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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Examine the Advantages and Disadvantages to the Possible Future

There is a growing crisis over the world’s energy resources to try and find sustainable solutions to the world’s problems. There are 3 responses to help cover the crisis; Business as usual, Multi-energy solution and energy conservation. The business as usual scenario involve the world to keep using the fossil fuels and the International Energy Agency predicts that fossil fuels will still dominate energy into 2030, which cancels out the predictions of fossil fuels running out by then with the growing population and the rapid development of nations such as China and India.This solution would involve natural gas consumption doubling and oil to increase by 1. 4 billion barrels a day. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to this solution. One advantage is that that development will continue without constraints which mean countries won’t have to spend time and money on developing any sustainable solutions, they can just continue with fossil fuels and deve lop as nations which would increase economic growth and the wealth of the countries would increase.Another advantage would include that it is very costly to switch to a sustainable solution because the energy will need to be collected and stored and would need to be implemented around the whole country which costs a lot, and for developing nations this would mean that they can’t use that money for better purposes. Disadvantages would include fuel cost increasing. Because of the growing demand from developing nations and the increasing populations within countries, this would mean a higher price because supply is running out so eventually only the rich countries would be able to afford the oil.Also, as it is such a necessity good, consumers are willing to pay any price to get the oil or resource. Another disadvantage is that global warming would accelerate faster. With this response, more fossil fuels are being burnt, hence increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air wh ich would enhance the greenhouse effect. The second possible solution is Multi-Energy Solution which is meeting future energy demands from a mixture of renewable, recyclable and non renewable sources.This would mean countries would have energy security to maintain an affordable supply for people and industry. Some advantages of this solution are that the country is not dependent on one type of source meaning that its energy secure. For example, wind power is useful for windy places but if for some days there is a lack of wind, people won’t have energy, so the country could use solar or nuclear energy to support their needs.Another advantage would be using enough of the fossil fuels now, while developing the new type of sustainable renewable sources which will be very useful, thus creating jobs into that type of research and development. Disadvantages would include renewable energy has its costs such as it is very expensive to build and maintain, collecting and storing the ene rgy is difficult and it is very inconsistent. This type of energy would include solar and wind power, so they might not choose to use it when it is still developing as a type of sustainable source of energy which would ensure security.If a country is using nuclear power, then it could be very dangerous as the storing of the waste would become expensive and might harm the surrounding environment. Although it is a very reliable energy source, countries are unlikely to use it because of Chernobyl and if that happened today, the effects will be much worse. The last possible solution is Energy conservation which is a response to meeting the increasing demand based on decreasing the amount of energy we use.Reasons why they would want to reduce consumption are based on reducing costs, reducing harmful emissions and promoting energy security. Advantages are that it will satisfy environmentalists because they would be using sustainable solutions and cutting down on fossil fuels which would d ecelerate the greenhouse effect. Another possible advantage is that renewable energy would develop as the main source of energy countries would use, which means not using fossil fuels and so unnatural weather patterns and disasters won’t occur.Some disadvantages are that the transition from non-renewable to renewable is very expensive as installation, storing and distributing the power will all cost money and could be very unreliable at the start meaning countries won’t be energy secure. Also, countries will reject the plea of changing to renewable energy sources as they will want to develop as nations like we did and would want to have the industrial revolution and use up as much as they can to grow the country economically.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 4~7

4 Pinnacle of the Pink Pyramid A low buzz of anticipation ran through the halls of the hospital. Reporters checked the batteries in their microrecorders and cell phones. Orderlies and nurses lingered in the hallways in hope of getting a glimpse of the celebrity. The FAA men straightened their ties and shot their cuffs. One receptionist in administration, who was only two distributorships away from earning her own pink Oldsmobile, ducked into an examining room and sucked lungfuls of oxygen to chase the dizziness that comes from meeting one's Messiah. Mary Jean was coming. Mary Jean Dobbins did not travel with an entourage, bodyguards, or any other of the decorative leeches commonly attached to the power-wielding rich. â€Å"God is my bodyguard,† Mary Jean would say. She carried a .38-caliber gold-plated Lady Smith automatic in her bag: the Clara Barton Commemorative Model, presented to her by the Daughters of the Confederacy at their annual â€Å"Let's Lynch Leroy† pecan pie bake-off, held every Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (She didn't agree with their politics, but the belles could sure sell some makeup. If the South did not rise again, it wouldn't be for lack of foundation.) Today, as Mary Jean came through the doors of the main lobby, she was flanked by a tall predatory woman in a black business suit – a severe con-trast to Mary Jean's soft pastel blue ensemble with matching bag and pumps. â€Å"Strength and femininity are not exclusive, ladies.† She was sixty-five; matronly but elegant. Her makeup was perfect, but not overdone. She wore a sapphire-and-diamond pin whose value approximated the gross national product of Zaire. She greeted every orderly and nurse with a smile, asked after their families, thanked them for their compassionate work, flirted when appropriate, and tossed compliments over her shoulder as she passed, without ever missing a step. She left a wake of acutely charmed fans, even among the cynical and stubborn. Outside Tucker's room the predatory woman – a lawyer – broke formation and confronted the maggotry of reporters, allowing Mary Jean to slip past. She poked her head inside. â€Å"You awake, slugger?† Tuck was startled by her voice, yanked out of his redundant reverie of unemployment, imprisonment, and impotence. He wanted to pull the sheets over his head and quietly die. â€Å"Mary Jean.† The makeup magnate moved to his bedside and took his hand, all compassion and caring. â€Å"How are you feeling?† Tucker looked away from her. â€Å"I'm okay.† â€Å"Do you need anything? I'll have it here in a Texas jiffy.† â€Å"I'm fine,† Tucker said. She always made him feel like he'd just struck out in his first Little League game and she was consoling him with milk and cookies. The fact that he'd once tried to seduce her doubled the humi-liation. â€Å"Jake told me that you're having me moved to Houston. Thank you.† â€Å"I have to keep an eye on you, don't I?† She patted his hand. â€Å"You sure you're feeling well enough for a talk?† Tucker nodded. He wasn't buying the outpouring of warm fuzzies she was selling. He'd seen her doing business on the plane. â€Å"That's good, honey,† Mary Jean said, rising and looking around the room for the first time. â€Å"I'll have some flowers sent up. A touch of color will brighten things up, won't it? Something fragrant too. The constant smell of disinfectant must be disturbing.† â€Å"A little,† Tuck said. She wheeled on her heel and looked at him. Her smile went hard. Tuck saw wrinkles around her mouth for the first time. â€Å"Probably reminds you of what a total fuckup you are, doesn't it?† Tucker gulped. She'd faked him out of his shoes. â€Å"I'm sorry, Mary Jean. I'm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She raised a hand and he shut up. â€Å"You know I don't like to use profanity or firearms, so please don't push me, Tucker. A lady controls her anger.† â€Å"Firearms?† Mary Jean pulled the Lady Smith automatic out of her purse and leveled it at Tucker's bandaged crotch. Strangely, he noticed that Mary Jean had chipped a nail drawing the gun and for that, he realized, she really might kill him. â€Å"You didn't listen to me when I told you to stop drinking. You didn't listen when I told you to stay away from my representatives. You didn't listen when I told you that if you were going to amount to anything, you had to give your life to God. You'd better damn well listen now.† She racked the slide on the automatic. â€Å"Are you listening?† Tuck nodded. He didn't breathe, but he nodded. â€Å"Good. I have run this company for forty years without a hint of scandal until now. I woke up yesterday to see my face next to yours on all the morning news shows. Today it's on the cover of every newspaper and tabloid in the country. A bad picture, Tucker. My suit was out of season. And every article uses the words ‘penis' and ‘prostitute' over and over. I can't have that. I've worked too hard for that.† She reached out and tugged on his catheter. Pain shot though his body and he reached for the ringer for the nurse. â€Å"Don't even think about it, pretty boy. I just wanted to make sure I had your attention.† â€Å"The gun pretty much did it, Mary Jean,† Tucker groaned. Fuck it, he was a dead man anyway. â€Å"Don't you speak to me. Just listen. This is going to disappear. You are going to disappear. You're getting out of here tomorrow and then you're going to a cabin I have up in the Rockies. You won't go home, you won't speak to any reporters, you won't say doodly squat. My lawyers will handle the legal aspects and keep you out of jail, but you will never surface again. When this blows over, you can go on with your pathetic life. But with a new name. And if you ever set foot in the state of Texas or come within a hundred yards of anyone involved in my company, I will personally shoot you dead. Do you understand?† â€Å"Can I still fly?† Mary Jean laughed and lowered the gun. â€Å"Sweetie, to a Texas way a thinkin' the only way you coulda screwed up worse is if you'd throwed a kid down a well after fessing up to being on the grassy knoll stompin' yellow roses in between shootin' the President. You ain't gonna fly, drive, walk, crawl, or spit if I have anything to say about it.† She put the gun in her purse and went into the tiny bathroom to check her makeup. A quick primping and she headed for the door. â€Å"I'll send up some flowers. Y'all heal up now, honey.† She wasn't going to kill him after all. Maybe he could win her back. â€Å"Mary Jean, I think I had a spiritual experience.† â€Å"I don't want to hear about any of your degenerate activities.† â€Å"No, a real spiritual experience. Like a – what do you call it? – an epiphany?† â€Å"Son, you don't know it, but you're as close to seeing the Lord as you've ever been in your life. Now you hush before I send you to perdition.† She put on her best beatific smile and left the room radiating the power of positive thinking. Tucker pulled the covers over his head and reached for the flask Jake had left. Perdition, huh? She made it sound bad. Must be in Oklahoma. 5 Our Lady of the Fishnet Stockings The High Priestess of the Shark People ate Chee-tos and watched afternoon talk shows over the satellite feed. She sat in a wicker emperor's chair. A red patent leather pump dangled from one toe. Red lipstick, red nails, a big red bow in her hair. But for a pair of silk seamed stockings, she was naked. On the screen: Meadow Malackovitch, in a neck brace, sobbed on her lawyer's shoulder – a snapshot of the pilot who had traumatized her was inset in the upper-right-hand corner. The host, a failed weatherman who now made seven figures mining trailer parks for atrocities, was reading the dubious rsum of Tucker Case. Shots of the pink jet, before and after. Stock footage of Mary Jean on an airfield tarmac, followed by Case in a leather jacket. The High Priestess touched herself lightly, leaving a faint orange stripe of Chee-to spoor on her pubes (she was a natural blonde), then keyed the intercom that connected her to the Sorcerer. â€Å"What?† came the man's voice, weary but awake. It was 2:00 A.M. The Sorcerer had been working all night. â€Å"I think we've found our pilot,† she said. 6 Who's Flying This Life? At the last minute Mary Jean changed her mind about sending Tucker Case to her cabin in the mountains. â€Å"Put him in a motel room outside of town and don't let him out until I say so.† In two weeks Tucker had seen only the nurse who came in to change his bandages and the guard. Actually, the guard was a tackle, second-string defense from SMU, six-foot-six, two hundred and seventy pounds of earnest Christian na;vet named Dusty Lemon. Tucker was lying on the bed watching television. Dusty sat hunched over the wood-grain Formica table reading Scripture. Tucker said, â€Å"Dusty, why don't you go get us a six-pack and a pizza?† Dusty didn't look up. Tuck could see the shine of his scalp through his crew cut. A thick Texas drawl: â€Å"No, sir. I don't drink and Mrs. Jean said that you wasn't to have no alcohol.† â€Å"It's not Mrs. Jean, you doofus. It's Mrs. Dobbins.† After two weeks, Dusty was beginning to get on Tuck's nerves. â€Å"Just the same,† Dusty said. â€Å"I can call for a pizza for you, but no beer.† Tuck detected a blush though the crew cut. â€Å"Dusty?† â€Å"Yes sir.† The tackle looked up from his Bible, waited. â€Å"Get a real name.† â€Å"Yes, sir,† Dusty said, a giant grin bisecting his moon face, â€Å"Tuck.† Tucker wanted to leap off the bed and cuff Dusty with his Bible, but he was a long way from being able to leap anywhere. Instead, he looked at the ceiling for a second (it was highway safety orange, like the walls, the doors, the tile in the bathroom), then propped himself up on one elbow and considered Dusty's Bible. â€Å"The red type. That the hot parts?† â€Å"The words of Jesus,† Dusty said, not looking up. â€Å"Really?† Dusty nodded, looked up. â€Å"Would you like me to read to you? When my grandma was in the hospital, she liked me to read Scriptures to her.† Tucker fell back with an exasperated sigh. He didn't understand religion. It was like heroin or golf: He knew a lot of people did it, but he didn't un-derstand why. His father watched sports every Sunday, and his mother had worked in real estate. He grew up thinking that church was something that simply interfered with games and weekend open houses. His first ex-posure to religion, other than the skin mag layouts of the women who had brought down television evangelists, had been his job with Mary Jean. For her it just seemed like good business. Sometimes he would stand in the back of the auditorium and listen to her talk to a thousand women about having God on their sales team, and they would cheer and â€Å"Hallelujah!† and he would feel as if he'd been left out of something – something beyond the apparent goofiness of it all. Maybe Dusty had something on him besides a hundred pounds. â€Å"Dusty, why don't you go out tonight? You haven't been out in two weeks. I have to be here, but you – you must have a whole line of babes crying to get you back, huh? Big football player like you, huh?† Dusty blushed again, going deep red from the collar of his practice jersey to the top of his head. He folded his hands and looked at them in his lap. â€Å"Well, I'm sorta waitin' for the right girl to come along. A lot of the girls that go after us football players, you know, they're kinda loose.† Tuck raised an eyebrow. â€Å"And?† Dusty squirmed, his chair creaked under the strain. â€Å"Well, you know, it's kinda†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And suddenly, amid the stammering, Tucker got it. The kid was a virgin. He raised his hand to quiet the boy. â€Å"Never mind, Dusty.† The big tackle slumped in his chair, exhausted and embarrassed. Tuck considered it. He, who understood so much the importance of a healthy sex life, who knew what women needed and how to give it to them, might never be able to do it again, and Dusty Lemon, who probably could produce a woody that women could chin themselves on, wasn't using it at all. He pondered it. He worked it over from several angles and came very close to having a religious experience, for who but a vicious and vengeful God would allow such injustice in the world? He thought about it. Poor Tucker. Poor Dusty. Poor, poor Tucker. He felt a lump forming in his throat. He wanted to say something that would make the kid feel better. â€Å"How old are you, Dusty?† â€Å"I'll be twenty-two next March, sir?† â€Å"Well, that's not so bad. I mean, you might be a late bloomer, you know. Or gay maybe,† Tuck said cheerfully. Dusty started to contract into the fetal position. â€Å"Sir, I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind,† he whimpered. There was a knock on the door and he uncurled, alert and ready to move. He looked to Tucker for instructions. â€Å"Well, answer it.† Dusty lumbered to the door and pulled it open a crack. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I'm here to see Tucker Case. It's okay, I work for Mary Jean.† Tuck recognized Jake Skye's voice. â€Å"Just a second.† Dusty turned and looked to Tucker, confused. â€Å"Who knows we're here, Dusty?† â€Å"Just us and Mrs. Jean.† â€Å"Then why don't you let him in?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† He opened the door and Jake Skye strode through carrying a grocery bag and a pizza box. â€Å"Greetings.† He threw the pizza on the bed. â€Å"Pepperoni and mushroom.† He glanced at Dusty and paused, taking a moment to look the tackle up and down. â€Å"How'd you get this job? Eat your family?† â€Å"No, sir,† Dusty said. Jake patted the tackle's mammoth shoulder. â€Å"Good to be careful, I guess. Momma always said, ‘Beware of geeks bearing gifts.' Who are you?† â€Å"Jake Skye,† Tuck said, â€Å"meet Dusty Lemon. Dusty, Jake Skye, Mary Jean's jet mechanic. Be nice to Dusty, Jake, He's a virgin.† Dusty shot a vicious glare at Tuck and extended a boxing glove size mitt. Jake shook his hand. â€Å"Virgin, huh?† Jake dropped his hand. â€Å"Not including farm animals, though, right?† Dusty winced and moved to close the door. â€Å"You-all can't stay long. Mr. Case isn't supposed to see no one.† Jake put the grocery bag down on the table, pulled out a fourinch-thick bundle of mail, and tossed it on the bed next to Tucker. â€Å"Your fan mail.† Tucker picked it up. â€Å"It's all been opened.† â€Å"I was bored,† Jake said, opening the pizza box and extracting a slice. â€Å"A lot of death threats, a few marriage proposals, a couple really interesting ones had both. Oh, and an airline ticket to someplace I've never heard of with a check for expenses.† â€Å"From Mary Jean?† â€Å"Nope. Some missionary doctor in the Pacific. He wants you to fly for him. Medical supplies or something. Came FedEx yesterday. Almost took the job myself, seeing as I still have my pilot's license and you don't, but then, I can get a job here.† Tucker shuffled through the stack of mail until he found the check and the airline ticket. He unfolded the attached letter. Jake held the pizza box out to the bodyguard. â€Å"Dopey, you want some pizza?† â€Å"Dusty,† Dusty corrected. â€Å"Whatever.† To Tuck: â€Å"He wants you to leave ASAP.† â€Å"He can't go anywhere,† said Dusty. Jake retracted the box. â€Å"I can see that, Dingy. He's still wired for sound.† Jake gestured toward the catheter that snaked out of Tucker's pajama bottoms. â€Å"How long before you can travel?† Tucker was studying the letter. It certainly seemed legitimate. The doctor was on a remote island north of New Guinea, and he needed someone to fly jet loads of medical supplies to the natives. He specifically mentioned that â€Å"he was not concerned† about Tucker's lack of a pilot's license. The â€Å"need was dire† and the need was for an experienced jet pilot who could fly a Lear 45. â€Å"Well,† Jake said, â€Å"when can you roll?† â€Å"Doctor says not for a week or so,† Tucker said. â€Å"I don't get it. This guy is offering more money than I make for Mary Jean. Why me?† Jake pulled a Lone Star from the grocery bag and twisted off the cap. Tuck zeroed in on the beer. Dusty snatched it out of Jake's hand. â€Å"The question is,† Jake said, glaring at Dusty, â€Å"what the fuck is a missionary doctor in Bongo Bongo land doing with a Lear 45?† â€Å"God's work?† Dusty said innocently. Jake snatched back his beer. â€Å"Oh blow me, Huey.† â€Å"Dusty,† Dusty corrected. Tucker said, â€Å"I'm not sure this is a good idea. Maybe I should stay here and see how things pan out with the FAA. This guy wants me right away. I need more time.† â€Å"Like more time will make a difference. Damn, Tucker, you don't have to sink eyeball deep in shit to know it's a good idea to pull yourself out. Sometimes you have to make a decision.† Tucker looked at the letter again. â€Å"But I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Before Tucker could finish his protest, Jake brought the Lone Star in a screaming arc across Dusty Lemon's temple. The bodyguard fell like a dead tree and did a dead-cat bounce on the orange carpet. â€Å"Jesus!† Tucker said. â€Å"What the fuck was that?† â€Å"A decision,† Jake said. He looked up from the fallen tackle and took a pull on the foaming Lone Star. â€Å"Sometimes this high-tech world calls for low-tech solutions. Let's go.† 7 Travel Tips â€Å"I can't believe you hit him,† Tucker said. He was in the passenger seat of Jake Skye's camouflaged Land Rover. It was much more car than was re-quired for the Houston expressway, but Jake was into equipment overkill. Everything he owned was Kevlar, GorTex, Polarfleece, titanium alloy, graphite-polymer composite, or of â€Å"expedition quality.† He liked machines, understood how they worked, and could fix them if they didn't. Sometimes he spoke in an incomprehensible alphabet soup of SRAM, DRAM, FOR-TRAN, LORAN, SIMMS, SAMS, and ROM. Tuck, on the other hand, knew most of the words to â€Å"Mommas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys† and could restore burned toast to new by scraping off the black stuff. Of the two, Jake was the cool one. Tucker had always found being cool a little elusive. As Jake put it, â€Å"You've got the look, but you can't walk the walk or talk the talk. Tucker, you are a hopeless geek trapped in a cool guy's body, but out of the goodness of my heart, I will take you on as my student.† They'd been friends for four years. Jake had taught Tuck to fly. â€Å"He'll be fine. He's a jock,† Jake shouted over the buffeting wind. He hadn't bought a top for the Land Rover, opting instead for the Outback package with the â€Å"patented rhinoceros poking platform.† â€Å"He was just a kid. He was reading the Bible.† â€Å"He would have ripped my arms off if I'd let him.† Tuck nodded. That was probably true. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"The airport. Everything you need is in that pack in the back.† Tucker looked into the back of the Rover. There was a large backpack. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because if I don't get you out of the country right now, you're going to jail.† â€Å"Mary Jean said she had that handled. Said her lawyers were on it.† â€Å"Right, and I go around smacking kids with beer bottles for recreation. The hooker filed a civil suit this morning. Twenty million. Mary Jean has to throw you to the wolves to save her own ass. She has to let the court prove that you fucked up all on your own. I grabbed your passport and some clothes when I got your mail.† â€Å"Jake, I can't just take off like this. I'm supposed to see a doctor tomorrow.† â€Å"For what?† Tuck pointed to the lump of bandages in his lap. â€Å"What do you think? He's supposed to take this damn tube out of me.† â€Å"We'll do it in the bathroom at the airport. There's some antibiotics in the first-aid kit in the pack. I confirmed you for a flight to Honolulu that leaves in an hour. From there you go to Guam, then to someplace called Truk. That's where this doctor is supposed to meet you. I've got it all written down. There was an e-mail address at the bottom of the letter. I sent him a message to expect you tomorrow.† â€Å"But my car, my apartment, my stuff.† â€Å"Your apartment is a pit and I put your stuff worth keeping in a ministorage. I've got the pink slip for your Camaro. Sign it over to me. I'll sell it and send you the money.† â€Å"You were pretty fucking sure I'd want to do this.† â€Å"What choice do you have?† Jake parked the Land Rover in short-term parking, shouldered the pack, and led Tucker into the international terminal. They checked the pack and found a rest room near Tucker's departure gate. â€Å"I can do this myself,† Tucker said. Jake Skye was peering over the door into the stall where Tucker was preparing to remove his bandages and, finally, the catheter. A line of businessmen washed their hands at a line of lavatories while trying not to notice what was going on behind them in the stall. â€Å"Just yank it,† Jake Skye said. â€Å"Give me a minute. I think they tied a knot inside it.† â€Å"Don't be a wuss, Tucker. Yank it.† The businessmen at the sinks exchanged raised eyebrows and one by one broke for the rest room door. Jake said, â€Å"I'm going to give you to five, then I'm coming over the stall and yanking it for you. One, two†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A rodeo cowboy at the urinals hitched up his Wranglers, pulled his hat down, and made a bowlegged beeline for the door to get on a plane to someplace where this sort of thing didn't happen. â€Å"Five!† Security guards rushed through the terminal toward the screaming. Someone was being murdered in the men's room and they were responsible. They burst into the rest room with guns drawn. Jake Skye was coiling up some tubing by the sinks. There was whimpering coming from one of the stalls. â€Å"Everything's fine, officers,† Jake said. â€Å"My friend's a little upset. He just found out that his mother died.† â€Å"My mother's not dead!† Tucker said from the stall. â€Å"He's in denial,† Jake whispered to the guards. â€Å"Here, you better takes this.† He handed the tubing to one of the guards. â€Å"We don't want him hanging himself in grief.† Ten minutes later, after condolences from the security staff, they sat in the departure lounge drinking gin and tonics, waiting for Tuck's boarding call. Around them, a score of men and women in suits fired out phone calls on cell phones while twenty more performed an impromptu dog pile at the bar, trying to occupy the minuscule smoking area. Jake Skye was cataloging the contents of the pack he'd given to Tuck. Tucker wasn't listening. He was overwhelmed with the speed with which his life had gone to shit, and he was desperately trying to sort it out. Jake's voice was lost like kazoo sounds in a wind tunnel. Jake droned, â€Å"The stove will run on anything: diesel, jet fuel, gasoline, even vodka. There's a mask, fins, and snorkel, and a couple of waterproof flashlights.† The job with Mary Jean had been perfect. A different city every few days, nice hotels, an expense account, and literally thousands of earnest Mary Jean ladies to indulge him. And they did, one or two at each convention. Inspired by Mary Jean's speeches on self-determination, motivation, and how they too could be a winner, they sought Tucker out to have their one adventurous affair with a jet pilot. And because no matter how many times it happened, he was always somewhat surprised by their advances, Tucker played a part. He behaved like a man torn from the cover of some steamy romance novel: the charming rogue, the passionate pirate who would, come morning, take his ship to sea for God, Queen, and Country. Of course, usually, sometime before morning, the women would realize that under the smooth, gin-painted exterior was a guy who sniffed his shorts to check their wearability. But for a moment, for them and for him, he had been cool. Sleazy, but cool. When the sleaze got to him, he needed only to suck a few hits of oxygen from the cabin cylinder to chase the hangover, then pull the pink jet into the sky to convince himself he was a professional, competent and in control. At altitude he turned it all over to the autopilot. But now he couldn't seduce anyone or allow himself to be seduced, and he wasn't sure he could fly. The crash had juiced him of his confidence. It wasn't the impact or even the injuries. It was that last moment, when the guy, or the angel, or whatever it was appeared in the copilot's seat. â€Å"You ever think about God?† Tucker asked Jake. Jake Skye's face went dead with incomprehension. â€Å"You're going to need to know about this stuff if you get into trouble. Kinda like checking the fuel gauges – if you know what I mean.† Tucker winced. â€Å"Look, I heard every word you said. This seemed important all of a sudden, you know?† â€Å"Well, in that case, Tuck, yes, I do think about God sometimes. When I'm with a really hot babe, and we're going at it like sweaty monkeys, I think about it then. I think about a big old pissed-off Sistine Chapel finger-pointin' motherfucker. And you know what? It works. You don't come when you're thinking about shit like that. You should try it sometime. Oh, sorry.† â€Å"Never mind,† Tucker said. â€Å"You can't let that kid with the Bible get to you. He's too young to have given up on religion†¦doesn't have enough sin under his belt. Guys like us, best bet is that it's all bullshit and we go directly to worm food. Try not to think about it.† â€Å"Right,† Tucker said, totally unsatisfied. If you had a question about any piece of gadgetry on the planet, Jake Skye was your man. But spiritually, he was a hamster. Which, actually, was one of the things Tucker used to like about him. He tried not to think about it and changed the subject. â€Å"So what do I need to know about flying a Lear 45?† Jake seemed relieved to be back into the realm of technology. â€Å"I haven't seen one yet, but they say it flies just like Mary Jean's old Lear 25, only faster and a longer range. Better avionics. Read the manuals when you get there.† â€Å"What about navigation equipment?† Tucker's navigation was weak. Since he'd gotten his jet license, he'd depended completely on automatic systems.† â€Å"You'll be fine. You don't buy a four-million-dollar plane and cheap out on the navigation and radios. This doctor's got an e-mail address, which means he's got a computer. You'll be able to access charts and weather, and file flight plans with that. Check the facilities at your destinations, so you'll know what to expect. Some of these Third World airstrips just have a native with a candle for night landings. And check your fuel availability. They'll sell you sewer water instead of jet fuel if you don't check. You ever deal with Third World airport cops?† Tucker shrugged. Jake knew damn well he hadn't. He'd gotten his hours flying copilot in the Mary Jean jet, and they'd never taken that outside of the continental United States except for one trip to Hawaii. â€Å"Well,† Jake continued, â€Å"the catchword is ‘bribe, bribe, and bribe.' Offer the highest amount you can at the lowest level of authority. Always have a thick roll of American dollars with you, and don't bring it to the table if you're not willing to lose it. Keep something stashed in your shoe if they tap you out.† â€Å"You think this doctor is going to have me hauling drugs?† â€Å"Good chance of it, don't you think? Besides, it doesn't matter. These people are brutal. Half the time the government guys have the same last name, so if you move up the ladder, you're just talking to the uncle of the last one that hit you. He has to charge you more out of pride.† Tucker cradled his head in his hands and stared into his gin and tonic. â€Å"I'm fucked.† Jake patted him on the arm, then drew back at the intimacy of the act. â€Å"They're calling your flight. You'll be fine.† They rose and Jake threw some cash on the table. At the gate Tucker turned to his friend. â€Å"Man, I don't know what to say.† Jake extended his hand. â€Å"No sweat, man. You'd have done it for me.† â€Å"I really hate flying in the back. Check on that kid from the motel, okay.† â€Å"I'm on it. Look, everything you need is in the pack. Don't leave it behind.† â€Å"Right,† Tucker said. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He turned and walked down the ramp to the plane. Jake Skye watched him go, then turned, walked to a pay phone, dialed some numbers, and waited. â€Å"Yeah, it's Jake. He's on his way. Yeah, gone for good. When can I pick up my check?†

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Genetically Modified Food and Crops Essay

Abstract Since the 1980’s scientists have been altering crops, including some of the food we eat (Fairly & Gaskins, 2000). Genetically modified food has always been a concern for many people. I find the concerns to be unwarranted because there has never been a negative health report due to the fact of consuming GM foods. Biotechnology gives us the best means for solving the world’s food shortage now and in the future. Genetically modified crop plants are now grown on nearly 150 million acres in the United States alone, helping farmers to increase yields, reduce pesticide spraying, and save topsoil (Conko & Miller, 2011). What are we actually eating? Looking at ingredients on the back of a product was almost considered out of the ordinary ten to fifteen years ago. But now it is one of the most important factors in the decision on whether or not a consumer will buy the product. In all the research I conducted there was never a proven harmful effect from genetic engineering. However, the benefits are scientifically proven which gives genetically modified crops the advantage over traditional farming. The proposed ideas and research by scientist show that a lot more can be done with GM food other than eating it. Globalization of GM crops is becoming apparent as well as GM crop commercialization. _Keywords: GM Food, GM Crops, Genetically engineered crops, Biotechnology, GM organisms._ â€Å"Genetically modified organisms can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. The technology is often called â€Å"biotechnology† and it allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another† (World Health Organization, 2002). For more than twenty years of scientific,  humanitarian, and financial success genetic engineering has been applied to agriculture. This has been accomplished without injury to a single person or damage to the ecosystem. However, activists are still fighting the use of genetically modified crops (Conko & Miller 2011). Millions of people around the world suffer from malnutrition and with the steep projected increase of our world’s population in the next fifty years a change needs to be made. Genetically modified crops increase yield, nutrition and uses fewer pesticides all without proven negative effects. GM crops and all its benefits make it the gateway for the world’s agriculture success. Genetically modified crops are becoming the building blocks for agriculture advancements. Scientists are continually working to create more benefits for consumers as well as farmers. The main concern of GM foods is negative health risks however, they are actually more beneficial. GM foods have longer shelf life, contain higher nutritional value and are safer to eat. For example, â€Å"GM corn has lower fungal toxin content then non-GM corn, and farmers typically produce GM crops using fewer pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers† (Tyson, 2001). By drastically reducing the use of chemicals on the plants it provides a major improvement for the consumer’s safety and nourishment. Because scientists slightly tweak the DNA of the plants with other genes it is possible that food allergens may end up in GM products. Steve Taylor, a scientists at the University of Nebraska states that, â€Å"the food-allergy threat is small because food  engineers now avoid using genes from n uts and other common food allergens. The benefits of genetic engineering justify the risk† (Fairley & Gaskins 2000). Products from biotechnology are no less safe than traditionally bred crops. According to Dr. Prakash, â€Å"genetically improved products are subjected to intensive testing, while conventional varieties have never been subjected to any such regulation for food safety or environmental impact† (Prakash, 2000). Every GM food that is currently available on the international market has already passed risk assessments and is not likely to pose a risk for the consumers. No effects have been shown and GM foods will continue to be regulated in more and more countries (World Health Organization, 2002). GM crops are never expected to present a health risk  and therefore should reassure government officials worldwide in the use of this technology. Another concern of GM technology is the effect it has on the environment. The environmental risks of biotechnology are also unidentified just like the health trepidations. No scientific evidence proves that GM crops are harmful to the environment. â€Å"U.S. officials pointed out that scientists in Europe had been unable to find any evidence of added risk to human health or the environment from any GM crop variety developed to date.† In fact, none of the studies by Europe found any scientific evidence of added harm to humans or the environment (Paarlberg, 2003). GM engineering will actually help the environment rather than harm it. In the U.S. alone farmers annually administer more than nine hundred seventy million tons of insect and plant killers. Now GM crops have the ability of containing their own insect and plant killing gene which means the farmers can use fewer chemicals (Tyson, 2001). To ensure that the environment is remaining safe, risk assessments are conducted for the GM product as well as the area in which the crop will grow (World Health Organization, 2002). Furthermore, the United Nations Environment Program has used funding for developing countries to implement biosafety regulations for GM crops. The UNEP wants these regulations implemented before any crop is planted no matter the cost or delay (Paarlberg, 2003). Since 2011, The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved seventy four different GM crops. In each case the crops data was reviewed for several years and each â€Å"concluded that they will have no significant environmental impact† (Conko & Miller 2011). These precautionary measures toward genetically modified crops allow the government to regulate farming actions and safeguard the environment. The initial reason GM organisms were created was to improve crop production. â€Å"The GM crops currently on the market are mainly aimed at an increased level of crop protection through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides† (Tyson, 2001). Producers are getting a lot more for a lot less which translates to products with lower prices. The improved production of  crops and technology accounts for the lowered costs and have â€Å"forced tremendous competition in the herbicide and insecticide markets† (Prakash, 2000). This also helps traditional farmers because it now allows them to buy these products at a cheaper cost. In fifty years the world population could exceed eleven billion people unfortunately, the current food supply is not expanding at the same rate. Because of this, GM crops need to expand and gain popularity over traditional farming. Global GM crop farming in 1999 covered about one hundred million acres (Tyson, 2001). Now, genetically modified crop plants are grown on nearly one hundred fifty million acres in the United States alone (Conko & Miller 2011). These statistics show that GM crop farming is rapidly expanding and the benefits are obvious. Biotechnology and its productivity give us the best chance to safely solve the food needs of today and the future. Poor farmers in tropical countries face problems such as crop pests, drought and low soil fertility (Paarlberg, 2003). These are the people who annually struggle to produce enough food for their families. Bugs, drought and disease destroy many acres of farmland every year. Fortunately scientists are creating GM crops with built in resistance to insects and diseases. GM Crops are also being developed that can grow in deserts or near salt water which allows more area for farming (Fairley & Gaskins, 2011). Because GM crops are now being built in with these resistances farmers won’t experience huge financial setbacks caused by pests killing their plants. Since the majority of malnutrition people in the world live in developing countries this opens up the opportunity for them to increase crop yield and provide enough food for everyone. Also, in developing countries people often have to survive off a single staple that own its own doesn’t supply sufficient amounts of nutrient s. Food scientist hope to solve this problem by creating crops equipped with vitamins and minerals. According to Tyson, â€Å"one of the most promising is â€Å"golden rice,† which can stimulate our bodies to generate vitamin A. In the developing world, vitamin-A deficiency kills two million children each year† (Tyson, 2001). A development through GM foods may be able to save two million people which would be a life changing breakthrough. Scientists are also trying to perfect â€Å"eatable vaccines.† They are genetically adding vaccines to tomatoes and bananas, since traditional  vaccines are expensive to manufacture and require specialized storage. â€Å"Eatable vaccines,† will be easier to transport, store, and administer in third world countries (Tyson, 2001). Biotechnology holds unlimited potential for areas of the world where poverty and poor agricultural conditions make farming challenging. The U.S. needs to ensure the people of these countries that G M food is safe and will be nothing but beneficial to their people. Genetic engineering is a crucial factor in agricultural productivity and if it continues to safely expand it could help meet the problematic food challenges that have already started. Genetic engineering holds great possibilities that could change the world. Simply peeling back a banana infused with antibiotics could be the next breakthrough science has to offer. Biotechnology continues to show safety is not an issue. GM farmers are now administering fewer chemicals on their crops. This reduces the amount of air pollution and water contamination in the environment. Genetic modifications were being made since farming started. Farmers always crossed bred the most successful plants year to year and without any concerns from the public. Today, scientist have a better understanding of how genetic modifications work making it safer for the consumers. However, government regulations are still implemented just for precautionary purposes. The United States is fortunate enough to grow numerous varieties of crops and also have the ability to choose the method of how they are grown. Unfortunately, not every country has these advantages. Genetically modified products allow these developing nations to grow crops at a more productive rate. Commercialization of genetically modified agriculture needs to be strictly monitored to make sure regulations are followed. Over industrialization of farming today is negatively viewed therefore making it essential that a golden mean is set for genetically modified products. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Fairley, P., & Gaskins, P. (2000). Food Fight!. _Scholastic Choices_, _15_(8), 16. CONKO, G., & MILLER, H. I. (2011). The Rush to Condemn Genetically Modified Crops. _Policy Review_, (165), 69-82. World Health Orginization. (2002). Retrieved from website: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/index.html Tyson, P. T. (2001, April 12). _Harvest of fear_. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/exist/ Prakash, C. (2000). Genetically engineered crops can feed the world!. Retrieved from http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/biotech.html Paarlberg, R. L. (2003). Reinvigorating genetically modified crops. _Issues in Science and Technology, 19_(3), 86-92. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.sju.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/195920735?accountid=14071

Monday, July 29, 2019

GIS Acquisition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

GIS Acquisition - Essay Example The main objective of implementing GIS in an organization is to construct a business case for the proposal of GIS acquisition. Network dictionary defined a geographical information system as â€Å"a computer system capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced information, that is, data identified according to location. Practitioners also define a GIS as including the procedures, operating personnel, and spatial data that go into the system†. For acquiring GIS, cost, risks, benefits, and impacts associated with the GIS are calculated, in order to continue with the current data and information products. If fundamental different approaches are included in the preliminary design models, for instance, centralized systems versus distributed systems, analyzing cost benefit analysis are essential. The activities that are involved in cost benefit analysis are: Estimating all the cost Identification of all benefits Evaluation of economic value for i rrefutable profit Evaluating impact on the staff and organization Evaluating Risk Examining results The implementation cost for the GIS includes acquisition and maintenance for software, hardware, maintenance, data capture, and training. The highly qualified staff is required for management of systems, programming, support, operation of applications, and preparation for the site with all related expenses along with an acquisition cost. Discounted on the present value, recurrent cost needs to be analyzed for five years over an insignificant system life. As identified in the preliminary stages, the cost associated with software, hardware, maintenance and training cost needs to be obtained from more than two vendors. If it is achievable, than the validation of these cost will be achieved by discussions by existing agencies. Moreover, the data capture cost will be significant and vary from 10 to 1000 times from the software and hardware cost. The benefits related to efficiency are assoc iated with time and cost via robust data processing and eliminating the duplication processes. On the other hand, effectiveness benefits are linked with improvements in the decision-making processes via new data in a timely manner. Moreover, the intangible benefits consist of an advanced image of the public for the organization. The ambiguous data reduce the confusion enables superior communication between users via enhanced staff professionalism and morale, superior co-operation between the users by data sharing, capability to handle unexpected events. In addition, unanticipated applications and enhanced data analysis will provide new knowledge. The definition of economic value is available at ‘www.investorwords.com’ that states as â€Å"The value of an asset deriving from its ability to generate income† (, what is economic value? Definition and Meaning). Economic value enthusiastically can be allocated to efficiency benefits. The usefulness, value and benefits are not easy to calculate. There may be key impacts of the proposed GIS on the staff and organization, and may have a considerable comportment on the cost benefit analysis. From the user requirement analysis, the impacts for the data processing, decision making and data collection can be accessed. The management and organizational structure linked with the new technology, new procedures, new roles and new necessities for co-operation and consultation will contribute to make an impact on the organization. These issues may contribution towards the successful GIS as compared to technical issues. Discussions and consultations of impacts with the staff in the early states facilitate to eliminate disputes during the deployment. Moreover, eyeing on authority, responsibility and undertaking related to propagation of information products and data maintenance, there are legal and political connotation for the organizations. The inclusion of risk assessment defining that the project will not b e able to

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Satisfying all stakeholders when the business is competing in mature Essay - 1

Satisfying all stakeholders when the business is competing in mature product markets is difficult. Discuss - Essay Example Another handicap facing mature products is that the markets they operate in are likely to be mature as well, making growth prospects for the product as well as industry very tough. The rest of this essay will present various factors that have a bearing on stakeholders when a business is competing in mature product markets. Shareholders are one of the main (if not the most important) stakeholders to a company’s prospects. And equity markets are the arena where they can hope to claim their rewards. But increasing share price on a consistent and non-volatile manner is very difficult in mature product markets. For example, â€Å"Equity markets both reward companies that outpace growth in their sector and that show significantly higher price/earnings multiples than their competitors. But, since 80 per cent of equity markets grow only as fast as their country's gross domestic product - that is, at a rate that rarely pushes beyond the low single digits, an organization that seeks to outpace a mature equity market and achieve double-digit revenue growth faces a steep uphill climb. A company can attempt to take market share, but competitors in a mature market will work just as vigorously to defend their customer base. Higher revenue does not always signal success anyway, since revenue gains almost always hurt margins, and can precipitate a price war that devalues the entire market.† (Magrath, 2005) The telecommunications industry offers opportunities for studying marketability of mature products. This is so because, although digital and satellite communications technology were invented only a couple of decades ago, the rapid rate of growth ensured maturity of both the industry as well as its products. The recent developments in the telecommunications industry in the Middle East illustrates common challenges faced by mature products and mature markets. The quarterly performance of these telecom companies after the first quarter of 2009 shows how growth can be stagnant or in decline for mature product markets. During this period, Saudi Telecom reported a whopping 69 percent dip in its net profit figures. Etisalat, another major firm in the region, reported a 20 percent drop in profits in the same period. Smaller players too, including Maroc Telecom and Zain, performed likewise. (Hadfield, 2009) These examples illustrate how difficult it has become for managements to satisfy stakeholders in a mature product business. It is a sign of problems identified with mature markets that investors are looking at opportunities in emerging markets. An increasing share of the world’s capital is now being directed to equities and other derivative products in emerging economies. In the era of globalization, the flow of financial capital is a vital parameter. Financial products and derivative products transacted via stock exchanges trans-nationally have matured as a product over the years. This means that there is now vast empirical data to draw theories upon. This has also had the effect of increasing the degree of volatility in these markets. Investment firms and individual investors look toward emerging markets despite their high volatility due to the following reasons: higher average returns, lower correlations than developed markets, and more predictable returns. Each of these characteristics has made the volatility

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Looking at Films Anew Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Looking at Films Anew - Essay Example This is seen in the fight between the couple, Lucius, and Cookie over the empire. It also portrays the common female concern of having a complete family so that the woman tries to forgive her husband despite his many atrocities toward her. As a long-playing drama, the film also deals with the issue of the use of the female as a material not only in the movie but in real life situations. For instance, in trying to get back to Lucius, his son, Hakeem develops a sexual relationship with his father’s former fiancà ©e, Anika. In this scene, Lucius finds Hakeem and Anika in an intimate situation. Knowing that Lucius was there, looking at them, Anika pulls Hakeem who slowly turns his face from his father to Anika’s breasts. The scenes are shown in close-up shots, capturing the facial expressions of the characters and also letting the viewers focus on the sexual implications of the scenes. The aforementioned scenes bring Laura Mulvey’s theory of the Male Gaze to mind. T he close-up shot on Anika does keep the male viewer’s focus on her as a sexual material and not just concentrate on what was going on in the story. The series also covers the issue of sexuality through the person of Jamal. Even during these days, homosexuality is still strongly opposed by many people regardless of race. Lucius was not happy about his son’s sexuality and this affected his treatment toward his son. Because of his health issues, the older man is forced to choose the next manager of his empire from his three sons.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Strategic Analysis and Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategic Analysis and Decision Making - Essay Example Such an ideal model of decision making also presumes that the decision maker is aware of all possible alternatives and that he or she decides subsequent to examining them all. A modern approach recognizes that decisions are made in an automatic, instinctive fashion. Specifically, image theory claims that people will take on a course of action that best fits their individual principles, current goals, and plans for the future. The decisions made in organizations can be distinguished as programmed -- routine decisions made according to preexisting guidelines -- or non-programmed -- decisions requiring novel and ingenious solutions. Decisions also are different with respect to the amount of risk involved, ranging from those in which the decision outcomes are moderately certain to those in which outcomes are extremely uncertain. Uncertain situations are expressed as statements of prospect based on either objective or subjective information. For the rational decision maker, the question is "What is the best answer" Rational decision analysis provides a precise method for choosing among alternatives based on their estimated values. The rational model requires the overt specification of the probabilities associated with choices and chances, as well as quantified payoffs for outcomes. For instance, consider the stock option decision tree given in figure 1.1. Here, an investor is considering buying an option on a stock with a current price of $100. The option itself has a price OP. There is a 50% chance that the stock's price will raise to $110, and a 50% chance that the price will fall to $95: - Current Stock Price = $100 - Option Price = OP - With P = .5, S = $110 - With P=.5, S = $95 The investor has two alternatives: Do not purchase the option (choice I), or purchase the option (choice II). Given the above assumptions concerning probabilities and payoffs, rational decision theory gives an exact method for ranking the alternatives. We calculate the expected value of an alternative as the product of its possibility and its payoff value. For the stock option case, we arrive at the following expected values. EV (I) = P (A) * V (A) = 1.0 * 0 = 0 EV (II) = P (B) * V (B) + P(C) * V(C) - OP = .5 * 10 + .5 * 0 - OP = 5 - OP The rational choice is to purchase the option if Option Price, OP, $5.We note that this approach formalizes just one aspect of the decision task, that is, choosing among the alternatives. The pattern does not provide exact methods for identifying problems or alternatives, nor for estimating those alternatives. The rationalization that results from this process is always the same: The choice has the highest estimated value. The rational decision maker does not abandon the trouble even if all outcomes have negative expected values. In that case, the decision maker selects for the "best worst" case. The model does not address the matter of generating additional alternatives. Still, rational

Tourism destination marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism destination marketing - Essay Example The tourism destination marketing employs different marketing and promotional practices according to Oxford Business Group (2008). Under the marketing practices there is internet marketing, market positioning among others. Market positioning is considered as the first step and refers to the process of identifying and selecting markets that represent the potential of the business in determining criteria for competition. It is usually based on effective knowledge of the needs, perception and wants of the market. It also needs benefits ordered the benefits that are provided by the destination. The market benefits, differentiation and images are the only tourist perceptions. In the case of internet marketing the area is wide as it incorporates email marketing where by products can be sold through the email. Social media ensures customers interact and generate a direct trust with the customers. Search engine optimization places the industry at the top of search engines ensuring direct vis ibility. Paid Search marketing monitors traffic and then delivers it directly to landing for conversion purposes. According to the International Monetary Fund (2003), the e-marketing practices have been the best of bred and it is good for internet marketing campaign. Online surveys are also conducted enabling the direct access to market information. This information include, tracking results, identifying new customers, target markets and product market before launch. Use of qualified leads where they identify and also establish direct conducts with target customers. In the promotion practices there is the Middle East online advertising. Through this new business customers are attracted in the field hence attract high-net worth individuals. They also engage in Email and SMS advertising which allows a cost effective promotion practice, tracking of promotion campaigns as well as direct web traffic. There is also the online banner advertising which ensures large scale advertising in the tourism marketing destination. A Marketing Case Study The objective of the case study is to increase awareness as well as improve the drive bookings for the promotion of summer rooms to a KSA audience. The following steps are to be followed: Increase Arabic SMS that are sent to the selected KSA database who have high net worth individuals. The customer can receives messages containing promotion details and then they can use the mobile WAP incase they need more information according to Scott and Jafari (2010). Information being delivered both in Arabic and English The consumers can send messages from the WAP site straight to the reservation department. The hotel reservation department to receive enquiry (that includes all sorts of data) into the message inbox and thus they are able to follow up from step one to five. The key UAE products include beef, coal, furniture, USB’s, oil, cement, Cokes, Gowns, salt, Granite, Steel, dresses, Nickel, Photo frame and magnesium among othe rs according to Linden (2006). Segmentation in the market includes focusing on marketing efforts where there is a greatest chance of success as suggested by Rugimbana and Nwankwo (2003). In the case of business services segment it is referred to as market segmentation services. In United Arab Emirates there are different categories of market segmentation. For instance brake fluids and grease in the market segment are categorized under Energy or Lubricants while Automatic transmission oil is

Thursday, July 25, 2019

The Mercy of Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Mercy of Religion - Essay Example However, despite all this, conflicts still makes the most part of the news today; the media is talking about violence from all corners of the world. It is devastating how Christianity is least influential on the struggles for peace and against violence in the USA. They have let the leaders whose lips are fast to talk about war and how the citizens should protect themselves dominate the arena. Christian religion has its focus and attention on understanding the past events, how they affect our society instead of the earlier and current occurrences in the society (Moore 23). Christian believers should be quite hiding in the past and focus on the current and fulfill its obligation in terminating the global violence. The USA should be first in peace negotiation and ending violence. In every social setting, a woman is equally important like the man because she performs the basic task in the family like ensuring adequate water for use in the family, looking after the sick, tending the gardens and other duties. The woman is the building blocks of any society and I belief without her, we would have a chaotic society where peace is no existence, malnourished children, and men, and many features that are more unexciting, (Rosemary 12). Despite the good things a woman can do, many cultures do not regard her and mostly assume her efforts and duties, for instance, she is considered the poorest in the family for money she gets is utilized for the well being of the society while the man uses his to buy luxuries like a radio. Religion puts the woman a compromising position in that she is required to be submissive to the man, support him and in some religions, he must not be adulterous but a man can. Many NGO have however been establish and are working towards promoting th e rights of the woman in the society and above anything the appreciation she deserves for the roles she plays. Since its inception after the

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

UDL Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

UDL - Assignment Example Lesson ideas are well established by offering full plans, along with tips on introducing the topic, which would help someone to better understand how a topic should be brought up to students. Internet resources about poetry slams, including books and visual aid, supplement the lesson plans and offer extra material to be added, or to allow the teacher to tweak already existing ideas. By providing internet resources and online plans, the lesson is appealing to the modern learning style of using technology to assist comprehension. The chart of alternative methods is extremely useful in understanding how to better deal with children who have special learning requirements. Specific issues are addressed, and then are answered with possible suggestions, backed up by internet resources. Clever solutions are mentioned to deal with comprehension issues, such as using a text-to-speech tool on the computer to help students understand how to read or say certain words. This specific area of the ar ts is perfect for helping students with comprehension and reading techniques.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Cultural Differences Study Of Brazil, China, And Nigeria Essay

Cultural Differences Study Of Brazil, China, And Nigeria - Essay Example This can be a big challenge given the presence of numerous languages from Chinese Mandarin to Brazilian Portuguese, the best way to deal with this is to have an all inclusive mode of communication that can be understood across the board and makes sure all the stakeholders understand what is expected of them.Considering the opportunities and the challenges that have been outlined earlier in this report it is important for the company to adapt to the cultural needs of these countries. These three countries each have their own way of doing business and the best approach should not be a general approach. In China and Nigeria, there exist traditional values that maintain the hierarchal system and all these factors have to be considered when coming up with a management system that fits all these different cultures. At the main office, the workers have a lot of freedom and freely interact with their superiors. The opportunities are an indication that the company should expand to these areas to take advantage of these factors, however, the challenges should also be considered and ways to tackle them clearly established. This is because they may prevent the growth of the business in these markets if they are not properly dealt with at the beginning. This process should be taken as a learning process and should be done carefully so that all the expected results are achieved. There should be different approaches to cater for these three different cultures because people in these countries react differently to information.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Major differences between the two theories Essay Example for Free

Major differences between the two theories Essay The obviously notable difference between Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Beck’s cognitive theory is the bias that each has towards behavior. For instance, Bandura’s model is more behavioral, whereas Beck’s model is inclined towards psychotherapy or seems to provide psychological solutions to problems. The social cognitive theory (by Bandura) is presented in an agentic perspective. It explains why people exhibit differences in self-organization, being proactive, participation in self-reflection, and in self-regulation (Bandura, 1986). In essence, the theory does not just show that human beings have different capabilities, it also shows that other factors such as the environment play a major role in shaping behaviorism (Bandura, 1986). The theory further describes human beings as producers as well as products of what they make (the proverb manners maketh man should be true). Bandura’s theory also gives the socio cognitive aspects of human beings, for example, why they act in particular manners and what elicits such behavior. Additionally, the theory also gives reasons why the human nature is vast in terms of capabilities and how humanity is fashioned by direct and observational experience that is integrated in a variety of forms. In contradistinction, Beck’s theory gives a picture of the phenomena underlying dysfunctional beliefs (Beck, 1976). This theory does not just describe personality, but provides solutions to psychological problems. This is achieved by the model’s blow-by-blow analysis of the casual agents of depression and how depression can be remedied (Beck, 1976). Beck’s theory seems to give mediation approach in solving psychological problems by encouraging patients to be participants of the problem solving process rather than passive and helpless respondents. Another difference between the two theories is the triad used in each of the theories, which forms the basis of the entire illustrations and discussions. Bandura’s model is a triad with behavior, environmental factors and personal determinants as the main elements. On the other hand, Beck’s cognitive model consists of behavior, antecedent events and consequences (Beck, 1976; Beck, 1998). The triads may seem to portray a similarity between the two models but in real sense they exhibit differences since the explanation of how the elements in the triads affect each other or act on their own is slightly different. For instance, in Bandura’s theory, the description of how the factors in the triad affect each other revolves around cause and effect. One of the factors, such as the environment is implied to be a cause (or a factor that determines) of behavior. Thus, there is emphasis on reciprocal determinism. On the other hand, Beck’s triadic illustration of the factors that shape personality and character is influenced by the person (self), the world and the future. In this context, it is evident that personality is affected not just by behavior but also by other events that occur in life. In fact, Beck (1976) describes the person (self) as the main source of ideas to solve depression problems with reference to the world and anticipation of a better future. Conclusion Bandura’s Cognitive Theory and Beck’s Cognitive Theory seem to have more similarities in that they describe personality and the factors shape it. Many elements described in each theory’s triad show convergence in meaning. Major differences between the two models lie in the description of the models. While Bandura’s model is inclined towards behaviorism, Beck’s model provides an explanation of psychological dysfunctions and possible remedies. References Bandura A. (2006). Psychological modeling: Conflicting theories. Chicago: Aldine Transaction. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman Company Bandura, A. (1986).Social foundations of thoughts and action: A social cognitive theory. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Professional Technical. Bandura, A. (1976) Social learning theory. New York: Prentice Hall Bandura, A. (1971). Psychological modeling: Conflicting theories. Chicago: Aldine- Atherton. Beck, A. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press Beck, A. (1976). Cognitive therapy emotional disorders. NY: International Universities Press. Beck, A. (1998). The Integrative Power of Cognitive Therapy. New York: Guilford Press.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Peptic Ulcer Disease Gastrointestinal Tract Disorder

Peptic Ulcer Disease Gastrointestinal Tract Disorder Peptic ulcers are one of the most common gastrointestinal tract disorders. The recent past few decades have witnessed an increase in the rate of peptic ulcers occurrence in our human community (Thompson, 1996). It has evidently been shown from available statistics that an approximated over 10 percent of the human population are extremely at risk of suffering from the disease at some point in their lifetime (Cohen, 2007). Such statistics have also identified that peptic ulcers is more common in men than in women. This is attributed by many to the higher numbers of men engaged in alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking in the society compared to women (NDDIC, 2004). A peptic ulcer is a sore wound or red erosion area on the coating lining of the stomach called (gastric ulcer) or the small intestine called (duodenal ulcer). Duodenal ulcers tend to occur between the ages of 25 75, while gastric ulcers peak between the ages of 55 and 65. Other causes which have been associated with the dis ease include infections by helicobacter pylori. This is a bacterium which is known to attack the gastrointestinal tract thus leading to ulcers. However, it should be noted that genetic factors have also been claimed to cause peptic ulcer. There are many effects of peptic ulcer in the human body. Such include recurrent pains along the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting heartburns poor appetite and weight loss among others (The American College of Gastroenterology, 2009). It should however be realized that with our modern advancements in the medical field the treatment of peptic ulcers is now effective and sufficiently reliable. Such treatments might involve medication, dictated lifestyle, dietary supplements and undergoing surgical operation depending on the severity of the condition. Peptic ulcer disease had a great effect on morbidity and mortality until the last decades of the 20th century, when epidemiological trends started to point to a remarkable fall in its incidence. In addition, two important developments are associated with the decrease in rates of peptic ulcer disease: the discovery of effective and strong acid suppressants, and of Helicobacter pylori. The treatments of peptic ulcer disease have been changed with the discovery of the causes of peptic ulcer (Malfertheiner, P. Chan, F. McColl, K. 2009). Although significant advances in sciences, this disease remains an important medical problem, because the large use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), excessive smoking, increase alcohol consumption, and life style that increase the risk of the disease. Therefore, this explains the reason for choosing this topic in order to promote healthy behavior and improve health outcomes throughout lifespan by giving attention to the preventive measures. This paper is written as a critical analysis and discussion of peptic ulcers disease. It gives a discussion on the causes and effects of peptic ulcers in the human body. Still discussed are the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease as well the common types of peptic ulcers that are found in the society. Peptic Ulcers Overview First is a definition of peptic ulcer and its types. An ulcer can be defined as; an area in digestive system where the tissue has been damaged or destroyed by stomach acid and other digestive enzyme. Peptic ulcer disease is a common term for ulcers that occur either in the stomach or upper part of the small intestine. A peptic ulcer is a lesion or open sore in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. The digestive enzyme which is acidic and is secreted by the stomach cells oxidized the lining of the stomach or upper part of the small intestine (duodenum) causing ulcer. Therefore, eroding can be seen in the mucous membrane which is lining the digestive tract. Moreover, this will lead to cause a gradual breakdown of tissue. This breakdown causes a concerning or burning pain in the upper middle part of the abdomen (Stratemeier, 2009). Even though most of peptic ulcers are small in size, ulcers average between one-quarter and one-half inch in diameter they can cause a significant amount o f symptoms and discomforts. It is to be noted here that the pain caused by peptic ulcers is recurrent and may come and go for a few days or weeks but mainly goes after eating. In addition, there are two different types of peptic ulcers namely; duodenal ulcers and gastric ulcers. Stomach or gastric ulcers is the type of peptic ulcers which mainly affects the stomach while duodenal ulcers affect the upper most part of the small intestine near the stomach. Ulcers can happen at any age, although they are rare in children and teenagers. Duodenal ulcers usually occur twice as common in men more than women. On the other hand, stomach or gastric ulcers usually occur in people older than 60 years and are more common in women (Stratemeier, 2009). It is difficult to estimate exactly how common peptic ulcers are because so many people they will not suffer from any symptoms. However, a study that tested 1,000 adults at random found that four per cent of them had a peptic ulcer (NHS Choices, 2009 ). Causes Second is a discussion on the causes of peptic ulcers. To start with, in the normal lining of the stomach and small intestines there are a protective process from auto digestion by the gastric mucosal barrier, this gastric mucosal barrier will prevent the irritating acids from diffusing back to the underlying tissue. This defensive process can stop working properly, and the lining of the stomach or intestine breaks down for different reasons. Scientific evidence has sufficiently proved that peptic ulcers are caused by the malfunctioning of the stomachs natural lining protection mechanisms against the damage effects of digestive juices (NDDIC, 2004). Such malfunctioning have been claimed to be caused by a number of factors, like is the helicobacter pylorus, a bacterial organism which is the most frequent cause of peptic ulcers. This bacterium mainly eats the protective lining of the gastrointestinal tract. This allows the digestive juice produced by the human body to damage the inner and sensitive part of the stomach or duodenum lining thus causing pain. Just to be stated here is the evidence that though helicobacter pylori is the most common cause of peptic ulcers, there are many people in our population living with the bacteria but do not exhibit signs of the disease (Thompson, 1996). Still clear is that H. pylori is believed to be transmitted through oral to oral contact, so those living in crowed areas increases ones chances of contracting the infection. Another common cause of peptic ulcers is the continuous use of painkiller drugs such as, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Scientific evidence has clearly shown that such drugs are highly acidic and thus can easily lead to the wearing out of the digestive system lining (NDDIC, 2004). Still evident is the fact that this type of drugs blocks the flow of prostaglandins in the human body. It should be understood that this is the substance which is responsible for helpin g the flow of blood in the stomach and thus it helps in protecting the stomach from injury. This means that such drugs can compromise the stomach lining protection mechanism of the body and thus risking the occurrence of peptic ulcers in the body (Lanza, Chan, Quigley, 2009). Other causes of peptic ulcers include Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. This is commonly said to be a condition in which the pancreas and duodenum which are responsible for the production of gastric acid have a tumor. Such leads to the excessive production of gastric acid which is responsible for digestion of food in the stomach, a factor which might risk causing ulcers (Dugdale, D. Zieve, D. 2008). In adding together, it has been evidently noted that peptic ulcers are genetic. Therefore, if you have a family history of ulcers or the blood type O, you are more likely to get a duodenal ulcer (Shayne Miller, 2009). Still established is the fact that cigarette smoking and excessive intake of alcohol are not only a ca use of peptic ulcers but also a great threat to the efficient treatment of ulcers. Apart from the many causes of peptic ulcers, are any thing that leads to the direct damage of the digestive wall lining. Such might include physical injury or even radiation therapy. Likewise, a very sick patient who is on a ventilator support is at high risk for a condition called stress ulceration. It is here to be noted that unlike many belief, diet has not been scientifically proven to cause peptic ulcers (Dugdale, D. Zieve, D. 2008). The last and most common factor to peptic ulcers is living in chronic stress or depression (Shayne Miller, 2009). This has been claimed to lead to the excess production of digestive acids thus eating out the stomach lining. Sign and Symptoms Thirdly is a discussion on the signs and symptoms of peptic ulcers. The most common symptom of peptic ulcers is having recurrent abdominal pains which are marked with a burning sensation. Such pains are located in the upper middle part of the abdomen. Also it can be felt like burning or gnawing and it may radiate to the back. It can be aggravated when the stomach is empty, and can worse at night and early morning. Another sign is the constant experiencing of heartburns and indigestion. It is to be noted that though peptic ulcers are more painful when the stomach is empty, such are a leading cause of lack of appetite and vomiting on the individual. Peptic ulcers are also attributed to the sudden loss of body weight in (gastric ulcer) because eating does not relieve the pain and could still worsen it. Yet (duodenal ulcers) will lead to gain weight because the patient eats to relieve pain (Lanza, Chan, Quigley, 2009). Other symptoms of peptic ulcers include the following: discomfort, B loating, and feelings of fullness. Added more symptoms are, feeling of an empty in the stomach, regurgitation (feeling of acid backing up into the throat), and belching. Still to be noted is that peptic ulcers have been closely associated with chest pains and feelings of fatigue. It should however be noted that some symptoms like sudden increase in abdominal pains, vomiting of blood and blood in stool are considered as critical signs of chronic peptic ulcers. All this signs are symbolic of the possibility that ulcers have either broken a blood vessel or perforated the stomach or duodenum walls. Such could also be as a result of the blockage of food from moving from stomach into the duodenum and thus causing vomiting (The American College of Gastroenterology, 2009). Effects of Peptic ulcer Peptic ulcers have many effects in the victims life. The most common is the fact that ulcers in most cases can not be full treated. They are usually recurrent particular to alcohol abusers and smokers. Just to be stated is that the majority of people with chronic ulcers experience considerable pain and sleeplessness; this can have a remarkable and adverse impact on their quality of life (Thompson, 1996). Another effect of peptic ulcers in the body is that they can lead internal bleeding especially when they perforate the stomach lining or break a blood vessel. Peptic ulcers can cause the ultimate obstruction of the gastric outlet, stomach and intestines as well as leading to the inflammation of tissues lining the abdomen. This leads to a serious health complication which might call for a surgical operation or even death (Cohen, 2007). Peptic ulcers if not treated early enough can penetrate into other internal body parts like liver as well as the pancreas and cause severe back pain. I t has also been found out that peptic ulcers can lead to perforation of the wall of the digestive system thus leading to the spilling of digestive system contents into the abdominal cavity. Such are very catastrophic to the patients life as can lead to acute peritonitis (The American College of Gastroenterology, 2009). It should also be noted that peptic ulcer can lead to the swelling of the abdominal wall thus compromising the free flow of food in the digestion system. Lastly, it has been established that peptic ulcers are a great contributing factor in causing peptic cancer. Such could mean a lifetime health complication on the person. This is because even after undergoing surgery operation for treating the problem, it is rarely possible for the individual to fully assume his or her normal lifestyle (NDDIC, 2004). Diagnosis Owing to our modern advancements in technology and medical research, the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of peptic ulcers has been made easier and more reliable. The diagnosis of peptic ulcers mainly involves an interview by the doctor to identify the presence of the many symptoms and signs of the condition. Such include recurrent abdominal pains, vomiting and blood in the patients stool (Cohen, 2007). It should however be noted that for a doctor to qualify a patient to be suffering from peptic ulcer requires for a number of medical tests. The first is the esophagogastroduodenoscopy which involves the insertion of a thin tube attached to a camera through the patients mouth into the digestive system. This helps the doctor to see the presence of sore in the stomach and small intestine walls. It should be noted here that helicobacter pylori is the most common cause of peptic ulcers (NDDIC, 2004). It is due to this reason that the doctor might take a biopsy from the patients stomach walls to test for the presence of the bacterium. Another test which is conducted is the upper G1 test. This involves a series of x-rays on the patients abdomen and is usually conducted after the patient has taken barium (Shayne Miller, 2009). It should be understood that the doctor might also request for a laboratory test of both blood and stool. The stool test seeks to establish the presence of blood in the patients stool while the hemoglobin test checks for anemia. All this tests are conducted as a way of ascertaining the level of the condition which helps in deciding the type of medication to be used. Treatment Treating of peptic ulcers has been greatly improved not only due to our medical advancements but due to the identification of the two major causes of disease among other risk factors. The treatment of peptic ulcers is mainly conducted as a concern for eliminating the underlying causes of the disease. This is because such an approach prevents any further damage and thus reducing chances of reoccurrence of the condition. Therefore, medication is mainly given for eliminating the helicobacter pylori bacteria as well as helping the body overcoming the symptoms of peptic ulcers. Many antacids are available without a prescription, since they are the first drugs suggested to alleviate heartburn and mild digestive disorders. Antacids are not useful to prevent or heal the ulcers; however they are able to assist in the neutralizing stomach acid. When the cause for the ulcer is H. pylori infection, a three-drug course of therapy for two weeks is the standard therapy for curing. This three-drug c ourse of therapy consists of two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The most common antibiotics usually used to treat H. pylori infections are amoxicillin, or metronidazone. Proton pumps inhibitor (PPI) therapy (such as omeprazole or lansoprazole) these are drugs that reduce acid secretion by inhibiting the gastric acid pump. Other medications may include one or more of the following: Acid blockers (such as cimetidine or ranitidine) (NDDIC, 2004). However, if a peptic ulcer bleeds severely, an Endoscopy might be needed to stop the bleeding. Otherwise if the bleeding cannot be stopped with an Endoscopy, surgery might be essential. This involves the physical removal of the sores in the stomach or duodenum through endoscopy. A further surgical procedure is vagotomy which is cutting one or more branches of the vagus nerve to reduce hydrochloric acid secretion (Dugdale, D. Zieve, D. 2008). Apart from medication and surgery as ways of treating peptic ulcers, doctors usually a dvice on self-control from risk factors by the patient. These mainly include alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking as well as changes in diets. It has been evidently proved that taking of foods rich in fibers greatly reduces chances of sustaining peptic ulcers Prevention It should be noted that prevention is better than cure. It is therefore mainly advised that people avoid risk factors which can lead to peptic ulcers. In the past, it was broad way to tell people with peptic ulcers to change the way of eating habits by consuming small amount of meals, and frequent amounts of bland foods. Also people can stay away from peptic ulcers by avoiding things that increase stomach acid secretion and break down the stomachs protective barrier. These things include alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs along with aspirin. For preventing H. pylori caused peptic ulcers, people are advised to avoid living in crowded places, avoid contaminated water or food, and stick to strict principles of precautions as well as personal hygiene (NDDIC, 2004). Furthermore some evidence suggests that exercise may help reduce the risk for ulcers in some people. Other than, stress relief programs have not been shown to promote ulcer healin g, but they may have other health benefits (Stratemeier, 2009). In conclusion, it has been evidently established that peptic ulcers is becoming a common disease across the globe. Which can affect quite a lot of people especially Cigarette smokers and alcohol consumers. In addition the main causes of this disease are helicobacter pylori and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It has however been clear recognized that there are many risk factor to the disease. Men are more victims to the disease as opposed to women (NDDIC, 2004). Such have been mainly attributed to genetic and hormonal composition of men as well as to the high prone rate of men to risk factors as compared to women. It was also clear that the ulcer caused by numerous reasons, and these reasons leading to several effects such as bleeding, perforation, and obstruction. However, peptic ulcers can be cured and even prevented if the patients are ready to modify their lifestyle and stick to their drug remedy. At last, the need for health educational activities is compulsory to increase the perception and awareness about the disease in the society.

Analysis Of The Army Of God Terrorist Philosophy Essay

Analysis Of The Army Of God Terrorist Philosophy Essay In the current essay I would like to make an analysis of one of the U.S. terroristic organization so-called Army of God. I would like to consider what aims this organization wants to achieve, what methods it uses and how our society relates to this organization. As a matter of fact terrorism is a policy, based on the systematic use of terror.  The word terror is a synonymous to the words violence, intimidation and fear.  In the U.S. legal system terror is a premeditated, politically motivated violence, perpetrated against the civilian population or objects by different sub-national groups or clandestine agents in order to influence the mood of society.  There are different types of terrorism, among them are: By the nature of the subject, terrorism is divided into:  unorganized or individual in this case, the attack is made by one or two people and organized (collective) the terrorist activity is planned and implemented by a certain organization (Al-Qaeda, IRA, ETA and so on). As a rule, organized terrorism is the most common in the modern world.   Goals of terrorism are divided into following: nationalist pursues separatist or national liberation objectives;  religious can be linked to the struggle between the adherents of a religion (Muslims and Christians etc.). Social is intended to partial or radical changes in economic or political system, to attract public attention to any acute problem.  Sometimes this kind of terrorism is called revolutionary.  Of course, this division is conditional and terrorism similarities can be found in all its forms, as described in US Domestic Terrorism: Army of God. It can be said that Army of God is related to organized and social terrorism. On the one hand, Army of God is well organized group of people with common goals and on the other hand, partial changes in economic and political system of the U.S., specifically, complete ban of abortion. It should be noted that Army of God is an anti-abortion terrorist organization, which approves violence and terrorism to fight abortion in the United States.  AOG supports the Second Defensive Action Statement, which is issued by the Defenders of Life, which read: We, who sign below, announced that divine justice action is required, including the use of violence, to protect innocent human life (which was born and the unborn).We just announced any acts of violence and it is reasonable to maintain the life of a child born to defend the life of an unborn child, as stated in Army Of God? Body I presume that terroristic activity against abortion began in United States and Canada in the 70-ies of the XX century. As a fact, at first appeared terrorist organization Anti-Abortion Violence Movement (AAVM).  Terrorists set fire, blow up and destroy clinics, kill doctors and politicians and so on. As a rule, AAVM had training centers for like-minded people, where organization showed how to plan and organize military operations.  Terrorists have their own magazine; maintain contacts with right-wing movements, such as the Ku Klux Klan.   As a matter of fact, our country has a long history of small terrorist groups with religious nature, which carry out attacks on certain sectors of society who do not follow their own moral teachings and principals. One of such groups is the American Christian fundamentalist organization is known as the Army of God.  This group promotes the usage of violence against abortion clinics and homosexual community.  The Army of God has been linked to several bombings of such clinics, and uses biblical justification for an attack on the medical personnel who carry out abortions.  For example, Pastor Michael Bray one of the leading members of the organization was serving sentence in prison for the bombing of abortion clinics.  As a fact, army of God has developed a manual for counseling members on how to attack the clinic using arson, acid, as well as instructions on bomb making, as described in Army of God: Still Marching. It can be said that Army of God demonstrates the profound conviction as anti-abortion, homophobic, and sharply criticize the U.S. government for not holding to what it sees as Christian values.  In 1998, a member of the Army of God, James Kopp killed Dr. Barnett Slepian and it is considered that the organization has been linked to many other similar surveys between 1994 and 1997.  The Army of God have also tried to use public fears of terrorist biological attack with one member, Clayton Waagner, sending more than 550 letters to abortion clinics in 2001, claiming they contained anthrax and can infect those who opened them.   It is believed that the group operates major terrorist network.  In combination with a very close knit nature of communities, many of the members came to organization from the army; they seem to have lack of experience in funding or knowledge how to carry out large-scale effective attack.  It is believed that the Army of God may be involved in the attacks on gays and lesbians in May 1999, when 2 people were killed.  It is unlikely that the Army of God is real organization beyond the individual groups and no strong leadership has been defined, although several people have joined the group. The most famous terroristic act of the organization was bombings at the 1996 Olympics Atlanta that killed one person and injured more than hundreds of others.  The Army of God is a good example of a low level fundamentalist terrorists group, which get their limited knowledge and skills from the Internet or some ex-soldiers to carry out low level attacks and criminal activities in the future, what they see as their own moral code, as stated in History of the Army of God. Many experts consider that Army of God is the latest extremist religious group in the spotlight.  I would like to consider what an army of God is.  No one is sure, but the name has been used for 30 years. Here is an entry: in the early 1980s, womens clinic in Granite City, Illinois, was defeated repeatedly by fundamentalist protestors.  Then the operator of the clinic, Dr. Hector Zevallos and his wife Rosalie have been kidnapped by a group of men that called themselves as the Army of God.  Couple held for eight days in an abandoned munitions bunker.  The kidnappers said they killed them both, if Dr. Zevallos pledged to stop performing abortions he did, and they were released.  Then, these three men were later convicted for the kidnapping.  The leader, Don Benny Anderson, declared that God told him to wage war against abortion.  After that, Anderson received a 30-year prison sentence.  Also, he was convicted of setting fire in two Florida abortion clinics and drew t he second 30-year period. In 1984, when the Norfolk Womens Clinic was firebombed, the initials of Army of God were scrawled on the wall.  Soon after this, clinic near Washington was firebombed, and people claim that they represent the army of God. In 1993, the fundamentalist Rachelle Shannon had shot clinic doctor in Wichita, Oregon. She boasted that she was providing Gods will.  The police found the Army of God manual filled with quotations of the Bible, bomb-making instructions, and the declaration, saying that abortion should be stopped.  Guide said the army of God units did not stay in one place, so that the feds will never stop us, as describe in The Army of God: More Religious Killers? In 1996, two more nail-studded bombs hit Atlanta January 16, in a clinic for women and 21 February at gay nightclub.  After the second explosion, raw, unsigned, semi-literate letter was sent to Reuters, who passed it on to the FBI:  the letter said that both bombs were placed by the units of the army of God.  It also stated that those, who were involved with abortion can become victims of retaliation.  With regard to gay club, in latter there was ungrammatically described the following: We will target sodomites, there are organizations and all those who push there agenda, as stated in The Army of God: More Religious Killers? The police also found a letter, which threatened the United Nations and the United States government.  As a fact, it declared the following: We declare and will wage war to destroy the ungodly communist regime in New York and your legislative-bureaucratic lackey of Washington. It is you who are responsible and preside over the murder of children and the policy question that the wicked perversions destroy our nationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  Death of the New Order world, according to FBI National Press Release. Now, the FBI circulated a letter nationally, in the hope that some citizens will recognize the language style and determine bombers. Unfortunately, the army of God saga emphasizes an unpleasant fact of life: the most dangerous people are often the most religious. Without any doubts many Americans are categorically against  this organization and its  methods  of struggle for  their  moral beliefs. As a matter of fact, in the 90s of the XX century the scandal erupted, when Nail Horsley posted on the Web so-called Nuremberg files. It was a list of doctors, owners of the clinic that make aborts, as well as their family members, judges, famous  political and social activists, lobbying for abortion.  Also in the file were listed women who have done abortions.  The files presented not only photo with the name of the murderers, but also their addresses, telephones, video anything that can be useful if you decided to find a person.  It should be noted that these files Horsley collected himself by walking, recognizing, photographing, and published it in the Internet.  In addition, he paid photographers and volunteers, who did pictures for his list.  Horsley strongly believes that doctors, who have helped to do the abortions, shou ld be judged in a Nuremberg trial. Horsley declared the following: The Nuremberg files remind people that the doctors who kill babies are criminals and should be judged just like the Nazis at Nuremberg, as described in The Army of God. To be more precise, the U.S. Supreme Court long ago made it clear that there is nothing against abortion. However, authorities did not find anything illegal in Horsleys action and explained that under the First Amendment, these actions have nothing criminal. In my opinion, this situation is connected with the fact, that among influential Americans there are a lot of supporters of abortion ban in the U.S., for example George Bush Senior is considered one of the opponents of abortion.  Moreover, after this Web publication Horney also stated the following: We do not want all of them to die. But then, three thousand babies will die today its a fact and this fact is ignored in the past 25 years, according to Anti-Abortion Violence Defines Army of God. In my opinion this characterizes AOG as organization of  implacable fanatics  on  the religious and  moral  grounds,  who believe that they  have a right to decide  what people  can, and  what can not  do.  As a re sult of this Web publication some abortion supporters were killed or wounded: doctor John Britton was murdered in 1994 by AOG activist Paul Hill, Dr. David Gunn was shot in 1993, Canadian  Dr. Garson Romalis and Hugh Short were wounded by snipers.   Moreover, Horsley became cross the names of dead doctors on his site. According to Anti-Abortion Violence Defines Army of God, Horsley declared: My position is that people, who kill babies are responsible for the abominable act, and we should not be surprised if other people rise to fight against them. That is why we should legally prohibit abortion. Otherwise, murder and terrorism will grow up around us. Many people interpreted this  as  an open  challenge to  society and demanded to punish AOG and its participants, but authorities stated that freedom of speech can not be prohibited in the U.S. However, Stephanie Mueller, from the National Abortion Federation, declared that Horsley did not tell the full story on the site link to the attacks on doctors.  She said that one doctor was attacked in the summer of 2000, after the fact that information about him was published by Horsley.  We know other doctors who have received death threats after being caught in the files.  We think that the site is really cause violence against those who do abortions, as stated in Anti-Abortion Extremism: The Army of God. Psychological aspect In order to understand AOG behavior and motives I would like to concentrate on the analysis of AOG relation to such concepts like human life, abortion and its consequences. It should be noted that human embryos is human life form.  Consequently, in the eyes of an absolutist religion, abortion is evil, that has no different from murder.  As a fact, one of the most vociferous opponents of abortion is the Catholic Church.  When George W. Bush came to power, authorities began to fiercely protect human life as long as it is in its infancy (or terminally ill) state, not hesitating to ban medical research that could save the lives.  Embryos topic, it seems, has on many religious persons truly hypnotic effect.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta, accepting the Nobel Prize, said bluntly in her speech: The worst enemy of peace is abortion. Returning to the theme of war against abortion, I suggest you listen to the founder of the Randall Terry rescue operation, according to Understanding Th e Army Of God, he said following: When I or my supporters will come to force in this country, you will be better to disappear soon, because we will find, judge for trial and punish you.  Im not kidding.  I will do my best to condemn and punish them all. Randall Terry is referring to abortion doctors. His Christian feelings are evident and in subsequent statements:  I want to see you on the head faced a wave of intolerance, a wave of hatred.  Yes, hate its what you needà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  Our goal is a Christian nation.  Our duty is recorded in the Bible, God told us to conquer this country. We do not want pluralism.  Our goal must be simple.  We need a Christian nation, founded on the law of God, and without but, according to Understanding The Army Of God. Many experts consider that such intentions create something like Christian fascist state, which is very typical for religious organization in the U.S. This is almost an exact copy of an Islamic fascist state, of which many dream on the other side of the globe.  Fortunately, Randall Terry did not come to power, yet.  But those who are watching the developments on the American political scene there is no reason to particularly enjoy. Supporters of ethics or utilitarianism are likely estimate the issue of abortion from a different perspective and try to estimate the amount of suffering.  The most important question if the embryo is suffering? Doctors state that if the abortion is performed before the formation of his nervous system, most likely no, even if the nervous system is already there, it certainly suffers from less than an adult cow in a slaughterhouse. Does a pregnant woman or her family suffer in case the abortion is denied?  It is quite possible, and in any case, gi ven the almost complete absence of the embryo nervous system, is not it should give preference to well-developed nervous system of the mother?  In my opinion, it should be. We live in a free country with developed civil society, our right of choice should be guaranteed. As a fact, the advocates of ethical implications have their own reasons to oppose abortion.  It is assumed, that embryo does not suffer, but a culture that allows interrupting a human life can lead us too far.  Where do we draw the line?  Where is the line that separates us from killing children?  In my opinion, this line is natural birth, and perhaps we can say that in an earlier, embryonic, developing a similar milestone is hard to find. These arguments are also possible to put forward as the arguments against euthanasia.   However, AOG and other opponents of abortion do not care about these arguments.  From their point of view everything is much easier.  Embryo is a baby, its destruction is the murder. That is it, end of discussion.  From such an absolutist position it is difficult to make far-reaching conclusions.  They require, despite the dizzying medical perspective, to stop research on embryonic stem cells, because, as a result, embryos stem cells die.  Illogicality of the last argument is obvious when you think about what is now widely used by IVF (in vitro fertilization), during which doctors stimulate the production of the female body more ovum for in vitro fertilization.  At the same time receive up to a dozen viable embryos, of which the uterus is implanted two or three.  It is expected that one or two will survive.  Thus, the destruction of embryos occurs at two stages of IVF, but the procedure for the society as a whole have no complaints.  For over 25 years, IVF is a st andard practice that brings happiness to childless couples, as described in Annihilating abortuaries is our purest form of worship. A certain category of religious believers can not see the moral difference between destroying a microscopic group of cells on the one hand and the murder of an adult doctor on the other.  According to Doctor Chaplain and the Army of God: In a terrible book of Marc Yurgensmayer Terror in the name of God there is printed a photograph of the Rev. Michael Bray with his friend, the Rev. Paul Hill, holding a banner with the slogan: Is it possible not to hinder the murder of innocent  babies?. They and their associates from the Army of God are committed to  set fire to abortion clinics and do not hide their desire to kill doctors. As a fact, July 29, 1994 at the entrance to the clinic of the city of Pensacola, Florida, Paul Hill killed with a revolver Dr. John Britton and his bodyguard James Barrett. After he surrendered to the police,  he stated that shot the doctor to stop the killing of innocents.   Before proceeding to a discussion of abortion I would like to consider Paul Hills case, as one of the typical example of AOG participants behavior. As it was mentioned above, Paul Hill, with the full support took the law into his own hands and killed the doctor.  Hill started to defend his action by making a distinction between killings, say, retired doctor to vengeance and murder of a medical practitioner to stop them produce regular babies killing. In turn, abortion supporters stated that, despite the apparent sincerity of Paul Hills belief, he should not forget that if everyone starts to punish and pardon according to personal beliefs, not adopted by the laws, society will slide into a monstrous chaos.  Is it not correct to change the law in a democratic manner?  Paul Hill replied: Well, the problem here is that sometimes we have no real, genuine law, the law sometimes is fabricated on the spot of the head, as in the case of so-called law on abortion rights, a judge imposed on its peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, according to Doctor Chaplain and the Army of God.  In my opinion Paul Hills relation to these questions very much like the position of living in Britain of Muslims, who openly declare that they are subject only to Islamic law, and not accepted in a democratic manner the laws of country of their residence.   In 2003, Paul Hill was executed for the murder of Dr. Britton and his bodyguard; he claimed before the execution that to save the unborn would have killed again. He was speaking to reporters: I believe that by punishing me, the state makes me a martyr. Authorized by law, the murder of Hill, it is reasonable, but it may provoke new attacks by providing an effect opposite to the expected.  Paul Hill on the way to the death chamber was smiling, saying: I expect reward in heavenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I look for fame.  He urged others to follow in his steps, as stated in Doctor Chaplain and the Army of God.   I presume that very interesting was the fact, that one of the representative of certain abortion clinic named Paul Hill as a dangerous psychopath.  But people like Hill, do not consider themselves as dangerous psychopaths, they consider themselves as good, moral people who perform the covenants of God.  Frankly, I do not think that Paul Hill was psycho.  In my opinion, he was just a very religious man.  Without any doubts he was dangerous man, but not a psychopath.  To be more precise, misinterpretation of religion made him dangerous.  In accordance with AOG religious beliefs, Hill was right and moral by killing Dr. Britton. It should be noted that almost all vehement opponents of abortion are deeply religious.  Army of God activists do not see the moral difference between killing the embryo and killing a doctor, except that the embryo, by their definition, is the innocent baby. Proponents of ethical implications are able to evaluate the differences. In the early stages of embryo development in their ability to feel and even in structure and appearance, does not exceed the tadpole.  The doctor, on the contrary is formed, endowed with the consciousness of the individual with hopes, aspirations, dreams, fears, a wealth of knowledge, ability to complex emotions, most likely leaving behind inconsolable widow, orphan children, perhaps a loving elderly parents.   In my opinion, Paul Hill has caused a real, deep, prolonged suffering to human being that was able to feel and has a complex nervous system.  His victim, a doctor did not do this.  As a fact, embryos do not have the nervous system on early stage of development, and undoubtedly, are not affected. Moreover, even at a later stage embryos with nervous systems suffer not because they are human, but because they are living beings. In other words, there is no reason to believe that human embryos at any age suffer more than cows or sheep embryos of similar age.  And there are many reasons to argue that all embryos, including human, suffer much less than an adult cow or a sheep to the slaughter, and even more so slaughtered during the ritual killing of animals in some Muslims countries, when, according to religious requirements, they must be fully conscious  at the time of cutting the throat.   Of course, it is not easy to evaluate the suffering. You can argue about the details, but this does not change the main idea, which regards the differences between the position of opponents and supporters of the ethics implications of religious, absolutist moral philosophy. The first concerned whether the embryos suffer. The second concern, whether those are human beings.  Religious moralists argue when embryo becomes a person, a human being.  Despite this, abortion supporters, most likely, will put the question differently: it does not matter whether it is a person, more important questions, in what age the developing embryo is capable to feel pain, no matter what kind of animal it is. Conclusion To sum it up, I would like to say that Army of God is a terrorist organization within the U.S., which main purpose is in achieve a complete prohibition of abortion on the territory of the United States and also to punish medical  personnel  as well as  women  who  have had  abortions by different prison sentence and death penalty. Especially I would like to mention the fact that according to AOG, every doctor who made an abortion (kill the embryo) must be killed, because he deprived a human being of life. As a fact, AOG began its activity from 1982 and exist even today. From that moment AOG issue manual instructions how you can make a bomb or fire up abortion clinic. Also, there is AOG website, on which every person can enter the organization and help to their right case. Moreover, in its activity AOG is based on religion, namely Catholic Christianity and approve all violence by interpretation of the Bible. It can be said that the organization is responsible for two bombi ngs in 1996 in Atlanta, a series of murders and cases of kidnappings in relation to doctors and other medical staff of abortion clinics all over the country. As a fact, the advocates of ethical implications have their own reasons to oppose abortion.  It is assumed, that embryo does not suffer, but a culture that allows interrupting a human life can lead us too far. However, AOG and other opponents of abortion do not care about these arguments.  From their point of view everything is much easier.  Embryo is a baby, its destruction is the murder. That is it, end of discussion.  From such an absolutist position it is difficult to make far-reaching conclusions. In my opinion, this whole nightmare comes from the usual differences of perception.  There are people because of their religious beliefs considering abortion as murder, and ready to open fire, protecting embryos, which they prefer to call their babies.  On the other hand, there are people, no less sincere support abortion without any religious views, but with principles of morality.  They also see themselves as champions of the idea of providing medical care to the patients in need, who otherwise would have had to turn to unskilled underground healers.  Each side believes the other murderers or accomplices of the killers.  And each in his own way sincere. It is difficult to find a common ground in this situation. I think that first of all each side should show  greater understanding and  reduce  the level  of aggression  towards  the opponents. As a solution, I propose to consider the possibility to build abortion clinics in certain areas, similar to gambling th at allowed only in several areas. On the one hand, women will have an opportunity to make an abortion in safe conditions and doctors will no longer fear for their lives. On the other hand, abortion opponents will be satisfied with the fact that abortion is legal only in several areas in the country and every woman on her way to the clinic will have an opportunity to think if she really needs to take this step. I strongly believe that our society should take measures to solve this problem, and such organizations like Army of God with its violence will no longer have support of our citizens.