. To examine the relationship between work itself and employee job satisfaction. To examine the relationship between recognition and employee job satisfaction. To examine the relationship between growth and employee job satisfaction. To examine the impact of motivational factors on employee job satisfaction. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The researcher would like to investigate the impact of motivational factors on employee job satisfaction. Therefore, the research questions that will hold relevance to the study are: What is the employee perception with regards to achievement, advancement, work itself, recognition and growth? Is there a relationship between achievement and employee job satisfaction? Is there a relationship between advancement and employee job satisfaction? Is there a relationship between work itself and employee job satisfaction? Is there a relationship between recognition and employee job satisfaction? Is there a relationship between growth and employee job satisfaction? Do motivational factors have an impact on employee job satisfaction? RESEARCH FRAMEWORK The investigation of this study is to analyze the motivational factors that cause job satisfaction in the workplace of employees employed by oil and gas company headquarted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In essence, the research will focus on the factors that contribute to job satisfaction and high motivation amongst employees. The motivational factors that will be used in this research only focus on achievement, advancement, recognition, work itself and growth. Achievement Specific successes, such as the successful completion of a job, solutions to problems, vindication, and seeing the results of your work. Advancement Actual changes which enhance position or status at work. Recognition Any act of recognition, be it notice or praise. A distinction can be made between situations where concrete rewards are given along with acts of recognition and those in which they are not. Work itself The actual or nature of the job or phases of it. Growth Changes in job situation where the possibilities for professional growth increase. Besides new vistas opened up by promotion, they include increased opportunities in the existing situation for learning and practicing new skills. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The researcher hopes that this study will contribute to numerous benefits in terms of theoretical, management as well as academic perspectives. Theoretical perspective: The study would help to shed new light of the usefulness of the Herzberg Two-Factor Theory in explaining the importance of employee motivational factors on employee job satisfaction. Management perspective: The management can use the findings from this study to assist them to gain competitive advantage over their competitors in employee commitment from the same industry. This study is also aimed at helping employees to identify the motivational factors that will drive them towards being more committed and loyal to the organization. The employees will feel contented which is the factor that will make them stay longer in the organization. The longer employee stays with an organization, the more valuable they will be in terms of seniority, skill and knowledge. Academic perspective: This research will benefit other student to understand the impact of motivational factor on job satisfaction better and could be a reference or guideline for other researcher who is interested to study this three relationship dimension in other industry. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of this study only covers employees from oil and gas industry who are based at the headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. For the purpose of this study, the motivational factors only include achievement, advancement, recognition, work itself and growth. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Sample select a sample population that may not reflect the overall population. Respondents too dependent on the self-reported responses. Time limited time to collect back the questionnaires as some of the respondents may be working outstation or on a short foreign assignment. These abovementioned factors may affect the accuracy of the data and steps have been undertaken to reduce this problem by assuring the respondents that this study is confidential. Employees can then be rest assured as to provide true and fair opinion as they need not furnish their names in the questionnaire.

Designer Babies Essays -- essays research papers

Designer Babies I’ve been poked and prodded at ever since I can remember, but what I didn’t know was that I was actually a poked and prodded at individual even before my existence. Transplanted DNA is what they should have named me instead of Wang. I find my existence to be not as real or as wanted as others who were conceived naturally with both loving parents and even the idea of other loving parents adopting their children. It just seems unfair that my parents would make decisions for me before I was even born. The idea of someone wanting to create their child is absurd. Our bodies own process of getting rid of the bad genes is something we can not control. We can not begin to have the same instinct as our bodies. Allowing this to go on could jeopardize an individual’s identity and its remarkableness and how far is too far in parents decision making. This process will also affect the â€Å"designed baby† emotionally for the child may think they are not real in the sens e that they were created for selfish purposes. Altering an embryo's genetics affects the child physically and emotionally. As well as affecting the society as a whole in the long run. Designer babies, a term used by journalists, are described as â€Å"advanced reproductive technologies allowing parents and doctors to screen embryos for genetic disorders and for selecting healthy embryos† (Bionet). There are three ways that can be used to create this â€Å"designer baby†. â€Å"The simplest way to a designer child is human cloning: taking a cell from an adult and combining it with a human egg to make an identikit clone of the adult. This is the ultimate pedigree child with guaranteed genes [†¦] Another more difficult way to make designer people, or a super race, is to take sperm or eggs, or cells in a developing embryo, and add new genes to them. This is called germ cell alteration [†¦] A third way is to alter cells after birth. This is called somatic cell alteration. Here the effects will die out when the person dies, and will not be passed onto a second generation of designer babies† (Dixon). Parents make decisions for their children before they are even born. The unborn fetus is robbed of molding their own identity because their physical traits have been chosen for them indirectly. The child is artificial and unnatural. A science experiment preformed wrongfully, in hopes to create one’s self conscious idea of... ...hat fate can only be made possible by altering the traits that nature intended us to inherit. Thus putting wrongful thoughts of people’s views of what’s acceptable. When in reality everybody is different and that’s what gives a person an identity and if we all look the same then that would be a world of chaos and if you're not rich enough then you’re put to the side as â€Å"the ugly duckling†. Once we are capable of changing our child genetically the imperfect will not be accepted in a society of a â€Å"super human race† of intelligent, flawless, disease free people. websites where i got the quotes 1http://www.bionetonline.org/English/Content/db_cont1.htm â€Å"Advanced reproductive technologies allow parents and doctors to screen embryos for genetic disorders and select healthy embryos.† -definition 2http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/00000006DD57.htm Debating 'designer babies' Personal reproductive choices should not be a matter for legal regulation. by Ellie Lee 3http://www.reason.com/rb/rb030602.shtml helpful info for debate pro 4http://www.globalchange.com/designer.htm sex selection should not be allowed because one should love their child no matter what sex or appearance it may have.

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber

As we look back our history, we have observed that there are various wars taking place amongst nations because of some reasons. One of these reasons might be terrorism attacks, just like what happened in 9/11 or territorial disagreements. And because of this perilous condition, governments that are under attacks really spend millions of dollars and look for means in order to invent a long-range strike aircraft to make sure that they will not be defeated in the combat and to secure the safety of its citizenry. But is it worth it? Is it right that our government spends bigger budget for the innovation of these combat aircrafts?It is believed that an innovative, long-range bomber force is significant for the security of the long-range national security of America. The current assessment shows that there is a specific amount of money that is intended for the combat aircraft. And for every dollar added and spent for the aircraft acquisition, the amount was taken from the fighter program. Every year, the government of United States of America spends $ 3 billion for the peacekeeping (see Spencer, Jack. â€Å"Achieving Balance in America’s Long-Range Strike Aircraft Capabilities†).This scenario would only shows that our government is spending a lot of money for our safety as citizens of the United States of America. In addition, our government allocates its own budget, funds from fighter program, for the innovation of B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber. One of these high-tech stealth aircrafts is the B-2 Spirit Bomber. The B-2 Spirit, created by the Northrop Grunman, is a multi-role stealth aircraft or a fighter plane that is capable of dropping conventional and nuclear munitions. The B-2 is very costly and expensive plane compared to any fighter plane.It was estimated that the costs of each aircraft will range from USD 1. 157 billion up to USD 2. 2 billion. The stealth technology was invented in order to help the aircraft infiltrate defense force previously impas sable by combat aircraft. During the last part of 1980s, the innovative procurement of 135 combat aircraft was subsequently reduced. President George H. W. Bush, during in his 1992 State of the Union speech, promulgated that the total B-2 production will be reduced to 20 aircraft but subsequently added 1 by â€Å"refurbishing a test aircraft† (see â€Å"B-2 Spirit†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.November 16, 2006). This would mean that the government of United States of America is anticipating any attack because it is preparing innovative stealth aircraft. The intents of this paper are to: (1) understand what B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber really is; (2) know about its mission and; (3) learn about the benefits of stealth aircraft designs. II. Background A. B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers As mentioned earlier that B-2 spirit stealth bomber is capable of dropping conventional and nuclear weapons. Its stealth has the capacity to infiltrate the enemy’s most high-tech and a dvanced defenses.Moreover, Northrop Grumman is the first and major contractor for the US Air Force B-2 Spirit Bomber. The B-2 is characterized as â€Å"low-observable, strategic, long-range, heavy bomber† that is able to infiltrate advanced defenses. It is able and efficient of â€Å"all-altitude† attack missions. Its distinct profile originates from the distinctive ‘flying wing’ construction (see â€Å"B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, USA†). Its capacity to infiltrate air defenses and threaten efficient retaliation gives an efficient deterrent during the 21st century.The B-2 development program was started in 1981and the Air force was approved in 1987 to start obtaining of 132 operational b-2 aircraft, mainly for strategic and planned bombing missions. With the downfall of the Soviet Union, the operational emphasis of B-2 development was altered to conventional operations and the quantity was decreased to 20 operational aircraft and later added one more which served as test aircraft. In November 22, 1988, the first B-2 spirit stealth bomber was publicly exhibited when it rolled out at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California. The initial flight took place in 1989 of July 17.Moreover, the B-2’s sole operational base is the Whiteman AFB, Mo. The Spirit of Missouri, the first aircraft, was produced in 1993 of December 17. The Air Force contractor support is responsible for depot maintenance of the B-2 and is supervised at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker AFB, Okla. The major contractor, which is responsible for every system design and integration, is the Aircraft Systems Division of Northrop Grumman. The General Electric Aircraft Engine, Hughes Radar Systems group and Boeing Military Airplanes Co. are the prime members of the aircraft contractor team.In addition, Hughes Training Inc. (HTI) is another prime contractor that is liable for aircrew training devices while Link Flight Simulation Corp. Northrop Grumman and its main subcontractor are liable for advancing and incorporating all maintenance training and aircrew programs (see â€Å"B-2 Spirit’. November 30, 1999). III. Discussion The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is very good in beating an air defense of the enemy. The B-2 is able to fly higher than 6,000 nautical miles before fueling again- higher than 10,000 miles in one refueling- as it carries 40,000 pounds of weapons.This remarkable and incredible ability of B-2 provides aircraft the capability to fly on anyplace in the globe and transport a variety of munitions not more than 24 hours. Basically, the B-2’s design can be tracked down back to the â€Å"flying wing designs† of Jack Northrop in 1940s. The integrated computer systems of the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber include more than 130 computers and approximately estimated up to â€Å"2 million lines of software code†. The B-2’s stealth would mean that the aircraft does not require an armada of suppo rt aircraft in order to achieve a mission (see â€Å"United States Air force†.2003). A. Its mission The B-2 Spirit â€Å"is a multi-role bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions†. An intense increase in technology, the bomber exemplifies a major indicator and an achievement in the U. S. bomber innovation program. The B-2 produces â€Å"massive firepower† to display, in awhile, anyplace on the world that is impassable defenses (see â€Å"B-2 Spirit†. June 2006). B. Benefits of stealth aircraft designs Stealth craft has been made to â€Å"absorb and deflect radar†- through stealth technology.These are not totally indistinguishable to radar; they are merely difficult to notice than conventional technology. Generally, the objective is to let a stealth aircraft to carry out its attack â€Å"while still outside the ability of the opposing system’s detection† (see â€Å"Stealth Aircraft†. Wikipedia, the fre e encyclopedia. November 4, 2006). In other words, the design of stealth bomber is capable in attacking an enemy’s defense without its system’s awareness. Stealth aircraft designs have several benefits but only two are enlisted below and these are as follows:?Raids on significant point targets, at the same time maintain a cover of plausible denial. Since the attack could not be identified, the stealth operator would basically refuse to say something and hope to keep away from war (see â€Å"Benefits of stealth aircraft designs†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. November 14 2006). This would mean that stealth operator is trying to control the situation by not saying anything in order to avoid war. ? â€Å"Stationing stealth aircraft in a friendly country is a powerful diplomatic gesture.It emphasizes close relations between the allies and expresses high confidence in their governments and competence of security services, as stealth planes incorporate high techn ology and military secrets. The USA has stationed squadrons of F-117 Nighthawks in Britain† (see â€Å"Benefits of stealth aircraft designs†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. November 14 2006). In other words that if the stealth aircraft is stationed to a particular country, an ally country, it develops a good relationship amongst allies and shows trust in its government’s governance. IV. ConclusionThe B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber is a great help in our combatants. It is an advanced technology that totally helps the combatants to attack the enemy without any trace of detection. In 1981, the B-2 bomber started in the military’s secret-black budget. The Pentagon needed 132 planes but since there was no time anymore and the Soviet Union already failed, several members of the Congress started to be skeptical regarding the need for the B-2s. B-2 bombers are considered as the second generation stealth which was composed of carbon-graphite composites is not heavy a s the aluminum but more durable than steel.In November 22, 1988, Northrop and the Air Force rolled out the B-2 stealth Bomber in Palmdale, California. References 1. Spencer, Jack. â€Å"Achieving Balance in America’s Long-Range Strike Aircraft Capabilities†. http://www. heritage. org/Research/NationalSecurity/BG1706. cfm 2. â€Å"B-2 Spirit†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. November 16, 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/B-2_Spirit 3. â€Å"B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, USA†. http://www. airforce-technology. com/projects/b2/ 4. â€Å"Benefits of stealth aircraft designs†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.November 14 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Stealth_aircraft#Benefits_of_stealth_aircraft_designs 5. â€Å"B-2 Spirit’. November 30, 1999. http://www. fas. org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/b-2. htm 6. â€Å"B-2 Spirit†. June 2006. http://www. af. mil/factsheets/factsheet. asp? fsID=82 7. â€Å"United States Air force†. 2003. ht tp://www. is. northropgrumman. com/products/usaf_products/b2/b2. html 8. â€Å"Stealth Aircraft†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. November 4, 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Stealth_aircraft#Benefits_of_stealth_aircraft_designs

Legalizing Marijuana Essays - Cannabis, Cannabis Smoking, Entheogens

Legalizing Marijuana Essays - Cannabis, Cannabis Smoking, Entheogens Legalizing Marijuana What this can't be true, marijuana can't be good for you it causes asthma and bronchitis. Oh wait I almost forgot thats just another misconception of marijuana in truth it is actually good for people suffering from asthma and bronchitis. Yeah right, this wonder of a drug isn't only not bad for you, but it can actually promote good health. This drug can save lives, it can restore people's vision, in fact there isn't much this drug can't do. Marijuana can save the lives of people diagnosed with cancer, and prolong the lives of people with the HIV virus. It reduces nausea and increases the appetite. If this isn't enough to change your mind about marijuana how about all the people with glocoma? Smoking marijuana will clear up their vision and relieve the pressure in their eyes, AND IT CAN EVEN PREVENT THEM FROM BEING BLIND. Marijuana supposedly causes brain damage but that is only another misconception. This misconception has been tested and proven wrong. The only thing that actually makes marijuana bad for you is the tar in it, and it is not good for your lungs to breathe in anything that hot. Now these aren't terribly bad for you, but they can be overcome by using a bong or waterpipe and putting ice in it. Every year law enforcement spends countless man-hours trying to apprehend marijuana dealers and growers. This time would be better utilized in dealing with more serious crimes. A study carried out in California clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of marijuana as a treatment for cancer: Over 74 percent of the cancer patients treated in the program have reported that marijuana is more effective in relieving their nausea and vomiting than any other drug they have tried.(Zeese 1990). Moreover, several other things can be produced commercially using the marijuana plant. There is a possible revenue obtainable from hemp, which can be manufactured into clothing material, vegetable oil, paper product, and livestock feed (Caputo and Ostrom 485). However, crime enforcement energy is often spent dealing with cases that are not necessary. The police spend useless time trying to arrest marijuana growing and smokers. If marijuana is legalized, drug-fighting

Comparing Vietnam Movies Essays

Comparing Vietnam Movies Essays Comparing Vietnam Movies Essay Comparing Vietnam Movies Essay Comparing Vietnam Movies Although a great majority of the population of the world was not physically present during this devastating and bloody war, many people have no need to be. The proliferation of Hollywood-made Vietnam movies has allowed the public to view the Vietnam War from the perspective of the Hollywood moguls. Although the war itself was very unpopular with the public, it seems that the public cannot get enough of movies about the Vietnam War. A lot of the Vietnam movies which are still being created to this day, usually hold the perspective of the American soldiers expected to fight a war which was not held in their own homeland. Although the war may have ended decades ago, the effects of the war, and the publics interest in the war still holds true today. A number of these Vietnam movies may not be 100% accurate, but they do give the public an idea on how life was during the Vietnam War. The three movies: We Were Soldiers, Full Metal Jacket, and Platoon, are all great movies that show what happened in the Vietnam War. Platoon directed by Oliver Stone is a brutally realistic look at a young soldiers tour of duty in Vietnam. Chris Taylor is a college student who quits school to volunteer for the Army in the late 60s. Hes shipped off to Vietnam, where he serves with a culturally diverse group of fellow soldiers under two men who lead the platoon: Sgt. Barnes, whose facial scars are a mirror of the violence and corruption of his soul, and Sgt. Elias, who maintains a Zen-like calm in the jungle and fights with both personal and moral courage even though he no longer believes in the war. After a few weeks in country, Taylor begins to see the naivete of his views of the war, especially after a quick search for enemy troops devolves into a round of murder and rape. This film, still remains one of the classic films of American cinema. Platoon tells the story of Vietnam from the point of view of a young, naive infantry soldier, played by Charlie Sheen. The film showed the war in all of its ugliness and confusion. Oliver Stone the producer and writer, partially based the movie on his own experience as a soldier in Vietnam, Sheens character, Chris Taylor, finds himself in a completely different war from the faceless one being fought against the Vietnamese. His platoons allegiance is split between two senior officers, Barnes (played brilliantly by Tom Berenger), and Elias (played by Willem Dafoe). Barnes is the war torn soldier, a man who has seen enough of war, and the war has taken its toll. He is a man who only knows to fight and therefore he often steps over the lines of human decency and law, especially in a riveting scene in a Vietnamese village when Barnes kills an innocent woman and threatens to kill her daughter, without remorse. Elias is also a war torn soldier, but is an idealistic one. He doesnt believe that the U. S. will win the war, but even though he has lost passion for what he is doing over there, he still represents the good, and the struggles between him and Barnes create an inner war in the platoon, which solidifies the statement of the horrors of war, and the war in Vietnam in particular. Stone made this film different from other war films in that he was able to show the horrors of war and the fighting without glorifying them. Instead, the effect is mass confusion, a generation lost in a struggle that it didnt really believe in, a group of young men fighting for a country that didnt really care or have a plan for what was really happening deep in the jungles, within their own platoons. This was the story we needed to see it would be the first in a trilogy of Vietnam War films from Stone which probed deep into the Vietnam quagmire to show a new generation of Americans and for all those who were alive then the truth and the lies of that war. Full Metal Jacket directed by Stanley Kubrick begins by following the trials and tribulations of a platoon of fresh Marine Corps recruits focusing on the relationship between Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Privates Pyle and Joker. We see Pyle grow into an instrument of death as Hartman has forseen of all of his recruits. Through Pyles torment and Jokers unwillingness to stand up against it the climax of part one is achieved with all three main characters deciding their fates by their action or inaction. The second chapter of Full Metal Jacket delves into Jokers psyche and the repeated referal to the fact that he joined the Corps to become a killer. When his mostly behind the scenes job as a combat correspondant is interfered with by the Tet offensive he is thrust into real combat and ultimately must choose if he really is a killer. Full Metal Jacket, is an unconventional war story. Instead of focusing entirely on the war itself, it also captures the mental developments of the soldiers and their emotions. It goes beyond a normal war story and examines the soldiers themselves, and their motivations and relationships to each other and the war. Motivation for fighting is a prominent aspect of every war movie. People fight for a variety of reasons; money, power, land, honor, freedom, women, reputation, and so on. Most characters in war stories give the viewer a clear understanding of their goal in the battle, and the reason they are there. It is often brought up a subject of conversation amongst the soldiers at some point in the film. They will ask themselves why they are there, explain how they got where they are, and examine their personal motives for continuing. However, Full Metal Jacket denies the audience such clarity as to the motives of the soldiers. The film is divided into two parts. The first half takes place at a basic training camp in South Carolina, where the recruits go through the dehumanizing process of becoming Marine-trained instruments of death. The second half takes us to Vietnam and into battle itself during the Tet offensive. During both halves, characters are challenged to understand the reasons they are fighting. We Were Soldiers directed by Randall Wallace is based loosely on the book We Were Soldiers Once †¦ and Young by Lieutenant General Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway, where they look back on a major battle between the U. S. Army and North Vietnamese Army regulars fought in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in November, 1965. Moore, who then held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, led a battalion of American soldiers. Galloway was there as a journalist, but ended up fighting, too. Moore and Galloway gave their book an elegiac tone, which the film preserves. Early in the movie, we meet Hal Moore, his wife and their five young children. Its 1964, and they arrive at Fort Benning, Georgia, where Moore heads up the combat training of about 450 men. Moores unit includes a daredevil helicopter pilot, a battle-hardened sergeant major, and a green second lieutenant. Eventually the unit is ordered to Vietnam, and we hear Lieutenant Colonel Moore promise his men, When we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. We Were Soldiers is a movie that stands apart from most Vietnam movies by showing what was good about the war as well as what was bad. The Vietnam stole away our own faith in our own leadership. It made us seem to be imperialist aggressors in the worlds eyes. It caused boys to be sent home in pieces or in body bags, all for a dubious cause. If they did make it home, there were no parades. There were college kids calling them baby-killers. This movie makes us realize it is good to remember hat beneath that inept and misguided leadership was bravery and heroism and fellowship, and good men fighting for their country and for each other. They did it because it was their profession, or because their country asked them to or forced them to. This film centers around the first major American battle of the war, Ia Drang Valley, and it is told from both the American and North Vietnamese perspectives, switching back and forth ala Patton. It is not shy about poin ting out some of the mistakes made by America at the time, both military and political, but that really is not the point of the film. The authors have no political axe to grind. The film is simply the story of the American field commander, Lt Col Moore, his men, and their kinship as a unit. It is based on Moores own book, We Were Soldiers Once, and Young, which he co-wrote with a reporter who was also present at the battle. the film confers honor on those who did what they had to do honorably, and it does so effectively and cinematically. It is an excellent movie, deeply moving, yet both profound and fair. In the last analysis, it is about a bunch of men who bonded together when performing an impossible task that they were ordered to do. There is something greater and deeper about their team than the teams we play on, because they played for bigger stakes and when they lost, they lost everything. At the end of the film Joe Galloway says In the end, they did not fight for God country right. They fought for each other. This represents the main point of the movie. War stories are complex tales involving many characters, emotions, motives and struggles. They go through highs and lows, moments of intense battle to moments of inner reflection. Some war stories are obvious depictions of war, including a series of battles, a dramatic plot, often a love interest, and a dramatic ending. These Vietnam movies show a different side of war that people cant see unless they experience it first hand. Although Vietnam war was not popular with the public it seems that the Vietnam War movies have gained a lot of popularity in Hollywood and the public. Full Metal Jacket. Dir. Stanley Kubrick. Prod. Jan Harlan. Perf. Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, and Vincent DOnofrio. DVD. Warner Bros. Pictures, 1987. Platoon. Dir. Oliver Stone. Prod. MArtin Bregman. Perf. Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Dillon, Keith David, John C. McGinley, and Johnny Depp. DVD. Orion Pictures, 1986. Moore, Harold G. , and Joseph L. Galloway. We Were Soldiers Once and Young. New York: Random House, Inc. , 1992. We Were Soldiers. Dir. Randall Wallace. Prod. Jim Lemley. Perf. Mel Gibson, Sam Eliot,Madeleine Stowe and Greg Kinnear. DVD. Paramount Pictures, 2002. Hamburger Hill. Dir. John Irvin. Prod. Marcia Nasatir. Perf. Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber and Don Cheadle. DVD. RKO Pictures, 1987. Zaffiri, Samuel. Hamburger Hill. New York: TheBallantine Group, 1988.

Global warming and biodiversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global warming and biodiversity - Research Paper Example This primarily happens owing to the increase in the amount of Green House gases in the atmosphere. These gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc) trap the sun’s incident heat energy and do not allow them to escape, thereby increasing the Earth’s temperature. These green house gases are released into the atmosphere because of human activities like pollution, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation etc. Global warming has negative impacts on all most everything, from ecosystems to individual species. Climate-carbon cycle feedbacks are also responsible for increasing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In fact, studies have shown that rise of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere will increase the temperature which in turn will cause change in the process of photosynthesis, leading to death of the plants. GRAPH:1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 The other challenge that forms the core of my discussion is extermination of both floral and faunal species. Species become extin ct due to a number of reasons like deforestation, invasive species, diseases, changing climate etc. . In fact in North America alone, â€Å"123 fresh water animal species have been recorded as extinct and hundreds of additional species of fishes, amphibians, mollusks and crayfishes are considered imperiled† (Riciardi & Rasmussen, 1998) and using this data in the exponential decay model, researchers Riciardi and Rasmussen have concluded that the extinction rate in North America alone is 4% per decade. ... his data in the exponential decay model, researchers Riciardi and Rasmussen have concluded that the extinction rate in North America alone is 4% per decade. Moreover, islands like the Galapagos or the Hawaiian islands are more vulnerable to species extinction because the presence of physical barriers has cut off gene flow which has in turn decreased adaptability of the species to extinction factors. Thus, endemic species are more vulnerable to extinction. There is a definitive connection between global warming and loss of biodiversity. Global warming is one of the key reasons behind species extinction.† Plants and animals, even far from human habitation, are now endangered due to global warming, resulting from increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere through different human activities† (Malcolm, 2006). A recent study showed that the increase in the temperature led to disease outbreaks caused by Batrachochytrium among the amphibian species i n tropical America leading to extinction of 67% of the 110 species of Atelopus species (Pounds et al, 2006). Over the last century the temperature of the world has increased by 0.6 degree centigrade but most species have adapted themselves to it, but the present rate of temperature increment â€Å"could easily disrupt the connectedness among species and lead to a reformulation of species communities, reflecting differential changes in species, and to numerous extirpations and possibly extinctions.† (Root et al, 2003). Root et al, meta-analyzed 143 different studies and concluded that the shift in climate was leaving a fingerprint on animal as well as plant species. It is a common notion that environmental awareness and conservation efforts are restricted to the developed countries i.e. countries

Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Stress - Essay Example Some people start fighting when they are stressed out as a reactionary measure, which is called fight and the third is left or flight, which means that the stressed out person tries to escape of flee from the problems. My condition when I am stressed out is like freeze as I really do not know what should I do and where should I go. I have many issues in life, which have made me introvert. I want to keep everything just to myself. When I consider myself helpless and emotionally devastated, I try to cry aloud in loud music so that others cannot hear me. I cry until I get awfully tired and after that, I feel somewhat relaxed and eased out. I also spend my troublesome time at the sea where I just sit and ponder over my problems and life as a whole. I try to let in the cool air so that the heat within me caused by my issues can get cold. In my stressed condition, I do a lot of shopping that is useless after which, I have to go back to return certain things. I am not the only one with issues, as when I sat with my group members, we all felt sad because of our own issues in our lives. I was really surprised when I saw a guy crying out of emotional outburst. I used to think that men could not cry, as men are perceived as really unacceptable when they cry. However, like women, men can also have many issues, which can bring tears to their eyes. That guy was really worried and disturbed due to which, he shared his problems with others. Everyone has his own issues and they are not the same. However, people have issues with their parents, siblings, friends, and so on, that can appear as somewhat similar. They can cry like children, as they perceive themselves helpless and unsupported, due to which, all that they can do is crying for their issues. I considered myself alone and secluded and with problems. However, when I see other people with problems too, I do not consider