Pronouns Revisited

Many writers have trouble selecting the right pronouns when they are writing about a specific group or individual members of that group. You should always use singular pronouns for singular nouns. Really. A breed of dog is singular, as is a company. If you are writing about a pet monkey, the pet monkey can be referred to as â€Å"he† or â€Å"she† . . . or even â€Å"it†. The monkey won’t mind. But your editor (who may or may not be a monkey) will mind if you refer to the monkey as â€Å"they.† Correct: A pet monkey can be very high maintanence. It will live a long time. Pet monkeys can be very high-maintanence creatures. They also live a long time. Incorrect: A pet monkey can be very high maintenance. They can live a long time. Another faux-pas in the writing world is using the pronoun â€Å"one,† when you should be using â€Å"he† or â€Å"she.† Using â€Å"one† is old fashioned and stuffy sounding, as in: When one is out calling, one must leave calling cards. Use â€Å"he† or â€Å"she† â€Å"he/she† can be cumbersome; the reader will forgive you for choosing one or the other in order to sound up-to-date on writing trends. (â€Å"They† is becoming more accepted, but it still rankles to prescriptivists.) If you’re addressing the audience, it’s also perfectly acceptable to refer to your reader as â€Å"you.† This sounds personable and makes your article accessible to the reader. Examples: A quilter will want to make sure she chooses a pattern before selecting fabrics. The favorite political candidate may not always win. He may have to wait until next term to run for office again. Your poodle will need proper grooming. Have a sweater handy if she must go outside in cold weather. (Or, to revisit the idea in the first part of this post: A snake is a popular pet. It will not keep you warm at night, but it it will amaze you with its ability to swallow live rats whole.) What do you do in the event of a food shortage? Do you stockpile food, grow your own vegetables, or take to the streets and join your community in a riot? If you have any questions about using pronouns, please ask in the forum, and our friendly community of writers and editors will answer them or point you in the direction of resources that will help you with your own writing. Interested in more tips like this? Check out the Content Writer’s Guide to Grammar, Punctuation and Structure.

And No Matter Where You Run Into It, Prejudice Obscures the Truth Essays

And No Matter Where You Run Into It, Prejudice Obscures the Truth Essays And No Matter Where You Run Into It, Prejudice Obscures the Truth Essay And No Matter Where You Run Into It, Prejudice Obscures the Truth Essay Twelve Angry Men Reginald Rose Pg 53 when juror 8 says â€Å"And no matter where you run into it, prejudice obscures the truth† he means when ever and where ever you are narrow-mindedness and racism can cloud your judgment towards people of all races and cultures, this can be proved by the stubbornness of juror 10 to change his mind about the boys case, and juror 3’s absolute unwillingness to change is mind even when all the other jurors starting with juror 8 note innocent. Juror 10 is one of the most racist and prejudice of the all the jurors a quote to show this is â€Å"Now you’re not going to tell us that we’re supposed to believe that kid, knowing what he is. Listen, I’ve lived among ‘em all my life. You can’t believe a word they say. I mean, they’re born liars. † When he says this he means/believes that people are born in slums are born to live lives of crime and disseat, even thou juror 5 was born and lived in a slum all his life he is a perfectly respectably man. This proves that juror 10 was wrong and people born in slums aren’t born to lie and commit crime. There for prejudice did obscure the truth for juror 10. Juror 3 is the last to change his note because of his grudge against kids this grudge started him and his son had a fight and his son left home ever since juror 3 has had prejudice against kids, when juror 3 says â€Å"That goddamn rotten kid. I know him. What they’re like. What they do to you. How they kill you everyday. My God, don’t you see? How come I’m the only one who sees? Jeez, I can feel that knife going in. this proves that juror 3 thinks he knows every kid in the whole world and knows that they are disrespectful and unthankful. In other words prejudice. When he says â€Å"Jeez, I can feel that knife going in† this shows that he is so shore of the boy committing the crime even thou the boy was found innocent in the end, showing that prejudice did lead juror 3 away from the truth there fo r proving the point that prejudice does obscure the truth. Despite all these facts juror 8 still saw the small chance that the boy could have been innocent a quote to show this is â€Å"But we have a reasonable oubt†¦. No jury can declare a man guilty unless it’s sure. † He’s telling us we have to be sure if we are going to blame someone for anything. This shows us that prejudice isn’t every where in the world and some people do look past race and cultural backgrounds. In conclusion we have to try to look past the color of someone’s skin where they come from are born or have grown up, and look at all the facts to get the absolute truth on the questions that are asked. By Harry Plum

Recruitment at Jenny's Coffee Shop Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recruitment at Jenny's Coffee Shop - Assignment Example Human resource department must always ensure that the best kind of employees with creative mind and analytical understanding of issues are hired to the organization. (Gilmore & Williams, 2009) Recruitment Plan and Strategy To get the top talent in the market and to stay ahead of the curve, it is prudent that the recruitment strategy is aligned with the business plan. The plan adopted should always ensure that it takes into consideration qualities needed for the top management, departmental management and the store level. Top Management This strategy will focus its attention on competing coffee shops around. An expertise referral will also be taken into consideration. This plan will be adopted since the managerial team requires someone with very high experience and at least has an experience in working within the Coffee shops. These talents can only be gotten from competing firms. Departmental Management Level I will employ campus recruiting since it is a level whereby we have profess ionals reinforcing departmental decisions. Individuals can also be recruited from other firms not necessarily coffee shops. This brings individuals with very good mind set who knows what should be done to ensure cohesion and success within the departments. Students can also be recruited on internship basis. ... A necessary training is necessary for the team to ensure that they understand and appreciate the quality assurance policies of the coffee shop. Communication Message Jenny's Coffee Shop is one of the shop outlets with branches across United States. We are offering varied line of beverages in our various outlets across. We are currently expanding to other regions. Jenny's Coffee Shop offers services are tailored to meet our customer’s wants. We are glad to offer exciting and challenging positions to various individuals who meet the requirements as listed below. Apart from the academic and professional qualifications as listed, the applicant must possess the following attributes Personal Attributes High level of integrity Honesty Strong analytical skills Must be able to work under minimal supervision Strong communication skills Computer knowledge is a prerequisite (Guest, 2011). Senior Manager He/she will be in charge of daily overall operations within the shop and ensure coordi nation’s within the shop. He/ She must be a holder of a university degree from a recognized institution in any business related field with a bias in management. More than three years experience in a hospitality industry is must Proven past leadership skills Departmental managers They will be in charge of different departments. Must possess a university degree in either business related field, hotel management, accounting and computer science Must possess at least one year experience within the department he/ she is applying. Barista/ Shop Assistant They will be in charge of serving customers and also preparing coffee besides other beverages Basic education is a requirement. An experience in coffee shops is an added advantage. If you are interested in any of the above

Leading Strategic Change and Business Strategy Case Study

Leading Strategic Change and Business Strategy - Case Study Example (2003) suggest, strategic change can move beyond merely the formulation of strategy by a consideration of the whole process from planning through to implementation. Change management does involve "managing" and thus control, but also the realization that change is often an organic process that develops in unexpected manners. Baloqun's most important idea, one that moves beyond traditional change management, is that it should move beyond the "formulaic" and "linear" process that has previously dominated the models. Context-specific analysis is an interesting variation on the normal modeling process, as it seeks to enable the manager to see that which is specific to her company rather than that which fits into the models. The change kaleidoscope involves dissecting the possible ramifications of change, while always keeping in mind the overall strategy that is in place. The manager must develop what Baloqun refers to as "change judgment": that is, the ability to understand the critical features of a specific change context. The important element here is to recognize what is and what is not possible within change implementation. A manager involved in change management first needs to be aware of what exactly is happening at the given moment within the business, and then needs to be able to extrapolate possible outcomes based upon that awareness. The first premise of planning is having as much knowledge as possible. The type of planning which is now occurring has changed radically from that envisioned in the traditional business model. As John Byrne puts it, "gone are the abstraction, sterility, and top-down arrogance of the old model." (Byrne, 1) Now managers in the most successful corporations are part of a system in which "today's gurus of strategy urge companies to democratize the process", and they do this "by handing strategic planning over to teams of line and staff managers from different disciplines." (Byrne, 1) Often young, junior managers who are noted for their creative thinking are teamed with near-retirement, senior managers who essentially have nothing to lose and so can tell it like it is. So from the most junior to the most senior manager there is a role, both for planning within their own specific area of the business, but also for constant consideration of how that may effect longer-term and more far-reaching plans. This is the democratic and enrolling type of leadership that is increasingly seen as the most successful in the modern business environment in which change is constant. Planning is perhaps the central role of all managers, because all the other functions flow from it and must always consider their relationship to it. A business without a plan has no future, and so all the other functions will be redundant. Organization within a business is essential to planning: in one sense it is one of the tools that may be used to realize a plan. Organization is divided into two basic areas: control/co-ordination of tasks, and the management of information flow within the company. Management of tasks and deciding what information needs to be collated and to whom it should go is essential for business growth, particularly for the vital task of leadership development. Organization involves investing in "human capital, the most important asset inside of organizations today." (Carter, xi) Managers, especially at the highest level, must organize the tasks of their

Ethical dilemma involving a dying patient Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical dilemma involving a dying patient - Essay Example re faced with an ethical dilemma as to whether to save the patient or not and not only save the patient but the baby that the patient was carrying as the patient had refused any sort of medical treatment that involved the use of blood. The doctors were left to questions whether to help the patient or respect her beliefs and not do anything to save her life. The ethical dilemmas face by the doctors in this case was that the patient was a Jehovah’s witness and did not want to be treated with bloid transfusion. The doctors faced four basic principles of ethics; respect for autonomy where in the doctor has to respect the decision made by the patient, beneficence where in the doctor has to assess the risk to benefit ration. Thirdly non-maleficence where the doctors do not want to cause any harm to the patient and lastly justice which balances the benefits, risk and costs equally and uniformly (Van Norman, 2011). The patient was a Jehovahs’s witness which made it difficult to carry out the prescribed treatment for her, Jehovah’s witness, they do not salute to military flags and do not take part in military or city government voting. The Jehovah’s witnesses are banned from blood transfusions or any medical treatment that involves the use of blood or blood products. In cases like these it is necessary to first consider the condition of the patient whether they should be talked to or counseled regarding the decisions being made. If the patient is awake and well aware of what is happening or what has happened, the patient’s caretaker or guardian should also be asked regarding the decision being made. It is important to check the documents as to confirm that the patient is actually a Jehovah ’s Witness. The patient and her caretaker should be informed of alternative blood products and if they still do not agree for no treatment then he/ should sign a document of consent (Van Norman, 2011). In this case when the nurse is faced with a critical situation which

The Door Window Lifting Mechanism Engineering Essay

The Door Window Lifting Mechanism Engineering Essay Mechatronics is at the heart of this boom in vehicle design and functionality. Mechatronics engineering unites the principles of mechanical, electrical, electronics and computing to generate a simpler, more economical, efficient and reliable system. Applications of Mechatronics in designing products and processes is driving advances in automobiles the actual cars and components, as well as the equipment needed to build, diagnose and service them. Nowadays the mechatronic systems are reliable, accurate and have a very high efficiency especially in automobiles with Electronic engine controls, Anti-lock braking system and self parking system. Electronic controlled IC engines without starting motor and driverless car systems are under experiment with the evolution of modern mechatronics. Door window Lifting Mechanism http://auto.howstuffworks.com/power-window.htm In the door window lifting mechanism a small motor is attached to a worm gear and many other spur gears to create a large gear reduction, to reduce speed and to give enough torque to lift the door window. This mechanism consists of a long linkage arm attached to bottom of window. When the motor turns the gear, that engages the teeth of long linkage arm to move the window up or down depends on motor direction. Animation of window lifting mechanism at work, with inset of motor and gear reduction Ref [ ] Door Lock Door lock mechanism has to be very reliable because it is going to unlock the doors tens of thousands of times over the life of a car. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/power-lock-intro.jpg In the power door lock system, the body controller decides to lock or unlock the door. The body controller is nothing but the computer in a car. It monitors for the correct code entered on the door mounted touch pad and unlocks the door. It also monitors the radio frequency signals, when it receives the correct digital code from the radio transmitter in the key fob, it provides power to the actuator that locks or unlocks the door. Door lock mechanism is quite simple. It consists of a small electric motor that serves as a gear reduction by turning a series of spur gears. The last gear drives a rack and pinion gear set that is connected to the actuator rod. The rotational motion of the motor is converted to linear motion by the rack which is needed to move the lock. achttp://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/power-lock-actuator2.jpgInside the power-door-lock actuator A centrifugal switch is connected to the gear and engaged by the motor. When the motor spins the gear, the clutch swings out and locks the small metal gear to the larger plastic gear, allowing the motor to drive the door latch. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/power-lock-gears.jpg Centrifugal clutch on the drive gear The body controller also monitors a lot of little things like, it ensures the interior lights stay on until the car is started, it beeps out if the headlights are left on and also when the keys are left in the ignition condition. In advanced mechatronics, the switches are connected to one of the many electronic modules in the car. Some cars have one in the drivers door electronic module, as well as in the body controller. If the driver presses his window switch, the door module closes a relay that provides power to the window motor. If the driver presses the switch to adjust the passenger-side window, the drivers door module sends a packet of data onto the communication bus of the car. This packet tells the body controller to energize one of the passenger-side window motor. Wind shield wipers In windshield wiper mechanism a worm gear is used on the output of a small electric motor since a lot of force is required to accelerate the wiper blades back and forth quickly. An electronic circuit inside the motor/gear assembly senses when the wipers are in their down position. The circuit maintains power to the wipers until they are parked at the bottom of the windshield. The new type of wiper system introduced to control the wipes automatically called the Rain sensor system. This system uses the optical sensors to detect the moisture. The sensor projects infrared light into the windshield at a 45-degree angle. If the glass is dry, most of this light is reflected back into the sensor by the front of the windshield. If the glass is wet, the less light makes it back into the sensor. The electronics and software in the sensor turn on the wipers when the amount of light reflected onto the sensor decreases to a preset level. The system adjusts the speed as often as necessary to match with the rate of moisture accumulation. Anti-Lock Brakes System http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/anti-lock-brake1.jpg Anti lock braking system are used to keep the wheels from skidding while slow down and it benefits in two ways: able to stop faster and also able to steer while it stops. The controller monitors the speed sensors and looking for decelerations in the wheel that are out of the ordinary. It will experience a rapid deceleration right before wheel locks up. The ABS controller knows such a rapid decelerations is not possible so it reduces the pressure to that brake until it sees an acceleration, then it increases the pressure until it sees the deceleration again. This process is done very fast before the tyre can actually change speed. The result is that the tire slows down at the same rate as the car giving the system maximum braking power. Engine Control Unit computer from a ford ranger The engine control unit (ECU) is the most powerful computer on most cars. The ECU uses closed-loop control, a control scheme that monitors all the outputs of a system and it controls the inputs to a system, to reduce the emissions and increases the fuel economy of the engine. Fig Elements of Engine control Unit ECU gathering the data from sevarl different sensors like speed, temperature, crank shaft position and oxygen in exhaust etc. With this data, it performs millions of calculations in each second, including looking up values in tables, calculating the results of long equations to decide on the best spark timing and determining how long the fuel injection is open. The ECU does all of this to ensure the lowest emissions and best mileage. A modern ECU might contain a 32-bit, 40-MHz processor, 16 (MB) of memory in an ECU. Controlling the Cruise Control System The cruise control system controls the speed by adjusting the throttle position an electronic actuator. The throttle valve controls the power and speed of the engine by limiting air/fuel to the engine. The brain of a cruise control system is a small computer. It connects to the throttle control, as well as several sensors. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/cruise-control-diagram.gif A cruise control system accelerates the very fast to the desired speed without overshooting, and then maintains that speed with little deviation at independent of car weight, or how steep the hill you drive up. Controlling the speed of a car is a classic application of control system theory. The cruise control system controls the speed of the car by adjusting the throttle position, by feedback signal from speed and throttle position sensor. Also it needs to monitor the controls so it can tell what the desired speed is and when to disengage. Adaptive Cruise Control Adaptive cruise control can automatically control the car speed to maintain a safe following distance. This technique uses forward-looking radar, installed behind the grill of a vehicle, to detect the speed and distance of the vehicle ahead of it. Adaptive cruise control is same as to conventional cruise control in that it maintains the vehicles pre-set speed, but also it need adjust speed in order to maintain a proper distance between vehicles in the same lane. This is achieved through a radar headway sensor, digital signal processor and longitudinal controller. If the lead vehicle slows down, or if another object is detected, the system sends a signal to the engine or braking system to decelerate. Then, when the road is clear, the system will re-accelerate the vehicle back to the set speed. Self-parking Cars Some cars have put in rear view cameras, sensors and even computer generated 360-degree views of the car, people still manage to scrape, ding and dent their way into parking spaces. Self-parking car The system uses sensors all around the car to guide it into a parallel parking space. The driver has to find a parking space, position the car next to it, and use the in-cabin navigation screen to tell the car where it should go. Automated Guided Vehicle Systems FROG ( Free Ranging On Grid) technology is used in Automated Guided Vehicle Systems, which are driverless cars. FROG FROG vehicles are equipped with a computer that contains a map of the area in which the vehicle operates. The vehicle starts from a known location and uses the map to determine the route to its destination. It counts wheel revolutions to figure out how far it has travelled (sort of how you might count steps to figure out how far youve walked). To check itself, the vehicle also uses various calibration points (electronic landmarks for the vehicle) in the area it works. Throttle Position Sensor Throttle Valve Vacuum Actuator Cruise Control Computer Vehicle Speed signal Brake Pedal Switch Steering Wheel Controls Clutch Pedal Switchhttp://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/cruise-control-diagram.gif

Jonathan Swift Essay

Compare and contrast the ways in which the problem of homelessness and the solution to it are presented in the two texts: ‘A Modest Proposal’ by Jonathan Swift and ‘Stone Cold’ by Robert Swindells.  In this assignment I am going to compare the two texts, which talk about their anger of homelessness. Although the two texts are written 250 years apart where the problem of homelessness was first outlined by Jonathan Swift it is still a big problem today as Robert Swindells outlines in his text. The text written by Robert Swindells, ‘Stone Cold’, shows the cruelty of the DSS, who brush aside the homeless like Link because he hasn’t got a permanent address. This particular problem was outlined by the Robert Swindells, as they made no attempt to help the young homeless people in London. Link says that he may as well be speaking to one of the stone lions in Trafalgar Square, suggesting to the reader it was a complete waste of time. This is linked with ‘A Modest Proposal’, which was written by Jonathan Swift 250 years ago as it states about how uncaring the rich landlords of Ireland are. For example, Who, as they have already devoured most of the Parents, seem to have the best title to the children, which means the landlords have already eaten most of the parents and seem to have the best right to the children, which I feel means the landlords don’t really care about the poor. I also think this is a savage comment. Another problem outlined in the two texts is that of unemployment. In ‘Stone Cold’ Swindells shows the problem of unemployment when Link goes to find a job and is turned down because he doesn’t have a fixed address. So this means anybody without a fixed address cannot get a job. This problem leads to a whole string of problems like: no money, no accommodation, which leads to people begging on the streets to get as much money as they can. In ‘A Modest Proposal’ the problem of unemployment was around 250 years ago as well. How ever the problem 250 years ago was very different as it was mainly the women who were unemployed as they had 3-6 children each as there was no control over getting pregnant. This meant the women had to support the children whatever way she could this usually meant begging.  So in the two texts the problem of unemployment in the end the result seemed to be begging on the streets to survive.  So putting that together I can see that in 250 years when the problem was first outlined by Swift, it is still a major problem today, and there are still uncaring people towards them. In the next section of my assignment I am going to write about the language of the two texts.  If you compare the two texts, you can notice the way in which the two writers spell words and also the punctuation is very different.  If you look at the text for ‘A Modest Proposal’ words are spelt very differently from today, as they did not have a dictionary the writer spelt words, as he wanted to. For example the way Jonathan Swift spelt publick is not the way we would write today. We would spell it public.  The spelling in ‘Stone Cold’ is, however, standardized as we now get our words from a dictionary, so to us it makes perfect sense. Also in ‘Stone Cold’ there is great use of 20th century slang words like, Doggie bag, which is slang for someone’s name I would think. The way the two writers use punctuation is very different.  In ‘A Modest Proposal’ the punctuation is very different to how we use punctuation now. The writer seems to put commas wherever he feels like and also puts capital letters in the middle of a sentence. For example, when they see the Streets, the Roads, and Cabbin-Doors, crowded with beggars of the female Sex. You can see that there is a lot of use of commas where some of them should be full stops. Also if you look towards the end of the sentence you can see that Sex is spelt with a capital at the end of a sentence.  In contrast if you look at the text for ‘Stone Cold’ the writers use of punctuation is very different to that of Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’, as in ‘Stone Cold’ the writer’s punctuation is standardized into 20th century language.

Going home Essay

This is a first person narration of a soldier in Iraq who had been victim to an evening ambush by offensive troops. The narration begins with the soldier already in the infirmary, months after the ambush incident, nursing a fractured right foot. At about this time, word also came out that President Bush was going to withdraw five thousand plus men from Iraq so that they could be home for the holidays. The soldier hopes that he is part of the list of men who would be recalled. In the meantime, the soldier recounts the events that led to his current situation. The soldier reveals that many had died in the ambush and he was merely one of those who survived. The ambush took place while they were on their way to the North US Detachment. While recounting the story of how he had become a wounded US soldier, the narrator also offers insights into how war can be patriotic and how it can change the course of events for the world at large. The soldier also mentions in his reminiscing that they were not the true heroes of war, rather the true heroes were the families they left back home. The narrator dwells on this topic and comprehensively explains how the families back home should be the real heroes in a war and not the soldiers who are actually in the war. The soldier also offers insights into how gruesome a war can be and how wasteful it is when it comes to lives wasted; but despite his views on the war, the soldier remains steadfast in his beliefs and holds on to the thought of his family waiting back home. The narration ends with the soldier being called to the mess hall along with many others for the announcement of the list of recalled soldiers. Find out if he is one of those who will return home. (YOUR FULL NAME) (PROFESSOR’S NAME) (COURSE AND SUBJECT) (DATE OF SUBMISSION) GOING HOME – A SOLDIER’S STORY Christmas is fast approaching and I am hoping to have an early Christmas gift as President Bust announced last September that about 5,000 plus of us would be home for the Christmas holidays. This was part of the limited troop reduction that was to be implemented on US troops before the military surge in March next year. We are still waiting for the final list of soldiers who would be sent home and I am hoping that I would be in the list. I am useless here in the field anyway. I have been in the infirmary tent for the past three months because my right foot suffered segmented fractures after an ambush attack on our team while we were driving to the North detachment. We were fifteen in the truck. I was one of the lucky seven who came out of the attack alive. I was in the back of the truck and as usual, I felt like I had to watch my own back as well as I was watching the backs of the other soldiers who were with me in the truck. It was about eleven in the evening. We all had to travel in the cover of darkness to avoid being detected by hostile troops. From a distance, the sound of mortar seemed as natural as the crack of thunder on a balmy evening. A false, red sunrise could be seen from the horizon as flames from explosives incessantly lighted up the horizon. It was cold – in the desert, the temperatures are extreme. Daytime is extremely hot and the evening can be as cold as it is hot during the day. We were all in our camouflage uniforms, but these were only flimsy fabric – weak protection from possible bullets coming our way or even stray shrapnel from distant explosions. I feared for my life but also thought of the country, and the world, and what it would be like if the US did not launch an offensive against hostile troops here in Iraq. In my heart I could not understand why I had to go through such horror and put my life on the line for such a cause; but when I think of my young wife waiting for me back home, and my three month old daughter, I understand why I have to be here. The weapons of mass destruction that Iraq may be hiding from the world may be cause for the destruction not only of the US but also of the world as we know it and this alone told me that my being here was worth everything I had; but then again, I can never deny the fact that there could have been better days. About an hour into the trip, the truck grinded to a halt; a co-soldier who was seated beside the driver saw something through his night vision binoculars. A group of armed men were stationed about half a mile away and it seemed that they did not notice our approach because they were huddled together in a close circle seemingly having a drink. We did not find this cause for alarm because sporadically, throughout the road, were friendly troops from the other side who were securing travel routes for civilians. However, since we could not identify them from a distance, there was no choice but to be on guard and move forward until we were close enough to identify them. The driver had turned off the headlights and slowed down to a crawl to prepare for our approach. When we were just a few meters away, I heard one of the men stationed at the road cry out a piercing yell that to me sounded like a death sentence. At that very moment a volley of gunfire punctuated the distant explosions and we all lay flat on the floor of the truck. In what seemed like forever, the truck turned around and sped towards the other direction back to the camp. The gunfire continued and it was at this moment that I felt warm liquid seeping into the fabric of my uniform from the back. I turned around to see one of my co-soldiers slumped on my back with blood streaming from his neck. I quickly stood to check on the other men with me in the back of the truck. Four of them had been badly hit, two were unharmed, and seven of us suffered minor injuries. Mine was a gunshot wound that pierced my right ankle. Later, it turned out that the driver had been badly hit as well, so it was the other army officer with him in the front seat who was already driving the truck. We made camp about three hours after the incident. We had already been halfway through the six hour trip that was supposed to take us to the North detachment. We were all brought to the infirmary and the dead immediately interred into shiny black body bags that reflected the red glare that rose up from the distant horizon. The camp chaplain said a prayer over the dead and another officer bend down to take out their dog tags, they name patches, and some of their personal effects. I imagined how difficult this was for the officer. I imagined how it would have been had I been one of them. The following day two or three officers from the US Military back home would be at the porch of our house delivering the sad news to my wife and my daughter. I imagined how they would feel, and how much they would hate the state for sending me to war; but I was lucky to be alive, or not. Now, I had to deal with the gruesome images that I had witnessed. I had to spend my life thinking of what is and what could have been. I would probably be found gazing into the blackness for many solitary hours trying to find a decent and even logical reason for this manslaughter – but I was determined to go home in one piece, if not for my wife and daughter, at least for a country and a world that was waiting for a glimmer of hope that could come out of this bloodshed. Logically, bloodshed is bloodshed and nothing good could come out of war. It was always like choosing between two evils – the lives of hundreds of men and women in exchange for the peaceful future of my country and the world. The choice was always easy and I found it an honor to be fighting for this cause, albeit momentary periods of questioning and reasoning and questioning again. I felt that I was not a hero here; the real heroes are the families we have left behind; mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, daughters, and sons. They are the real heroes for having to deal with our absence and having to live their lives every day with the knowledge that we may not even return alive. They are the real heroes for having to lie to the innocent ones about fathers and mothers who were out there fighting for the country because this was the only way to ensure the future – of course, there are other ways, but when some other ways seem bleak and unfeasible, war is often the method of choice. These people are the real heroes not because they sacrificed anything but because they refuse to just fade into the sunset and let go of the prospects of peace and unity for the whole world. They are there back home not for any reason, but for a reason that all of us in this world would one day recall and be grateful about. We, in the field, we are here because of them and their unfailing belief and hope in our cause; we are here because of their love and the fact that before we sleep at night our minds swim in oceans of faces – the faces of our real heroes. The bugle had been sounded. Our superior had called us all to the mess hall to announce who would be going home for Christmas and who wouldn’t. With my crutch in tow and a foot heavy with plaster dragging behind, I go to the mess hall. The superior went through the list. The lights have been turned out after the list was read. I was walking back to the infirmary. I was going home.

To be or not to be essays

To be or not to be essays One memorable moment that I found quite funny was in the film, To Be or Not to Be. While there were several hilarious scenes, the title line that pops up frequently in the film got the greatest laugh out of me. The Shakespearian line, to be, or not to be isnt funny in and of itself. In fact, in the context of Hamlet, its part of quite a serious, agonizingly introspective monologue. What makes these words so funny is the context of the movie, and the way in which it is repeated throughout the film. The first time the audience hears the title line is when, in a slight act of marital indiscretion, the actress notifies the young suitor to visit her in her dressing room. To ensure her husband wont find out, the soldier must do so when her husband enters his to be or not to be monologue where hell be occupied on the stage for quite some time. The soldier gets the message and stands up rudely during the beginning of the monologue, precisely after the words or not to be are uttered. Taken aback, the actor is beside himself that someone would lose interest in his acting ability and walk out during one of his big scenes. What makes this truly funny is that he is portrayed as an egocentric stage actor who suddenly has his dignity deflated, saying rather melodramatically, Oh, I knew this day would come. The fact that his wife has completely gotten away with seeing the young soldier adds to the comedic irony while the actor dwells at great length on the interruption and its implication of the future of his career. The line gets funnier every time it is repeated throughout the film. Each time the soldier walks out of the performance, the actors vain ego is placed deeper in jeopardy as he becomes visibly flustered on stage. In another scene where the actor is portraying the professors Nazi superior, the professor relays to the actor tha...

The eNotes Blog The Study Drug Why Adderall Use Is Never WorthIt

The Study Drug Why Adderall Use Is Never WorthIt For those of you on the quarter system, finals are just around the corner. Youre likely feeling stressed at the end of this long year, and only just over the hurdle of your most recent midterms. Youve heard stories of a friend of a friend who was able to stay up all night on energy drinks and Adderall, then aced his Organic Chemistry final. Sound familiar? What you may not be familiar with are the risks of   falling into such behavior yourself, the least of which is getting caught for a disciplinary offense.   Adderall is a widely misused drug commonly referred to as the study drug. Its most commonly abused by college students, though it is rapidly gaining in popularity with high school students across the country. In fact, according to data from Monitoring the Future, 10% of high school sophomores and 12% of high school seniors take these attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs without a prescription from their doctor. Its unclear why many college and now high school students turn to Adderall use, but some claim it is the high expectations set upon them to get betters grades in school.   Many high school students also begin to feel the pressure to perform better on finals at the end of the year. This pressure can be from parents, academic advisors, or just the increased competition to get into the right college. No matter where the pressure comes from, students will often use Adderall to help them to focus better, have more energy and motivation or spend hours awake cramming in last minute studying. If you or   your friends are thinking about trying Adderall to help you cram or write a last minute paper, know the facts first: The real purpose of Adderall is to help individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. The drug can become habit forming if not taken properly, which means if you suddenly stop taking it after a prolonged period of time, physical dependency or withdrawal symptoms will be common. Adderall is not good for your health if abused and there are serious side effects it can have on the body such as nausea, tremors, heart failure, chest pain, paranoia, and hyperactivity.   It is very important to not mix Adderall with other prescription drugs or alcohol as this could lead to a potential overdose, a potentially fatal health risk. Its okay to worry about your grades and future. Thats not a bad thing, and you may believe that Adderall will help you get into that top college youve had your eyes on or help you ace your calculus final. The truth, however, is that there is no magic pill that can get you through high school, college, a future career or life. The only thing that can help is hard work and dedication. Try being as organized and prepared as possible. If youre a last minute type of person, begin studying or writing a paper several days before it’s due. Make note cards, organize study groups, and ask a friend or parent to quiz you. If you are worried about exams, talk to your teacher. Most teachers are flexible about staying after school to help you understand a concept if you are unsure about it. If you are feeling pressured by your parents or any other authority figures, its best to speak up about your concerns. Let your parents know that you want to get into a great college but are overwhelmed with performing well on exams or in class. There are many alternatives to drug abuse  that can better help you focus,  such as exercise, vitamins or just a better balanced diet. Adderall should never be the answer unless you depend on it to control a hyperactivity disorder and it has been prescribed to you by a doctor. Because while Adderall use may temporarily give you the energy you need to focus on small tasks,   those effects wont last forever. The side effects, however, may be much more long-lasting, just like the disappointment youll feel at receiving a higher grade for giving yourself an unfair advantage over your peers. Face it: drug abuse is not worth risking your future and the great things that are yet to happen. And drug abuse is exactly what youre engaging in if you ever take Aderall without a prescription. Melissa currently writes for St. Jude Retreats, a residential retreat for alcohol and drug misuse. As well as writing for St. Jude’s, Melissa enjoys blogging about health and relationships.

The condition of secondary education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The condition of secondary education - Essay Example lt, secondary schools in the US are under constant pressure to perform regardless of the availability of materials and programs capable of improving educational quality. The vast majority of American secondary schools are public institutions dependent on funding from local, state, and federal governmental sources. However, this funding is contingent on the performance of students on standardized tests within core academic areas. The â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† requires that schools maintain certain levels of achievement in math and English and provide proof of this through yearly state testing of the student body. This law applies to both primary and secondary schools, and facilities which fail to achieve the required standard risk losing their federal funding and may fall under the requirements of their state (New York Times, 2011). Besides the additional expense related to standardized testing, this increases pressure on teachers and administrators and limits the flexibility of the educational system in general concerning topics of academic concentration and teaching methods. While secondary education is subjected to constant governmental statues demanding compliance with current statutes, that funding which is available is not adequate to provide schools with all of the required materials, staff, faculty training, and educational programs needed to provide high quality education. As over 90 percent of secondary schools are public institutions, they bear near total responsibility for educating the minors within the population. Overcrowding within dense populations further strains available text books and other learning materials and limits the availability of instructors. Recent studies suggest that the combination of these circumstances greatly inhibits a student’s ability to learn (wik.edu.uiuc.edu, n.d.). This threatens the ability of individual schools to achieve testing standards in order to gain future funding while reducing the quality of education

Clinial Excercise physiology(Osteoporosis) Literature review

Clinial Excercise physiology(Osteoporosis) - Literature review Example Recent research recommends that regular exercise at all stages play an imperative role in preventing osteoporosis. Various features serve as a contributing aspects in the development of osteoporosis. A reduction in the level of estrogen, calcium and reduced physical activities pave the way for the augmentation of depletion in bone mass (Chesnut, 1984). Sufficient levels of calcium is required to suppress bone resorption (Korcok, 1982), moreover, bone mineralization or calcification strengthens the bone (Williams, 1984). Physiotherapy plays a pivotal role in treating patients who are at the potential risk or those who are afflicted with this condition. It is essential that physiotherapist must possess sound awareness and knowledge regarding the condition and management of osteoporosis. The present article provides an overview about osteoporosis along with the information regarding features for the development of osteoporosis. It is highly recommended that postural guidance accompanied by weight-bearing workouts play key role in managing patients with indicative osteoporosis (Kanis, 1994). Recent study conducted by Bergland et al (2010) concludes that exercise improved mobility, balance and HRQOL (Health Related Quality of Life) in osteoporosis with a history of vertebral fractures. Similar recommendations are given by Nikander et al (2010), stated that exercise has a great implication on bone strength in children but could not gather enough data to prove the implication of exercise on adults. Another approach was made by Lirani-Galvà £o and Lazaretti-Castro (2010) emphasising that osteoporosis and its consequential fractures are emerging as major health issues amongst the elderly population. They emphasized that impact exercises, specific strength training, balance and co-ordination training enable one to sustain or enhance the density of spine and hip bones and diminish the incidence of falls amongst the elderly group. It is also suggested that