The Issue Of Hydraulic Fracturing - 1444 Words

Hydraulic Fracturing One of the hottest new issues that has arisen to the forefront of the battle between environmentalists and the energy industry, where the health of future generations is set against our energy needs and economic growth, is the issue of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is colloquially called. America’s new-found energy independence has been made possible using technology that was only a pipe dream a mere decade ago, slashing the disparity between net imports versus exports of crude oil and petroleum products, with exports skyrocketing more than 400% since 2006 and the advent of hydraulic fracturing (1). The great difficulty, like any politically-charged point, is dealing with the confrontations between those†¦show more content†¦However, just because a new natural gas power plant opens, it does not mean that an older coal-fired power plant will close its doors and shut down. Also, the increasing reliance on yet another non-renewable resou rce will likely delay the transition to more sustainable and environmentally-friendly sources of power such as wind and solar that produce little to no airborne particulates. Hydraulic fracturing may also pose a risk to human health through contamination of drinking water supplies, with several instances of contamination having been reported in the news over the past few years and verified by the EPA in its five-year study published in 2015. Despite this, the overall finding of the report is that â€Å"hydraulic fracturing activities have not led to widespread, systemic impacts to drinking water sources.†(2) While there have been instances of water contamination, when compared to the overall number of hydraulic fracturing wells, fracking poses an exceedingly low risk to drinking water supplies as demonstrated in a study of drinking water contamination in the Marcellus Shale drilling region where there were only a handful of incidents among the 3,500 wells.(3) As technology improves and the surface operations and piping made sounder,

The For Corporate Social Responsibility For A Company...

1.8 - As area sales manager for a company manufacturing and marketing outboard engines, you have been assigned the responsibility of conducting a research study to estimate the sales potential of your products in the domestic (U.S. or Canadian) market. Discuss key issues and concerns arising from the fact that you, the manager, are also the researcher. Our text suggests that often the most difficult issue arising from the fact that you, the manager, are also the researcher is that defining the objective can be somewhat difficult at first- as was the case in the â€Å"Bringing Research to Life† vignette (Cooper Schindler, 2014).In order to devise an effective research plan, one must understand the scope of the research, define the sampling, define the constraints and limitations of the study and select the appropriate data collection methods. Managers conducting market research must hold themselves to the highest of ethical standards, balancing social responsibility and corporate responsibility. The call for Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR is growing at a fast rate, and for good reason. Research has shown marked direct and indirect effect to firm financial performance, from both a broad and narrow view perspective, as well as a contingency perspective. The rationale is further categorized according to the risk cost reduction, competitive advantage, legitimacy and reputation, and synergistic value creation (Carroll Shabana, 2010). Finally, maintaining completeShow MoreRelatedHonda Motor Co., Ltd3431 Words   |  14 PagesProducts, services and target markets 3 Organizational Goals 4 Strategic goals 4 Tactical goals 4 Operational goals 4 Organization culture 4 Intrinsic aspect 4 Extrinsic aspect 5 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility 5 Integrated Social Contrct 5 Socio-economic view 5 Problem-solving and Decision-making 6 Problem identify 6 Performance deficiency problem 6 Decision-making program 6 Figure 1: Market Quality enhancement system in HondaRead MoreMarketing Strategy of India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd.13989 Words   |  56 PagesTHE PROJECT : The objective of this project is to identify and analyze the marketing strategies of automobile industry in two wheeler segment. Through this study I am able to find out the present status of the automobile industry (2-wheeler) in India. In this project I also review other research done for the 2-wheeler bikes. Through this project I study the distribution and marketing strategy adopt by YAMAHA Company. This project help me know about the most influencing media to create awarenessRead MoreMarketing Strategy of India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd.13976 Words   |  56 PagesTO THE PROJECT : The objective of this project is to identify and analyze the marketing strategies of automobile industry in two wheeler segment. Through this study I am able to find out the present status of the automobile industry (2-wheeler) in India. In this project I also review other research done for the 2-wheeler bikes. Through this project I study the distribution and marketing strategy adopt by YAMAHA Company. This project help me know about the most influencing media to create awarenessRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagesstudies. I. Title. Printed in the United States of America Contents Preface xi 1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES 1 Lakes Automotive 3 Fems Healthcare, Inc. Clark Faucet Company 2 5 7 11 IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT Kombs Engineering 13 Williams Machine Tool Company 15 Wynn Computer Equipment (WCE) 17 The Reluctant Workers 20 Hyten Corporation 22 Macon, Inc. 35 Continental Computer Corporation 37 Goshe Corporation 43 Acorn Industries 49 MIS Project ManagementRead MoreCrossing the Chasm76808 Words   |  308 PagesHarperCollins Publishers. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Marie Contents PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PART I Discovering the Chasm INTRODUCTION If Bill Gates Can Be a Billionaire 1 High-Tech Marketing Illusion 2 High-Tech Marketing Enlightenment PART II Crossing the Chasm 3 The D-Day Analogy v vi Contents 4 Target the Point of Attack 5 Assemble the Invasion Force 6 Define the Battle 7 Launch the Invasion CONCLUSION Read MoreSolutions: Income Statement and Pearson Education121412 Words   |  486 PagesValuation and Financial Modeling: A Case Study Financial Options Option Valuation Real Options Raising Equity Capital Debt Financing Leasing Working Capital Management Short-Term Financial Planning Mergers and Acquisitions Corporate Governance Risk Management International Corporate Finance 1 4 16 26 50 69 89 106 123 134 148 166 175 184 193 202 216 225 244 253 263 274 300 306 310 317 324 331 337 340 352  ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall Chapter 1 The Corporation 1-1Read MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesTopics Chapter 1 Modern Project Management Chapter 8 Scheduling resources and cost 1.2 Project defined 1.3 Project management defined 1.4 Projects and programs (.2) 2.1 The project life cycle (.2.3) App. G.1 The project manager App. G.7 Political and social environments F.1 Integration of project management processes [3.1] 6.5.2 Setting a schedule baseline [8.1.4] 6.5.3.1 Setting a resource schedule 6.5.2.4 Resource leveling 7.2 Setting a cost and time baseline schedule (1.3.5) [8.1.3] 6.5.2.3 Critical

The Techniques Used in American Beauty free essay sample

Throughout American Beauty, Mendes? use of set design and camera angles have been carefully structured to emphathise the ? lm? s theme of imprisonment. In the opening scene the audience? s introduction to the lead character is Lester Burnham taking a shower. Mendes (1999) states this is the ? rst jail cell the audience sees Lester in, a range of various jail cell type settings appear throughout the ? lm including Lester presented excessively behind glass, between frames and at work, where he is con? ned to a small cubicle in a very large of? ce (Appalachian, 2009). The effect of Lester imprisoned suggests he is isolated and removed from the world around him. The camera angles used exaggerate this and highlight Lester? s de? ation of power against the signi? cant people in his life. This technique is shown to de? ne the relationship between Lester and his boss, Brad. During a private conversation about budget cuts at work, Brad? s superiority is enforced as he shot from a low angle, whereas Lester is shot from a high angle, this creates the effect that Lester is far away from Brad, which demonstrates to the audience the vast power Brad has over him. Mendes (1999) describes Lester as â€Å"distant and isolated† in this scene. This technique is also replicated throughout the movie to emphathise Lester? s detached relationship from his wife, Carolyn and daughter, Jane. The scene where Lester is seen to delay his wife by spilling his briefcase on the pavement before entering the car, Carolyn, similarly to Brad is shot from a low angle again which enforces Lester? s lack of power and her superiority. Interestingly, as the ? lm progresses and Lester? relationships evolve, the camera angles also evolve in reverse and the audience begins to see Lester shot in a low angle and characters like Carolyn are shot in a high angle, indicating that Carolyn is now vulnerable. These altered camera angles give Lester a triumphant image. Another technique Mendes uses is colour. The use of colour is often an important technique utilised by ? lm directors to communicate themes and ideas to an audience. In American Beauty, Mendes powerfully uses colour to communicate that the characters are attempting to escape from their imprisonment. Initially the characters are seen in environments that are very dull and nondescript, as Mendes (1999) states when referring to Lester? s work setting. As Lester? s quest for escapement gains momentum, the vivid colour of red is gradually introduced more into this ? lm through subtle furnishings in the Burnham house and particularly integrated with Lester? s sexual fantasies. The use of the vibrant, red rose petal is ? rst introduced when Lester and Carolyn attend Jane? s cheer performance, where Lester loses himself as he enters his ? rst â€Å"tunnel of fantasy† (Mendes, 1999). Deschler (1999) states the rose is symbolic of American beauty, and the colour red symbolises passion and love. The signi? cance of the rose petal and the colour red is repeatedly seen throughout the ? lm in house furnishings such as a bouquet of roses on the coffee table and vividly in Lester? s fantasies about Jane? s friend, Angela, the increasing level of red in the ? lm is in conjunction with Lester? s progressing sexual drive and transformation. The ? ourishing presence of the colour red, acknowledges Lester? s ? erce lust and desire to be free. This is effectively conveyed during the scene where Lester visualises Angela in a vibrant sea of roses, touching herself seductively on his bedroom ceiling, also when Lester buys the car â€Å"he has always wanted† (Ball, 1999), which is a 1970 Firebird and strategically, red. Music is a powerful medium in ? lm and Mendes uses the soundtrack in American Beauty to articulate the character? s evolving personalities and relationships, and to set the tone of each scene, particularly noticeable during Lester? s transformation. Composer, Thomas Newman? score is described as â€Å"lonely and melancholy† (Mendes, 1999), which is an appropriate expression for Lester? s existence at the beginning of this ? lm. This is similarly demonstrated and supports to de? ne the initial relationship between Lester and Carolyn, as shown by the dull music that Carolyn chooses to play at the dinner table. When Lester? s journey to freedom gains speed, evidently his sense of self worth has increased as there is an optimistic lift in the genre of music that is played as the backdrop to Lester? s life. This melancholy music played at the beginning of the ? m, begins to disappear and is replaced by fast paced, rock music. Simultaneously as Lester? s lifestyle transforms into marijuana smoking and employment at a fast food restaurant, so does too his interest in listening to seventies rock music (Deschler, 1999). At the height of Lester? s transformation, an important scene where the soundtrack effectively communicates a liberating change in personality is when he is recklessly driving his 1970 Firebird, whilst singing along to Guess Who? s rock hit â€Å"American Woman,† he con? dently sings the lyrics â€Å"American woman, stay away from me† (Ball, 2009). This rebellious choice of song supports Lester? s new found freedom from his corporate life and could even suggest that Lester is newly unaffected by his wife? s judgements and bounds by recreating his lost youth. In many of the fantasy sequences involving Angela, the music composed is seductive and trancelike, which mirror? s the effect Angela has on Lester (Huffstutler, 2009), the technique of soundtrack is effectively used here to set a strong tone for the audience. In American Beauty, director, Sam Mendes uses the Burnham family to demonstrate the breakdown of a suburban family and possibly to encourage his audience to ? ook closer? and past what often appears, to be a seamless, picture perfect life. American Beauty effectively employs the techniques of set design, camera angles, colour and soundtrack to convey the meaning of this ? lm, which is to escape from imprisonment.

Fundamentals and Principles of Corporate Finance

Question: Discuss about the Fundamentals and Principles of Corporate Finance. Answer: Introduction: The objective is to match the balance sheet with the various companies that are offered based on the constituent elements and also on the basis of the given ratios. The balance sheet belongs to the retail grocery chain. Certain indictors are the presence of high revenue per asset generation but low profitability. Also, the account payables are moderately high as suppliers would need to be paid. Besides, there is moderate distribution of assets in the form of receivables, inventory along with plant and equipment which is essentially on expected lines in this business (Damodaran). The balance sheet belongs to a bookstore chain. This is apparent from the presence of high level of inventory along with investment in plant and equipment. The low receivable collection period is also expected considering the business. The high payables are also on expected lines as books on credit are displayed in the stores and payment for the same is made later (Northington). This balance sheet belongs to the online direct factory to customer personal computer vendor. This is because again the inventory levels are quite small while the inventory turnover is very high which is indicative of the online business. This makes sense as the company directly ships from the factory and hence maintains very low inventory levels. Also, the high accounts receivables period witnessed clearly reflects the sales to business customers (Brealey, Myers and Allen). This balance sheet belongs to a pharmaceutical manufacturer. This is because more than 50% of the assets are attributed to other assets which may be on account of intangible assets such as patents. The receivable collection period is also high which is indicative of the focus being non-retail. Also, the profit percentage of the business is very high (second highest amongst the 14 companies given) which also indicates towards a drug manufacturer (Parrino and Kidwell). This balance sheet belongs to the parcel delivery service. The zero inventory level is indicative of the service nature of the business. Further, there are significant development in the supply chain and logistics which is reflected in the plant and equipment. A lot of investment is required and the high collection period is reflective that the business tends to serve the businesses directly which forms a bulk of the business (Northington). This balance sheet belongs to the computer software developer. As expected, the plant and machinery are low since the business is essential service oriented and also inventory is very low. Besides, other assets and cash are significant assets which may be attributed to the high profitability of the business and presence of trademarks respectively. The profit margins are the highest which go well with the software development business (Damodaran). This balance sheet belongs to the social networking service. The zero inventory level is indicative that it is a service business. Also, a high degree of the assets are in the form of cash which is quite expected. There are very few current liabilities for such a business which accounts for very high current ratio. Further, the net profit/net worth is the lowest for the lot which clearly indicates that even though the business does not generate much profits but it is valued at very high levels primarily because of the expected growth potential (Brealey, Myers and Allen). This balance sheet belongs to the restaurant chain. This is apparent from the high inventory turnover ratio which is expected in perishable food business. Besides, the receivables collection period would also be low which the case here is. Also, high inventory for serving customers is required besides having significant amount of plant and equipment(Parrino and Kidwell). This balance sheet belongs to the drug retail chain. This is apparent from high amount of inventory in the form of medicines coupled with a low receivable collection period due to the nature of business. Also, due to physical presence, significant investment in plant and equipment would be required. Besides, there is presence of moderate account payables in the form of supplies coupled with a mix of both long term and short term financing depending on the business usage(Damodaran). This balance sheet belongs to the Departmental Store Chain with their own credit card. The expected balance sheet items would show a distribution similar to that of a retail grocery chain except that the receivables period would be comparatively higher on account the credit card and also the inventory turnover would be comparatively lower(Brealey, Myers and Allen). This balance sheet belongs to the online retailer. The high inventory may suggest that the retailer may be relying on private labels or might offtake large amount from supplies and then sell this through online mode. Besides, there is sizable investment in the enabling infrastructure so as to be able to reach the consumers reflected in plant and machinery. The low receivable indicate that the company processes order either on cash payment or advance payment. Further, it gets credit period from the suppliers(Northington). The balance sheet belongs to the electric gas utility company. The significance of revenues from gas is the presence of inventory which would have been absent for a pure electric utility company. Besides, there is high investment in plant and equipment and the majority debt is long term due to large gestation period of these projects. Besides, the receivable period is quite high at 57 months which is expected as first the bills are generated and then within a month or so, these are cleared(Parrino and Kidwell). The balance sheet belongs to the airline. The zero inventory level reflects the service nature of business. Besides, a high amount of plant and equipment is expected on account of significant investment in airplanes and related infrastructure. Also, the receivables collection days would be low only as ticket prices are collected mostly before-hand. Besides, the profitability of the industry is low which is reflected from the low profit margins(Damodaran). The balance sheet belongs to the commercial bank. The zero inventory level reflects the service nature of business. This is apparent from the receivables forming about 83% of thee total assets as loans are extended to various entities. Further, the high collection period of 8047 days is always indicative of the long term loans and lending business of the concerned entity(Brealey, Myers and Allen). References Brealey, R, S Myers and F Allen. Principles of Corporate Finance. London: McGraw Hil Publications, 2008. Damodaran, Aswath. Corporate Finance. London : Wiley Sons, 2008. Northington, S. Finance. New York: Ferguson, 2011. Parrino, R and D Kidwell. Fundamentals of Corporate Finance. London: Wley Sons, 2011.

How to Add Review Summaries to WordPress (In 3 Steps)

These days, a lot of people turn to the internet  to find out whether a product or service is worth purchasing. If you happen to be an expert on a particular subject, theres nothing stopping you from creating your own reviews. If you want to make the most of those reviews, learning how to add review summaries to your WordPress articles is an easy way to improve their effectiveness.In fact, the stats on the popularity of online reviews are quite impressive:(Data source; chart by Visualizer Lite.)The best way to convince readers to trust your opinions is by making your reviews as professional as possible. That means including images, backing up your statements with reliable sources, and including review summary sections to tie everything together.In this article, well explain what review summary sections are, why theyre so effective, and how you can set one up on your WordPress website using the WP Product Review Lite plugin (its the one we use for reviews on this blog). Thats a lot of ground to cover, so lets jump right in!3 key benefits of review summariesAs its name implies, a review summary is a short section – usually located at the end of an article – which briefly sums up the most important points. If youve read some of our hosting reviews (like this one), youll notice we like to include review summaries at the end. Example:Review summaries might seem redundant, since they dont contain any new information. However,  they offer several benefits:Increased readability. A lot of people skim through online content – they only look for the information they care the most about. Review summaries enable those readers to find what they need  quickly.Highlighting key findings. Review summaries provide a nice format to highlight the most important points in your articles.Positive visual impact. If properly styled (which well teach you how to do), a review summary section can look professional, and will bolster the overall look of your websit e.Increased Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Review summaries can also provide a definite SEO benefit when combined with Schema markup. This  is essentially code that helps search engines to read  your content better.Now that we know the why, its time to get to the how. As usual, WordPress enables us to implement this feature using a simple plugin.How to add review summaries to your WordPress website (in 3 steps)For this section, well be using the same plugin that powers our review summary sections throughout ThemeIsle – WP Product Review Lite.  Its an open-source version of one of our premium  products. WP Product Review Lite Author(s): ThemeIsleCurrent Version: 3.7.1Last Updated: August 24, 2019wp-product-review.zip 90%Ratings 1,313,581Downloads WP 3.5+Requires Before we get started, youll need to install and activate the plugin. Then you can jump into Step  1 whenever youre ready.Step 1: Configure WP Product Review Lites general settingsAfter you activat e the plugin, a new Product Review tab will appear in your dashboard. Click on it, and youll be sent to WP Product Review Lites configuration page.  Before we can add review summaries, we need to configure  the plugins settings.First, youll want to determine where your summaries will appear on the page. The two main options are before or after your content, but you can enable manual placement if you want to be more specific. You can also enable user reviews:If you turn this option on, users will be able to contribute their own reviews through the comments section. Furthermore, the scores they give may affect the score displayed in your review summary, if you enable the Visitor Review Influence option:You can also configure how many items you want to appear under the pros and cons section, with three being the minimum and ten the maximum. Finally, you can specify a width for your review summary sections, which will depend on the layout of your pages:Once youve  personalized the se settings (which shouldnt take  more than a few minutes), youre ready for  the fun part – styling your review summaries.Step 2: Style your review summariesWP Product Review Lite enables us to customize our review summary sections using color settings. To do so, head back to the Product Review tab and click on the Ratings Color section.Most of the settings here are self-explanatory, and your choice of colors is a personal decision. However, you should try to aim for a variety of colors that are easily distinguishable and complement each other well, to make sure your review summary looks stylish.You can also change the colors of the text that appears within each summary from the Typography tab. The same section will let you customize  the color of your Call to Action (CTA) text. Each review summary includes a CTA or affiliate button, which can be used to drive conversions.Step 3: Add your first review summary sectionNow that youve configured the plugin and chosen which colors it will use, its time to add review summaries to your site. All you have to do is select  any post or page and navigate to the bottom, where youll find an option to enable review summaries.Once the option is enabled, youll be able to set a title for your summary and select a featured image:Below that, youll find several options to configure your CTA or affiliate button. You can choose which text to display and which link to include:Its worth noting this section also includes the option to display a price. However, any value you enter here will appear next to the sections title, rather than on the CTA.In the next section, you can add the criteria you used to review the service or product. You can use any criteria you want, such as performance, features, or reliability. We recommend for consistencys sake that you re-use the same criteria for other reviews of similar products. For each criterion you add, youll need to provide a score from 0–100:Finally, the plugin enabl es you to list pros and cons under separate lists. You can add as many or as few as you want, depending on the settings you customized in Step 1.  When youre done, remember to hit the  Publish button to make your changes go live.ConclusionAs long as you focus on providing readers with the information they need, they will come to trust your reviews over time. Of course, it doesnt hurt if your reviews also happen to look professional and stylish, and thats where review summary sections can help. Furthermore, these sections enable readers to find the information they need faster, and they can even help you drive more conversions.To recap our steps above, heres how you can add review summaries to your website using the WP Product Review Lite plugin:Configure the plugins main settings.Style your review summaries.Add review summaries to your posts and pages.Do you have any questions about how to add review summaries to your WordPress website? Let us know in the comments section below!

Microtheme essays

Microtheme essays At many bars they usually have some form of live entertainment. At Jimmys Bar and Grill the live entertainment was us. Thats right, my band and I were going to play in front of about 80 to 90 drunk (or working on it) people. This was the first night that Ryan, James, and I had ever played in front of anybody. I remember it like it was yesterday, the night had started well, a few beers and, a quick chew before I was supposed to go up on stage. The transition of just two feet from the floor to the stage hit me like a brick. My legs didnt work and suddenly I felt all warm. What the hell was wrong with, I thought it must be the beer. Anyway as we tuned up it felt like my throat had cinched up and my hands wouldnt work. I didnt think I was going to be able to play. As the tuning ended they announced our name, and the first chord was played with a deafening low sound from my bass. All the nervousness was gone! it was like I had been playing in front of people for my whole life. Since the playing was going well I just assumed the singing would be fine. But when the time came for me to sing the harmony parts with my guitarists Ryan, I almost pissed my pants. It was like I couldnt hear the note in my head, but when it came out, it was right on key. Oh, thank God! The rest of the night was a blur, the two hour set was over before we knew it, but we were not done playing and since the crowd wanted more, we started to play covers off of Godsmack (One of my favorites). And since we were playing other peoples music anyway we decided to do cover Johnny Cashs Ring of Fire. Except instead of a nice slow and low song it was replaced with screams and horrific chords that just infiltrated your ear drums so that no other noise would enter while the band was playing. When the final song was played and the people started clapping i ...

Applying a leadership theory to the Qatar Fencing Federation Essay

Applying a leadership theory to the Qatar Fencing Federation - Essay Example Organisational culture is best defined as a set of beliefs and group values which serve as the underpinning for behavioural norms that drive actions of organisational members. Attitudes of employees and managers alike determine the culture of an organisation. When a group has established an organisational culture where all group members share similar sets of convictions, it is easier to create a team-focused organisation. When there is a culture where there is disparity in thinking and values, it can obstruct the achievement of goals and objectives. This is why transformational leadership is the most effective solution for the Federation. With the President, coaches, managers and players all having different personal objectives for what drives their actions, there is no ability to get everyone in the group to begin thinking and behaving along a set of established norms. Cohesive culture development requires routine communications between all group members, regularly remind the group of the organisation’s vision and mission, which in turn creates loyalty and support for the transformational leader. This is the essence of transformational leadership: ensure active participation and consultation among all group members, establish and consistently reiterate a mission and vision for the team, and use inspirational dialogue to motivate others to work cooperatively as a team; rather than just as a group.  The individual within the Qatar Fencing Federation that would be most viable as a transformational leader is one of the coaches.

Rich & Whillock v. Ashton Development Case Study

Rich & Whillock v. Ashton Development - Case Study Example In a meeting, persons at the helm of affairs of Rich & Whillock, Inc Bob Britton Inc, and the Ashton Development, Inc unanimously decided to blast the rock discovered. Clearly, the contract price of $112,990 did not include blasting costs. However the contract stated â€Å"[a]ny rock encountered will be considered an extra at current rental rates† (Rich & Whillock, Inc Vs. Ashton Development, Inc). Rich and Whillock estimated that an additional $60,000 was required to remove the rock, increasing the total contract price approximately to $172,000. Rich and Whillock informed Britton that the actual cost might be higher than the estimated cost due to the unpredictable nature of the rock. Britton agreed Rich and Whillock to pay the extra costs arising out of the rock work and directed them to go on the with the work. Rich and Whillock proceeded with the rock work and submitted invoices, and received payments at the end of every week. They prepared separate invoices for the regular contract work, and the extra rock work supported by employee time sheets. Although Whillock asked Britton if he needed any clarification regarding any of the billings by the end of April, Britton had no doubts and directed Whillock to continue with the rock work. As described by Gibbs and Hunt (2010), after receiving a total payment of $190,363.50 by 17th June, Rich & Whillock Inc submitted the final invoice amounting an additional $72,286.45. After consulting with Ashton officials, Britton refused to pay the money stating that Ashton Development, Inc was short on funds and had little money left to pay that amount (p.738). Britton had no objections about the work done until he received that final invoice. In addition, Britton had not asked for accounting of charges prior to the receipt of the final invoice. Whillock told Britton that his company would end up in closure unless that final invoice was paid, because Rich & Whillock Inc was a new company. As the project was a huge

Family Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Family Law - Essay Example Maria and Homer are not married and in order to apply for a protective order Part IV of the FLA Maria will have to come within the definition of â€Å"associated persons† as prescribed by the FLA (A Diduck., & F Kaganas., 2006). Section 62 of the FLA defines â€Å"associated persons† and section 62(3) expressly includes cohabitants within the definition of â€Å"associated persons†. Furthermore, section 62(1) (a) of the FLA defines â€Å"cohabitants† as being â€Å"a man and woman who, although not married to each other, are living together as husband and wife†, which is ultimately a question of fact (S Gore., 2007). If we apply this by analogy to Maria’s position, although Maria theoretically had a separate bedroom and in practice financially contributed to the bills and food, she did not pay rent as a lodger. Moreover, Maria and Homer had been dating for just over a year, had a sexual relationship, frequently slept together and shared a social life as a couple. As such, the factual circumstances clearly operate in Maria’s favour to indicate that she and Homer were both â€Å"cohabitants† for the purpose of falling under the FLA definition of â€Å"associated persons,† which leads us to consider the potential protective remedies available to Maria against Homer under the FLA. It is important to note at the outset that if Maria decides to seek relief under Part IV of the FLA, she can do so in as little as two days and in emergency situations, Section 45(1) of the FLA enables courts to make a non-molestation or occupation order without notice. At this stage, Homer would have no opportunity to reply to Maria’s application, however he would have an opportunity as soon â€Å"just and convenient† at a full hearing (Section 45(3)). Such ex-parte applications are determined with regard to the circumstances of the case, including an assessment of the risk of

Chronic Opiod Use after Hysterectomy

Chronic Opiod Use after Hysterectomy Specific Aims The rapid increase in the incidence of opioid-related overdoses and deaths has become a big public health threat in the United States. This opioid epidemic affects more women than men due to higher opioid prescribing and dose, longer period use, and more opioid dependence in women.1 From 1999 to 2010, the rate of opioid overdose caused death increased 5-fold among women.2 Besides the illicit purchase for some women, the initial exposure to opioids for many others may likewise come from the regular medical treatment as prescription opioids are widely used for pain management after surgery.3 As such, the critical research gap on opioids use is that the evidence is insufficient to draw conclusions about optimal strategies for initiation and titration of opioid therapy.4 Several observational studies have investigated the patterns of opioid use for noncancer pain in patients pre and post-surgery, and identified the risk factors of chronic opioid use post-surgery.5-11 Most of these studie s examined the prediction of baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients for prolonged opioid postoperative use and suggested that surgery is a risk factor for chronic opioid postoperative use.5-9 Only two studies examined the initial opioid exposure within 6 or 7 days of the surgery date and results are controversial.10,11 One study reported that initial exposure of opioid poses 44% increase risk of chronic postoperative opioid use and another one suggested that this risk would be low and statistically insignificant.10,11 Similar investigation has not been done specifically for hysterectomy, the most frequently performed non-obstetric surgeries in the United States for women of reproductive age.3,12 Pain has been demonstrated as a common symptom before and after hysterectomy.13,14 A small cross-sectional study has examined the predictors for opioid prescription in women of productive age and identified that opioid use was significantly associated with hysterectomy status and pain-related dysfunction.15 Another cross-sectional survey study reported that 32% patients had chronic pain after hysterectomy.14 Neither chronic opioid postoperative use nor initial opioid exposure for acute surgery pain was examined in these two studies.14,15 Filling this gap in knowledge is critical since identifying the risk factors of chronic opioid postoperative use could lead to optimized initial opioid prescribing for acute pain management and reduced chronic opioid postoperative use and improved women health. Our long-term goal is to help reduce chronic use of opioids and optimize the pain management in women after obstetric and gynecologic surgery through identification and dissemination the safer initial opioid prescribing for acute post-operative pain. Our objective here, which is the next step in our long-term goal, is to compare the patters of opioid use pre and post hysterectomy and determine the important risk factors that associate with chronic use of opioids in women post hysterectomy. The national OptumInsight Clinformatics data offers an essential resource to investigate these aims. The availability of clinical diagnoses and pharmacy medical dispensing offers a significant advantage for investigating drug utilization with corresponding clinical conditions in large population. Our team is well suited to conduct this research given extensive expertise in contemporary pharmacoepidemiology, many years of experience on opioid abuse research, prior drug utilization studies using large claims data, and clinical expertise from obstetric and gynecologic physicians. Our specific aims are to investigate patterns and predictors of chronic opioid use in women pre and post hysterectomy with the following analyses: Aim 1: To characterize the patterns of chronic opioid use in women after hysterectomy. Aim 2: To determine the significant risk factors for chronic use of opioids in women after hysterectomy. The first specific aim for this study is to identify patients who chronically take opioids during six months post hysterectomy, and investigate the time and geographical patterns of chronic opioid use in women after hysterectomy. The pattern of chronic opioid use pre- and post-surgery will also be compared in women with varied age, comorbidities, co-medications, as well as types and doses of initial opioid prescribing. The second specific aim is to determine the risk factors that significantly relate to chronic opioid use, and determine if characteristics of initial filled opioid prescriptions significantly associate with the chronic use of opioids after adjusting for other potential risk factors. Many pain related studies have demonstrated that long term opioid prescribing was significantly predicted by patients clinical characteristics and psychosocial factors, including pain conditions, psychiatric disorders, frequency of medical visits, smoking, and pain-related dysfunction.16-18 Therefore, the adjusted covariates in this study would include both demographic and clinical characteristics. B. Significance and Innovation Currently the United States is experiencing an unprecedented opioid epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid-related deaths increased 200% overall from 2000 to 2014.19 During 2014, about 1.9 million people had an addiction of opioids, with overall 47,055 overdose deaths, 18,243 overdose deaths in women, and 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers.20,21 Based on the data reported by the CDC, women are more likely to have chronic pain, be prescribed opioids with higher dose and longer period, and hence progress to dependence.22 Although opioid abuse is a public health crisis, opioid analgesics are still the mainstay for treatment for acute pain after major surgery. In 2014, total 245 million prescriptions for opioids were dispensed from U.S. retail pharmacies.23,24 During 1998-2010, approximately 7.4 million hysterectomies were performed, making hysterectomy one of the most frequently performed surgeries for women in the United States.25 With over 60% of hysterectomies performed abdominally and up to 85% of patients experiencing moderate-to-severe pain after hysterectomy, postoperative pain management becomes very important.26,27 Evidence suggests that intense and long-lasting postsurgical pain can increase postsurgical morbidity, delay recovery, and lead to chronic pain.28 Opioids such as morphine, meperidine, and oxycodone are widely used postoperatively to reduce and manage pain in patients after hysterectomy.29 Women with hysterectomy and high levels of pain-related dysfunction were almost twice as likely to have opioid prescription. More than 85% of women with hysterectomy and a high level of pain-related dysfunction were found to use opioid.15 Hormonal disturbance, hyperalgesia, and iatrogenic effects are potential adverse effects from op ioid use in women after hysterectomy.14,15 The interaction of opioid-induced adverse effects and post-hysterectomy hormonal dysregulation may intensify pain and promote continued use of opioids.15 There are no known studies that evaluate the connection between acute and chronic postsurgical opiate prescription in women experienced hysterectomy. In consideration of the current opioid epidemic it is important to understand how post-surgical pain is managed, and if this setting presents increased risk of opioid addiction among certain groups, or related to particular prescribing practices. The goal of this proposed study is to examine whether opioids prescribed in women following hysterectomy is associated with chronic use of opioids, and to evaluate which factors may predict patterns of opioid use that indicate overuse or addiction. Accordingly, this study first aims to describe the incidence pattern of chronic opioid use in women post hysterectomy. The second aim is to explore the significant risk factors and determine if the characteristics of initial opioid prescribing significantly associate with chronic opioid use after adjusting for other potential risk factors. This study will reveal important insights regarding post-surgical pain management for a common procedure, and determine if certain patient or treatment characteristics increase the risk of chronic opioid use in this setting. We expect that this research will provide evidence for the need to improve clinical practice towards optimized pain management and reduced chronic opioid use in women after hysterectomy through identification the specific opioid, drug type (short-acting or long-acting), and doses that significantly associate with chronic opioid use in women after hysterectomy. Our study will provide sufficient evidence to draw conclusion about optimal strategies for initiation and titration of post-surgery opioid therapy, and enhance evidence-based medicine for opioid use in Rhode Island, and also the United State. This award would enhance my capabilities on handling interdisciplinary studies and further help me to develop my own research projects and seek for external funding. Innovation Our proposed observational studies based on the administrative claims data will allow for investigation of time trends and geographic variation of drug use in large population and address for well-characterized clinical conditions. Our approach will employ state of the art, innovative pharmacoepidemiologic study designs and statistical models, to improve the precision of outcome definition and minimize measured and unmeasured confounding and bias in our estimation of significant predictors for chronic opioid use after hysterectomy. The unintended outcomes from adverse drug effects make the prospective trials unethical. In this circumstance, a well-designed, retrospective observational study with sufficient sample size offers an efficient design to determine if there is an adequate signal for impropriate opioid prescribing to women post obstetrics and Gynecology surgery. The generalizability of study results are guaranteed due to the nationwide large health plan data that the analyses are based upon. C. Approach Data Sources Study data will be derived from the national OptumInsight Clinformatics Data MartTM, a research database spanning January 01, 2010 through December 31, 2013. The Optum Research Database includes about 23 million beneficiaries from the nationwide commercial health insurer, United Healthcare. The data contains health care utilization with transactional reimbursement data from outpatient pharmacy dispensing, inpatient and outpatient services.30 It links administrative enrollment data with the important medical codes including the national drug code (NDC) for pharmacy dispensing, the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for medical procedure, and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code for diagnosis. The claims data in this database have been adjudicated, ascertained, and deidentified for research purpose. The University of Rhode Island (URI) and OptumInsight Inc have approved utilization of these data. URI already licenses thi s database that it is freely available for faculties to use. Study Population This study will include adult women who receive the hysterectomy surgery between July 01 2010 and June 31 2013 and have at least 6 months of continuous prior coverage under this health insurance plan. This continuous 6-month coverage provides a baseline for defining new drug users, as well as baseline clinical characteristics, such as comorbidities and co-medications. The hysterectomy procedures will be derived from the ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes 68.3x-68.7x, and 68.9x, where 68.3x indicates a subtotal abdominal hysterectomy, 68.4x indicates a total abdominal hysterectomy, 68.5x indicates a vaginal hysterectomy, 68.6x indicates a radical abdominal hysterectomy, 68.7x indicates a radical vaginal hysterectomy, and 68.9x indicates other and unspecified hysterectomy.13,31 Patients with pelvic evisceration (ICD-9-CM: 68.8x) will be excluded. We also will exclude patients with any cancer diagnoses, including malignant neoplasm of the female genitourinary organs-cancer (ICD-9-CM: 179-184), a nd carcinoma in situ of female genitourinary system (ICD-9-CM: 233). Exposure Assessment Opioids in this study include the following medications: codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone. Tramadol and propoxyphene, considered as weak opioids or already off market, will not be included.11,15 The exposure group involves adult women who receive the hysterectomy surgery and fill more than one prescription for opioids on the day of hospital discharge or within 7 days after hysterectomy surgery, provided that they have no exposure to opioids for at least 6 months prior to hysterectomy.11 The 7 days of window is based on the assumption that a filled prescription during this period would likely to treat acute postoperative pain caused by hysterectomy. A comparison group, defined as the patients with no opioids use on the day of hospital discharge or within 7 days after hysterectomy surgery, will serve as a control to make a comparison of risks for chronic use of opioids. The control patients also have no exposure to opioids for at least 6 months prior to hysterectomy. The exposure of opioids will be identified using NDC codes from pharmacy claims data. In this study, exposure assessment includes all characteristics of the initial filled opioid prescription at the day of hospital discharge from hysterectomy or during 7 days post-hysterectomy. The different type of opioids (classified as long or short acting), number of supply days, and oral morphine equivalent daily dose (milligrams) will be assessed and analyzed. Outcome Assessment Since the study focuses on the risk of chronic opioid use after initial exposure to opioids following hysterectomy, patients were followed from the 8th day after hysterectomy to the first day of outcome occurrence. The outcome, chronic use of opioids after hysterectomy, will be defined using trajectory models.11 in which patients with similar patterns of medication filling during follow-up will be grouped together. The trajectory model was initially generated for the purpose of the assessment of medication adherence.32,33 In order to classify the trajectory groups for opioid use during the defined follow-up window, we first generate 6 dichotomous variables to indicate if a study participant fills a prescription of an opioid medication during each of 6 consecutive 30 day follow-up periods.11 we then model these 6 binary indicators of using opioids in each 30 day follow-up period as a longitudinal response in a logistic group-based trajectory.34,35 With a trajectory model, we will estimate the probability of membership of patients in each group, and the probability of the certain opioid exposure over time as a smooth function of time. We will fit the model using 2 to 4 opioid exposure groups with comparison of the Bayesian Information Criterion.36 The number of groups will be chosen based on the value of the Bayesian Information Criterion. In each group, a third-order polynomial (including linear, squared, and cubic terms) of time will be used to model the probability of being exposed to opioids. Patien ts will be assigned to different trajectory groups, which are generated from these models and have highest probability of the membership. Based on the model results, the group of patients with the highest probability of filling opioids over time will be defined as the chronic use. Other trajectory groups were classified as nonchronic users. The trajectory models provide new advanced approaches to utilize the observed data to determine distinct filling patterns of opioids in our study population during the year after hysterectomy surgery. It classifies patients into groups with similar opioid exposure patterns without relying on a priori and subjective cutoff line for the definition of chronic opioid use. The trajectory models will be conducted using SAS Proc Traj (SAS, version 9.4, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Patterns of Chronic Opioid Use After chronic opioid use is defined using trajectory models, we will compare the frequency of the incidence of chronic opioid use over time from 2010 to 2013. The secular trend will be analyzed using Joinpoint regression program (National Cancer Institute, Calverton, MD) to identify the joint points and slopes. The rates of chronic opioid use in women post hysterectomy will also be compared with varied age, comorbidities, co-medications, as well as characteristics of initial opioids exposure, including opioid types and doses. The geographic variation of chronic opioid use will be mapped and analyzed using ArcGIS 10.5 geographic information systems software (ESRI, Redlands, CA). The opioid prescription policies and socioeconomic status in different states will be compared with the geographic variation of chronic opioid use. Predictors of Chronic Opioid Use We will identify the predictors of chronic opioid use at baseline or the time of the initial opioid prescription. A previous study demonstrated that hysterectomy, older age, and higher levels of pain-related dysfunction were associated with opioid prescription.15 Potential predictors in this study would include age, year of surgery, smoking, illicit substance abuse, alcohol abuse, hysterectomy type, psychotropic medication use, pre-operative depression, pre-operative pain condition, primary indication for hysterectomy, co-medications, and characteristics of the initial opioid exposure. Although the benefits of minimally invasive surgical procedures have been documented,37 hysterectomies performed for benign indications in 2010 in the US still consisted of 40.1% total or subtotal abdominal hysterectomies, 30.5% laparoscopic hysterectomy, 19.9% vaginal hysterectomy, and 9.5% robotic-assisted hysterectomy.21,25 Hysterectomy type has been related to the initial opioid prescription,15 how ever, the results from randomized clinical trials showed that abdominal hysterectomies didnt increase postoperative chronic pain.38,39 The primary indication for hysterectomy is defined based on the following algorithm: (i) precancerous conditions will be assigned the primary indication if endometrial cystic hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ of female genitourinary system is listed as an indication associated with hysterectomy surgery; (ii) whichever is listed first of endometriosis, uterine prolapse, or uterine leiomyoma will be assigned the primary diagnosis associated with hysterectomy if cancer or a precancerous condition is not listed; (iii) endometrial cystic hyperplasia is combined with in situ under precancerous and that pain and bleeding were included as reported reasons for hysterectomy, and (iv) other was assigned the leading for the remaining diagnoses.19 Over 60% of patients have reported pain as pre-operative symptoms for hysterectomy.39 After hysterectomy, the prevalent pain was reduced to 4.7% to 31.9% during 1-2 years after surgery, while new onset pain at follow-up was reported in 1-14.9% patients and increased pain was in 2.9-5% of patients with pre-operative pelvic pain.39 Therefore, in our study, we plan to assess pre- and post-operative pain, as well as the pain conditions, including pelvic pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, and migraine or other headache syndromes using ICD-9-CM codes. Patients with pharmacy claims for opioids or diagnoses for opioid abuse (ICD-9-CM: 304.xx) during the 6-month baseline period will be identified as opioid users prior to hysterectomy. Preoperative depression that has been found significantly associated with postoperative chronic pain,40 will be identified using diagnoses, as well as medication use at baseline. Antipsychotropic medication use will be obtained using prescription information. The psychiatric comorbidity, will be assessed using prescription information instead of ICD-9-CM codes for greater specificity.11 Co-medications refer to the use of other medications on postoperative pain management. The postoperative use of Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or Acetaminophen with opioids has been found safe and effective on pain relieve with reduced opioid dose.41 All potential predictors, including characteristics of initial opioid use, will be adjusted in multivariate analyses to identify the significant predictors for chronic use of opioids in patients post hysterectomy. Statistical Analysis Statistical tests and modeling will be conducted to identify potential significant risk factors for chronic use of prescribed opioids in women post-hysterectomy. Categorical variables will be examined and compared using Chi square or the Fisher exact test. Continuous variables will be compared using the student t test. The covariates will be selected from all demographic and clinical variables using statistical modeling. A univariate analysis will be performed with the initial opioid exposure variable and then with each covariate added one at a time to monitor the change of the estimate of the major exposure variable. The covariates that modify the estimate of opioid exposure (variable >5%) or significantly predict the chronic use of opioids will be selected for further multivariate analysis. To account for many confounding factors, we will also utilize propensity score matching method to combine all confounding factors into a propensity score. The patients with initial opioid exposu re will be 1:5 matched with the patients without initial opioid exposure using the propensity score with a caliper of 0.01. A multivariate conditional logistic regression model will be utilized to measure the adjusted odds ratio of initial opioid exposure on chronic opioid use in two matched groups. A probability of type 1 error (alpha) = 0.05 will be considered to be the threshold of statistical significance. Tukey-Kramer method will be applied to correct the inflated p value due to multiple comparisons. Statistical analysis will be performed using SAS software (version 9.4, Cary, NC). Sensitivity Studies In order to address unmeasured confounding factors, sensitivity analyses will be conducted in two sections: subgroup analyses and instrumental variables. Subgroup analysis In order to investigate the effects of initial opioid exposure in women post hysterectomy, multivariate analysis will be conducted in the following subgroups: women with postoperative chronic pain, women without postoperative chronic pain, women with postoperative NSAIDs use, women without postoperative NSAIDs use, women with postoperative Acetaminophen use, and women without postoperative Acetaminophen use. Interactions between the drug exposure and the important factors will be examined in the multivariate analyses. Subgroup analyses will likewise be conducted if the interaction is statistically significant. Instrumental Variable We plan to use propensity score matching to address all measurable confounding factors and generate two balanced comparison groups. However, the unmeasurable confounding factors, like confounding by indication, may still impact the study validity. Instrumental variable is an advanced methodology that has been utilized in pharmocoepidemiological studies to control for the unmeasurable confounding factors, such as confounding by indication. In the sensitivity study, we will use the physicians preference as an instrumental variable and reexamine the initial opioid exposure on chronic use of opioids post hysterectomy. D. Timeline Table. Study Timeline of the Study. Time Period Study Progress Before 07/01/2017 Obtain IRB approval and Optum data use permission 07/01/2017 08/01/2017 Complete data cleaning, manipulating, and variable editing. 08/01/2017 10/01/2017 Complete analyses for demographic and clinical characteristics 10/01/2017 01/31/2018 Complete trajectory modeling to determine chronic opioid use. Analyze the time and geographic trends. 02/01/2018 02/28/2018 Submit an abstract to the annual meeting of International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE) 03/01/2018 06/30/2018 Complete analyses for specific aim 1 07/01/2018 01/31/2019 Complete predictive modeling as described in specific aim 2 02/01/2019 02/28/2019 Submit an R21 to NIH, and an abstract to the annual meeting of ISPE 03/01/2019 06/30/2019 Compete analyses for specific aim 2, including all sensitivity studies. Submit a final paper to a high impact journal 09/01/2017 12/15/2017 Complete course PHP 2090 01/01/2018 05/15/2018 Complete course PHP 2470

Satire in the Eighteenth Century Essay -- Literature Essays Literary C

Satire in the Eighteenth Century      Ã‚  Ã‚   New ideas, original thoughts, and fresh interpretations characterized the spirit of the eighteenth century. Science was flourishing, and therefore it brought new discoveries that challenged the traditional dominating force of religion.   Influential figures of the age, such as Voltaire, Jonathan Swift, and William Hogarth, strove to assure human betterment and advance human thinking through truth and humorous criticism.   They employed the use of satire in order to accomplish their common goal.    According to A Handbook of Literary Terms, satire is defined as "a work or manner that blends a censorious attitude with humor or wit for improving human institutions or humanity" (Harmon and Holman 461).   The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics further asserts that satire is "both a mode of discourse or vision that asserts polemical or critical outlook, and also a specific literary genre, embodying that mode in either prose or verse" (Preminger and Brogan 1114).   In essence, satire emerges as a device to successfully diagnose human faults and offer a cure for society.    Satire often includes abuse, sarcasm, irony, mockery, exaggeration, and understatements.   Arguably Voltaire's most famous work, Candide presents a string of characters laced in exaggeration.   For example, the Baron's lady was not only a large presence, but she weighed a striking three hundred and fifty pounds.   Furthermore, the Baron's castle was considered a monument of prestige, "for his house had a door and several windows and his hall was actually draped in tapestry" (Voltaire 19).   It is apparent that the use of the hyperbole, among other elements, played a crucial role in the potency of satir... ...rs and improves judgment: he that rectifies the public taste is a public benefactor" (Preminger and Brogan 1115).   The eighteenth century was a time of transformation, in which society was in constant evolution.   The progress of the age was delivered to the common person's doorstep through literature and art and reached the common person's understanding through satire.   Hence, satire was both a furious weapon and a common medium that was utilized by the thinkers of the eighteenth century to promote the Enlightenment.      Works Cited "Art of William Hogarth". 7 July 2000. Harmon, William and C. Hugh Holman.   A Handbook of Literary Terms.   New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1992. Preminger, Alex and T.V.F. Brogan, ed. The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics.   New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993. "Swift Biography".   8 July 2000.

Judicial Precedent Essay

The material facts of the case: The Metropolitan Police received a request from the German authorities for the issuance of a warrant for Mr.Rottman’s extradition, a German business man, who was alleged of committing an offence of conspiracy to defraud in his indigenous country. Bow street magistrates’ court issued a provisional arrest warrant under s8(1)(b) of the Extradition Act 1989. Mr. Rottman was arrested in the driveway of the house, a few yard from the front door. Soon after his arrest, two German polices obtained the permission from the senior police officer present to search the house and seized a number of articles which they took to the New Scotland Yard. Mr. Rottman then bought judicial review proceedings against the legality of the decision to enter his home and to search for and seize items. Divisional court found in favour of Mr. Rottman, held that the entry  and search the house carried out by the German polices had been unlawful and his rights under Art 8 of the European Convention on Human Right(ECHR) had been violated. The divisional court rejected the decision in R v Governor of pentonville Prison ex p Osman [1990]that the power of search and seizure after a lawful arrest applied to extradition cases as to a domestic crime. The old common law pursuant to search and seizure had been abolished by PACE when it is given to affect. There is no power either statutory or common law to carry out a search of premises following the arrest made pursuant to the provisional warrant executed under s8(1) under the extradition act. Ratio of the case: A statute does not extinguish a common law rule unless the statute makes this clear by express provision or by clear implication. The common law power would have been supplemented by but not replaced by the statutory powers in PACE. Nor was it in breach of article 8 of the ECHR as long as the search and seizure was proportionate to the legitimate purpose of preventing crime. The House of Lord challenged the issue on general public authority which was certified by Divisional Court that – â€Å"At common law, does a police officer executing a warrant of arrest issued a pursuant to section 8 of the Extradition Act 1989 have power to search for and seize any goods or documents which he reasonably believes to be material evidence in relation to the extradition crime in respect of which the warrant was issued?† Two argument were raised per curiam: 1) whether before the enactment of PACE police officer would have had a common law power to search the suspect’s premises when arresting him for an extradition crime under warrant; and 2) whether any such common law power of search had been extinguished by PACE thereafter. It was a well established common law principle that police officer carrying out arrest in or on a person’s premises could search and seize any articles which he reasonably believed to be material evidence against him for a purpose of preserving that evidence until trial. It was further agreed that the powers to search and seize also extended to article presented in the  room where the suspect was arrested. The lords upheld Lord Denning’s judgment in Ghani v Jones that the common law power extended to entire premises upon which the alleged was arrested. In support with a wider search power,Lloyd LJ gave the judgment in R v Governor of Pentonville Prison, ex p Osman[1990], considered that the power of search and seizure after a lawful arrest applied to extradition cases as well as to a domestic offence. Summary of Lord Hutton’s reasoning: Lord Hutton gave the leading judgment. He rejected the argument advanced by Rottman that the power had been too widely stated by Lord Denning. He subsequently rejected the submission the existence of statutory power in s7 of 1990 Act implied that there was no common law power in extradition cases. He upheld that the common law power of search and seizure was not extinguished by PACE, supplemented that â€Å"it is well-established principle that a rule of the common law is not extinguished by a statute makes this clear by express provision or by clear implication.† A power to seize material evidence is necessary when a suspect was arrested, it was not apply for a search warrant. In terms of the alignment of Article of the ECHR, Lord Hutton’s opinion was that the common law power of search and seizure did not violate the appellant’s right under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It was in accordance with the law which was clearly stated in Osman that the power had the legitimate aim in a democratic society of preventing crime and was necessary to prevent the disappearance of material evidence after the arrest of suspect. The power was proportionate to that aim because it was subject to the safeguard that it could only be exercised after a warrant of arrest had been issued by a magistrate. Summary of Lord Rodger’s reasoning: He was supportive of Lord Hutton’s opinion that PACE does not extinguish the common law power of search of police officers executing an arrest warrant. Parliament left them deliberately with those common law powers and left arrested persons with the corresponding law safeguards. When the police officers in the case arrested the respondent, they were entitled to exercise  those common law powers and equally, the respondent enjoyed the safeguards afforded by the common law. The research of his house was accordingly lawful. Summary of Lord Nicholls and Lord Hoffman’s reasoning: They both gave little reasoning to the ruling. They largely agreed with the judgment from Lord Hutton that a where a police officer entered a house with or without an arrest warrant and arrested a suspect he enjoyed a common law power to search the house and seize any goods that he reasonably believed to be a material evidence. Summary of Lord Hope’s reasoning: He dissented the majority of ruling by Lord Hutton and others that the powers which are available to police officer at common law where he is in possession of an arrest warrant. He claimed that the statutory powers under PACE were not available that in the absence of the common law power, it is unlawful that the entry and search of the house violate the respondent’s right under the Article 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. He also disagreed that the extradition cases could be equated with domestic ones. He expressed that any power which the police might have did not apply to arrests on a provisional warrant for an extradition offence. Extradition required an order of the Home Secretary issued in response to a request by the foreign state. And there was no common law paper of arrest for the purposes of extradition. Also the Extradition Act granted powers of search and seizure in very limited cases. He claimed that the extradition always requires a request that there is no common law power entitling an officer, for the purposes of extradition, to make an arrest without a warrant. By the majority of 4:1, excepts Lord Hope dissenting, the appeal was allowed. The House held that the commissioner of police who had arrested a person in or on his premises, executing a warrant of arrest issued pursuant to s8 of the Extradition Act 1989 had the common law power to search for and seize  any articles which he reasonably believes to be material evidence in relation to the extradition crime. On the whole, this is a strong case as the majority of the judges held the appeal that the power of search to the police is more stringent in extradition cases than domestic cases. This in turn make a clear pictures to the commissioner of police in the region that they knows how and when to apply the rule without any violation to the ECHR.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was an organization established during the Civil Rights Movement. Established in April 1960 at Shaw University, SNCC organizers worked throughout the South planning sit-ins, voter registration drives and protests. The organization was no longer in operation by the 1970s as the Black Power Movement became popular. As a former SNCC member argues: In a time when the civil rights struggle is presented as a bedtime story with a beginning, middle, and end, it is important to revisit the work of SNCC and their call for transforming American democracy. Establishment of SNCC In 1960, Ella Baker, an established civil rights activist and an official with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), organized African American college students who had been involved in the 1960 sit-ins to a meeting at Shaw University. In opposition to Martin Luther King Jr., who wanted the students to work with the SCLC, Baker encouraged the attendees to create an independent organization. James Lawson, a theology student at Vanderbilt University, wrote a mission statement we affirm the philosophical or religious ideals of nonviolence as the foundation of our purpose, the presupposition of our faith, and the manner of our action. Nonviolence, growing from Judaic-Christian traditions, seeks a social order of justice permeated by love. That same year, Marion Barry was elected as SNCCs first chairman. Freedom Rides By 1961, SNCC was gaining prominence as a civil rights organization. That year, the group galvanized students and civil rights activists to participate in the Freedom Rides to investigate how effectively the Interstate Commerce Commission was enforcing the Supreme Court ruling of equal treatment in interstate travel. By November of 1961, SNCC was organizing voter registration drives in Mississippi. SNCC also organized desegregation campaigns in Albany, Ga. known as the Albany Movement. March on Washington In August of 1963, SNCC was one of the chief organizers of the March on Washington along with Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the SCLC and the NAACP. John Lewis, chairman of SNCC was scheduled to speak but his criticism of the proposed civil rights bill caused other organizers to pressure Lewis to change the tone of his speech. Lewis and SNCC led listeners in a chant, to We want our freedom, and we want it now. Freedom Summer The following summer, SNCC worked with CORE as well as other civil rights organizations to register Mississippi voters. That same year, SNCC members helped establish the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to create diversity in the states Democratic Party. The work of SNCC and the MFDP caused the National Democratic Party to mandate that all states have equality in its delegation by the 1968 election. Local Organizations From initiatives such as Freedom Summer, voter registration, and other initiatives, local African American communities began creating organizations to meet the needs of their community. For instance, in Selma, African Americans state the Lowndes County Freedom Organization. Later Years and Legacy By the late 1960s, SNCC changed its name to the Student National Coordinating Committee to reflect its changing philosophy. Several members, particularly James Forman believed that nonviolence might not be the only strategy to overcoming racism. Forman once admitted that he did not know how much longer we can stay nonviolent. Under the leadership of Stokely Carmicheal, SNCC began protesting against the Vietnam War and became aligned with the  Black Power Movement. By the 1970s, SNCC was no longer an active organization   Former SNCC member Julian Bond has said, a  final SNCC legacy is the destruction of the psychological shackles which had kept black southerners in physical and mental peonage; SNCC helped break those chains forever. It demonstrated that ordinary women and men, young and old, could perform extraordinary tasks.

20 Empowering Quotes About Positive Thinking

20 Empowering Quotes About Positive Thinking Do you feel that life has been unfair to you? Do you feel that people and situations have let you down? Dont hover on these bad thoughts. Instead, embrace the power of positive thinking.  Here are a few quotes that might pep you up. Nelson MandelaI learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Denis WaitleyWhen you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb. Abraham LincolnMost folks are about as happy as they make up their mind to be. Thomas EdisonMany of lifes failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Dr. Joyce BrothersSuccess is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. Mahatma GandhiA man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Norman Vincent PealeChange your thoughts and you change your world. Dale CarnegieIf we think happy thoughts, we will be happy. If we think miserable thoughts, we will be miserable. HenleyI am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. Henry FordWhether you think that you can, or that you cant, you are usually right. Winston ChurchillA pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Oprah WinfreyThink like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness. T. S. EliotKeep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it. Henri MatisseThere are always flowers for those who want to see them. Robert H. SchullerIt takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts. Bill MeyerEvery thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, dont count on harvesting Golden Delicious. Ellen GlasgowNo life is so hard that you cant make it easier by the way you take it. Hubert HumphreyOh, my friend, its not what they take away from you that counts. Its what you do with what you have left. Susan LongacreReach for the stars, even if you have to stand on a cactus. Emory AustinSome days there wont be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.

Betrayal of Public Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Betrayal of Public Trust - Essay Example Due process was observed. Blagojevich's removal from office was therefore legal. The impeachment proceeding was the only way to oust Blagojevich from office based on the United States constitution. Also, the evidences presented were more than substantial to declare his removal and prohibit him to serve any public position in Illinois. Responsibilities of Public Administrators In public service, there is delineation between personal and public interest. This goes to say that if one is a public servant, he or she should make sure that his or her public dealings are not tainted with his or her personal interest. When he or she serves the public, he or she should always uphold values that would best promote the interest of his or her constituents. This is actually the foundation of individual ethics and office ethics. There are certain matters that are to be limited to as to avoid conflict of interest while in public office. As a person, one has practiced certain values. Some of these va lues are relevant in public office and some are not. Sometimes, these ethical frameworks overlap. This means that the public servant has considered one value more than the other. An instance of corruption is a good example. It may happen that the person thinks more of his personal interest than the welfare of the public. Nevertheless, there are also times when individual and office ethics diverge. This happens when the public servant considers his or her personal interest in relation to all his or her constituents. Such situation implies that the public administrator never forgets his or her bounden duty to the public. It also means that he or she recognizes the fact that he or she can be made accountable to his or her acts as a public official. Relevance of the Case Blagojevich's... In public service, there is the delineation between personal and public interest. This goes to say that if one is a public servant, he or she should make sure that his or her public dealings are not tainted with his or her personal interest. When he or she serves the public, he or she should always uphold values that would best promote the interest of his or her constituents. This is actually the foundation of individual ethics and office ethics. There are certain matters that are to be limited to as to avoid conflict of interest while in public office. As a person, one has practiced certain values. Some of these values are relevant in public office and some are not. Sometimes, these ethical frameworks overlap. An instance of corruption is a good example. It may happen that the person thinks more of his personal interest than the welfare of the public. Nevertheless, there are also times when individual and office ethics diverge. This happens when the public servant considers his or her personal interest in relation to all his or her constituents. Such situation implies that the public administrator never forgets his or her bounden duty to the public. It also means that he or she recognizes the fact that he or she can be made accountable for his or her acts as a public official. Blagojevich's case should be a lesson to all American public administrators. They should always be mindful that they are to be made accountable by their constituents as to their performance of public duty.

Compare and contrast two works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Compare and contrast two works - Essay Example on the way to Canterbury and two stories on the way back, but either Chaucer never finished the journey or the entire collection has never been found. What is unique about the tales is that each character has a different voice and a different perspective on life. As a result, many of these characters and stories represent the dominant ideals of the age because the characters tell stories that relate closely to their personalities and life station. In many cases, these stories can be juxtaposed against each other to show two different views of the same concept such as the issue of deceit. While deceit is the backbone of much medieval, and modern, humor, it can also be quite harmful with the only difference being in how it is practiced. An example of this kind of juxtaposition can be found when one works to compare the Miller’s prologue and tale with that of the Pardoner. The Miller tells a comic story of a man, his young wife and her exploits with the young men of the town whil e the Pardoner tells a story of three young men who set out to kill Death and are merely able to find him through their own greed and depravity. While people are hurt in the Miller’s tale, the story focuses more upon the comedy of the situation as opposed to the Pardoner’s tale, which is full of moral warning for the danger deceit brings to the soul. Comparing these two stories reveals a sort of mirror image between the Miller, an honest man who tells a story of comic deceit, and the Pardoner, a dishonest man who tell a story of deceit as damnation. The differences between these two characters are perhaps among the first things to stand out in such a comparison. The Miller is introduced as a drunken loudmouth who cannot be silenced once he decides to speak. The host has called up on the Monk to tell the next story, but it is the Miller who speaks up, first insisting he be allowed to tell his story, â€Å"Either I’ll speak, or go on my own way† (124), then refusing to alter

Marketing research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing - Research Proposal Example As an organization that targets products and services regular research is always necessary (Zeithami et al 1990, p. 53). The research will inform of the interests of customers and the situation within the relevant market (McQuarrie 2006, p. ix). With the decline in sales, market research is particularly important as there is uncertainty relative to the market situation and customer interests and habits increases (McQuarrie 2006, p. ix). Market research will determine the utility of introducing new products or for changing existing products or services so that they correspond with customer trends, interests and preferences (Bartels et al 2002, p. 285). Stephen’s management will have to make a research design that corresponds with budget and within their restrictions (Avasarikar et al 2007, p. 2.24). It will be necessary to negotiate for a practical budget in advance of the marketing research. However, the research problem must be unambiguously identified before negotiating for a workable budget. When the research problem is defined clearly, researchers, management and marketing consultants can more clearly define and assign roles prior to the start of research and this will reduce the obstacles implicit in conflicting goals, strategies and approaches relative to the research (Avasarikar et al 2007, p. 2.24).

Quality Philosophy Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Quality Philosophy Evaluation Essay Focus Paper on Quality Philosophy Evaluation Focus Paper on Quality Philosophy Evaluation Edward Deming led the quality revolution and defined it from the customer’s perspective. He argues that the customer’s definition of quality is the only one that matters (Dale van Iwaarden, 2007). He defined quality as the extent by which the performance meets the expectations of the customer. He also argued that quality is the responsibility of management. Deming conveyed the importance of leadership in the cultivation of a culture of quality. The principles that underpin his philosophy also indicate that workers were to be trained and introduced to spirit of quality. He argued that employees should play a key role in the transformation of the organization. He proposed the 14 point philosophy of quality. 1. Create a perpetual drive towards improvement or plan for quality in the long term. 2. Embrace the new philosophy and adopt quality in the whole organization 3. Constant and perpetual improvement 4. Organizations should not rely on inspections 5. Rely on a single supplier for one item in order to ensure consistency 6. The elimination of management by objectives 7. Unclear slogans should be removed 8. The barriers which exist between departments should be broken 9. The transformation to quality should be everyone’s job 10. The removal of barriers which prevent pride of workmanship 11. The implementation of education and self improvement 12. Instill confidence and eliminate fear in job performance 13. Training should be used to remove variations 14. The organization should have quality leadership Joseph Juran Joseph Juran has also published a vast amount of literature on the topic of quality. Juran has two definitions of quality. The first defines quality as the features of products that meet the needs of the customers and which then allow for customer satisfaction (Juran, 2003). The second definition defines quality as the freedom from errors and freedom from deficiencies which necessitate the redoing of work. Juran came with a trilogy philosophy of quality management. This philosophy included: * Quality improvement-this is the process by which originations experience breakthrough in quality * Quality control-this involves the detection of the difference between actual performance and the set goals. * Quality planning-this involves developing processes and products which meet the expectations of the customer. * The above three dimensions of quality were seen as a prerogative of management by Juran. Quality control defines the standard of measure by which quality is determined. Juran saw workers as the implementers of quality. Philip Crosby Philip Crosby had a zero defects philosophy on quality management. He defined quality as being the conformance to requirements. He saw zero defects as the performance standard. He argued that everyone should do things â€Å"right the first time.† Therefore, according, to his philosophy, workers play a fundamental role in promoting quality (Oppenheim, Oppenheim Levine, 2005). Lewis Ireland He defined quality as the totality of characteristics and features of a service or product that enable it to meet the stated or the implied needs. Lewis Ireland focused on quality in projects. In 1991, Lewis wrote Quality Management for Projects and Programs and stated the importance of integrating quality in projects (Rose, 2005). He has a project management quality philosophy. He argued that quality planning should be used to identify quality standards which are relevant for the project. Project managers have a critical role to play in managing quality. Recommendation The philosophy espoused by Edward Deming holds more water in the current competitive business environment. Deming views quality as a change management initiative which is permanently existent in the methods, systems and processes. He provides the principles which should be followed by management in order to cultivate a culture of quality. In addition, his philosophy is more comprehensive and flexible and therefore easily applied by today’s managers. References Dale, B. G., van Iwaarden, J. (2007). Managing quality. Blackwell Publishing Juran, J. M. (2003). Juran on leadership for quality. Simon and Schuster. Oppenheim, A. J., Oppenheim, R., Levine, D. M. (2005). Quality management (pp. 75-76). McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Rose, K. (2005). Project quality management: why, what and how. J. Ross Publishing.

Symbols and Characters of Bread Givers. Essay -- Essays Papers

Symbols and Characters of "Bread Givers". One of the significant features of Jewish history throughout many centuries was migration. From the ancient pre-Roman times to medieval Spain to the present days the Jews were expelled from the countries they populated, were forced out by political, cultural and religious persecution, and sometimes were motivated to leave simply to escape economic hardship and to find better life for themselves and for their children. One of the interesting pages of Jewish history was a massive migration from Eastern Europe to America in the period between 1870 an 1920. In that period more than two million Jews left their homes in Russia, Poland, Galicia, and Romania and came to the New World. The heaviest volume of that wave of Jewish emigration came between 1904 and 1908, when more than 650 thousand Jewish emigrants came to the US. The Eastern European Jews fled from pogroms, religious persecution and economic hardship. We can learn about those times from history text books, but a better way to understand the feelings and thoughts of the struggling emigrants is to learn a story from an insider, who herself lived there and experienced first hand all the challenges and hardships of the emigrants' life. Anzia Yezierska's novel "Bread Givers" is a story that lets the reader to learn about the life of Jewish Emigrants in the early Twentieth Century on Manhattan's lower East Side through the eyes of a poor young Jewish woman who came from Poland and struggled to break out from poverty, from tyrant old traditions of her father, and to find happiness, security, love and understanding in the new country. The book is rich with symbolism. Different characters and situations in the novel symbolize different parts of the emigrants' community and challenges that they faced. The characters range from the father, the symbol of the Old World, to the mother who symbolizes struggles and hopelessness of the women of the Old World, to the sisters and their men, who together represent the choices and opportunities that opened before the young generation of the Jewish emigrants in the New World. The father of the storyteller, Sarah Smolinsky, is an orthodox rabbi, Mosheh Smolinsky, with rigid old-fashioned conceptions, who cannot or simply does not make an effort to realize himself in America and spends his days poisoning lives of his ... ...e them. And they, with all their education, are under my feet, just because I got the money." Through the lives of different characters the author tells about struggles and sacrifices that any emigrants have to face when they come to a new country and try to get on their feet. The first generation usually gains the least, because older people already have deeply rooted cultural traditions and language barrier that do not let them to assimilate and to feel fully at home in the new place. Just like Sarah's parents in "Bread Givers" the majority of first generation older emigrants that I know feel somewhat alienated and disadvantaged in America. Many of them were naà ¯ve and thought that America was a Golden Amadina where "money grows on the trees". Many were intelligent enough to realize that they were going to a tough land of opportunities where they would have to fight and struggle for a spot under the sun. But those who were realistic came here anyway, because they hoped for a better future for their children who could fully benefit from new opportunities, ethnic equa lity, and democracy that the New World had to offer. Bibliography: "Bread Givers" by Anzia Yezierska

Article Review Gill, Valerie Essay

In the article â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Architects of Female Power† by author Valerie Gill, Ms. Gill attempts to bridge the gap between what appears to be two powerful women of their time with two totally different opinions of the American woman and the type of life they should lead. The author points out the obvious differences of opinions in the writings of the two women, who are related by the way, and the different era in which they write. Catharine Beecher was the great aunt of Charlotte Perkins Gilman and lived and wrote during a time when  a woman working in any other place besides the home was not something that happened often. A woman’s job during this time was to raise children and make the home a warm, inviting space that had functionality that would allow for â€Å"separate spheres† for the men and women, allowing the men to have a place to discuss outside ventures and women to have a place to deal with domestic matters. Charlotte Perkins Gilman on the other hand, lived during a period where productivity was happening in factories all over the country. Her feminist attempt to undo her  great aunt’s idea that women should be assigned to only the home made it appear that the two women had absolutely nothing in common when it came to the ideas on how women should be viewed socially. Gill points out how the two very different opinions actually have many things in common. Both women agree that the role of women is very important to the health of society, even though they disagree on what their roles should be. By suggesting that each writer knows what is the best arrangement for women to experience shows another similarity between the two writers. As  pointed out by Gill, â€Å"Both writers conceptualize the identity of women in spatial as well as socioeconomic terms, assuming that the fulfillment of their own sex can be quite literally mapped out†. The author makes a point that even though their opinions of what is ideal are very different, the idea that there is one way to make women live a full life is exactly the same. Both women also had the common conclusion that the woman’s place, whether it is in the home working or in the factory working, would make a great impact on the society. Architectural ideas as to better society are another thing these two authors had in common, as  pointed out by Gill in the article. The elder author Beecher would make drawings in her articles about staging the home and using dividers as a way to make more areas in the home, and Gilman, being concerned about the lives led by farmer’s wives, included drawings of a farming community shaped like a pie that had common areas to share, as to make life easier for them. Interesting enough, Gill included in her article a picture of a drawing done by Beecher, along with her sister Harriet Beecher Stowe, later in life of a block of houses with common areas used  to house the â€Å"homeless, helpless, and vicious† which very much resembled Gilman’s block community idea where people shared common spaces and so that some women could take care of the children and household duties while others went out in the community to work. This is an excellent example of Beecher thinking like Gilman in the mixing of public and private space. It is my opinion that the aging Beecher was beginning to think out of the box. This article was insightful and gave a great example of how people with a difference of opinion can actually be thinking the same. If one just read the two women’s writings without an open mind, one would think they were completely different and had totally different ideas. Valerie Gill allowed the reader of the article to view a situation such as this one in a different way and to keep an open mind and read between the lines of any writings. I would have liked to have seen her go on and discuss the idea that some women may belong at home and some may belong in the workforce. I believe that every woman has a different situation to consider and what is important to one woman may not be important to another.

Miss Greenford

Miss Greenford sat behind her 95 years old typewriter she inherited from the father to type down a letter to her only son who serves with the US army. She said, †Dear John, I miss you so much, my second baby. Daddy hasn't being feeling well for the past three months and he is worried he wouldn't make it before you return from the war. His wish is to see you before going home. Please do come quickly when you get this letter. Grandma sends her greetings, and Doggy your cat too. While she sat typing, John, in the silence of an explosion from the enemy's camp, swallowed a bullet. †Retreat everyone†, the General shouted. Lieutenant Jamal from Afghanistan carried his friend on his shoulder and ran into the tent where the nurses tended the wounds of the injured soldiers. †Johnny, Johnny please speak to me. Open your eyes† he solemnly requested but John quietly was giving up the ghost. The only word that came out of his mouth was ‘mama'. Lieut. Jamal cried! He has lost the only friend in the army that cared for him.He remembered how he used to play basketball with John alone as all the guys refused his company and called him names. One day at assembly, it was announced a war has broken up between the US and Russia and all males were entreated to enlist in the army asap. Jamal was frightened to death because he never liked the sound of a gun. Growing up in a ghetto where the father was a warlord, he was called Ja, the whimp. He always hides under the bed during a fight of guns on the streets but John encouraged him that they can do it. He will be there for him anytime and protect him against the bullies. John was the brother Jamal never had. And now he doesn't know how he can manage without him.Back home, Miss Greenford bought a stamp at the post office, sealed her letter and posted it to his loving son. She can't wait to see him after eight solid months of separation. This war has had a toll on everyone. Miss Greenford herself has been feeling a severe ache in her left breast lately. Scared of the worst, she has refused to visit the hospital for a checkup. †I need to be strong to take care of my two boys, John and his father†, she always whispers to herself. Three weeks later, on the day Miss Greenford had planned on passing by the post office to check if her son has replied, there was a loud knock on the door which startled even the flower pot on the window pane and it came crushing on the floor.'Who is there?' she shouted from the kitchen. ‘Friends of John, the voices echoed. Miss Greenford dashed out of the kitchen like a flash of lightening only to get to the door to see men dressed in uniform carrying a coffin. Immediately, she collapsed. She woke up to the news of her husband passing out of cardio attack when he wheeled his chair to the door because he also heard the shout of †friends of John† from his room.†Both my boys had left me, she cried. What does it profit me to be alive and not happy? The two things that gave me joy have been snatched from me, mama†. Old mama Gracie was there to console her daughter. She told her not stop crying. She should spit every phlegm of bitterness out, then she can have her peace. †I have been here before and I know how it feels but don't worry it will make you stronger. It always does† Your daddy died in the war too. The only man I have ever known tasted death while in an amour defending his country. But he died a happy man. He died knowing that at least he paid his dues to his country. So sad he was before he died when I was pregnant with you for two weeks that the doctor said it is a girl. We had both been praying for a boy, but he prayed more fervently because he wanted his son to be a soldier, a protector of the state and dreams of America. Though disappointed, he loved you so very much, my baby. Be glad you gave daddy a soldier, now his soul will rest in peace.