Burning Fall Leaves May Be Hazardous to Your Health

Burning Fall Leaves May Be Hazardous to Your Health Burning fallen leaves used to be standard practice across North America, but most municipalities now ban or discourage the incendiary practice due to the air pollution it causes. The good news is that many towns and cities now offer curbside pickup of leaves and other yard waste, which they then turn into compost for park maintenance or for sale commercially. And there are other burn-free options as well. Burning Leaves May Spark Health Problems Because of the moisture that is usually trapped within leaves, they tend to burn slowly and thus generate large amounts of airborne particulates- fine bits of dust, soot and other solid materials. According to Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources, these particulates can reach deep into lung tissue and cause coughing, wheezing, chest pain, shortness of breath and sometimes long-term respiratory problems. Leaf smoke may also contain hazardous chemicals such as carbon monoxide, which can bind with hemoglobin in the bloodstream and reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood and lungs. Another noxious chemical commonly present in leaf smoke is benzo(a)pyrene, which has been shown to cause cancer in animals and is believed to be a major factor in lung cancer caused by cigarette smoke. And while breathing in leaf smoke can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat of healthy adults, it can really wreak havoc on small children, the elderly and people with asthma or other lung or heart diseases. Small Leaf Fires Can Cause Big Pollution Problems Sporadic individual leaf fires usually don’t cause any major pollution, but multiple fires in one geographic area can cause concentrations of air pollutants that exceed federal air quality standards. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several leaf and yard waste fires burning simultaneously in a particular locale can cause air pollution rivaling that from factories, motor vehicles, and lawn equipment. Fallen Leaves Make Good Compost Purdue University consumer horticulture specialist Rosie Lerner says that composting leaves is the most eco-friendly alternative to burning. Dry leaves alone will take a long time to break down, she says, but mixing in green plant materials, such as grass trimmings, will speed up the process. Sources of nitrogen, such as livestock manure or commercial fertilizer, will also help. â€Å"Mix the pile occasionally to keep a good supply of air in the compost,† she says, adding that a compost pile should be a minimum of three cubic feet and will generate soil conditioner within weeks or a few months, depending on conditions. Mulch Leaves Instead of Burning Another option is to shred leaves for use as mulch for your lawn or to help protect garden and landscape plants. Lerner suggests adding no more than a two-to-three-inch layer of leaves around actively growing plants, chopping or shredding the leaves first so they don’t mat down and prevent air from reaching roots. As to using leaves as mulch for your lawn, it is just a simple matter of mowing right over the leaves with the lawnmower and leaving them there. As with leaves used for garden mulch, this will provide many benefits, including weed suppression, moisture conservation and moderation of soil temperature. EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E. Edited by Frederic Beaudry

Heros Journey 101 Definition and Step-by-Step Guide (With Checklist!)

Heros Journey 101 Definition and Step-by-Step Guide (With Checklist!) The Hero's Journey: an Author's Guide to Plotting Ever notice that many stories seem to have a similar pattern? There’s always a protagonist who goes on an adventure, makes new friends, encounters roadblocks, fights a bad guy, and returns home a changed person. In fact, we can sum it up for you in two words: Hero’s Journey.This story structure is as old as time. From Theseus and the Minotaur to The Lion King, so many narratives follow this pattern that it’s ingrained in our cultural DNA today. In this post, we'll show you how to make this classic plot structure work for you - and recap it all in a neat infographic. Ready to answer the call of adventure? Let’s cross the barrier.What is the Hero’s Journey archetype?The Hero's Journey is a classic story structure that's shared by stories worldwide. Coined by academic Joseph Campbell in 1949, it refers to a wide-ranging category of tales in which a character ventures out to get what they need, faces conflict, and ultimately triumphs over adversity. Here are the three stages of the hero’s journey:The Departure Act: the Hero leaves the Ordinary World.The Initiation Act: the Hero ventures into unknown territory (the "Special World") and is birthed into a true champion through various trials and challenges.The Return Act: the Hero returns in triumph.In 2007, screenwriter Christopher Vogler refined Campbell’s original structure in his book,  The Writer’s Journey.  In it, Vogler expanded upon Campbell’s three phases, defining 12 stages that make it up. (This is the version that we’ll be dissecting later in this post.) The Hero's Journey has its fingerprints in everything from The Lion King  and horror novels to Star Wars and Arrival. But keep in mind that you don't necessarily need to follow it beat by beat. You can instead think of it as a map: you can stray from the set path whenever you like. But when you’re struggling to figure out what should happen next, it can act as a narrative arc guide to suggest what the next milestone should be. What are the 12 stages of the Hero's Journey? The 12 Hero’s Journey StepsThe Hero's Journey is a model for both plot points and character development: as the Hero traverses the world, they'll undergo inner and outer transformation at each stage of the journey. The 12 steps of the hero's journey are...1. The Ordinary World 2. The Call of Adventure 3. Refusal of the Call 4. Meeting the Mentor 5. Crossing the First Threshold 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies 7. Approach to the Inmost Cave 8. The Ordeal 9. Reward (Seizing the Sword) 10. The Road Back 11. Resurrection 12. Return with the ElixirBelieve it or not, this story structure also applies across mediums and genres (and also works when your protagonist is an anti-hero!). To show you how it can be used outside of your average sword-and-sorcery books, we've adopted the 1976 film  Rocky as an example in each step. 1. Ordinary WorldIn which we meet our Hero.The journey has yet to start. Before our Hero discovers a strange new world, we must first understand the status quo: their ordinary, mundane reality.It’s up to this opening leg to set the stage, introducing the Hero to readers. Importantly, it lets readers identify with the Hero as a â€Å"normal† person in a â€Å"normal† setting, before the journey begins.Example of the Ordinary World: In the opening of Rocky, Rocky Balboa is introduced as a mediocre boxer and loan collector - just doing his best to live day-to-day in a poor part of Philadelphia.2. Call to AdventureIn which an adventure starts.The call to adventure is all about booting the Hero out of their comfort zone. In this stage, they are generally confronted with a problem or challenge they can't ignore. This catalyst can take many forms, as Campbell points out in Hero with a Thousand Faces. The Hero can, for instance:Decide to go forth of their own volition, i.e. Theseus upon arriving in Athens,Be sent abroad by a benign or malignant agent, i.e. Odysseus setting off on his ship in The Odyssey,Stumble upon the adventure as a result of a mere blunder, i.e. Dorothy when she’s swept up in a tornado in The Wizard of Oz,Be casually strolling when some passing phenomenon catches the wandering eye and lures one away from the frequented paths of man, i.e. Elliot in E.T. upon discovering a lost alien in the t ool shed.The stakes of the adventure and the Hero's goals become clear. The only question: will he rise to the challenge?Example of the Call to Adventure: Apollo Creed, the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, decides to make a big fight interesting by giving a no-name a chance to challenge him. Intrigued by the nickname, â€Å"The Italian Stallion,† he rings Rocky up.3. Refusal of the CallIn which the Hero digs in their feet.Great, so the Hero’s received their summons. Now they’re all set to be whisked off to defeat evil, right?Not so fast. The Hero might first refuse the call to action. It’s risky and there are perils - like spiders, trolls, or perhaps a creepy uncle waiting back at Pride Rock. It’s enough to give anyone pause.In Star Wars, for instance, Luke Skywalker initially refuses to join Obi-Wan on his mission to rescue the princess. It’s only when he discovers that his aunt and uncle have been killed by stormtroopers that he changes his mind.Example of the Refusal of the Call: Rocky says, â€Å"Thanks, but no thanks,† to Creed’s invitation. He’s reluctant, given that he has no trainer and is incredibly out of shape. Follow Rocky as he traverses the Hero's Journey in this post 4. Meeting the MentorIn which the Hero acquires a personal trainer.The Hero's decided to go on the adventure - but they’re not ready to spread their wings yet. They're much too inexperienced at this point and we don't want them to do a fabulous belly-flop off the cliff.Enter the mentor: someone who helps the Hero, so that they doesn't make a total fool of themselves (or get themselves killed). The mentor provides practical training, profound wisdom, a kick up the posterior, or something abstract like grit and self-confidence.Wise old wizards seem to like being mentors. But mentors take many forms, from witches to hermits and suburban karate instructors. They might literally give weapons to prepare for the trials ahead, like Q in the James Bond series. Or perhaps the mentor is an object, such as a map. In all cases, they prepare the Hero for the next step.Example of Meeting the Mentor: In steps former boxer Mickey â€Å"Mighty Mick† Goldmill, who sees potential in Rocky and starts training him physically and mentally for the fight.5. Crossing the First ThresholdIn which the Hero enters the other world in earnest.Now the Hero is ready - and committed - to the journey. This marks the end of the Departure stage and is when the adventure really kicks into the next gear. As Vogler writes: â€Å"This is the moment that the balloon goes up, the ship sails, the romance begins, the wagon gets rolling.†From this point on, there’s no turning back.Like our Hero, you should think of this stage as a checkpoint for your story. Pause and re-assess your bearings before you continue into unfamiliar territory. Have you:Launched the central conflict? If not, here’s a post on types of conflict to help you out.Established the theme of your book? If not, check out this post that’s all about creating theme  and motifs.Made headway into your character development? If not, this character profile template and these character development exercises may be useful.Example of Crossing the First Threshold: Rocky fully accepts the gauntlet to square up when he crosses the threshold into his love interest Adrian’s house and asks her out on a date.6. Tests, Allies, EnemiesIn which the Hero faces new challenges and gets a squad.When we step into the Special World, we notice a definite shift. The Hero might be discombobulated by this unfamiliar reality and its new rules. This is generally one of the longest stages in the story, as our protagonist gets to grips with this new world.This makes a prime hunting ground for the series of tests to pass! Luckily, there are many ways for the Hero to get into trouble:In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,  Spencer, Bethany, â€Å"Fridge,† and Martha get off to a bad start when they bump into a herd of bloodthirsty hippos.In his first few months at Hogwarts, Harry Potter manages to fight a troll, almost fall from a broomstick and die, and get horribly lost in the Forbidden Forest.Marlin and Dory encounter three â€Å"reformed† sharks , get shocked by jellyfish, and are swallowed by a blue whale en route to finding Nemo.This stage often expands the cast of characters. Once the protagonist is in the Special World, he will meet allies and enemies - or foes that turn out to be friends, and vice versa. He will learn a new set of rules from them. Saloons and seedy bars are popular places for these transactions, as Vogler points out (so long as the Hero survives them).Example of Tests, Allies, Enemies: Rocky continues to try and win over Adrian while making a dubious friend in Paulie.7. Approach to the Inmost CaveIn which the Hero gets closer to his goal.This isn’t a physical cave. Instead, the â€Å"inmost cave† refers to the most dangerous spot in the other realm - whether that’s the villain’s chambers, the lair of the fearsome dragon, or the Death Star. Almost always, it is where the ultimate goal of the quest is located. Everything you wanted to know about the Hero's Journey - and more! Note that the protagonist hasn’t entered the Inmost Cave just yet. This stage is all about the approach to it. It covers all the prepwork that's needed in order to defeat the villain.Example of the Approach to the Inmost Cave: The Inmost Cave in Rocky is Rocky’s own mind. He fears that he’ll never amount to anything - something that he reveals when he butts heads with his trainer, Mickey, in his apartment.8. OrdealIn which the Hero faces his biggest test of all thus far. Of all the tests the Hero has faced, none have made them hit rock bottom - until now. Vogler describes this phase as a â€Å"black moment.† Campbell refers to it as the â€Å"belly of the whale.† Both indicate some grim news for the Hero.The protagonist must now confront their greatest fear. If they survive it, they will emerge transformed. This is a critical moment in the story, as Vogler explains that it will â€Å"inform every decision that the Hero makes from this point forward.†The Ordeal is sometimes not the climax of the story. There’s more to come. But you can think of it as the main event of the second act - the one in which the Hero actually earns the title of â€Å"Hero.†Example of the Ordeal: The start of the training montage marks the beginning of Rocky’s Ordeal. He pushes through it until he glimpses hope ahead while running up the museum steps.9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)In which the Hero sees light at the end of the tunnel.Our Hero’s been through a lot. However, the fruits of their labor are now at hand - if they can just reach out and grab them! The â€Å"reward† is the object or knowledge the Hero has fought throughout the entire journey to hold.Once the protagonist has it in their possession, it generally has greater ramifications for the story. Vogler offers a few examples of it in action:Luke rescues Princess Leia and captures the plans of the Death Star - keys to defeating Darth Vader.Dorothy escapes from the Wicked Witch’s castle with the broomstick and the ruby slippers - keys to getting back home.Example of the Reward (Seizing the Sword): Rocky’s reward is the return of his faith in himself. He regains the self-esteem to realize that he has the stuff to take on Apollo Creed - win or lose.10. The Road BackIn which the light at the end of the tunnel might be a little further than the Hero thought.The story's not over just yet, as this phase marks the beginning of Act Three. Now that he's seized the reward, the Hero tries to return to the Ordinary World, but more dangers (inconveniently) arise on the road back from the Inmost Cave.More precisely, the Hero must deal with the consequences and aftermath of the previous act: the dragon, enraged by the Hero who’s just stolen a treasure from under his nose, starts the hunt. Or perhaps the opposing army gathers to pursue the Hero across a crowded battlefield. All further obstacles for the Hero, who must face them down before they can return home.Example of the Road Back: On New Year’s Day, the fight between Rocky and Creed is held. Rocky realizes the challenge that lies before him in the first few rounds, in which both men are more or less equally matched.11. ResurrectionIn which the last test is met.Here is the true climax of the story. Everything that happened prior to this stage culminates in a crowning test for the Hero, as the Dark Side gets one last chance to triumph over the Hero.Vogler refers to this as a â€Å"final exam† for the Hero - they must be â€Å"tested once more to see if they have really learned the lessons of the Ordeal.† It’s in this Final Battle that the protagonist goes through one more â€Å"resurrection.† As a result, this is where you’ll get most of your miraculous near-death escapes, la James Bond's dashing deliverances. If the Hero survives, they can start looking forward to a sweet ending.Example of the Resurrection: Rocky’s knocked down more than a few times as the fight continues. The entire fight winds up lasting 15 rounds and takes both men to the brink of exhaustion.12. Return with the ElixirIn which our Hero has a triumphant homecoming.Finally, the Hero gets to return home. However, they go back a different person than when they started out: they’ve grown and matured as a result of the journey they’ve taken.But we’ve got to see them bring home the bacon, right? That’s why the protagonist must return with the â€Å"Elixir,† or the prize won during the journey, whether that’s an object or knowledge and insight gained.Of course, it’s possible for a story to end on an Elixir-less note - but then the Hero would be doomed to repeat the entire adventure.Example of the Return with the Elixir: Rocky doesn’t win the fight - but he doesn’t care. He’s won back his confidence and beaten his mental demons. And he’s got Adrian, who tell him that she loves him.Free Infographic: The Hero’s Journey TemplateThe following infographic can be used as a hero’s journey template. Follow Bilbo along on each of the 12 steps of his journey - as you go through, plot your own character’s journey through the: Ordinary World, Call of Adventure, Refusal of the Call, Meeting the Mentor, Crossing the First Threshold, Tests, Allies, Enemies, Approach to the Inmost Cave, Ordeal, Reward (Seizing the Sword), Road Back, Resurrection, and Return with the Elixir! Looking beyond the Hero’s JourneyIt’s important to remember that this story structure was conceived as a way to better understand story structure. It’s just one helpful way to outline a novel and dissect a plot. For more longstanding theories on the topic, you can go this way to read about the ever-popular Three-Act Structure or here to discover Dan Harmon's Story Circle and  three more prevalent structures. Cool infographic alert! Analyzing the Hero's Journey: As Seen in the Hobbit Remember, rules are made to be broken. There’s plenty of room to play within its confines. Do you want to experiment with an abbreviated â€Å"Resurrection† stage, as J.K. Rowling did in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Are you more interested in exploring the journey of an anti-hero? It’s all possible. Once you understand the basics of this universal story structure, you can use and bend it in ways that disrupts reader expectations.Are you planning on using the Hero's Journey in your book? What's your favorite example of this structure? Let us know in the comments below!

Managing and Leading Strategic Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing and Leading Strategic Change - Essay Example to the company (and later taking on the post of COO and President whereas Bethune would remain the CEO and Chairman), introduced a â€Å"Go Forward Plan† which had four parts, aimed at putting the company back on track in 1995. The four pats were the market plan: â€Å"Fly to Win, The Financial Plan: Fund the Future, The Product Plan: Make Reliability a Reality, The People Plan: Working Together.† The plan was to implement all these changes simultaneously, since they would create a multiplier effect (Hartley, pp. 78-84, 2010). Implementation and Leading this Strategic Change (Go Forward Plan) Bethune knew that despite this plan was approved by board of directors with all the trust, confidence and enthusiasm, employees would view this plan with all possible suspicion and mistrust. Therefore, the first thing, which Bethune did, was to open the doors of the executive lounge of Continental, which had been protected from any visitors since many years like some castle. Employ ees now need only to show their IDs and gain entrance into Bethune’s office. After opening the doors for employees, Bethune initiated a new ritual of arranging open houses at the end of each month at the Houston headquarters. Just to ensure that employees feel comfortable around executive, the concept of causal Fridays came into being, except for the employees who had direct dealings with customers (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, pp. 284-285, 2008). One of the previous managements of Continental had tried to repaint all the planes but failed to complete the same due to limited financing and immense pressure for cost cutting. As of late 1994, the planes were in the same condition, not painted uniformly. Bethune felt that repainting the planes would send a message of revival, newness, and better operations to the... Managing and Leading Strategic Change Since 1983, nine different CEOs who came in with the slogan of change, tried their luck and as the figures show, they were not very successful. Not only the company was in trouble from the financial side but as it has been mentioned above, that the company was surrounded by trouble from all directions. High turnover, infighting between employees and departments, employee absences, use of sick time, customer complaints, and highest number of mishandled baggage reports, ranking last in terms of on time arrival and others would just be a glance at the terrible conditions in which â€Å"Continental Airlines† was still somehow surviving. It was in February 1994, when Gordon Bethune took the charge of the company as the Chief Operating Officer and President and later in that year as the CEO as well, he knew that the company needed a hardcore strategic change and strong implementation of that change as well. Quite understandably, it was his responsibility to do the same. Important here to note is that the whole change process that Bethune implemented at Continental was in line with eight steps of change presented by John Kotter, professor of leadership at Harvard Business Review in Boston. This is one those strategic change implementation models, which has been praised and acclaimed by many different authors in their writings and analysis. Let us a have a brief analysis of the same. Kotter’s first step is about creating urgency for change.

Concept of culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Concept of culture - Essay Example â€Å"Culture is essential for the existence of a society, because it binds people together† (Kartha). Some of the major aspects of culture include social norms and values, language, religion, ceremonies and festivals, food, clothing, and arts and literature. Cultural relativity is an important concept related to culture. It means that any good or bad deed is related to the cultural norms and values. An action, which is socially approved in a culture, is good whereas an action, which is not approved in a culture, is a bad action. Almost all cultures tend to be ethnocentric in nature. The reason is that people belonging to any specific culture or society usually perceive things according to the perspective of their own cultures. For example, a person living in the Indian society will see every matter of life according to the mindset developed by Indian culture. He/she will not see any matter from the perspective of American or European culture. Therefore, we can say that cultur e not only influences the living style and mindset of people but also plays a considerable role in shaping behaviors and characteristics of the people living in any society. Works Cited Kartha, Deepa. â€Å"What is Culture.† Buzzle.com, n.d. Web. 19 Jun. 2011.

Assisted Suicide Essay Example for Free

Assisted Suicide Essay If you’re suffering from excruciating pain and there’s no hope you will recover and doctors are keeping you alive for as long as you can take for no reason, would you want them to pull the plug? Assisted suicide is mostly legal in 16 countries. In the U.S. assisted suicide is legal in Washington, Oregon, Vermont and Montana does not specifically address physician-assisted suicide but have no laws against it and physicians who practice it are shielded from prosecution. Assisted suicide is a controversy because too many people it’s against their religion. Assisted suicide is considered to be inhumane to some people because some people say that animals are put down, not human beings. Also some believe that some people might take advantage of assisted suicide. It’s a choice that some people might want to take if they’re suffering. Most of the people that are against assisted suicide say it’s because it’s against their religion. Others believe it is inhumane and say it violates a fundamental tenet of medicine by contradicting the doctors role as a healer to end a person’s life (murder) even if they are suffering. Assisted suicide should be legal everywhere because if you do not believe in it then you don’t have to choose that option, but people that believe in it should be able to choose. Many physicians believe assisted suicide should be legal and terminally ill patients should have the choice to end their suffering. If you have the right to live, shouldnt you have the right to die? If you have the right to live, shouldnt you have the right to die? When such people ask for assistance in exercising their right to die, their wishes should be respected† This quote from Claire Andre (page 1) is stating that someone who is asking to end their suffering from a terminal illness/disease that their wish should be honored and respected. Claire is trying to prove that assisted suicide should be respected if one has the desires to end their  life but only from a terminally illness/disease. She is stating that it’s actually inhumane to keep someone alive as long as possible through medical treatment. If the doctors know that a patient wont recover they should be able to ask the patient if they want the option of getting a high dose of medicine that will end their s uffering. Most people who are against assisted suicide have no reason besides that it’s against their religion because it’s technically suicide. Others say that it’s inhumane and it’s technically murder because you’re taking someone’s life. Also some people think that some people that are having family issues or people who are in debt might try to take advantage of assisted suicide. Dr. Ann McPherson, a 64-year-old GP from Oxford, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. After 14 years of being diagnosed she now has terminal pancreatic cancer and secondary cancer in her lungs. She is only taking her morphine and she does not receive cancer treatment anymore. Assisted dying is something I have considered. I have no idea if I want it, that depends on how my dying goes. But I want it to be there. I feel very strongly that palliative care should include assisted dying, I call it assisted dying, not assisted suicide, because suicide has connotations of someth ing bad, running away. I think the law is inhuman as it stands and I think the  ­public is ahead of the lawmakers on this. (Page 1) she believes that making it illegal to have a physician end ones suffering is inhumane and should be reconsidered. Also no one would be able to take advantage of assisted suicide because there are protocols and you have to be terminally ill. To those who believe that assisted suicide technically suicide and against their religion are wrong. How can it be inhumane if it’s their choice to end their own suffering? If God loved you he wouldnt want you to suffer through terminally illnesses/ diseases he would want you to be able to end your suffering. Dr. Ann McPherson calls it assisted dying because she believes that suicide is just as excuse to end your problems or run away. Maybe some people are just against assisted suicide because of the name and havent looked into it. Maybe if they used the name Euthanasia or Assisted dying more often people might look at it different. Dr. Ann McPherson also has a husband, children, and grandchildren. She states that she wants her family to be there for her and she said I dont want to go to  Zurich, to some anonymous facility; I would want to do it in my own bed. I have a husband, three children and five grandchildren and I would like them to be there if that is the route I go down, though I dont want them to be directly involved. A professional should be able to do that. (Page 2). She doesnt want her family to take part in her death but if she was able to choose that path she would want her family to be there. Also if someone asked a physician to help them assist suicide and they were not terminally ill but they had life problems, they should and would be turned away. Assisted suicide is a way out of suffering from illness and diseases not life issues. There have been only 5 countries to fully legalize assisted suicide and only 3 states (soon to be 4) in the United States. The other 11 countries have no law against suicide/ assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is starting to appear in many court cases around the world and is starting to be considered worldwide. Some countries have no laws about assisting a suicide or suicide itself but do have laws like failure to assist a person in danger, an assisted with manslaughter, accessory to murder, and even murder is brought up in cases that involves someone assisting someone in suicide. While Oregon, Washington State, Vermont and Montana permit physician-assisted suicide, Montanas Supreme Court determined that assisted suicide is a medical treatment. We find no indication in Montana laws that physician aid in dying provided to terminally ill, mentally competent adult patients is against public policy and therefore, the physician who assists is shielded from criminal liability by the patien t’s consent.†(Page 1) The Montana Supreme Court states that physicians may assist patients in ending their lives with a high dosage of legal drugs. The states living-will law provides the basis for the practice said by the Montana Supreme Court (page 1). Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States (Washington, Oregon, Vermont, and Montana) have legalized assisted suicide. More countries are starting to move toward legalizing assisted suicide/ euthanasia. In 1997 Colombias Supreme Court ruled that penalties/ criminal offenses for mercy killing should be removed. They havent legalized assisted suicide but are leading towards it. In the United Kingdom a man named Martin who is 46 years old suffered from a brainstem stroke. He is completely paralyzed everywhere except for his eyelids. He has a computer in which he stares at 24/7, that recognizes one letter at a time as Martin blinks and stares at it. He uses his eyes to spell out his desires, frustrations and anger on his computer. He wants to go to court for an assurance that any professional person/ physician who helps him to die/pull the plug will not be prosecuted. The doctors said that he could live for years in his state and even his wife is trying to help him fight for the right to die. He describes his life as S-H-I-T and he just wants to die (page 1). The United Kingdom’s laws are suicide is not a crime but assisting a suicide is. Martin is fighting for his right to die and the United Kingdom is debating it. This shows that more and more countries are starting to consider legalizing assisted suicide and they are realizing that in some situation s it should be allowed. Assisted suicide should be legalized, allowed, and accepted everywhere .More and more countries are legalizing assisted suicide every year. There should be a choice for someone who is terminally ill and suffering to end their life without anyone being prosecuted. If you dont believe in assisted suicide then you dont have to choose that option. A person who is suffering from a terminal illness/disease should have the right to die, no doubt. If you believe its inhumane to end ones suffering how is it not inhumane to keep someone who is suffering alive by a machine keeping them alive. If suicide is against your religion then you dont have to choose assisted suicide, but would God really want you to suffer, no. Also if the name â€Å"assisted suicide is the reason youre against it, call it euthanasia. If you believe that it violates a fundamental tenet of medicine by contradicting the doctors role as a healer to end a person’s life (murder) even if they are suffering, you are mos t definitely wrong. It’s inhumane to keep someone alive who is suffering and have asked you to end their suffering by using an overdose of medicine to make their passing painless and quick. If you have the right to live, shouldnt you have the right to die? The answer is yes because why/how can it be a crime to commit suicide or assist suicide by a physician? How can you possibly be punished and also why should a Judge be able decide whether you live or not? Assisted suicide  should be legal and not have to have a Judge decide your life. Some people might say its technically suicide and some people might say its technically murder. How on earth is it either of those? First off you are just trying to end your suffering if you choose assisted suicide and a physician assisting a patients suicide/death isnt (should not be considered) murder. The physician is just helping them ease away their suffering. All around the world countries are debating whether or not to legalize assisted suicide. More coun tries every year are legalizing it and already 4 states of the United States have approved it. In some countries if you assist a suicide you could be charged from failure to assist someone in danger to murder. Most people who have been charged with assisting a suicide were let off. The charges were acquitted but not after fighting them in court. Learning more about assisted suicide and suicide in general would give more people more knowledge about assisted suicide and why it should be legalized. Most people were taught very young that killing yourself/someone is very bad so every time the topic about assisted suicide by physician comes up they say it’s wrong to kill yourself and it’s wrong to kill someone. They do not have the slightest clue that assisted suicide is helping suffering people and their families watch them suffer. It would bring peace to the person who is suffering and to their family to know that their suffering has ended. So shouldnt we have the right to die, if we also have the right to live? If you are suffering from a terminally illness/disease or terrible accident where you can no longer eat, clean, use the bathroom, change clothes, and even adjust yoursel f wouldnt you want the option of assisted suicide.

A Scope Of Microsoft Essay -- essays research papers

There are many factors that must be considered when â€Å"scoping† out a company for a potential merger or acquisition. I being the CEO of a major competitive software manufacturing company look for many things. Things such as strategic planning, financial performance, technological advances and marketing opportunities are just some of the factors that must be looked at when considering another company for acquisition. In this case, Microsoft Corporation is our target. I will be examining the above-mentioned factors before making my decision on whether or not an acquisition will be feasible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 by William H. Gates III. The company, which was inspired by Gates, had a vision of computers powered by software developed by the company being a way of life. The goal was to integrate computers into people’s everyday lives. The company started out in Gates’ garage with primitive technology and unlimited aspiration. Today the company has grown to be the world’s number one software developer and manufacturer. The company offers a very diverse line of products ranging from home user applications to high tech business software. Microsoft develops and manufactures a full line of games, web publishing, and most importantly, it’s number one piece of software, Windows 2000 and ever-popular Office 2000. The world basically runs on Microsoft software. The software is shipped with 70% of the world’s computers giving Microsoft a total of over 19 billion dollars in revenues for 1999. Microsoft has re cently emerged in the world of Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to become a competitor of the well-known America Online. The Microsoft Network (MSN) as it is known offers users the same advantages of the leading ISP’s while incorporating its own technology to make the online experience more user friendly and technologically advanced than the others. MSN allows users to interface their online work with their regular operating software to allow for easier web publishing, more advanced multimedia presentations, and quicker processing time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There have been many issues concerning Microsoft’s strategies. Many say that the company is only in the market to take over and monopolize. As a matter of fact, the United States Government is currently in a civil anti-trust case against the company. Evid... ... and manufacturer that will occupy every sector of the software industry. Our manufacturing plants can be consolidated and re-structured to cut costs, wile adapting to manufacture the new software line that my company would introduce. Our management team can be re-structured as well so that strategic planning and decision-making will better implement our new ideas and technological advances. Finally, our market share will be greatly increased because of the ability to be exposed to countries that we are not currently involved in. I feel that a combination of our companies would be probably the most beneficial event that could occur in my company. Microsoft has proven itself to be the number one software company in the world; together we would be unstoppable. One problem with this joint venture would be the matter with the pending Anti-Trust case, which would probably be further fueled by this joint venture. Whatever the outcome of the case, which by the way seems to be nearing a settlement, I feel that the newly formed company will be the best thing that has happened in software since 1975. **All factual and financial information was taken from Microsoft’s 1999 Financial Report.

Modern and Traditional Families

Have modern families changed over the past few generations, or have people remained the same in playing each of their own leading gender role responsibilities in modern families? Some statistics show that times have now changed in spite of the man’s perception of women being stay at home mothers to their children. In addition, women can also be the breadwinner in their families rather than the father going to work. In fact, traditional families in contrast with modern families have exponentially changed as time has passed.To better understand the context of this paper I will discuss the differences and similarities between modern and traditional mothers. In my opinion I believe there are three key important responsibilities in a traditional and modern family childcare, education, and healthcare. In addition, there are various things to consider when taking care of child. For example, in the article of â€Å"The Men We Carry in our Minds,† by Russell Sanders, realizes as a young lad that hard working men like his father would have to go to work leaving his mother to stay at home and take care of young Russell.Secondly, in the story Russell talks about men and realizes that men can sometimes be overbearing and view power, competency, efficiency and achievement more importantly (Sanders, R. 1984). To cite another example, in early human history women were frowned upon to tend to their kids because of the high death rate which consequently led mothers to take the task of nurturing their children at home. (Henslin, J. M. 2009). In contrast, there are some moderate differences between modern and traditional mothers in childcare and education.Even though, we live in a modern time there has been a 16% percent increase in traditional mothers still taking care of their children. In addition, studies done in a class group together found that younger parents, as opposed to older parents, were placed in the 73 percent and placing traditional mothers at 86 perc ent. On the other hand, educating a child is equally important so the parents must decide how they will educate their children; in traditional families it is usually the mother who tends to educate the children.For example, one of the parents  may feel more strongly about supervision, discipline, and education to the child, In particular, the same cannot be said about modern parents. In fact, the reason being is because there has been a 13% percent decrease in modern mother taking care of their children because of work related problems. (See Appendix, in Figure 1). Furthermore, healthcare is another major form of responsibility for the mothers. In most households it is usually the mothers that are left behind to fend for their child throughout the first forty days of the baby being born.Moreover, this may sometimes abrupt verbal disputes, misunderstandings, and communication problems about how they want to raise their child. In Addition, one of the parents may feel stronger about the habits and health of the child. (Neuman. F, 2013). In the same way, modern mothers are taking the leading role in taking care of the child’s health. In comparison, between modern and traditional mothers people are still see a declining percentage in modern parents in regards to caregiving and healthcare. So people can conclude that there are some negative changes in modern families even though women still tend to the children.There are two more additional factors in a household that must be decided when it comes to providing for the family. This leads to the second question in the matter of who will work, and who will be in charge of balancing the books as well as paying the bills. Modern and traditional mothers have always had the capability of working, paying bills, and balance check books, but because of the plain definition and meaning of the word â€Å"gender† has some biological adherence, and has resulted in mothers being socially deemed incapable. (Henslin, J. M. 2009) Whereas today, modern mothers are now less likely to be stay at home mothers.In contrast, modern mothers today, rather than traditional, have drastically changed and can now multitask just as well as fathers. For example, mothers today can now pay bills, work, and balance check books without the help of the father. In fact, people are now seeing mothers today playing the role of the breadwinner a lot more. Lastly, families are still seeing traditional and modern mother cleaning and doing most of the household duties around the house. Modern and traditional families are now noticing a slight differential change in mother helping outside of the home.Although, there has been a small change in modern and traditional mother helping their families outside of the home. For instance, cutting the grass, or fixing the fence, and repairing things around the house. As a result, mothers today are more open to the meaning of household duties. In conclusion, to the discussion presente d in this paper people can conclude that traditional mothers in comparison with modern mothers today have a higher percentage rate in childcare, wage earnings, and household duties rather than modern mother.All in all, I truly believe that it is very important for families to have equality in order to have functional family. In addition, I still believe men should strive to do more for their other half’s. In my opinion there has been a greater significant change over the past generations in mothers, Ultimately, it seems that modern families have relatively remained the same, and traditional families have continuously increased over the past generations.

Undefeated

Undefeated Being positive and a true believer in good things will always give you the best outcome in life. Johnny was always out in the court playing what he loved. Second on his team, he was the most recognized basketball player in the entire high school. Johnnys passion towards basketball began when he was Just 8 years old. Always dribbling the ball around and playing with his friends, and never lost a game. During the school year, Johnny was determined to be his best in school but also to compete in the state finals.So to do that, he would come to the gym court every morning to practice. He hardly every missed a practice. Every day he would try his best to be healthy so his bones could be strong on the court. Johnny lifelong goal is to be a professional basketball star one day. The final game was Just a day away. This was to determine who was going to compete in the district finals. Johnny was as nervous as can be but he couldn't stop from going out there. As soon as the game sta rted, Johnnys team was in the lead. They were trying really hard to play their best.When a foul was called, Johnny was up for a free throw. While he threw the ball, a massive pain in his knee prevented him from continuing. He was in major pain and the ambulance was called to take him to the ER. Later that day, Johnnys teammates and family were as worried as can be. When the x-rays came in, it was noticed that Johnnys ACL was ruptured very severely. Followed by the recovery time and the surgery, it really impacted Johnnys mood. Although Johnny was aware that he had to stay positive throughout all of this.Thinking about the surgery â€Å"Finds, and shall find, me unafraid† kept him going. After the successful surgery, Johnny had only 2 months remaining until he could go back out on the court and play again. As tough as the procedure was, Johnny kept his head up and got through it. Johnny knows, because of his positive attitude and dedication to get better, he will be playing ag ain Just like he used to. All the hard work pays off at the end somehow. One thing to know he said â€Å"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul. † By mt6nesscaaa

Analyse the method used to make the opening battle sequence of Saving Private Ryan both shocking Essays

Analyse the method used to make the opening battle sequence of Saving Private Ryan both shocking Essays Analyse the method used to make the opening battle sequence of Saving Private Ryan both shocking Paper Analyse the method used to make the opening battle sequence of Saving Private Ryan both shocking Paper Essay Topic: Film The film Saving Private Ryan was first released on September 11th 1998, a joint production from Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg. Some of the other movies directed by Steven Spielberg were: Jaws (1975),Raiders of the Lost Arc(1981), E. T(1982), Jurrrasic Park(1993), Schindlers List (19993), etc. Saving Private Ryan won five academy awards (Oscars) including best director in 1999. Some of the leading actors in the film are Tom Hanks (Captain Miller), Tom Sizemore (Sergeant Horvath) Edward Burns (Private Reiben) Barry Pepper (Private Jackson), Jeremy Davies (private Upham) and Matt Damon (Private Ryan). The film is about saving one of the four brothers that had joined the army and have fought in the war. One mourning the home office receives three letters that three of the brothers had passed away. Due to this the general staff officer of the United States of America gives an order to send a unit of eight soldiers to save the last brother. This was done so that when more than one son joins the army and the rest passes away the brig at least one of them so that they that they could keep the family blood and name going on the film lasts for two hours and fifty minutes . the opening battle sequence lasts for twenty for minutes. Saving Private Ryan is a movie that generates strong responses from most people that see it. I found that each of my subjects would recommend it, not one of the individuals interviewed felt the violence was senseless, and all of them left the movie with a strong emotional response. It appears that Saving Private Ryan is the kind of movie to which many can relate. Saving Private Ryan is not a romantic, feel-good movie, but it is probably one of the best movies released this year. It is without a doubt one of the most realistic films produced. It has different types of entertainment for all kinds of viewers. It has elements of violence, patriotism, sentimentality, and heroism all rolled into one film. Seven Spielberg also uses different angles and camera shots to make the audience feel how the soldiers felt and saw when they were in battle. The first scene is the transition from present to past. At the start of the film we see an old man walking towards the graveyard with some people behind him. The graveyard that we see in the film is situated in Normandy which is a part of France. The name of the graveyard is Colville-Sur-Mer . Then we get a close up on the American flag and the French flag. As the old man walks into the graveyard his eyes begin to shed tears then he kneels in front of a tombstone which has the name John Miller engraved on it. The film starts in the present day and then as we get an close up on James Ryans face the film flashes back to the past which was the Battle grounds of the war at Omaha Beach. This takes us to June 6th 1944 which was D-day. Then he uses a long distance shot so that we the audience could see what is there along Omaha beach. Then we hear the calm sounds of the waves gushing against the hedgehogs and the corps along the long stretch of the beach. This movie is obviously set against the backdrop of World War II, beginning with D-Day and the battle of Omaha Beach. Then in the second scene we see and hear the Higgins crafts approaching the beach through the thick mist. As the boats approach nearer to the beach the commander in charge of each unit of each boat shouts out orders. As the doors role down we see chaos as the German soldiers open fire on the soldiers that are trying to get out. The killing appears to be overdone as the young men step off the transport boats only to be killed one after the other, but when consulting the history of this battle, it is almost exactly how this battle took place. The beaches were indeed covered with bodies, and the water was red with the blood of the slaughtered soldiers. The recreation of this battle by Steven Spielberg has succeeded in bringing this war, this battle in particular, out of the history books and into larger than life on Americas movie screens. The over the soldiers shot makes the audience see from the Germans perspective of how the Germans had a clear advantage. As the U. S soldiers try their hardest to approach the battle field most of their attempts are in vain their. This due to heavy fire from the German soldiers that massacre most of them even before they get out from the boat. As captain Miller attempts to get all his soldiers out of the boat most of them at the front die. Then he orders them to jump from the corner of the boat. Then as the soldiers attempt to swim ashore most of them drown or get shot. The Steven Spielberg use the water to create the sound effect. As the soldiers go under water the sound is muted and as they rise their heads above the water the sound of gun shots reappear. The various amounts of perspectives give this scene an overview of carnage. Camera works are so good that they brings the audience closer to action to see from the Germans perspective and make the audience think that the U. S. mission was hopeless. The third scene is about Captain Millers confusion. In this scene we see that Miller dragging a soldier onto the beach. At this point the dramatic influence kicks in. s he saves the soldiers from downing and brings him onto the beach the soldier gets shot. As he takes cover behind the hedgehog you could see the confusion in his face. He doesnt seem to hear what the soldiers are requesting for. As well as his hands keep shaking through out the film. This shot is in slow-motion to increase the realism. Captain Millers perspective shows the death of the s oldiers on the beach head. The sound hear is muted but the explosions could still be heard vaguely. Then we get a close up on Captain Millers helmet and as he puts it on the blood that was collected from the water starts dripping on his head. The sound then returns and Captain Miller begins to give out orders. The effect that this scene has on the audience is similar to the effects of the last scene as it makes the audience feel apart of the battle field. This scene shows a lot of blood shed, death and horror. The number of people dead is of a violent nature. In scene four of the film it is when the bloody battle ends. In this scene we see Captain Miller sits down and rests on high ground, Sergeant Horvath Says thats quite a view and Captain Miller agrees. Then the vast numbers of dead soldiers are shown along the beach. The first shot is the close up of Captain Millers face and his shaking hands. The camera then zooms in on the captains eyes to show the emotion. This shows the scale of the battlefield, the camera then pans to the left showing one dead soldiers backpack with the name Ryan. S. The sound in the scene is the gentle music in the background. Th music fades out and we hear the sound of waves, these waves sound calm than they were at the beginning of the film battle scene. Its comforting somehow in a strange way. This scene is a relief at the end of the battle because the audience is shocked by the number of dead people. The final shot of Ryans backpack establishes the link between what we have just seen and title plot of the film. In conclusion I would say that the opening battle sequence prepared the audience for a great adventure which was to come ahead, the sequence went into details of the gruesome war and the way the soldiers fought in the battlefield. It is clear that above all else, Private Ryan is intended to create an awareness of the sacrifice of the soldiers that gave their lives during World War II. In doing that, Steven Spielberg very successfully in brings out intense emotions in the spectator. While this movie had a great deal of violence that was sometimes difficult to watch, the sheer sentimentality behind the mission of the soldiers who have to find Private Ryan and bring him back was heart wrenching to say the least. It would take a cold-hearted individual indeed to feel no sorrow for the pain of the mother of Private Ryan when the military officials arrive at her home to tell her that three of her sons have been killed in battle. The way she falls to her knees on the porch and begins sobbing at the sight of the military vehicle is without a doubt a mirror of any mothers reaction to the same situation. Simply said, the moviegoer feels her pain. Even the hard-core attitude of the soldiers during the capture of the German soldier that has just shot their friend, the medic, brings on conflicting emotions. The German, while digging graves for the dead American soldiers, pleads for his life, insults Hitler, and praises America all in one desperate breath. The viewer also feels a reluctant sense of pride in the young translators sense of right as he repeatedly tells his fellow soldiers that to kill this man after his surrender would not be right. Saving Private Ryan could arguably be called one of the most bloody movies ever produced. But it is not a pointless violence as is the case in horror movies that people go see everyday. It is true that the violence in this movie is meant to shock, but is also meant to educate, and to make the viewer appreciate the patriotism of all the American soldiers that have died to protect the United States of America from madmen like Adolph Hitler. Steven Spielberg has chosen a different angle in the making of this movie than is normally taken. He chose not to portray the crimes against the Jews, but rather to applaud the brave efforts of the soldiers that essentially won the war and destroyed the Nazi government. He reminds every American that many men have died protecting the rights that they often take for granted every day. Saving Private Ryan is a movie that should make every American realize that Memorial Day is more than a day off. Steven Spielberg used the newsreel camera technique to make the scene come to life and so that the audience could really feel that they are a part of what is going on. The special effects in the scenes made everything seem real, this could be seen when the bobs go off and the soldiers lose their limbs you could see them flying around in air. A range of computer graphics were used to make the atmosphere look effective on screen and the computer graphics were used to show the soldier with their arm or half the body missing. I think that Steven Spielberg succeeded in putting chaos up on screen because he used the elements of film making which were never see before seen on screen. He used sound and camera work to make the film look as realistic as possible. I thought that the film was directed really well as a whole but the opening battle sequence had an enormous effect on the audience as it prepared them for what was coming next.

Narrative Essay Ideas and Advice

Narrative Essay Ideas and Advice Narrative Essay Ideas and Advice A narrative essay is a person anecdote or story. It is usually written in the first person and almost always is an account of the writer’s personal experience. Writing a narrative essay allows students to express themselves creatively and address issues that they have personally experienced. These essays are quite popular among students as it is impossible to be factually wrong about a personal story. This limits the need for research. This does not mean that there are no pitfalls that exist, however. For example, before a student can even begin to write, they must have a few interesting narrative essay ideas. They must also use good spelling and grammar, descriptive language, and write with a purpose in order for their essay to be deemed a success. With this in mind, we have created this post with two goals in mind. The first is to provide students with a lot of great essay ideas. The second is to help each student reading this post to write an organized, well-formatted, and extremely readable essay. Great Ideas for a Narrative Essay Here are some ideas that you can use as food for thought as   you begin selecting the perfect topic for your narrative essay: What has been your best experience so far as a college student? Write about a time when you were really frightened? Describe meeting your current boyfriend or girlfriend. Has anybody thrown you a surprise party? What was that like? Describe your favorite place What did you do on your last road trip? Plan the ideal week long vacation What was the last thing you did with your best friend When was the last time that you were completely unsure of how to handle a problem? What was the best piece of advice you ever received? How did you use it? Have you ever traveled to a foreign country? Have you ever climbed a mountain, gone backpacking, or experienced some other travel adventure? Technical Advice on Writing a Narrative Essay A student who has a great idea and a creative mind is already off to a good start when it comes to writing a great narrative essay. However, before they get started, it is very important to think about some technical issues. A big part of this is spelling and grammar, but there is more to it than that. Students must put a lot of thought into the way that they are going to tell their story to their readers. One way to write a narrative essay is to use a storytelling format. If a student wants to use this format that is fine. They simply must include all of the elements that one would expect in a story. This means a plot, climax, introduction, and conclusion. Another option that students have is to write their narrative essay as a classically formatted essay. This would mean starting with an introductory paragraph that includes a thesis. The thesis could be related to a lesson that was learned or a conclusion the writer reaches after experiencing something. How to Begin a Narrative Essay Starting an essay can be quite difficult. This is no different when it comes to the narrative essay. Sometimes the best way to begin is with a bit of a sneak peak. Here is an example: I felt my stomach jump into my chest when I saw the red and blue lights flashing behind me. What I didn't know was that the speeding ticket I was about to receive would be the best thing that ever happened to me. This is an easy and excellent way to kick off any narrative essay.

Business Correspondence packet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Correspondence packet - Essay Example Living a sedentary lifestyle makes us more unhealthy as well, as we are more prone to eating convenience foods that are most always closely related to junk food and therefore deficient in nutritional value. We would be taking part in this effort by organizing two or three skits of short duration that would educate the kids and their caregivers about the risks and outcomes of ignoring the benefits of a balanced diet and a balanced lifestyle. In this connection, we would be printing invitation cards, brochures, program schedules and thank you cards. We are sure that you would want to do your part by agreeing to print out these items free of cost and thereby add to the success of this gala party. Apart from the theatre presentations, we have also added a number of attractions for the kids like a Merry-go-round, Bouncing Castle, Rides, Slides, See-saws, Swings and a Running Track that has been offered free of charge by the owners of a nearby park. We look forward to your taking part in t his effort. ... There is talk about the last depression and whether we are really out of it, whether the impending debt default and the impasse by the Republicans will create further financial and economic crisis for America, and whether the Obama Administration will manage to ride out these difficult times. Among the various uses of money, nothing is more appreciated than a donation to a good and worthy cause. We at the Save the Children Foundation of the USA are glad that we are saving our children from the menace of obesity and disease. In modern times, it has been found that lack of exercise and the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle coupled with bad food choices has contributed to a rise in diabetes, malnutrition and even heart disease among kids of younger ages. To educate the local community about these risks, we are planning to organize a three day Gala Party for kids and their caregivers that will give them a picture of these diseases of a modern sedentary lifestyle, as well as tell them abo ut the risks and responsibilities that they need to take if they want to avoid a bad fate. We invite you and State Farm Bank to donate towards this worthy cause that will protect the lives of our children and grandchildren. We daresay its one of the best investments you can make in terms of protecting your future customers. If you would like any clarification or more knowledge about the event, please contact me at (405)-345-6787 on any working day. Sincerely, Name of the Student Team Leader, Fund Raising Committee, Save the Children Fund, USA. 3. A Bad News/Refusal Letter Mr. Never Dowell, Splendid Heights, Signature Market Lane, IL 10034, USA. Dear Mr. Dowell, We refer to your recent application for a State Farm Silver