Is playing Sports a Good Hobby ?

Sport is identified as a physical activity carried out by human beings usually executed by following a set of rules and principles to ensure fair competition among the candidates. Playing sports and indulging in physical activities aids in confirming various health benefits including comfortable respiration, muscular development, bone strength, advanced life expectancy, and coronary fitness. Playing sports helps in safeguarding the body and prevents it from contracting various types of diseases like cancer.Also, it assists in controlling unnecessary weight gain and depression by diverting the mind in a positive direction. Some of the affirmative effects of playing sports have been discussed below. It is a known fact that regaling in any kind of physical activity leads to a healthy workout and consequently promotes weight loss. Sports acts as a catalyst for the metabolic processes and resultantly increases lean body mass, burns calories and aids in attaining perfect body shape.There i s a lot of variation in the amount of suggested physical work. It is mainly due to the variation in the shape/size of the body of different individuals and amount of calorie input, nonetheless it is remedial for people who are obese. As enumerated by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Weight stability can be obtained if 2-5 hours are invested in playing averagely demanding sports. Playing high intensity sport is extremely significant for people who wish to reduce their weight adequately.It is advised by physicians that people of all age groups must undertake any kind of physical activity or sport as it in helps in cultivating a healthy heart and mind. As delineated by the British Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, about 40 percent of deaths related to coronary heart disease take place due to insufficient physical work, overweight, mental stress and increased blood pressure. Sports can help in dealing with these physical ailments by reducing the contingen cy of coronary disease by almost 50 percent.Decrease in the strength of muscles, bones and joints, is an inevitable corollary of growing old. Aged people are advised to go for regular walks and practice numerous physical exercises so that their body parts are in healthy and working condition. Thus, it can be concluded that playing sports is very significant for people of all age groups and must be taken up seriously in order to maintain a healthy body.

1950’s Nostalgia

1950s Nostalgia Real and Imagined Stephanie Coontz is a professor of Family History at the Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington. She is a nationally recognized expert on the family and an award winning writer. In her 1997 book â€Å"The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America’s Changing Families†, Stephanie Coontz wrote an essay entitled â€Å"What We Really Miss about the 1950s†. In Stephanie Coontz’s â€Å"What We Really Miss about the 1950s†, she argues that we as a country collectively remember the 1950s with a nostalgic tone, but we are not remembering this era in its entirety, nor are we completely accurate.She explains that the family and economic life that we remember and long for does not represent the whole truth of that era by any means. Coontz keeps a semi-formal tone throughout this essay. She begins by acknowledging the nostalgia that America feels toward the 1950s era. She continues by reminding us that there are also things that we do not miss about that time period in America. She elaborates on several points that we do specifically miss about the 1950s, such as the nuclear focus of family life and the profound wage increases.Coontz talks about how in the 1950s, employers and the government did a lot to help families prosper, including offering housing and employment assistance, as well as offering the GI Bill to armed services veterans who wanted to go back to school. Booming economic prosperity and the downturn in the economy that occurred in the 1970s, these were, she states, the real reasons behind the end of the 1950s family experiment.People sometimes reminisce on the past with nostalgia, remembering the â€Å"Good Old Days† and how values and ethics have seemed to disappear. In the 1950’s, like in no other decade, people became homeowners; prosperity was plentiful and bad times were thought to be something of the past. Capitalism was working and it was working well, to hav e a better life than one’s parents was only matter of willingness. Clearly it is evident why â€Å"Americans chose the 1950’s than any other single decade as the best time for children to grow up. † (Coontz, 32).In the essay â€Å"What We really Miss About the 1950’s† Stephanie Coontz has made several observations that â€Å"The Golden Age† was not brought by a thriving free-market competition but by large government spending to provide jobs and benefits to millions of Americans that which resembled a socialistic nation. Coontz implies that Americans miss high taxes and large government spending, because of the prosperity they brought. â€Å"40 percent of young men were eligible for veteran’s benefits, and these benefits were far more extensive than those available to Vietnam-era vets. (Coontz, 42). Apart from these benefits people began to have high paying jobs, many provided by government programs. The government also made it easie r for Americans to finance a house by â€Å"creating two new national institutions to facilitate home loans, allowed veterans to put down payments as low as a dollar on a house, and offered tax breaks to people who bought homes†(Coontz,42,43). WWII brought the highest level of taxation the United States has ever experienced; â€Å"top earning Americans paid 87 percent of their income while corporate taxes were 52 percent† (Coontz, 42). hese rates were kept well thru the 1950’s. Coontz argues that this extra revenue made it possible for many veterans to go to college almost tuition-free, doubling the percentage of college students from prewar levels. Throughout the 20th Century, families have radically changed. After WWI, a large transitional phase began and all the women that worked to support the war effort now had their jobs stripped from them. During the 1950's, there was a lifestyle in America that was essentially set in stone from birth. Television portraye d an image that women were to stay to home with the children.Shows such as, Leave it to Beaver, and Father Knows Best displayed a stereotypical way of life and structure in a family. â€Å"The sitcoms were simultaneously advertisements, etiquette manuals, and how-to lessons for a new way of organizing marriage and child rising† (Coontz, 39). Although television shows of the 1950's were not true reality, it seemed to be a good model at the time. Family life in the 50's era differs greatly from today's family unit. Children of that generation didn't have many choices when they were growing up. They typically followed the â€Å"blueprint† presented to them by their family and societal norms.Boys and girls went to school together throughout their youth, and upon completion, they would typically follow in their families’ footsteps. They were mainly interested in marriage. Starting a â€Å"functional† family was considered successful. An idle family to them was not only getting along, but focused also on appearance. Like the show Leave it to Beaver where the mother is â€Å"decked out in earrings and a pearl necklace. † (Soto, 29). The children and father also had to look prim and proper with their hair neatly combed and their clothes ironed.Women would stay at home caring for the children and household duties, while men would go to work and insure the family’s financial stability. The father would have full demeanor of the family and women were not expected to work outside. The issue that the â€Å"perfect† family is present in an important part of the advertisement, represent the idea that the people still want to live in that way, because the reality as Gary Soto show us is very different and difficult, and in the other hand as Coontz explain the ideal of this perfect family represented in the 50s generate more nostalgic and desire of any other idea if family lived in other decade.The perfect family is different of the real family in that the perfect family live in a scenario in which are no major problems with a very structured routine as Gary Soto explain, living a life which is not affected by external variables, and the real family in the other hand has different nuances in which are observed everyday problems and where it has be to solved, besides being a participant in a number of variables that affect daily living.There is a trend to idealize the past as Coontz says, being idealized the decade of the 50s by the presence of this perfect family, however, this perfect family hide problems as serious as sexism, racism and intolerance among others, being exposed that the existence of the perfect family is nothing more than a myth. At present, the perfect family is idealized because it offers a utopian alternative in which people can live better, although there is evidence that even in the best case in the pursuit of the perfect family are presented important collateral effects in other topi cs.The publicity that is currently being developed provides recurring images of the perfect family, showing that the idealization of the perfect family and the aspirational sense that it represents remains as a constant in the advertising in time as an effort to associate products with the perfect family because it is an important driver of purchase. Stephanie Coontz mention a show called Leave it to Beaver. They watched them to see how families were suppose to live – and also to get a little reassurance that they were headed in the right direction† (Coontz 39). This image led to the most common dream myths about America that, most people seem to be in agreements is that everyone can achieve the dream, everyone has equal playing field to obtain the dream, and the American dream is obtainable no matter what race the person is. This is not the case once here; many people soon find this out in their race for happiness.

Marketing report based on industrial analysis Essay

Marketing report based on industrial analysis - Essay Example wing issue that needs to be addressed: due to the high competition in local market managers in Burger King should have alternative marketing tools available. This means that if the positioning of the firm’s products/ services in India is not successful then the re-positioning of the firm should be attempted by emphasizing on different market segments, as explained analytically below. Marketing, as a process, is rather complex. In the literature, emphasis is given to three elements of this process: ‘a) the marketing mix; these are the elements of each firm’s marketing plan; b) the market forces and c) the matching process’ (Payne & Frow 2013, p.12). The above elements of the marketing process interact in the following way: in the context of the marketing mix each organization identifies the criteria that its marketing plan has to meet. Then, the marketing plan is structured accordingly, i.e. it is designed in such way that these criteria can be met. At the next level, the forces that the organization has to face in each market are identified; emphasis is given to those forces that can affect the organization’s marketing plan. Finally, using the matching process the managers of the organization are able to align the marketing plan with the market forces, so that the success of the plan is secured, as possible. Marketing orientation is a term used for showing the alignment of ‘all the activities of each organization with the needs of its customers’ (McCabe 2010, p.117). According to Palmer (2012) in order for a business to promote marketing orientation the following term needs to be met: the business should be fully aware of the needs of its customers, of the performance of its competitors and of the capabilities of its employees. By focusing on marketing orientation Burger King would be able to attract many customers and to set the basis for significant growth in the Indian market. Moreover, the costs of marketing orientation for Burger King could be

Researched Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Researched Report - Essay Example y have been focusing on the international growth, planning, identifying the good location to set up new businesses and formulation of quality enhancements strategies. The company applies three identifiable steps while offering services to customers, which include a focus on giving a warm and sincere greeting to customers, ensuring that the customers’ needs are fulfilled and offering a fond farewell that entails a warm good-bye. Therefore, the organization has been well identified for offering their customers with consistent services throughout their businesses. In fact, they have managed to establish Gold standards for services offered to customers, which contribute to competitive advantage and increased customer loyalty. The organization uses their employees to achieve the objective of offering satisfying services to their customers. In fact, the employees are referred to as the passionate advocates of the organization, whereby they depict personal attributes that are identified by managers during the recruitment and interview of the candidates. In this case, the organization has focused on managing the quality of services to achieve the customer expectations from various dimensions such as use of experience, word of mouth and advertising. The organization has established a culture appeal to increased value to employees working in the organization in a way that facilitates intrinsic sense of distinctiveness and commitment. Therefore, this has been facilitating the sustainability and profitability of the services offered to customers. The organization has also developed a culture of concurring people to be substantial elements in an organization due to articulation to policies, whereby making a substantial contribution to the improvement and sustainability of experiences in the quality of their services. Nevertheless, the paper will focus on assessing the culture of Ritz-Carlton hotel culture. It will offer relevant recommendations on ways that an organization

Lord Binghams Dicta on the Principle of Legality Case Study

Lord Binghams Dicta on the Principle of Legality - Case Study Example It applied to persons who ‘cannot be deported because there is no ‘safe’ country to which they can be sent’. The detainees were able to challenge their detention under s25 and s30 ATCSA. S25 allowed an appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) against the Home Secretary’s decision and Section 30 ATCSA allowed the SIAC to hear appeals against the validity of the UK’s derogation from Article 5 ECHR .Lord Bingham’s Dicta on the Principle of Legality.The House of Lords had to decide whether the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) could rely on evidence obtained under torture by a foreign power - without UK complicity - during an appeal hearing. Evidence had been obtained from third parties by agents of the United States using methods known as ‘interrogation by extraordinary rendition’ . The SIAC and the Court of Appeal (CA) held that the evidence was admissible . The CA majority decision was based on Rule 44(3) of the SIAC procedural code which allows the SIAC to review evidence which would not be admissible in a court of law . Laws LJ expressly excluded evidence obtained with the complicity of the Home Secretary or any English authority regardless of the contingency The appellants argued that:ï‚ ¾ The common law position is firmly against torture which is enshrined in s76 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

The Relationship of Human Animals versus Other Animals Article

The Relationship of Human Animals versus Other Animals - Article Example The book explains that there are many cases of chimps being raised up in a similar manner to the human children. The entire novel is thus based on these issues. Several novels explain the aspects of the cross fostered chimps. For example, The Ape and the Child describe the Kelloggs, Next of Kin discusses the Washoe, and also the Ape in Our House illustrates Viki Hayes. Nim Chimpsky is illustrated in the novel, The Chimp Who Would Be Human. Maurice Termerlin authored a book referred to as the Lucy, Growing Up Human. The author, Karen Fowler, illustrated adequate knowledge on the chimps. One analyzed area involved the environments that the chimps reside in. These environments are diverse and they include the laboratory environment, the preserve environment, and the natural o wild environment. The knowledge acquired by the author on the chimps aimed at understanding the behavior of Fern, through the nonfiction accounts. The author also participated in the chimposeum, which took place in Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute that is based in Washington, so as to study the chimps that reside there (World Fantansy Convention 207). The literary work applies the technique of developing stories from the middle. Lowell explains to her sister Rosemary the issues surrounding the scientific works of her father. Lowell illustrates that their father assumed the uniqueness of Fern from the human, through a careful and scientific approach. Thus, Fern had the chance of proving herself in all stages. Lowell explains that it would also be scientifically acceptable to begin from the other end; assume the similarities between Fern and the human children, and then show the difference evidence. This would have been relatively Darwinian, according to the kinship assumption. The reader is expected to view the kinship assumption in a similar manner.

The Effect of interest rate Liberalization on the risk of commercial Dissertation

The Effect of interest rate Liberalization on the risk of commercial banks in China - Dissertation Example The paper has discussed illustrates a mixed picture after interest rate liberalization and its associated risk on the commercial banks in China. Historically China is a strong believer in the planned economy where strict government intervention under a single party rule always has the last word regarding the policies to be prioritized and implemented. Though after the iron rule of Mao-era China has learned under Deng Xiaoping that FDI and capitalist exploitation is not the same thing but the people as well as the government are still skeptical about their nature of the operation. Over the past couple of decades, China has realized huge GDP growth through export-oriented international trade. This on one hand, strengthened the export based industries on the other weekend the indigenous industries especially those indulged in import substitution. Again amidst this prosperity, China has slipped down considering the GINI coefficient and that illustrates a rising inequality i.e. an increas ing gap between the rich and poor people. Eminent academicians hold the view that with China’s present model rich are becoming richer and poor are becoming poorer. The development is mainly urban centric and rural China is subject to stagnation and a much higher unemployment than the urban areas.... es cemented their feet under the strict rule of Mao Ze Dong who opted for self sufficiency and betterment of the common rather than external dependency and flourish of the few (Chi, 1992, pp.75-84; Buchanan, 2012, p.24). Mao believed in a closed door policy that meant isolation from the rest of the world regarding economic transaction. Though diplomatic relation with Soviet Russia along with many east European nations was encouraged but that never translated into economic exchange. During Mao’s rule the growth rate of China was stable but slow and often subject to stagnation. Though, such view has many opposing facts and evidences illustrated through literature. However after Mao’s death Deng Xiaoping became the most prominent figure in Chinese politics and soon realized the need to embrace the globalization in order to boost the Chinese economic growth. The current topic of discussion that refers to interest rate liberalization and risk to commercial banks is an import ant aspect to discuss. However, financial liberalization along with interest rate liberalization often considered by the economists as the last stage of liberalization process that have went through and met several other steps directed towards the liberalization of the economy (Chow, 2005). Welcoming FDI into an economy might be considered as the first step towards liberalization. In initial days China lacked both the legal frame work as well as their policy towards globalization was skeptic and the legal frame work governing the same was week. But the scenario started changing from mid 80’s and historically Hong Kong remained the prime source of foreign direct investment provider to China. Such investments were mainly towards labor intensive sectors and high end technological and capital intensive

Death Investigations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death Investigations - Assignment Example Mechanisms of death, on the other hand, are the preceding situations after the cause of death, for instance, is a person was shot on the head and the gunshot caused brain hemorrhage which leads the deceased to succumb to the injuries then blood hemorrhage is a mechanism of death. Mechanisms of death are not first degree factors that lead to death there must have been an initial incident which is a cause of death that will lead to mechanisms of death which will eventually transpire to the death of a person. Natural death is simply death, which is occasioned by natural causes such as terminal illness, ageing or situations like heart failure. This category of death is where the body of a human being ceases to function in its own without any external factor contributing to the same. It is commonly associated with the lifespan of an ideal human being when the body organs have performed their duties to their best capacity, and they would not function anymore. Homicide is where a person decided to take the life of another person purposely because of inherent reasons. This can be staged in a number of ways but the main point with homicide it is clearly planned and executed by those involved to kill innocent people in cold blood either by attacking him/her or using any physical or scientific means to execute the murder. Homicide may result from a person being poisoned by others or killed by police who were trailing maybe suspected gangsters, etc.. Suicide is a self-inflicted death that is purposely done by a person who wants to inflict self-harm or ultimately kill him/her through hanging, gunshot or even drug overdose.  

Product, Price, Promotion & Placement Essay Example for Free

Product, Price, Promotion Placement Essay Product, Price, Promotion Placement Now that we have analyzed our marketing research and we have identified our potential target markets as being in the young adult to middle age adults and from the lower middle class and upward income bracket it is time to develop our plans to reach into these markets and grow IPT. How we target these markets is a series of techniques known as product, pricing, promotion and placement. We also know from the research that 35% of our customers would buy from a store front, 30% would order online or from a catalog, and our business customers would place direct orders. Product In the 4 â€Å"P’s† product is the lead element because this is what we sell and what we need to put in front of our customers. Our best products are always those that are unique or have a special niche market that does not have as much or less competition in the market. We have a special patented coating for our popcorn that sets us apart and this will be our lead product. Packaging of our product is especially important with a food related product. We want to emphasize the uniqueness and we want it to show, so we will use a clear bag with an Old Fashioned label that will be very appealing and desirable, our popcorn will look good unopened sitting on someone’s counter or table at home or in the office. Pricing Because our product is unique we can demand a higher price than the other run of the mill popcorn producers. As a premium product we also establish IPT as the premier high end popcorn treat producer. Our pricing will also stay well within the range of other high end products. The rest of our product lines will be priced within the average range of other similar treats. Bulk business orders will be discounted and our sales to the national flower and gift basket company will be wholesale allowing for mark up on resale. Promotion Promotion of our products will be three fold and very targeted. First we will increase the number of store front locations in the areas with the best demographics and remember the most important rule for a retail business location, location and location. This will put IPT solidly in the market area and the presence will give our brand the brick and mortar support as is done by Barnes Noble, Inc. From all of our storefront locations we will promote the IPT website for online ordering and placing orders with the national flower and gift basket company to send our products to friends and relatives across the nation and beyond. We will have to set up a strong website and we will use a professional hosting service to product the secure ordering, catalog creation and other site marketing features such as printable coupons for ordering that can be used at the brick and mortar store fronts. The website will also allow our business customer to place their orders and track the shipment. We wi ll be utilizing search engine registration and promotion to make sure we â€Å"pop† on all searches with key words like popcorn, gifts, treats, cookies, sweets and coated to name a few. Placement Getting the product in front of or visible to the consumer is essential, the old saying is that if you have a great product then you must be able to supply that product when the customer wants it and where they want it. Customer service and product availability are everything to the customer. We will expand into each market area such as Philadelphia by establishing a storefront and a small warehousing operation to handle the daily ordering, shipping and support for the market area. The store fronts will produce the product locally for retail and shipping within their market area so the product is fresh and doesn’t age. Our warehouse will stock mainly supplies for the production lines at the store front. A good example is Krispy Kreme, Inc. which uses each location to bake the donuts and then deliver to local vendors such as convenience stores, restaurants, events and other functions. We must be able to support the markets we are targeting. Consumer Characteristics From personal experience and as reflected in our market research most consumers prefer to purchase perishable consumables at a local store and we will need to entice our targeted consumers to come to the store fronts or to order online once they have tasted and enjoyed our products. Much like Starbucks whose coffee shops sell a lot of items not related to coffee we must consider adding the intrinsic items that our customers would find interesting such as free wireless internet access from each storefront. This feature would also help us promote our website and expand our customer base. We must continue to collect feedback from all of our market areas and customer to make sure we keep our product fresh and exciting. Distribution and Growth impacts As we grow we must make sure we have the infrastructure to supply our new markets and that our suppliers are aware of the expected increases in quantities we order and that they are able to keep up. We should also expect discounts for high volume orders. Centrally we will supply the national flower and gift basket company and the local market place. Our store fronts will supply their local markets to include internet orders, business orders and retail sales. Summary We will use all of this information provided today to continue our development of the marketing plan for IPT. I hope we have answered your questions and put to rest your doubts. If I can be of assistance in answering any other questions you might have please let me know as soon as possible. References (Pereault William D McCarthy E Jerome 2006 Essential of Marketing: A Global-Managerial Approach)Pereault, William D., McCarthy, E. Jerome (2006). Essential of Marketing: A Global-Managerial Approach (10th Edition ed., Rev.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

The Imperial Presidency in 20the century United States Essay Example for Free

The Imperial Presidency in 20the century United States Essay The term Imperial Presidency is a contemporary description of the United States Presidency that started in the 1960s. The term inspired historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, jr. to write a book with a similar title in 1973. The term and the book were grounded on the same motives, primarily is for the rising issue regarding the presidents political outrage, the second is the presidents violation of the constitution in terms of power limitations. The presidency is dubbed as imperial if ever a particular president exercises power beyond what is written and allowed by the constitution. The responsibility of the president to the congress, supreme court, the media and the citizens have been modified slowly through the years. Hence, what is seen to be in a standard context is antithetic to what was originally legislated. The twentieth century was the advent of drastic change in American Presidency and history. This became more concrete upon Theodore Roosevelts deployment of forces to the Caribbean Islands subsequently establishing a new form of government with the absence of the congress blessing. The occupation was covered countries such as Cuba, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Honduras and Panama. The year 1927 saw another unconstitutional practice of the presidency when then U. S president Calvin Coolidge dispatched 5000 soldiers for another occupation in the country of Nicaragua. Coolidge was deemed as a rigid constructionist when it comes to other concerns. Franklin Roosevelts entrancing presidency in the midst of the Great Depression and the second World War paved the way for some major changes in the position. The rise of electronic media, the establishment of new agencies as part of the administrations platform, a diverse group of advisors and the Executive Office of the President gave life to the new context of presidency, thus, creating a huge transmutation. In 1939, President Roosevelts declaration of the limited national emergency gained him additional powers. A couple of years later, Roosevelt then affirmed that America was in a state of unlimited national emergency, which obviously earned him more authority. The two declarations gave the president the privilege to prehend property, organize and control means of production, initiate martial law, control over transportation and communication as well as institute totalitarian will over private endeavor and the populace. The end of World War II continuously gave president Harry Truman major influences, thus, unconstitutionally manipulating the congress once again by the exaggeration on the aid requirements of Greece and Turkey in his Truman Doctrine. 1950 saw the congress was again taken for granted when president Truman sent U. S forces to participate in the Korean War. Truman was frightened by the national scale revolt of the steel industry. He believed that such revolt may result to a disability of the military to fight in the Korean War. He decreed that the steel companies be controlled by the secretary of commerce, again without the permission of the congress. This act was contested by the supreme court, stating that the president was unconstitutional and the Commander-in-Chief authority of the president does not apply on domestic concerns. The Truman administration drafted additional presidential treaties which provided more authority to the president and diminished the congress sovereignty, which included intervention of international affairs. In the 1960s, the Johnson government upholded the trashing of the congress by sending soldiers to the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. The Vietnam war only tallied death tolls equal to that of the Civil and World Wars. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution saw the transfer of military powers from the congress to the president. The succeeding decade bequeathed no change on the superiority complex of a United States President as Richard Nixon as the bloodbath in Vietnam continued. Nixons rule also dug the private lives of the Americans through espionage and intelligence which led to his overthrow. The invasion of Panama under Bush command offered more maltreatment to the congress as well as the Gulf war in the 90s. His successor Bill Clinton only practiced imperialism through the affair with Whitehouse intern Monica Lewinsky. Current president George W. Bush implemented Imperial Presidency by waging war with Iraq and Afghanistan. Works Cited Schlesinger, Arthur M. , Jr. , The Imperial Presidency. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973 Rudalevige, Andrew. . The New Imperial Presidency: Renewing Presidential Power after Watergate Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2005. Wolfensberger, Donald R. â€Å"The Return of the Imperial Presidency? † Wilson Quarterly. 26:2 (2002) p. 37 Stolberg, Sheryl Gay and Jeff Zeleny, Bush Vetoes Bill Tying Iraq Fund to Exit New York Times, 1 May, 2007 Barilleaux, Ryan J. and Mary E. Stuckey. Leadership and the Bush Presidency: Prudence or Drift in an Era of Change. New York: Praeger. 1992. Feingold, Henry M. The Politics of Rescue: The Roosevelt Administration and the Holocaust, 1938–1945. New Jersey: New Brunswick, 1970 Bernstein, Barton J. (1970). Politics and Policies of the Truman Administration, Second edition, Ed. Franklin Watts

Chemistry Essays Saline & Fluids in the Body

Chemistry Essays Saline & Fluids in the Body Saline and Fluids Using saline as an example, outline the importance of solutions in the body and what is the concentration of normal saline and how the concentration of saline is controlled in the body and what effects on the cells an increase in saline concentration would have. Our bodies are fifty tosixty percent water, which therefore makes water an essential fluid for ourbodies. The main transporting agent in our body is the cells, and solutions arenecessary to execute functions such as:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chemical balance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circulation of blood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transporting nutrients to the cells   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elimination of waste   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  respiration The main component ofthe blood, perspiration, saliva, mucus, lymphatic fluids and digestive juicesis water. The function of water also ensures the lubrication of the joints,that the muscles, skin, and organs is moisturized. The temperature of the bodyis also aided by water. Two thirds of water is situatedwithin the cells intracellular, and one third of water is found in the sitesbetween the cells interstitial and in the blood plasma. The composition ofsolutes in the intracellular and extracellular water can vary. A highconcentration of potassium ions is found in the intracellular cells, and a highconcentration of sodium and chloride ion is found in the extracellular cells. It is precarious to thesurvival of the human body that the accurate balance of fluids and salts ismaintained and the right pH acid balance. If the body loses fluids and salts,then dehydration can occur, and this can cause the concentration of salts toalter causing electrolyte imbalance. One of the mostimportant solutions in the body is saline, which is a solution consisting ofsodium chloride and distilled water. Salt plays a perilous function in the accurateoperation of the human body, as well as all other forms of life. The averageperson contains about eight ounces of salt, which facilitates muscles to contract,digestion to occur, the floe of blood, wounds to repair and fluids to beproperly regulated. A litre of isotonic or normal (0.9%) saline contains 154mmol of NaCI, comparable to 9 g of salt or 3.6 g of sodium. The regulation of salineand water equilibrium in the body is an example of homeostasis. Homeostasis isthe preservation of balance, or constant conditions, in a biological organismby means of habitual mechanisms that neutralize influences tending towarddisequilibrium. The correct composition of extracellular fluids and watercontent in the body is maintained by the important role played by the kidneys. Osmolarityis the amount of particles dissolved in a certain volume of fluid. Theosmolarity of fluid can be altered by the volume of fluid or by the quantity ofsolute molecules. In the duration of a day, the kidneys will manage 180 litersof blood, and will produce 1.5 liters of urine. The volume of water excreted bythe kidney is regulated by the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH: also referred toas vasopressin; diuresis means water loss and is therefore referred to as awater loss hormone. If the concentration offluid in the body drops below normal, the osmoreceptors in the hypothalamuswill recognize the resulting increase in osmolarity. ADH will be released bythe hypothalamus, in response to the change in osmolarity. The amount of fluidvolume lost must be replaced by drinking additional fluid, thus ensuring thatosmolarity returns to equilibrium and recovering the fluid loss. If the concentration offluid in the body increases above normal, this will also modify the osmolarityof the circulating fluids. The decrease in osmolarity is regulated by thehypothalamus, which stops producing ADH. In the absence of ADH, the kidney permitsfluid loss from the body. The kidney consists of numerous nephrons in which itfilters solutions, and then selectively reabsorbs or secretes different plasmacomponents. The entire composition of the nutrient molecules and most of thewater will be reabsorbed, and returned to the bloodstream. The major extracellularsalt is NaCl. The levels of osmolarity of the circulating body fluids aredetermined by the sodium and the chloride content. The kidney establishes theconcentration of Na+ loss from the body (Cl or anadditional anion will proceed Na+, so if Na+ levels aremonitored anion levels counteract automatically). If there is inadequate Na+inside the body, this will be identified by the kidney, which commences acomplex series of events, established as the renin/angiotensin/aldosterone pathway.In response to a decreased concentration of Na+, the kidney dischargesrenin into the blood. Renin acts on a plasma protein, angiotensinogen changingit into angiotensin I Angiotensin I is asubstrate for a changing enzyme, found widely in the lungs, which changes itinto angiotensin II. Angiotensin II has remarkable biological activity, causingthe release of aldosterone acting on the adrenal cortex. Aldosterone is ahormone that operates on the kidney to inhibit Na+ loss from thebody. Inversely, should there be an excess of Na+ in the body, adecrease in renin discharge will lead to a deterioration in the aldosterone concentrationsand an increase in Na+ deficiency in the urine. Variation in the Na+concentration is a protracted process than that of circulating fluid levels andmay require hours to days for completion. The obstacle between theextra and intra cellular compartments is known as the cell membrane. Watercan occur liberally through biological membranes but many solutes cannot. Whenone section has a larger concentration of solutes, the direction of the flow ofwater is from the section with the depleted concentration to the section withthe larger concentration. This process is known as osmosis. Osmosis is the migrationof water from an area of high water concentration through a semi-permeablemembrane to a region of low water concentration. In a hypotonic solutionof saline, the concentration of the solute molecules outside the cells is lowerthan that the concentration of solutes inside the cell. This in turn willenable the water to diffuse into the cell, until equilibrium is established.This flow of water into the cell causes the cell to swell. References 1. Stryer, L.Biochemistry (4th Edition). Freeman, New York. 2000 2. Campbell,M.K. Biochemistry, (2nd Edition) Saunders College Publishing, 1995 3. Parsons, R.GCSE Double Science: Biology Revision Guide Higher (GCSE Double Science)Coordination Group Publications (2001) 4. Clancy, J.McVicar, A, Baird, N. Perioperative Practice: Fundamentals of HomeostasisRoutledge, an imprint of Taylor Francis Books Limited (2002) 5. Revise ASBiology (Revise AS Study Guide S.) Letts Educational Ltd (2004) 6. Chiras, D.Human Biology: Health, Homeostasis and the Environment Jones and BartlettPublishers International (1994)

Frank Sinatra Essay -- essays research papers

Many people in show business are viewed as role models in our society. Many of these people are just regular men and women that are placed high on a pedestal simply because they can sing or act, hence, becoming all the more famous. Although he was famous and popular in the entertainment world for almost four decades, Frank Sinatra was a singer and actor that had a side to him that not everyone knew. He hid behind the facade of an entirely happy, successful performer, when, in reality, he had many problems that the public was not even aware of. Some of these problems are the same that the average person faces day to day, but many went far deeper than trivial troubles. Some of these specific quandaries had to do with hidden aspects of his personal relationships, hidden connections with criminal elements, and other unknown aspects of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before even attempting to understand any of this, however, some background information on Sinatra and his family would be helpful. Sinatra came from a family of orthodox Italian heritage. His mother and father were the first of his family to move from Sicily to America and settle down in the “land of the free';. After arriving in the United States, they ended up making their home in Hoboken, New Jersey, a very poor area where people resided with those of their own ethnic background. Their history was very important to the Sinatra family, and good moral values, as well as the importance of a good education, were instilled in all their children. Frank’s parents could barely read or write; that’s why good schooling was a priority to them. Sinatra’s parents looked down on the entertainment business, and with little success, did everything to lure Frank away from his attraction to the glitz and glamour of show business (Sinatra 15).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sinatra’s early years were spent in Hoboken, dreaming of a “better life';. Francis A. Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey. Being members of the Catholic faith, he was not baptized until April 2, 1916. He faced adversity as soon as he was born, nearly dying of birth complications that left him scarred for three months after he was conceived. As, a result of this, he was often bantered by members of his class and children of his neighborhood, who called ... ...e of tribulations throughout life, dealing with his personal relationships, his involvement with criminals, and other aspects of his personal life. Whether he had moral values and good ethics is still debated, but where he is now is not for us to say. He may have had a rough life, one that was not completely honorable to God, but people are not the ones that should be judging Sinatra; that is His job. All sin is the same in the eyes of God, and everyone has the chance to repent and be baptized and forgiven of those sins. Whether or not Sinatra was a Christian, no one really knows, except for God. Sinatra did represent a strong role model to those that thought that they were too poor to become successful in show business. Much to everyone’s belief, he beat the odds and came out on top. He was in the entertainment industry for over forty years, and survived the changes that came and went with the times. He was called “The Voice';, “Chairman of the Board';, and  220;Ol’ Blue Eyes';. People of America dubbed him a legend, and that’s the way he will remain in the hearts and minds of those who appreciated his extraordinary talents. Frank Sinatra Essay -- essays research papers Many people in show business are viewed as role models in our society. Many of these people are just regular men and women that are placed high on a pedestal simply because they can sing or act, hence, becoming all the more famous. Although he was famous and popular in the entertainment world for almost four decades, Frank Sinatra was a singer and actor that had a side to him that not everyone knew. He hid behind the facade of an entirely happy, successful performer, when, in reality, he had many problems that the public was not even aware of. Some of these problems are the same that the average person faces day to day, but many went far deeper than trivial troubles. Some of these specific quandaries had to do with hidden aspects of his personal relationships, hidden connections with criminal elements, and other unknown aspects of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before even attempting to understand any of this, however, some background information on Sinatra and his family would be helpful. Sinatra came from a family of orthodox Italian heritage. His mother and father were the first of his family to move from Sicily to America and settle down in the “land of the free';. After arriving in the United States, they ended up making their home in Hoboken, New Jersey, a very poor area where people resided with those of their own ethnic background. Their history was very important to the Sinatra family, and good moral values, as well as the importance of a good education, were instilled in all their children. Frank’s parents could barely read or write; that’s why good schooling was a priority to them. Sinatra’s parents looked down on the entertainment business, and with little success, did everything to lure Frank away from his attraction to the glitz and glamour of show business (Sinatra 15).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sinatra’s early years were spent in Hoboken, dreaming of a “better life';. Francis A. Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey. Being members of the Catholic faith, he was not baptized until April 2, 1916. He faced adversity as soon as he was born, nearly dying of birth complications that left him scarred for three months after he was conceived. As, a result of this, he was often bantered by members of his class and children of his neighborhood, who called ... ...e of tribulations throughout life, dealing with his personal relationships, his involvement with criminals, and other aspects of his personal life. Whether he had moral values and good ethics is still debated, but where he is now is not for us to say. He may have had a rough life, one that was not completely honorable to God, but people are not the ones that should be judging Sinatra; that is His job. All sin is the same in the eyes of God, and everyone has the chance to repent and be baptized and forgiven of those sins. Whether or not Sinatra was a Christian, no one really knows, except for God. Sinatra did represent a strong role model to those that thought that they were too poor to become successful in show business. Much to everyone’s belief, he beat the odds and came out on top. He was in the entertainment industry for over forty years, and survived the changes that came and went with the times. He was called “The Voice';, “Chairman of the Board';, and  220;Ol’ Blue Eyes';. People of America dubbed him a legend, and that’s the way he will remain in the hearts and minds of those who appreciated his extraordinary talents.

Comparing Saint Augustine and Charles Taylors Ideas of Authenticity Es

Comparing Saint Augustine and Charles Taylor's Ideas of Authenticity The notion of authenticity is one of self-fulfillment and Charles Taylor recognizes that there are dangers in accepting modernity’s drive toward self-realization. However, he is not willing to give up on this idea of â€Å"authenticity.† In The Ethics of Authenticity, Taylor lays out a system of thought and morals that connect our search for self-realization with our desire towards self-creation. He is attempting to keep a form of individualism while still operating under objectivism. He will point out the good and damaging aspects of the modern development of an authentic self and mention the importance of some moral measurement system. Taylor claims that St. Augustine initiated a concept of inwardness, a turning towards the inner self to find truth and the idea of authenticity is simply a further development of Augustine’s inwardness. In this paper I will discuss in detail Taylor’s idea of authenticity: the pros and cons. I will lay out some of his arguments as to why he thinks this idea originated with Augustine. I will talk about Augustine’s view on the inner man and how this is connected with knowledge and memory. I will then talk about some of Augustine’s views. Freedom is also an important aspect to moral conduct so I will explore both Taylor’s and Augustine’s view of freedom. Finally, I will argue that the ideal of authenticity (although it contains some truth) is not an ideal that Augustine would promote. Three Modern Worries Taylor begins the book by discussing three worries of modern society. The first is individualism which is selfish and self-centered. The modern concept is bothersome because people see freedom as loosening the chains of traditional notions of hierarchy. We have become a society where we are breaking away from â€Å"older moral horizons.† Everything in creation is connected in some way and when there is a loose hierarchy there follows a loose meaning of life. The â€Å"dark side of individualism† the focuses on the self in such a way that it flattens and narrows the framework which give significance and meaning to human life. The second trouble is the dominant attention given to instrumental reason. Instrumental reason values efficiency above all other goods. Nothing else is considered sacred or has intrinsic value, only extrinsic value. The question is how usef... ...y for us humans. I think it is, but only to the extent that we open ourselves to God, which means in fact, overstepping the limits set in theory by exclusive humanisms. Taylor’s idea of authenticity does give way to many warnings. It is analogous to walking a tight rope. If one leans too much to one side (which in all reality may not be much at all) it can lead to disaster. He adopts a lot from the Romantics and the focus is too much on the individual. Although he does try to get away from too much emphasis on the individual by mentioning the â€Å"horizons of significance† he still does not give us an idea of what this hierarchy consists. People may look inside themselves to formulate this hierarchy but this again can lead to subjectivism. It seems to suggest that there could be a variety of heirachies and who is to say that one is better than the other. Also the ambiguity of his idea of freedom only leads to more ambiguity on his idea of authenticity. These are all problems that Taylor must address if one is to get a clearer concept of his project. If Saint Augustine were to read Taylor I think he would find these worries and suggest that Taylor’s central focus should be on God.

Merck †River Blindness Essay

Business Ethics. Concepts and cases 4th edt. , Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1998 River blindness is an agonizing disease that affects some 18 million impoverished people living in remote villages along the banks of rivers in tropical regions of Africa and Latin America. The disease is caused by a tiny parasitic worm that is passed from person to person by the bite of the black fly which breeds in river waters. The tiny worms burrow under a person’s skin where they grow as long as two feet curled up inside ugly round nodules half an inch to an inch in diameter. Inside the nodules the worms reproduce by releasing millions of microscopic offsprings called microfilaria that wriggle their way throughout the body moving beneath the skin, discoloring it as they migrate, and causing lesions and such intense itching that victims sometimes commit suicide. Eventually, the microfilaria invade the eyes and gradually blind the victim. Spraying pesticides to eradicate the black fly faltered when it developed an immunity to the pesticides. Moreover, the only drugs available to treat the parasite in humans have been so expensive, have such severe side effects, and require such lenghty hospital stays that the treatments are impractical for the destitute victims who live in isolated villages. In many countries people have fled the areas along the rivers, abandoning large tracts of rich fertile land. Many of them, however, eventually return because distant lands prove difficult to farm. Most villagers along the rivers come to accept the nodules, the torturous itching, and eventual blindness as an inescapable part of life. In 1979, Dr. William Campbell, a research scientist working for Merck and Company, an American drug company, discovered evidence that one of the company’s best-selling animal drugs, Ivermectin, might kill the parasite that causes river blindness. Closer analysis indicated that Ivermectin might provide a low cost, safe, and simple cure for river blindness. Campbell and his research team therefore petitioned Merck’s chairman, Dr. P. Roy Vagelos, to allow them to develop a human version of the drug which up to then was used only on animals. Merck managers quickly realized that if the company succeeded in developing a human version of the drug, the victims of the disease were too poor to afford it. The medical research and large-scale clinical testing required to develop a version of the drug for humans could cost over $100 million. It was unlikely the company could recover these costs or that a viable market could develop in the poverty-stricken regions where the disease was rampant. Moreover, even if the drug was affordable, it would be virtually impossible to distribute it since victims lived in remote areas, and had no access to doctors, hospitals, clinics, or commercial drug outlets. Some managers also pointed out that if the drug had adverse side effects when administered to humans, ensuing bad publicity might taint the drug and adversely affect sales of the animal version of the drug which were about $300 million a year. The risk of harmful side effects was heightened by the possibility that incorrect use of the drug in underdeveloped nations could increase the potential for harm and bad publicity. Finally, if a cheap version of the drug was made available, it might be smuggled to black market and sold for use on animals thereby undermining the company’s lucrative sales of Ivermectin to veterinarians. Merck managers were undecided what to do. Although the company had worldwide sales of $2 billion a year, its net income as a percent of sales was in decline due to the rapidly rising costs of developing new drugs, the increasingly restrictive and costly regulations being imposed by government agencies, a lull in basic scientific breakthroughs, and a decline in the productivity of company research programs. Congress was getting ready to pass the Drug Regulation Act which would intensify competition in the drug industry by allowing competitors to more quickly copy and market drugs originally developed by other companies. As a result of increasing public concern over rising health costs, government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid had recently put caps on reimbursements for drugs and required cheaper generic drugs in place of the branded name drugs that were Merck’s major source of income. In the face of these worsening conditions in the drug industry, Merck managers were reluctant to undertake expensive projects that showed little economic promise, such as the suggested development of a drug for river blindness. Yet without the drug, millions would be condemned to lives of intense suffering, and partial or total blindness. After many earnest discussions among Vagelos and his management team, they came to the conclusion that the potential human benefits of a drug for river blindness were too significant to ignore. Many of the managers felt, in fact, that because of these human benefits the company was morally obligated to proceed in spite of the costs and the slim chance of economic reward. In late 1980, Vagelos and his fellow managers approved a budget that provided the sizable funding needed to develop a human version of Ivermectin. After seven years of expensive research and numerous clinical trials, Merck succeeded in developing a human version of Ivermectin: A single pill of the new drug taken once a year would eradicate from the human body all traces of the parasite that caused river blindness and would prevent new infections. Unfortunately, exactly as the company had earlier suspected, no one stepped forward to buy the miraculous new pill. Merck officials pleaded with the World Health Organization, the U. S. Government, and the governments of nations afflicted with the disease, asking that someone — anyone — come forward to buy the drug to protect the 85 million people who were at risk for the disease. None responded to the company’s pleas. Merck decided, therefore, that it would give the drug away for free to potential victims. However, this plan proved difficult to implement because, as the company had earlier feared, there were no established distribution channels to get the drug to the people who desperately needed it. Working with the World Health Organization, therefore, the company financed an international committee to provide the infrastructure to distribute the drug safely to people in the third world and to ensure it would not be diverted into the black market to be sold for use on animals. By 1996 the committee, working with government and private voluntary organizations, had provided the drug to millions of people, effectively transforming their lives and relieving the intense sufferings and potential blindness of the disease. Asked why the company had invested so much money and effort into research, developing, manufacturing, and distributing a drug that made no money, Dr. Roy Vagelos replied in an interview that once the company suspected that one of its animal drugs might cure a severe human disease that was ravaging people, the only ethical choice was to develop it. Moreover, people in the third world â€Å"will remember† that Merck helped them, he commented, and would respond favorably to the company in the future. Over the years, the company had learned, Vagelos claimed, that such actions have strategically important long-term advantages. â€Å"When I first went to Japan fifteen years ago, I was told by Japanese business people that it was Merck that brought streptomycin to Japan after World War II to eliminate tuberculosis, which was eating up their society. We did that. We didn’t make any money. But it’s no accident that Merck is the largest American pharmaceutical company in Japan today. † [†¦ ] Pundits sometimes quip that â€Å"business ethics† is a contradiction in terms because there is an inherent conflict between ethics and the self-interested pursuit of profit. When ethics conflict with profits, the imply, businesses always choose profits over ethics. Yet, the case of Merck and Company suggests a somewhat different perspective, a perspective that many companies are increasingly taking. The management of this company spent tens of millions of dollars developing a product that they knew had little chance of ever being profitable because they felt they had an ethical obligation to make its potential benefits available to people. In this case, at least, a large and very successful business chose ethics over profits. Moreover, the comments of Vagelos at the end of the case suggest that in the long run, there may be no inherent conflict between ethical behavior and the pursuit of profit. The comments of Vagelos suggest, on the contrary, that ethical behavior creates the kind of goodwill and reputation that expand opportunities for profit. Not all companies, of course, operate like Merck, and many—perhaps even most—companies will not invest in a research and development project that they have good reason to suspect will prove unprofitable. A glance at the headlines of newspapers, in fact, will reveal many cases of companies that choose profit over ethics, and enough cases of companies that have profited through unethical behavior. Although companies often engage in unethical behavior, however, habitually unethical behavior is not necessarily a good long-term business strategy for a company. Ask yourself, for example, whether, as a customer, you are more likely to buy from a business that you know is honest and trustworthy or from one that has earned a reputation for being dishonest and crooked? Or ask yourself whether, as an employee, you are more likely to loyally serve a company whose actions toward you are fair and respectful, or one that habitually treats you and other workers unjustly and disrespectfully? Clearly, when companies are competing against each other for customers and for the best workers, the company with a reputation for ethical behavior has an advantage over one with a reputation for being unethical.

Primacy of Survival in Life of Pi

The urgent crave to survive at all costs is known as the primacy of survival. Survival is essential for every animal, and there is no shortage of lengths they will go to in order to survive. Yann Martel’s Life of Pi portrays the theme of primacy of survival based on Pi’s determination and courage throughout his journey. Piscine Molitor Patel, known to all as Pi, is a Hindu boy who embarks on a journey to Canada along with his family and their zoo animals. Midway through his journey, the boat sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and Pi is left stranded on a lifeboat.However, Pi is not alone on the raft; in his presence are a zebra, orangutan, hyena, and a fearsome Bengal tiger. Once he is aware of what happened, Pi understands that giving up on his life is not an option. This lust for survival is expressed by examining how all animals are naturally dangerous, how man will do cruel things in order to survive, and how all of our morals are lost when we feel threatened . Early on in Pi’s life, he is taught by his father that all animals are naturally dangerous.Pi’s father, who is the owner of a zoo in India doesn’t want Pi to be too comfortable around the animals at the zoo, since they could harm him if they feel threatened. In order to protect his son, he tells him â€Å"Life will defend itself no matter how small it is. Every animal is ferocious and dangerous. † (Martel, 41). This is crucial for Pi to understand, since he may think that some animals are harmless, meanwhile due to their natural instincts, they can be vicious if they feel threatened.However, after Pi’s father explains this to him he still isn’t convinced that Pi is fully aware of the consequences if he becomes too comfortable with the animals. Therefore he decides he needs to prove exactly how dangerous some of the animals can be. One day, he takes Pi and his brother to the big cats section of the zoo, to find a massive 550 pound female Be ngal tiger; the king of the jungle. He tells them how Mahisha, the tiger, hasn’t eaten in 2 whole days. Then, he says â€Å"I want you to remember this lesson for the rest of your lives† (Martel, 47). He then threw in a live goat into the tiger’s cage.With a sudden flash of orange and black fur, Mahisha demolished the goat with a single blow. Blood splattered everywhere, and Pi and his brother Ravi were utterly appalled by the sound of the dying goat. Pi himself is also an example of his father’s words that â€Å"Life will defend itself no matter how small it is. †( Martel, 41). Pi, a very skinny Hindu boy is faced alone with a hyena, orangutan, zebra and tiger on a lifeboat with no weapons. For the majority of his journey, he knows that death could be present at any given moment, but he still manages to protect and preserve himself.In certain situations, the primacy of survival of animals and humans alike can have an immensely powerful feeling, ur ging us to do anything in order to survive. This urge to survive can sometimes drive us to do cruel and unimaginable things. Pi experiences the cruelness of our hunger for survival when the boat Pi and his family are on begins to sink, and crew members throw Pi onto the lifeboat. Pi was thankful for them at first, since he thought being on the lifeboat would ensure his safety; however he wasn’t alone on the lifeboat.An adult hyena that was being shipped had managed to escape its cage and make refuge on the very same lifeboat as Pi! He soon realizes that the crew members didn’t throw him on the lifeboat to save his life, but rather as bait. Shocked, Pi says â€Å"They were using me as a fodder. They were hoping the hyena would attack me and that somehow I would get rid of it and make the boat safe for them. † (Martel, 121). This shows the extent to which humans will go to in order to survive, since there is ultimately nothing more drastic than human sacrifice. La ter on in Pi’s journey, he surprisingly runs into another lone survivor on another lifeboat.At this point in Pi’s journey, his body is severely dehydrated, and is beginning to deteriorate, which results in his loss of vision. The man on the other raft is blind as well, but once Pi begins to talk with him he is able to identify his accent as French. The man, much like Pi, hasn’t had food in days and is starving. Craving his own survival, the man attempts to attack and kill Pi for food. Pi is sure this is the end of his life, â€Å"I could feel him moving off the tarpaulin onto the middle bench and, fatally, bringing a foot down to the floor of the boat. ‘No, no, my brother! Don’t! We’re not-’ † (Martel, 283).Right before the man begins to attack Pi, Richard Parker; the mighty but weakened Bengal tiger on Pi’s lifeboat attacks the man and kills him. If it hadn’t been for Richard Parker, the man would have without a d oubt killed Pi and ate him in order to secure his own survival. Killing someone of the same species as you is sickening and cruel, but doing so to eat them is absolutely insane; something an animal would do. The truth is â€Å"We're animals. We're born like every other mammal and we live our whole lives around disguised animal thoughts. † (Morace, 1).Humans are essentially animals, but once separated from our race, faced with the possibility of death, we will do anything in order to survive. Not only will humans do unimaginable things in order to survive, their morals are all lost to a craving selfishness for survival. Pi experiences this first hand when the hyena on the lifeboat attacks the zebra and wounds it. He is initially horrified at this, but then he expresses how his sense of empathy was quickly overtaken in the fear of his own life: â€Å"When your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival. † (Martel, 133).This is natural for humans, something that comes instinctualy to us. Later on, Pi feels remorse for the zebra, unlike how he felt in the moment. His instincts however could have saved his life, since he proceeded to hide once the hyena attacked instead of watching and mourning the zebra. Pi even knew that what happened was normal, and that it may have kept him alive. Before he set sail on the ship through the pacific, he learnt about this madness for survival, â€Å"All living things contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, sometimes inexplicable ways. This madness can be saving; it’s part and parcel of the ability to adapt.Without it, no species would survive. † (Martel, 45). One may argue however that humans are different, that we should not turn into animals when we feel threatened. This is in fact false, since society is what holds us back: â€Å"Deprived of the zoo-like structures (society) that sustain them in their daily lives, humans retur n quite naturally to lives guided by basic instincts and animalistic impulses. † (Dominic, 143). Once Pi leaves society all together, he essentially becomes an animal like figure guided by instinct that only does things that are necessary for his survival. Because of Pi’s instincts, he is able to survive.Even though it may seem that Pi just witnesses these acts of human cruelty and loss of morals, he in fact suffers from the loss of morals and is extremely cruel himself. From as early on as he could remember in his life, Pi was a very strict vegetarian. Once he realized he was stranded on the life raft, he knew he would have to give up on his old habits, and that he would have to eat meat in order to survive. Pi quickly learns that he can’t be picky with the food he gets, and with his stomach rumbling of hunger, he proceeds to devour raw fish eyes, turtle blood and Pi even says that â€Å"I tried once to eat Richard Parkers feces.† (Martel, 237).He quickly learns that tiger feces isn’t suitable for humans to eat, and doesn’t attempt to eat it again. Even though it is entirely disgusting that he would do that, he didn’t have many more options. After these events it is said that â€Å"Pi also begins to recognize, much to his disappointment, that his own behaviours are becoming more animal-like† (Dominic, 143). Once Pi does realize that he is simply living off his instincts, he is surprisingly content with himself.However, on the verge of death, Pi does something that is questionable even in order to survive. One may wonder if there is anything worse that Pi could have done on his journey. The answer is cannibalism. After the man that Pi meets at sea is killed by Richard Parker, Pi actually eats some of the man’s raw flesh. Pi confesses that, â€Å"Driven by the extremity of my need and the madness to which it pushed me, I ate some of his flesh. † (Martel, 284). Having not eaten in nearly 12 day s, he even claims that â€Å"they slipped into my mouth nearly unnoticed. † (Martel, 284).This cruel, sickening and unacceptable act simply shows how we will do absolutely anything and everything in our power to survive. As a whole, the primacy of survival is thoroughly expressed within ample instances of Pi’s journey. What else could show the will to survive better than a teenage boy stranded alone on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Nothing, except if there perhaps was a giant Bengal tiger aboard. Well in that case Pi’s journey is the ultimate story of survival, since he faced hunger, thirst and death with the king of the jungle in his presence the entire time.Along his way, Pi learned how dangerous all animals naturally are, how humans can do such cruel things, and how our morals are lost when we are threatened. Some may speculate that what Pi did to survive is just plain wrong and unacceptable. Nevertheless Pi survived a record 227 days on the dreadful Pacific Ocean before his journey finally came to a close. From Pondicherry, India, all the way to Tomatlan, Mexico, Pi had to do many undesirable things that all point to an animal’s primacy of survival.

Homeless Veterans Essay

Abstract Homelessness has always existed in the United States, but only in recent years has the issue become a more prevalent and noticeable phenomenon. Homeless veterans began to come to the attention of the public at the same time. News accounts chronicled the plight of veterans who had served their country but were living (and dying) on the streets. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates about 250,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. (2012, pg. 4) My research will examine how homelessness is impacting our veterans and what interventions are available to homeless veterans. Introduction Whether it is wartime or peacetime, the men and women who serve our country live an unusual life style. Whether it is in the barracks or in the fields, military personnel form close alliances and bonds, which are necessary because they must depend on one another for survival. Once these veterans return home from the Gulf, Iraq or Afghanistan war or even if they just decide to discharge honorably, they face a whole new set of problems. These problems can be as small as reintegrating with their family, finding a job or finding a place to live. An ongoing problem that our veterans learn to cope with is how to deal with combat issues such as physical and mental disabilities. Today’s veterans find that he/she has more difficulty because they are not looked at in the way veterans were looked upon in the past. America’s patriotism has changed. Men were drafted into the military with the promises for a better future because they served their country. The country got behind them because they were fighting a World War. But Vietnam was the turning point for our veterans and upon their return home, they became society’s problem. Many young veterans who returned home were between 18 – 31 years old. Some were physically wounded and some were physically disabled. These veterans were sent home to our veterans hospitals for treatment. There were also those who had mental health issues and some help  was given to them but not enough. Veterans were discharged much too quickly. Where were these veterans to go? Many tried to reintegrate into society by securing housing (apartment or room) and others tried to move back home with their families. However, many veterans faced considerable challenges as a result of their physical disabilities and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). This caused many veterans to become homeless. First, society could not deal with veterans up close and personal and second, another reason was because the war haunted many veterans every day (PTSD). Therefore, for some veterans, they would rather live on the streets because they actually felt safer. According to data from Department of Veterans Affairs office of Inspector General, â€Å" veterans who became homeless after military separation were younger, enlisted with lower pay grades and were more likely to be diagnosed with mental disor ders at the time of separation from active duty.† (2012, pg. 4) Our veterans are our most important resource. We (Americans) do not live in a closed world anymore and when trouble comes to our shores, it is our veterans we depend upon to defend us. Our military is voluntary at this time and society and our government should protect and preserve their lives because without the veterans who would we count on? The military that protects us are strong, well trained, intelligent men and women who are willing to lay their lives on the line for their country. And for that reason, they deserve our respect, our support and our care. The social worker plays a major role in helping the veterans to stay connected to family and their community. The social worker’s role is to help the veteran and his family to access all resources that can be beneficial to the veteran’s recovery and a smoother re-entry back into his/her life. My research will attempt to answer the following questions: How common is homelessness among veterans?  What are the risk factors: gender, age, race and ethnicity, disability and how does it impact housing placement? What interventions are provided to address veteran homelessness? Do female veterans feel more isolated? Literature Reviews: Comparison of Outcomes of Homeless Female and Male Veterans in Transitional Housing Homelessness among female veterans is of national concern but few studies have been conducted on regards to how homelessness among female veterans differs from male veterans. The healthcare of female veterans has become an important priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as female veterans represent one of the fastest growing groups of new VA healthcare users. Studies have shown female veterans are less healthy and are in poorer mental health compared to male veterans, which has been attributed to barriers for women in accessing VA health services and allegations that the VA is male-dominated and not attentive enough to the needs of women (MacGregor et al. 2011: Weiss 1995, pg. 705). Homelessness among female veterans is a central issue as the VA strives to end homelessness among all veterans. Although women constitute about 8% of sheltered homeless veteran population, that number is expected to increase and women veterans have been found to be at higher risk of being homeless than their male counterparts (U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development & U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs 2009, pg. 705). The literature on homeless female veterans is small with only two previous studies identified in a comprehensive review. One study concluded that risk of homelessness is two to four times greater for women veterans (Gamache et al. 2003, pg. 706), and the other study found that compared to homeless male veterans, homeless female veterans are younger, less likely to be employed, more likely to have a major mental illness, but less likely to have a substance abuse use disorder (Leda et al. 1992, pg. 706). A small case-control study also found that sexual assault during military service, being unemployed, being disabled and having physical and mental health were risk factors for homelessness among female veterans (Washington et al. 2010, pg. 706). In the current study, the data used came from multi-site outcome study of homeless veterans enrolled in VA-funded transitional housing services (McGuire et al. 2011, pg. 706), through cross-sectional comparisons of homeless male and female veterans at the time of entry into transitional housing and examining outcomes 12 months after discharge. It is further hypothesized that, due to suggestions that there may be increased barriers for female veterans in accessing VA health services, female veterans would have worse outcomes than their male counterparts after transitional housing. Traumatic Stressor Exposure and Post-Traumatic Symptoms in Homeless Veterans  The Department of Housing and Urban Development (Carlson et al. 2012, pg. 970) recently reported that 13% of all homeless persons were veterans and an estimated 63,000 veterans were homeless on one night in January 2012. High rates of mental health problems have been reported in military and veteran populations. These problems may be related to trauma exposure and contributing to homelessness. Approximately 70% of homeless veterans have substance abuse issues and 45% are diagnosed with mental illness. (Carlson et al. 2012, pg. 970) Combat exposure has been found to increase risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which in turn, is thought to increase risk for homelessness. One study examining the rates of PTSD pre- and post deployment in a combat unit found that rates of PTSD increased from 9.4% to 18%, suggesting that exposure to combat raised the prevalence of PTSD in the unit (Hoge et al. 2004). Military veterans may also have an elevated risk of PTSD as a result of noncombat military stressors, such as dangerous or unstable conditions, witnessing injury, death or atrocities. Military trauma exposure puts individuals at risk for both PTSD and homelessness, but it is less clear whether civi lian trauma exposure increases risk for PTSD and homelessness in veterans. In a study of Vietnam veterans, both PTSD and exposure to combat and other war-related atrocities indirectly increased risk for homelessness, whereas interpersonal violence, and other types of nonmilitary trauma appeared to have direct effects on risk for homelessness (Carlson t al. 2013, pg. 970). A better understanding of the types of trauma that homeless veterans are exposed to could help identify veterans at increased risk for PTSD and homelessness and inform treatment (Carlson et al. 2013, pg. 970). Homeless Veterans of the All-Volunteer Force: A Social Selection Perspective The dramatic increase in urban homelessness in the United States has included large numbers of veterans. As with other Americans, poverty, alcohol, drugs, mental illness and social isolation have been documented as the primary risk factors for homelessness among veterans. As would be expected of an age cohort effect, in 1986 – 1987 the overrepresentation was highest among veterans of ages twenty to th irty-four, and in 1996 the odds of being a homeless veteran were highest among veterans aged thirty-five to forty-four (Tessler et al. 2003, pg.509) In this article, the explanatory factors all derive from a social selection perspective that refers to the idea that individuals with personal  characteristics that would later put them at risk for homelessness were recruited to military service in disproportionate numbers during the early years of the all-volunteer force (AVF). Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Veterans: An Overview of U. S. Military If social workers are to serve veterans effectively and efficiently, a basic understanding of the United States military is essential. Despite a longstanding and intimate relationship between social workers and veterans, the profession has been criticized for the lack of veteran-specific practitioner resources. The literature has been characterized as providing little practical guidance while universities and professional organizations failed to develop and incorporate the curriculum, information and tools needed to prepare social workers to serve this special population (Savitsky et al. 2009, pg. 863). Recently more information seems to be revolving with additional resources becoming available through social work journals, the development of advanced practice standards for military social workers, as well as academic course and degree specializations focusing on military social worker (Zoroya, 2009, pg. 864). The common theme has been the importance of military cultural competency. The acknowledgment of military culture is complex and not well understood by civilians and continues to impact veterans after discharge. This article presents information in anticipation of a Department of Veteran Affairs funded research project with veterans experiencing homelessness. Also, the article presents a structural and historical overview of the United States military, the propensity to enlist in armed forces, military culture and training methods and outcomes. It concludes with a discussion of implications for social work practice. Generally, military culture differs from the larger society in the United States as it is paternalistic and maintains a strict hierarchy. The military is characterized by a collectivist approach; encouraging interdependency; group orientation and group cohesion. Highly criticized qualities of military culture include misogyny and homophobia. The integration of females into armed forces has been hampered by fear of cohesiveness among males would be undermined. Experience indicates servicewomen are no more vulnerable to stress than servicemen and are able to complete physical tasks required of them. Unfortunately, women are subject to gender-based bias, stereotypes and harassment, both mental and physical. Alarming incidences of sexual  harassment and sexual violence has increased in the military. A 2004 survey indicates 52% of women experienced sexual harassment while serving; 10% did not feel it would do any good and 42% feared they would suffer adverse consequences (Zeiger & Gunderson, 2005. Pg. 867). Although changing with the repeal of Don’t’ Ask, Don’t Tell, the military has been strongly criticized for banning homosexuals from serving opening (Herek & Belkin, 2006. Pg. 867). Reason being it would undermine unit bonds and effectiveness and that privacy could not be provided. Ultimately, it is important to note that the attitudes of heterosexual servicemen and women may not have been as biased against homosexuality as previously thought. The belief that gays be allowed to openly serve in the military had increased in recent years, indicating the obsta cle to integration was not the attitudes of servicemen and women, but of military tradition. Social workers encounter veterans in public and private practice and effectively serving them demands military cultural competency. Social worker must have a foundation of general understanding of the larger military, its basic history and the complimentary roles played by the different branches (Petrovich, 2012. pg. 871). Veterans will have divergent service experiences and their opinions regarding service could vary widely. The more the social worker knows, this will help develop rapport with the clients, facilitate a more individualized understanding of their service history and other relevant areas. In the end, it is likely that veterans experience ambivalence regarding military culture and service experience and some military-oriented traits may be viewed as problematic in civilian life. However it’s important for the veteran and the social worker to explore and interpret these issues with respect the veteran’s sense of affiliation with and attachment to the military (Petrovich, 2012. pg. 872). Thus, a review of the literature has revealed helpful information about: How common is homelessness among veterans? What are the risks factors: gender, age, race, and ethnicity and disability and its impact? What interventions are provided to address this homeless problem among veterans? Do female homeless veterans feel more isolated? This research study will examine the impact of these four research questions  from the most recent data from the Veteran Affairs transitional housing programs. Specifically this study hypothesizes that participants in the different VA-funded transitional housing services will: Is the rate of homelessness increased and/or decreased between homeless female and male veterans? Are there increased barriers for female veterans in accessing VA services, in which female veterans would have worse outcomes than male counterparts after transitional housing? Sampling The research approach that will be utilized for my chosen topic is qualitative research. Qualitative research is flexible; it uses open-ended questions in interviews, participant observations and is often the best fit for diverse and at-risk populations such as homeless veterans whereas quantitative methods involve analysis of numbers; structured surveys, observations and examines existing information/reports. Also, in qualitative research, the research methods are not as dependent upon the sample sizes as in quantitative methods. Methodology Three major forms of VA-funded transitional housing service for homeless veterans will be included in this study: the health care for homeless veterans (HCHV) program; the grant and per diem (GPD) program and the domiciliary care for homeless veteran program (DCHV). The first two programs provide assistance to veterans through contracts with or grants to community service providers while the DCHV provides service directly through the VA staff at the local VA facility. Data were collected for a prospective, naturalistic study to compare these three transitional housing services across five different VA administrative regions (North, South, East, Wets and Mid-West). The study focused on 59 female participants and 1181 males. The female participant were Black (53%) or White (41%) and had a mean age of 43.89 years; while the majority of male participants were Black (59%) or White (35%), and had a mean age of 48.13 years. This information utilizes the variable of value (gender) and the constant (homelessness). Age is variable that can be measured by asking the participants to write down their age in the blank space. Procedures The data collection was conducted from May 2002 through September 2005.  Independent evaluators recruited, consented and conducted baseline and follow-up interviews with veterans in the transitional housing programs. Intake interviews were conducted before entering VA housing program, baseline interviews completed after admission and follow-up interviews were conducted 6 and 12 months after program discharge. Participation rate was very high (99.16%), and each participant gave informed consent. They were paid $10 for baseline interview and $25 for each follow-up interview. Measures When doing the initial intake interview, a paper form would be used to gather information from the participants to document their socio-demographic characteristics, combat exposure, housing and work history, psychiatric diagnoses, brief hospitalization history and a assessment of mental and physical health status. At baseline interview, participants were asked to complete a measure of the social climate of their residential care service. At follow-up interviews, a series of measures were administered to participants to assess: Housing: They were asked how many days in the last 30 days they have slept in different types of places such as housed (room or apartment) somebody else’s apartment; days in an institution (hospital, hotel or jail) and days homeless. Income and Employment: They were asked about their current employment pattern and classified as employed or unemployed; number of days they worked for pay and their employment income in 30 days. Also how much money they received from disability and public assistance. Substance Abuse Status: Alcohol and drug use in the past month. General Physical and Mental Health Status: Medical conditions were assessed with 12 questions that asked participants yes/no whether they had any of 12 common serious medical problems (e.g. hypertension, liver disease, cardiovascular problems, and orthopedic problems). Also includes an 8-item psychiatric composite scale which was used to assess general mental health status. Quality of Life: General quality of life and quality of social life were assessed. Residential Social Climate: At baseline, participants were asked to rate their perceptions of the treatment environment of their residential care program. Findings At intake the female participants were significantly younger; report more  psychiatric symptoms, more likely to be diagnosed with mood disorders, has shorter histories of homelessness and less likely to be working than male veterans. Male participants were reported to have higher risk factors of homelessness due to substance abuse (70%) and PTSD (45%) due to combat exposure. Between one to six months in transitional housing services, both genders were showing improvement on employment income and overall psychiatric scores. At six months, female participants showed some decrease in employment and an increase in their psychiatric scores whereas the male participants continued to show improvements. After a one year period, female participants showed improvement in housing, employment and incomes, substance abuse use and general physical and mental health and quality of life compared to male participants. This suggests that homeless female veterans can benefit as much from transitional housing services as male veterans. Transitional housing programs and shelter have been predominantly male environment focused on serving men, in the VA context. But this study found that, after adjusting for multiple comparisons, there were no differences in how homeless male and female veterans perceived the social climate of their transitional housing program or in their overall clinical benefits. These findings suggests that VA efforts to improve services for women may be successful, but need to continue. Limitations One limitation of this study is the small sample size of homeless female veterans. Also we were not able to differentiate between female veteran who are caring for dependent children and those who were not. Validity is a standard that determines whether an instrument measures what it is supposed to measure and whether it measures it accurately. Accuracy is the key issue. Because of small sampling of female veteran participant, the question of dependent children was a valid observation. Reliability is the second key standard in determining if a measure is satisfactory. Reliability refers to the internal consistency of the measure. Dudley states that the connection between validity and reliability is triangulation. Triangulation is a process of using multiple methods to measure one concept. If it is determined that the results of one measure of the same variable are similar to the results from another measure of the same variable, they are triangulating the findings. They are deemed to be both valid and reliable  because they have similar results. (Dudley, 2011). Bibliography Carlson, Eve B., Garvert, Donn W., Macia, Kathryn S., Ruzek, Josef I., Burling, Thomas A. (2013). Traumatic Stressor Exposure and post-Traumatic symptoms in Homeless Veterans. Military Medicine, Vol. 178, 9:970-973. Dudley, J.R. (2011). Research Methods for Social Work. Second edition. Boston: Pearson Education. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Gamache, G., Rosenheck, R., & Tessler, R. (2003). Overrepesentation of women veterans among homeless women. American Journal of Public Health, 93(7), 1132-1136. Herek, G. M., & Belkin, A. (2006). Sexual Orientation and Military Service: Prospects for organizational change and individual change in the United States. In T. W. Britt, A. B. Adler, & C. A. Castro (Eds.), Military Life: the Psychology of serving in Peace and Combat (pp. 119-142). Westport, CT: Praeger Security International. Hoge CW, Castro, CA, Messer SC, McGurk D, Cotting DI, Koffman RL. Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mental Health Problems, and Barriers to Care. New England Journ al of Medicine; 351(1): 13-22. Leda, C., Rosenheck, R., & Gallup, P. (1992). Mental illness among female veterans. Hospital & Community Psychiatry, 43(10), 1026-1028. MacGregor, C., Hamilton, A. B., Oishi, S. B., & Yano, E. M. (2011). Descriptive, development, and philosophies of mental health service delivery for female veterans in the VA: A qualitative study. Women’s Health Issues, 21(4), S138-S144. McGuire, J. F., Rosenheck, R. A., & Kasprow, W. J. (2011). Patient and program predictors of 12-month outcomes for homeless veterans following discharge from time-limited residential treatment. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research,38, 142-154. Petrovich, James. (2012). Culturally Competent social work Practice with Veterans: an Overview of the U. S. Military. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 22:863-874. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group Savitsky, L., Illingworth, M., & DuLaney, M. (2009) Civilian Social Work: Serving the military and veteran populations. Social Work, 54(4), 327-339. Tessler, Richard, Rosenheck, Robert and Gamache, Gail. (2003). Homeless Veterans of the All-Volunteer Force: A social Selection Perspective. Armed forces & Society, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 509-524. Tsai, Jack, Rosenheck, Robert A. and McGuire, James F. (2012). Comparison of Outcomes of Homeless Female and Male Veterans in Transitional Housing. Community Mental Health Journal, 48:705-710. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, & United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2009). Veteran Homelessness: A supplemental report to the 2009 annual homeless assessment report to Congress. Washington, DC: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development: US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans. Washington, D. L., Yano, E. M. Mcguire, J. F., Hines, V., Lee, M., & Gelberg, L. (2010).Risk factors for homelessness among women veterans. Journal of health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 21, 81-91. Zeigler, S. L. & Gunderson, G. G. (2005). Moving beyond G. I. Jane: Women and the U. S. Army. New York, NY: University Press of America. Zoroya, G. (2009, October 5). USA Today, p. 4a. More colleges develop classes on how to treat war vets.

Honor killingskillings Essay

It is shocking to see that in today’s era when education and awareness has become the most integral part of human and societal development. Moreover, women empowerment and their role in every walk of lives have changed over the period of time. There are still such hideous practices that are being done in some parts of the world under the disguised name of honor killing and Pakistan being one of the countries which holds the highest rates of honor killings in the world. Karo Kari another name for ignorance. This name originated from the rural areas of interior sindh. It is being practiced in areas of Sindh such as Jacocabad, Sukkur, Khairpur, and Larkana along with other areas of Sindh and some places in Punjab. THE TRIBAL SYSTEM Pakistani society is rich with multiple cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Each of these cultures and people from diversified ethnic groups come from distinct backgrounds and live together hence they have their own traditions and customs which they have been following since years. In the rural areas of Pakistan the tribal system still exists such as areas in the interior sindh. This is where the ‘jirga’ system or commonly known as the â€Å"panchayat† system exists. Under this system the rich and the influential class of the village tends to form a committee and takes decisions on behalf of everyone and the decision given by this group is bound to be accepted by every member of the society. They have their own way of judging the case and passing a verdict on that, they take their own time, they think over it and give the date for the decision. The lower and the poor working class is suppressed under this system as they don’t have any say in it and obliged to follow it. KARO KARI Karo Kari is practiced when the women of the family has brought dishonor to the family name by any means. This could be if the woman has any illicit relations with any man, or an extra marital affair, she could be a rape victim or even if she wants to get married to somebody of her choice she is brutally killed by one of the family members themselves in order to bring back the lost glory and name of the family. It is not just this that an innocent women can be categorized as Kari and killed it is also when the family and the brothers want to keep the property and resolve land disputes she becomes a victim of this murder, for example if a man owes some money to a person and that creditor comes to his place in order to collect the money to his place from another village and stays over night. The person who owes the money would kill his wife next day and declare her a Kari so that he doesn’t have to pay the money . in this way the creditor would choose to leave without taking the money rather being declared as Karo and being killed. Similarly a man can be declared a Karo even if he doesn’t have any kind of affair with a woman but he has any form of dispute with some other tribe and he’ll be killed under the name of honor killing. These killings tend to have the most inhuman ways of torturing some one and sentencing them to death. They will bury the girl alive recently in one of the states of Sindh, Khairpur; a girl was thrown in front of dogs to be torn apart as an act of hour killing. THE RISE IN THE NUMBER OF KILLINGS It is very depressing to see that the trend in the number of killings that has taken place due to this has increased over the years instead of dropping. It is estimated that over the last six years in Pakistan the number of deaths caused by Karo Kari have been more than six thousand which included around 800 men too, so it is not just women who fall for this, there are men too but their number is relatively lower than the women. Different societies have different people and thinking therefore they believe what they are doing is the right way but this practice of suppressing the right of women and taking her right to live is a murderous crime and contradictory to the teachings of Islam. It is that barbaric evil of the society that has to be eliminated completely. Even worse is the fact that the rich and influential class tends to get away with this practice while the poor are helpless and they become the victim. THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT As far as the government and other NGO’s are concerned then in the year 2004 there was an amendment made in the constitution which declared honor killings such as Karo Kari as equal to murder however, this amendment never came into practice because under another clause of the constitution it was stated that the accused can get away with the crime if one gets the consent of the family and in this case of Karo Kari the victims family itself is the one who are doing it therefore nobody can be put to trial as they don’t appear in the police station. It is the government’s duty to look into this matter and they should have made an alteration in the other amendment so that this brutal practice can be put to an end, however no concrete step has been taken to curb this. KARO KARI IS UNJUSTIFIABLE Karo Kari is a cultural shock to anyone who belongs to a civilized, developed and educated society and would condemn it. it is a murder not a punishment there could be any other ways of punishing one for their doings but such act is not justifiable on any grounds, it is barbaric and takes away the freedom of speech and expression. The dominating men in the â€Å"jirga† system have curbed the rights of women in these rural areas. It is actually the sardars who are the influential â€Å"waderas† who tend to encourage this practice as this increases their prestige in the society ,over that they get a compensation from the â€Å"jirga† too. Karo Kari is another name for ignorance, Islam has already restricted the Muslims and it has set punishments for the victim therefore any other act that is being practiced under its name is simply ignorance. In Islam having an illicit sexual relationship is condemned and the accused is whipped not subject to killing. How can one justify the killing of a woman who has been subjected to rape? By declaring such a women Kari and killing her society is depriving the soul from getting justice and instead of taking her out of that trauma one is putting an end to her life. Why are women accused more then men in Karo Kari, it is not that men are more faithful then women it is just that women are weak in these areas and men are strong that is why they are able to get away with it. These â€Å"jirga† have no right to take away the liberty to live from such people; they should work for the benefits of the society by coming to a conclusion on the basis of â€Å"shariah† not merely stay ignorant. Women are not property that their life is kept at stake to resolve land disputes. Moreover the killing is done in the most inhuman way. To bury some one alive, throwing her in front of dogs or to burn her alive is unjustifiable. Such practices were there in the olden days when there was no education and no awareness but it’s shocking that it still exists in our society and nobody has done anything to put an end to it. It is unjustly exploited by the feudal land lords and the elite class of the village who use Karo Kari to resolve their personal matters. One such incident took place when a native of interior Sindh came home after years of hard work from Dubai and brought money back home to start some form of business in his native land. He came in the eyes of the feudal lord due to his money and business. The opportunist wanted to trap him in the case of Karo Kari and he got the opportunity when the man by mistake prayed on the grave of some other women, thinking it to be his wife’s grave. The feudal lord took advantage of this and declared him a Karo; the man not only paid 15million to the land lord in order to save his life, he was kicked out of his home land and his business was taken away. There are many such instances when the influential people of the â€Å"panchayat† system tend to trap others for their own good and they use this practice of Karo Kari as a tool in order to get away with it. It is unfortunate to see that such murders are given the name of honor killings. THE URBAN AREAS VERSUS THE RURAL SETUP The tragedy with these women lies in the fact that they are born in such a set up and society where they are considered as a burden on the family. Girls still cannot compete with the boys and neither can they express their opinion. Sons are preferred over daughters. Daughters are not encouraged to go to school or get exposed to the outside world. Therefore their thinking is confined to just one place. They are expected to do what they are asked for and nothing else. Lives in the urban areas are an extreme opposite view of this. If one may not go far and compare with places in the similar province such as Karachi. The region is developed and modern. It is a cosmopolitan city and comprises of people from all caste, color and creed and they all share different cultures and languages and live altogether. Women here are educated and empowered like never before. They are independent, focused and know exactly what they want out of their lives. They are working as well as having a family and they are doing well in every walk of lives and competing with men. They take their own decisions. The living and culture of these societies varies from the rural areas actually there is no comparison. The two societies share the same religion and language yet again there are differences of opinions and thinking process. The urban life of Karachi is mush more modern and liberal as they are adopting the western culture in their society. Apart from the right to go out or make money, women can dress up the way she wants, socialize, make friends and do whatever she wants to. Girls are actually encouraged to go and study in co education and moreover sent abroad for further education and their families and relatives support them in this. In these urban areas there is no such thing as ‘jirga system. Life is different here justice drawn through legal courts and with the help of police. A rape victim can go to the police and lodge a complaint against the culprit and she has the right to live and fight for her right and nobody can stop her. All kinds of disputes pertaining to property, ownership, marriage or anything are resolved through legal procedure in the courts. After the age of eighteen years the girl and the boy have the right to choose her own life partner and get married to him legally. The concept of honor killings does not exist in these urban areas. This society has its own set of evils and drawbacks such as poverty, corruption, unemployment, terrorism. Women in urban areas are as influential and resourceful then men that they can not be dominated unjustly. Tribal system is a sign of backwardness and illiteracy and refusal to accept this fact is what is leading to what it is today. These two societies have completely different set of values, cultures, traditions and norms that they follow. The living and lifestyles of these people are also different. In the urban areas there are also powerful and influential people who tend to subjugate the weaker class, however that is done in entire different way where the free will of everyone is not included like the â€Å"jirga† system where everyone is bound to listen to them? Life in the urban society has made men and women strong and independent that’s the way they are brought up, whereas the tribal system has put them in a much weaker stand. The practice of Karo Kari is a social issue and it can not come to an end until there is no change in the social structure of the society and in order to change to be there, there has to be awareness and education and the powers of the rich and the land lords needs to be curbed so that they don’t exploit the common man who work for them as their slaves. It should not be encouraged but since it has been following from years and the people in the villages associate it as a matter of prestige and honor that is why is strongly accepted and being followed. It is not being used in villages to make easy money. The men’s of the family tend to kill their own daughter, wives and sisters ruthlessly in order to make easy money. it is actually depressing to see this that in today’s time such type of unjust ways of killings are taking place by the wrongdoers and they are justified on the basis of honor killings. 60% cases of the cases of Karo Kari are reported to be where the accused were innocent and yet killed. Every society and every religion have their own set of limitations which are known to all. Yet again those are not being followed that doesn’t mean that one can make use of it and exploit it on the basis of â€Å"ghayrat†. There are officials in the government who haven’t done anything to stop this practice because they feel it is not wrong, not only men, there are women who are seen in the political setup who have the ability to do something, yet are not doing anything. There are different cultures and people living in one country and each of them have their own problems and drawbacks. Whereas in one province one woman can get married by giving a divorce to her husband and in the other society she is buried alive if she has her own opinion. This tribal system has gone so worse that the people who live under it fear their death and therefore few try to escape and the ones who have money give that and get away with everything. Even if people try to escape these killings the villagers look for them and they kill them whenever and wherever they find them. Education is the key in all this that can reduce the gap and disparity among the two societies and give everyone the freedom to live as an independent citizen. ohou Key words Honor killings in Pakistan Karo Kari and the tribal system Women empowerment