Solving Problems and Making Decisions Essay

Background The aim of the cervical screening programme is to reduce the incidence of, and morbidity and mortality from, invasive cervical cancer. This is achieved by screening eligible women between the ages of 25 and 65 years. In my role as an acting Senior Biomedical Scientist in the cytology department, I screen and report negative and inadequate cervical samples in line with XXX protocols as well as facilitating the flow of abnormal cervical samples through to consultant pathologists and ensuring appropriate recall management is given to patients. I am also involved with the supervision of staff and the production and management of in-house standard operating procedures. Description of Problem Although always monitored by XXX, the timeframe from taking a cervical sample to when it was reported has never been given a strict turnaround time target, unlike the screening programme in England, which since 2010 has had a 14-day turnaround time target. However, this is to change as XXX want women screened in XXX to have an equitable service to that of the women in England and with the introduction of new testing alongside the current cervical cytology test, laboratory turnaround times need to be under 3 weeks. In May 2013, the majority of our work was turned-around in 3.5 weeks with only 0.9% of our workload being reported within the proposed 3 week timeframe. Being aware that XXX were likely to implement changes within the next 12 months, we wanted to be proactive and improve our performance before XXX enforce improvement methods upon us or worse the service was moved from XXX. Therefore, the problem was identified as: How can we reduce our turnaround times to under 3 weeks (from date received in laboratory to date authorised)? Analysis of the Problem We were aware as a service that our turnaround times had increased over the last couple of years due to the loss of staff through retirement and centralisation and due to the transportation of work to an off-site laboratory for processing and then its transport to our department for screening and reporting. However, to identify the areas that we could improve, we created a work-stream to understand the flow of work through the laboratory process. A simplified version of the work-stream is found below: (Removed for confidentiality reasons) The days in the green ovals are average accumulative working days it would take to achieve a reported sample from arrival at the laboratory. These are working days and do not include weekends, therefore it is possible a further 2 to 4 days could be added to the actual turnaround time, making a possible estimated laboratory turnaround time of between 4 and 10 days. These days are calculated with no backlog, and therefore the next step would be to identify were backlogs or bottlenecks were occurring. The processing of work at XXX was beyond our control. As was the transport to and from XXX, which occurs on alternative days and is governed by XXX. Therefore, the two areas we could concentrate on were the booking in and the screening of slides. In May 2013, the administration staff based in XXX had a slight backlog of samples to book in, this equated to 1 to 2 days delay. The main cause of this delay was lack of staff and it wasn’t something we could address immediately as recruitment of new staff would take time and screening staff could not help as the backlog and delay in slides being screened was even greater. In the same month, the backlog of slides waiting to be screened was estimated at 2 to 3 weeks, this equated to around 3000 slides waiting to be screened. The backlog of screening work was not only affecting swift results to the patients it was also having an effect upon the screening staff morale as they had to see large numbers of slides waiting to be screened, which  could affect the turnaround further. We were also notified at this time that a member of the screening team would be leaving and therefore the urgency in reducing our turnaround times became more imminent as we would have less staff in a month or two. If no action was taken now the turnaround times would increase further once the member of staff left. As a result, the area we need to concentrate on and identify possible solutions to was the matter of reducing screening times of slides, by attacking this element of the laboratory process we should be able to reduce our overall laboratory turnaround times. Identification of Possible Solutions The Cytology senior staff members, including myself, started with a brain-storming exercise of trying to identify possible solutions. Due to constraints and safe-practices put in place by the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) and XXX it is not possible to ask screening staff to screen each slide faster, as false positives and false negative results would increase and the quality would be affected. And we could not ask staff to screen for a longer length of time in the day, as screeners can only primary screen slides for a maximum of 5 hours a day, again due to the quality risk. However, staff could work overtime by coming in at weekends. To try and improve the workflow pathway within the screening room I decided to re-read the †Cytology improvement guide – achieving a 14 day turnaround time in cytology† produced by the NHSCSP when England was undergoing changes to its screening programme turnaround times. This guide is a collection of evidence-based ideas for improving workflow and turnaround times in the laboratory and administration departments of the cervical programme. We had already adopted one suggestion from the guide in 2010 regarding batching sizes of work, whereby we have reduced the number of slides in a tray from 20 to 8 slides. Although each slide was still being screened for the same time length, a tray of slides were being finished quicker and therefore the screening staff felt happier and kept the work flowing through  the laboratory. However, on inspection the work wasn’t flowing, as after primary screening, trays were being placed into the rapid review box and only taken out for review twice a day (first thing in morning and after lunch), with some staff only reviewing slides once per day. This was causing the first bottleneck and it was also having a knock-on effect on the authorising of samples by senior staff as large chunks of authorising was occurring first thing in the morning or after lunch, which due to the monotony of checking details and results was causing errors to occur in reporting. We therefore needed to undert ake a Lean transformation. Lean is an improvement approach to enhance flow and eliminate waste that was developed by Toyota. Lean is basically about getting the right things to the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, while minimising waste and being flexible and open to change. Lean thinking focuses on what the customer values, any activity that is not valued is waste. If you remove the waste, the customer receives a more value-added service. In our department this means reducing our turnaround times, so that the customer (XXX women) get their cervical results in 3 weeks. We therefore had to remove processes that were not adding value to the end result. By investigating further it was noted that some screening staff were writing on the front and the back of the sample request forms if the samples were negative. There was no benefit in duplicating the result on the back of the form and therefore as part of Lean it is considered waste. Distraction was also a large issue in the screening room. To screen and report slides, it requires concentration to process and distinguish abnormal cells from normal samples. However, staff were regularly stopping screening to chat or employees from other departments were coming in to talk, make a cup of tea or to eat biscuits causing distractions of up to 30 minutes at times. The telephone was also a regular distraction, with service users phoning up for advice and results and the XXX administration department phoning up regularly to change and update patient managements. Summary of Options We eventually decided the options available to us were: 1. Screening staff to work overtime. If every member of the screening team and senior team (Senior Biomedical Scientist and Cytology Manager) were to partake in overtime work on one day of the weekend and managed to screen an average of 30 slides per day the backlog could be cleared in 9 to 10 weekends. However, partaking in overtime is a voluntary decision and not all staff members would want to or be able to work overtime. This means that if we were to only adopt overtime as an option a minimum of 9 weekends would need to be worked, and as we were not changing the day-to-day workflow process a further period of overtime may be needed in the future to minimise any further backlogs. Working overtime also had a cost implementation, as staff would need reimbursing for their time given. As overtime would be over a weekend this would be calculated at time and a half pay. 2. One tray of primary screening followed by one tray of rapid reviews. To overcome the current bottleneck of work after primary screening, it would be more advantageous to rapid review slides little and often instead of first thing in the morning or after lunch. The preferred scenario would be to primary screen a tray of slides and then screen a tray of rapid review slides and alternate like this throughout the day. This means the throughput of work is more constant and turnaround is less. These examples explain this option further: Current example – As you can see this example of current working practice means the slides take approximately 22 hours from being initially primary screened to being authorised. Proposed example – This example shows that by alternating between primary and rapid review screening the whole process up to authorising should take approximately 75 minutes. A saving in time of 20 hours and 45 minutes for those 8 slides to be reported and authorised. Some work primary screened at the end of the day will have to wait until the next day for rapid review, but on the whole most work will be turned around at a much faster pace. This could be implemented immediately with no cost implications or changes to staffs working pattern. 3. Authorising work little and often. The examples used above also outline how this can improve the bottleneck between rapid review and authorising. Currently authorising is carried out in large batches after rapid review has been completed mainly at lunchtime and occasional first thing in the morning. These large batches of work are monotonous and transcription errors can arise due to this. By having rapid review completed in small batches of 8, it is possible for senior staff to authorise in these small batches as soon as rapid reviews have been completed. This means authorisation can be achieved much sooner and hopeful reduce the risk of mistakes occurring. 4. Reduce waste. A Lean approach was considered and any process that didn’t add value was removed. The first wasteful process identified was writing on both front and back of request forms, writing on the back was considered worthless. This process approximately took 10 seconds to carry out. Therefore if this was stopped each screening staff member screening 30 slides a day on average would save 300 seconds a day. This equates to 5 minutes, which is more than enough time to screen one or two extra slides a day. Which over a week could mean 10 extra slides been screened by one screening staff member or 80 slides a week if all screening staff stopped. The second process considered was the taking of primary screening work from the work pile before necessary. Some individuals would pick up 2 trays of primary screening or would leave unfinished trays on their desks overnight. If these trays were left in the pile or half trays placed back into the work pile before going home, it would allow another member of staff to screen them sooner and therefore have them moving along the work-stream quicker. 5. Adopt quiet-time. The most controversial option considered was to implement quiet-time in the screening rooms. An initial quiet-time of between 9.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm was suggested, asking all staff member to keep any talking to  work-related questions only and to deter any colleagues from other departments from coming into the screening room or phoning the department. No mobile phones would allowed in the department during these times and work emails were to be checked first thing in the morning or first thing after lunch. Evaluation of Options The NHSCSP advise on using a PDSA cycle (plan, do, study, act) to evaluate and to test out ideas to ensure changes make the improvement required before implementation. Although the cycle is good at temporarily trialling a change and assessing its impact, it’s not useful in highlighting the best option or options to adopt without trialling them all. We therefore need to analyse the strength and weakness of each option first. A decision matrix was created to evaluate and prioritise the 5 options above. The criteria we used to make the decisions were: Cost implications; would there be any extra cost involved with each option and was this a small or large cost. (Rated from 1 (high cost) to 3 (low cost)) Speed of implication; were we able to implement this option immediately or would it require much planning. (Rated from 1 (slow) to 3 (fast)) Effect on staff; would the staff be happy with these measure, would it cause a negative effect in the work place. Did the staff have to make large adjustments to their working practice. (Rated from 1 (high detriment) to 3 (low)) Speed of improvements; how long would it take for us to see a change in turnaround times if option was implemented. (Rated from 1 (slow) to 3 (fast)) Each option was rated for each criterion, so that we could establish any issues with each option. From looking at the table above, options 2 and 3 have scored well on all 4 criteria and therefore would be able to be implemented with little disruption but with a good impact on turnaround times. Option 1 unfortunately had too many issues regarding cost and the time it would take to gain agreement for funding the overtime and for staff to agree to giving up their free weekends. Also every staff member wasn’t able to participate due to personal commitments and families, this meant the overtime worked could vary greatly week to week. It was therefore decided options 2 and 3 would be trialled further and option 1 would be abandoned. Although option 4 would take time to see results, it was decided that by ‘Leaning’ up the work process could only be a good thing and that the ideas suggested to reduce waste in the workplace should be implemented immediately. The main cause for concern with option 5 was the detriment to the staff,  however this change to working practice was considered to be the one that would have the greatest affect on reduction of turnaround times. It was therefore decided to trial this for a while, and that once the backlog was reduced we could relax the quiet time option and re-implement it if the backlog was to increase again. We could now look at the PDSA cycle and using turnaround time as a measurement assess the capabilities of option 2,3,4 and 5. By starting to trial the options and regularly monitoring and studying the turnaround times (Do & Study) we can highlight any changes that may be necessary (Act) and think of new plans to tackle any issues that arise (Plan). Implementation Before implementing and disseminating the information to all the staff, the cytology manager and cytopathologist went over all the presented options and made the final decision to implement the improvements for reducing turnaround times. They were happy to put forward the 4 options identified to all the staff and create action plans for implementation. A staff meeting was held to explain the situation regarding increasing turnaround times and the options put forward in the form of an action plan to the staff on how we could reduce the turnaround times. The action plans presented were: It was important to us to use SMART action plans, which meant we had to be specific in our actions and create measurable, achievable and realistic plans. An achievable time frame was set by creating weekly and monthly milestones for reviewing our turnaround times. Staff were asked to provide their thoughts on these actions and identify any issues or bring forward any options not already covered. Staff members made known their fears regarding quiet time, with one staff pointing out their working times were 9.30am until 2.30pm, and therefore apart from lunchtime she cannot talk during her working hours. This was taken into consideration  and the hours of quiet-time were altered. It was also stated the quiet time was a short term proposal and would be lifted as the backlog reduced/ended. An idea of moving the boxes holding the work needing rapid review and the boxes holding forms for authorising was also put forward. As currently the boxes were located across two different rooms and in the furthest corner of one room, meaning the entire screening room was being disturbed when someone went to put work/forms in the boxes. By moving the boxes to an equidistant place between both room, it would reduce the time wasted in walking to the boxes and reduce disturbance to other staff. Therefore the new and modified action plans were added. The staff was also advised that the turnaround times would initially be monitored in-house on a weekly basis to trial these changes and if the turnaround times were improving the monitoring would default to the XXX monthly monitoring. The aim was to try and authorise 300 cases a day, this was a realistic number to screen between 8 screening and 2 senior biomedical scientist staff. This equated to 1500 slides a week authorised, and as approximately 1000 slides were received and booked in each week, this meant we would be clearing approximately 500 slides from the backlog each week. Review of Outcomes Work levels were reviewed weekly by the Cytology Manager using the laboratories computer system. It was possible to see that the workload being reported was greater than that of the workload coming into the laboratory, and therefore the backlog of work was decreasing. However, what helped staff morale and made them aware of a reduction in the backlog and an improvement in turnaround times was being able to visualise the time between the date the sample was taken and the date the sample was screened and also seeing the reduction in the pile of work that was waiting for screening. As all options were implemented at the same time it was not possible to identify the effects of each individual option. XXX were also gathering the 3 week turnaround figures for all laboratories and these were being disseminated amongst the screening staff on a monthly basis. From the graph provided by XXX, it is clear from the implementation of changes in June 2013 the percentage of samples turned around in less than 3 weeks has steadily increased. A slight dip in the percentage is noted between August and September 2013, this coincided with the loss of a staff member and a move to a new laboratory building, which resulted in screening down-time for a couple of working days. It was at this time a decision was taken to stop the strict enforcement of quiet time, allowing the occasional ‘chatter’ within the screening room. This made work more welcoming and created a happier work environment, this in turn seems to have helped in the increase of samples turned around in 3 weeks. The introduction of these measures over the past 12 months have seen the departments 3 week turnaround times increase from 0.9% to 100%. References NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) – Cytology improvement guide: achieving a 14 day turnaround time in cytology NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) – Continuous improvement in cytology: sustaining and accelerating improvement

Benefits of a Database & Information Gathering Techniques

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Things that many people do every day that involve database involvement are things like calling a creditor on the phone to talk about a utility bill, performing transactions with you bank online, over the phone or in person, and also using a credit card to pay for supplies at a local retail store. All of these things require access to some sort of database.Database design is basically separated into categories the first being external where data can have multiple views and how the data can be stored into a physical form. Another category is conceptual where internal and external data communicate between each other (Ricardo, 2012). Accounting, bookkeeping information, personal financial records, stocks and personal property inventories are only some examples of how databases are managed and can be created for a multitude of things and all of these different types of files and data can be managed through a Database Management System (DBMS).The better the DBMS system is the better that system will support the organization. When you have a DBMS that supports the organization, that organization will be able to increase productivity, profits and overall status of business. There are many differe nt DBMS designs and some have been proven to work very well. One of those types is the Relational Database System. A DBMS that falls into this category would have to be a DBMS that is capable of maintaining a good relationship among any new data and generate good communications between it and the existing data already in the system (Differentiating 2012).A DBMS has many benefits which will help to keep the organization’s profits at a continuous incline. A well designed and implemented DBMS can organize accounts, maintain records, process requests and prioritize past, present and future events. It will provide the ability to store millions of files of multiple types in one single location and because all those files are in one location, it will also provide the ability to have multiple employees located in multiple areas and non-employees who may be temporarily working for the said organization for a period of time.With a personalized password and few clicks of the mouse all p ersonnel mentioned above can be given complete or partial access to the database for an indefinite or temporary period of time. As with any system benefits also can be drowned out with some disadvantages as well and one of the disadvantages that have is that with many DBMS structures it can be confusing and difficult to navigate through some of the commands. The complexity is much more advanced than many of the Microsoft programs that many employees may be familiar with.This particular problem also causes the system to be very time consuming to unfamiliar users. Security is also a concern as with any electronic device especially ones with internet capability because nothing in this world of technology is â€Å"hacker proof†, meaning the system just like any other, is vulnerable. Another type of database is a Flat File database. This type of database stores data in the form of plain text meaning just what it says; only text can be stored. Every line contained in this type of d atabase constitutes one record.The fields in this kind of database are separated by commas, tabs or delimiters. A flat file is a database that uses a simple structure but as simple as it is the more data added to it, the less efficient it can become. The benefit of the flat file database is that most Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Access, can imported from a flat file converting it so multiple data as well as data types can be used (Flat File 2012). When creating a database from the beginning it can seem very overwhelming at first.There is so much to think of but there are tools available to you that can help guide you through the process. Many database systems have an important role and if they aren’t customized for that particular organization, then the benefits would not be as great. Tools that are available to the organization that help a great deal with construction a database for the first time are available in many forms. Starter packages such as the CASE (Comput er-Aided Software Engineering) package, is a package that contains information to help.This package contains steps for creating a system analysis, project management, and design plans. If the information is used correctly it will help the organization learn how collect the information and determine what information to collect. There is also Project Management Software that can organize your data once it’s collected so the data is prioritized correctly. Last a system catalog can be implemented to work alongside the other aids mentioned above which all work hand in hand to create, manage and maintain the organization’s information.The advantage about most of these programs is they updated automatically with each other (Ricardo 2012). In the rapidly advancing world today, it really is not practical to not have a database program implemented for whatever activities you frequent. Whether it is a business, organization, government agency, community club or even at personal i nformation at home, having files of multiple types organized and merged into one file location is just a smart way of doing business whether the business be personal or professional.Reference Differentiating a good database design from a bad database design.. (n. d. ). Free management Articles – Management resource guide. Retrieved april 26, 2012, from http://www. management-hub. com/database-design. html Flat file definition. (n. d. ). The tech terms computer dictionary. Retrieved april 26, 2012, from http://www. techterms. com/definition/flatfile Ricardo, c. m. (2012). Databases illuminated (2. ed. ). Sudbury, ma: Jones & bartlett learning.

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The concept and characteristics of Leadership viewed through the JoHari Window - Essay Example The Johari window is often referred to as a ‘Disclosure/feedback’ model of self awareness and as a tool for processing information. It’s a self awareness tool because it represents information on feelings, attitudes, views, skills, intentions, experiences and motivation that a person presents in relation to his team, from four different angles. The two main concepts behind the Johari window is that the individuals are able to foster relations based on trust by simply disclosing personal information about themselves and secondly, they can become better persons by dealing with personal issues with the assistance obtained from others [Chapman 2003]. Essentially, better understanding between individuals and groups can be created with the assistance of the Johari window. It is also applicable to the leadership of an organization as it is in understanding the concept of the Johari window that leaders are able to understand the value and importance of self disclosure. This then results to their appreciation of giving and receiving personal feedback. When the Johari window is administered with sensitivity, the team members are able to build trusting relationships amongst themselves, are able to deal with problems and consequently be more effective as a team. This automatically leads to improved productivity within the organization, which is an objective for any goal oriented organization. Loft and Ingham, the founders of the Johari window, divided this window into four quadrants as show below: Quadrant 1 Open Area /Public Area/ The arena Quadrant2 Blind Area / Blind Spot Quadrant 3 Hidden Area Quadrant 4 Unknown Area Open Area | Public Area | The arena This quadrant represents the areas that are known by both ourselves and others. These areas are such as our strengths and weaknesses which we openly choose to share with and display to others. Information known in this quadrant is both factual and behavioral. Factual information is such as one's name and place of residence. While behavioral information includes: wants, needs, feelings etc. This quadrant is a basic description of who one is. Whenever individuals meet for the first time, the size of this quadrant is small and individuals have the choice of whether or not to expand it by exchanging information. Blind Area / Blind Spot This quadrant represents the traits that others know about an individual but are unknown to the individual. These traits could be positive or negative and have an influence on how others respond towards the individual. These traits could be as simple as appearance or as complex as feelings of insecurity, inadequacy and incompetence. More often than not, it is difficult to communicate these traits to an individual as it may sometimes be viewed to be degrading or attacking. This poses a problem as the relationship can be compromised. Hidden / Avoided Area This quadrant represents information that an individual knows about himself but is unknown to others. Unless the individual deliberately decides to reveals this information, it remains unknown. Feelings of trust and comfort usually encourage people to reveal more about themselves and consequently, the window shade is pulled down;

Application of Enginerring Principles Coursework

Application of Enginerring Principles - Coursework Example Due to centrifugal force, clean mud overflows, and the waste particles (together with some amount of fluid) enters the mesh through the bottom outlet of the hydrocyclone. The vibrating mesh further sieves the unwanted particles out, leaving only the pure mud suspension to pass through it. Hence pure mud suspension is obtained. The efficiency of the mud cleaner and the range of sizes of the waste particles that may be sieved out, depends on many factors like cone angle, diameter of the inlet, diameter of overflow pipe, diameter of the bottom outlet of hydrocyclone, the fineness of the mesh, vibration characteristics of the mesh, viscosity and density of the fluid, density and size of the waste particles etc. b) The three components where angular motion is involved are: hydrocyclone, pump, drill pipe. Hydrocyclone Here, the centrifugal force that is a characteristic of a system having angular motion is utilized to separate coarser and finer suspended particles. In hydrocyclones, viscou s forces are also produced by the angular motion. Because of the difference in densities of the suspended waste particles and the fluid, there will be difference in the centrifugal forces each of these subjected to. This difference in the centrifugal force is responsible for the separation of coarser waste particles and finer (required) particles that are suspended in the fluid. ... ncing has to be done properly, bearings have to be selected properly, lubrication should be taken care of, centrifugal forces (and centrifugal stresses) should be considered while designing the components, blade reactions have to be considered for pumps. Drill pipe Many a times drill pipes rotate and the rotation is greatly responsible for the cutting. But sometimes, even when the rotation of the drill pipe is not the main force behind drilling, a slight rotation of the drilling pipe is necessary for a successful drilling. As with any rotating components (which have angular motion), balancing has to be considered while designing drilling pipes. In addition, buckling should also be taken note of. c) Velocity distribution in a drill pipe during the first stage is given by (cm/s) (1) Differentiating (1); The acceleration, (2) (i) When acceleration is minimum, Hence, from (2), (3) Solving (3), When acceleration is minimum, Hence, Hence, (ii) Assuming that the acceleration is proportional to the velocity during the whole period; Final velocity in a further 35 second = Final velocity after (20 + 35) second = Final velocity after 55 second = (12%/20)*55 = 33% increase in the velocity (iii) To get the displacement profile for the first stage, integrating (1); Displacement (4) where c is a constant The displacement profile is a fourth order polynomial during the first stage. The displacement profile may be obtained by plotting (4) using MATLAB. The profile looks similar to Figure 2. Figure 2. Displacement Profile for the First Stage To get the velocity profile for the second stage, acceleration proportional to velocity during the whole period of the second stage implies that the velocity variation during this stage is exponential. The profile looks similar to Figure 3. Figure

Discussion forum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion forum - Essay Example rds, the thesis makes the compelling argument that employees’ rights and responsibilities are limited by the low costs and high profit margins at Wal-Mart. There are a number of potential areas of development the essay can contain to build on this thesis. One potential area of development could be the angle that Wal-Mart is exploiting its employees through these low prices and that if they raised prices more the customers would not complain. Another possible way of developing the essay is through investigating what such profit margins and low costs say about the American public. Even though the employees are working for very little, it is more important for the public to receive these low costs than to care about the people that are receiving these wages. Finally, a possible area of development could through examining how the employees feel about this situation. In examining the second thesis there are a number of notable considerations. The first consideration is whether this thesis constitutes an argument or is merely stating something. In these regards, it’s clear the thesis is making an argument. The argument is that Wal-Mart’s growth continues to hurt small business owners. The next concern is whether the thesis is specific. In these regards, it seems that perhaps the thesis should be more specific. It’s well understood that Wal-Mart hurts small businesses, but perhaps a more important investigation is what the lack of small businesses means for American communities and the American economy. The next area of concern is potential areas the thesis could be supported. In these regards, there are a number of possible supporting arguments. For instance, the essay could examine economic and statistical research that demonstrates the negative affect Wal-Mart has on local businesses. The essay could also consider the issue from a larger perspective. In these regards, the total amount of small businesses nationwide could be examined to see if they have

Victorian women Essay Example for Free

Victorian women Essay How does Thomas Hardy portray Bathsheba Everdene And Fanny Robin as typical representatives of Victorian women? Hardy uses this novel to express his prolific writing style, which involves introducing his characters slowly as the play goes on. He explores the characters and their influences and participation in the plot with intense detail. Far from the madding crowd is written in a Victorian pastoral setting, hence the way he portrays the characters as typically Victorian with powerful detail especially the women in particularly Bathsheba Everdene and Fanny Robin. Hardy can be seen in this novel to be recreating a local, ageless atmosphere often of a period before his birth or his early years and this sensitive, detailed, vivid breathing of life into a rural setting seems to be an essential factor in his thoughts and feelings when writing. Bathsheba Everdene is a beautiful woman who seems to control and dominate large parts of the play but at times being particularly arrogant and impetuous towards other characters and as the central role in the play, Hardy has manipulated her around the other characters very well. Bathshebas interaction with the other characters seems to have an effect on Fanny Robins participation in the play because of Hardys attempt to portray them both as typical representatives of Victorian women. She quickly becomes the central character by inheriting and learning to run a farm in Weatherbury where the play is situated. Hardy early on begins to introduce Bathshebas awareness and possibly fear of marriage and what that could do to affect Bathshebas status and profile within the village. Gabriel Oaks conversation with Bathsheba shows her to be perhaps an unpredictable, spirted young woman who has never been in love. The two discuss marriage with remarkable frankness. Bathshebas egocentric personality is exposed when she admits that she would delight in the prospect of having all the trappings of marriage such as a piano, pets and her own carriage and a spectacular ceremony however, she objects to having a long life husband and losing her freedom. Gabriels proposal to her of marriage is an emotionally intense conversation, which is why Hardys attempt to portray Bathsheba as typically Victorian was directed away exposing a different side to Bathshebas character. Gabriel: I can make you happy. You shall have a piano in a year or two, farmers wives are getting to have pianos now, Ill practice my flute right well to play with you in the evenings. Bathsheba: Yes, I should like that Gabriels hopes are built up as Bathsheba unveils her excitement at the prospect of marriage however; the realisation that this will never happen sets in. No, tis no use, I dont want to marry you. For a marriage would be very nice in one sense. People would talk about me and think I had won my battle and I should feel triumphant and all that. Her battle is one that she feels she needs to win to maintain her high profile status and leading female role within the village. She feels that to win her battle against society she needs to get married and therefore she can be triumphant once again. She explains that since a woman cannot win her battle by showing off the delights of a marriage and a wedding without having a husband then she cannot be triumphant by getting married, except not yet. While Bathsheba seems a bit shallow, her self-determination and powerful quest for success are commendable, and she remains a sympathetic yet surreal character. Hardy has manipulated Bathsheba so much that she has unusually selective characteristics whilst simultaneously attempting to convincingly portray her as typically Victorian without hindering Fanny Robins character so much as to effectively ruin it. Fanny Robin is a young orphaned servant girl at the farm who runs away the night Gabriel arrives in the village. With Fannys character, Hardy has chosen to use her to such an extent that she has become what is perhaps the most emotionally unstable character in the entire story and by doing this, he has attempted to manipulate her along with Bathsheba to portray them as typical Victorian representatives. She has an interesting but bleak role in the story but has a surprisingly significant effect on some of the major scenes without exposing her self as a particularly dominant or socially intractable character. She attempts to marry sergeant troy early on in the play and then ends her participation in the play by tragically dying whilst giving birth to his child. She is a foil to Bathsheba, showing the fate of women who are not well cared for in this society. Fanny robin is linked instantly with troy, has been helped kindly farmer Boldwood and has been the youngest maid in Bathsheba newly taken household, yet has a surprisingly unconvincing character compared with Bathshebas powerful dominance throughout the story. Fannys initial radiant excitement, her recent dejection, her memorable conversation with troy and her fatal error of mistaking the church for her marriage with troy all form a pathetic, wretched background to her unmistakably emotional and fragile character.

An Analysis Of Boys and Girls

An Analysis Of Boys and Girls According to R. W. Connell when sex role theory provided the main framework, there was a fairly straightforward account of how people acquired gender. Babies were, from the start, identified as either female or male and put in pink and blue baby clothes respectively. Blue babies were expected to behave differently from pink babies rougher and tougher, more demanding and vigorous. In time they were given toy guns, footballs and construction sets. The pink babies, by contrast, were expected to be more passive and compliant, also prettier. As they grew older they were dressed in frilly clothes, given dolls and make-up kits, told to take care of their appearance and be polite and agreeable (94). This type of gender practice can be seen in Alice Munros story Boys and Girls. This is a story about a young girls resistance to womanhood in a society infested with gender roles and stereotypes. Munro makes the point that gender stereotyping, relationships, and a loss of innocence play an impor tant, and often controversial role in the growing and passing into adulthood for many young children. This story takes place in the 1940s on a fox farm outside of Jubilee. During this time, women are viewed as second class citizens, but the narrator is not going to accept this position without a fight. Alice Munro creates an unnamed and therefore undignified, female protagonist and thus she proposes that the narrator is without identity or the prospect of power. Unlike the girl, the young brother Laird is named a name that means lord and implies that he, by virtue of his gender alone, is invested with identity and is to become a master. This stereotyping in names alone seems to represent that gender does play an extreme role in the initiation of young children into adults. R. W. Connell claims that the socialization model recognizes just one direction of learning towards the sex role norms. It is difficult, in such a framework, to understand the changes of direction that often appear in a young persons life, coming apparently from nowhere. Such changes can be seen in the story. Growing up, the young girl loves to help her father outside with the foxes, rather than to aid her mother with dreary and peculiarly depressing work in the kitchen. In this escape from her predestined responsibilities, the narrator looks upon her mothers assigned tasks to be endless, while she views the work of her father as ritualistically important. This view illustrates her happy childhood, filled with dreams and fantasy. Her contrast between the work of her father and the chores of her mother, symbolizes an arising struggle between what the narrator is expected to do and what she wants to do. Work done by her father is viewed as being real, while that done by her mother is considered boring. Conflicting views of what is fun and what is expected lead the narrator to her initiation into adulthood. The protagonist in the story begins to realize societys views of her when her father introduces her to a salesman, while she is working outside, as his new hired hand. She is almost pleased until the salesman replies I thought it was only a girl. Even her grandmother bombards her with commands, Girls keep their knees together when they sit down. And Girls dont slam doors like that. The worst is when she asks a question and her grandmother answers Thats none of a girls business. Even after that, she continues to slam doors and sit awkwardly because she feels that it keeps her free. In other words, she is not ready to accept and claim her gender identity a tendency that disturbs her mother and it is at this time, that the mother, good intentionally shackles her daughter to her correct place in the world to prepare her for stereotypes later on in life. However, after talking with her mother, the narrator realises that she has to become a girl; A girl was not, as I had supposed, simply what I was; it was what I had to become. Here, the narrator realises that there is no escape from the predetermined duties that go along with the passage of a child into being a girl and a girl into a woman. Boys and Girls by Alice Munro highlights and emphasises the theme of initiation. The story depicts initiation as a rite of passage according to gender stereotypes and a loss of innocence. Conformity plays a vital role in determining the outcome of the narrators passage into adulthood. Throughout the story, the narrator is confronted with conflicting thoughts and ideas regarding her initiation into adulthood. Ultimately, she wishes to work with her father, and stay a tomboy, but through a conflict with her mother and grandmother, she comes to realise that she is expected, like the women before her, to adopt the gender stereotype which comes with her growing and passing into adulthood. Similarly, her younger brother, Laird, is also initiated, but into manhood, something he yearns for. In conclusion, Munros story illustrates the struggles between the dreams and reality of the rite of passage and initiation, based on gender stereotypes society has placed on men and women.

Takeover Mergers Acquisitions Case Study Of British Petroleum Commerce Essay

Takeover Mergers Acquisitions Case Study Of British Petroleum Commerce Essay BP is one of the largest vertically integrated oil and gas companies in the world. The companys operations primarily include the exploration and production of gas and crude oil, as well as the marketing and trading of natural gas, power, and natural gas liquids. BP has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom and employs about 80,300 people. British Petroleum, which transformed from a local oil company named Anglo Persian formed back in 1908 to a global energy group, is one of the worlds largest energy companies today, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday items. BP excelled exponentially in the past century and today it employs over 80,000 people and operates in over 100 countries worldwide. On 20th April, 2010, BP came across a deep water rig explosion in the gulf of Mexico which was caused by what has been described as the worst US ecological disaster ever, wiping more than $58 billion from the companys value and causing its share price to drop down more then half compared to the value before the explosion. Many analysts are saying that this could trigger a takeover of the business by one of its big competitors such as Exxon Mobil, Shell or even Petrochina. In this report, we will discuss the factors and reasons which can result in a takeover of any company along with the very real disadvantages which a company may face if they do an acquisition, including those special to an acquisition of BP at this time. What is Merger and Acquisition stands for? The term Merger Acquisition or Takeover refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling and combining of different companies that can aid, finance, or help a growing company in a given industry grow rapidly without having to create another business entity. Takeovers and mergers are also the reason why todays corporate landscape is a maze of conglomerations. Insurance companies own breakfast cereal makers, shopping mall outlets are part of military manufacturing groups, and movie studios own airlines, all because of mergers and acquisitions. Although often used synonymously, the terms merger and acquisition mean slightly different things. Merger A merger happens when two firms agree to go forward as a single new company rather than remain separately owned and operated. It can be described as the mutually agreed decision for joint ownership between organizations. When two companies merge, the boards of directors (or the owners, if it is a privately held company) come to an agreement. The original companies cease to exist, and a new company forms, combining the personnel and assets of the merging companies. Like any business deal, this can be straightforward, or incredibly complex. The key is that both companies have agreed to the merge. Acquisition When one company takes over another and clearly establishes itself as the new owner, the purchase is called an acquisition. From a legal point of view, the target company ceases to exist, the buyer swallows the business and the buyers stock continues to be traded. Hostile Takeover: A hostile takeover is an acquisition in which the company being purchased doesnt want to be purchased, or doesnt want to be purchased by the particular buyer that is making a bid. The buyer has to gain control of the target company and force them to agree to the sale. Both acquisitions and mergers typically involve the managers of one organization exerting strategic influence over the other. Reasons for a Takeover There are different reasons for developing through a takeover activity. The primary reason being that acquiring firms seek improved financial performance. Another major reason is the need to keep up with the changing environment and to gain opportunities of market growth more quickly than through internal means. Following gives a brief account for the conventional reasons of a takeover. Speed of Entry Speed of entry is one of the reasons for a takeover because products and markets nowadays are changing so rapidly that acquisition becomes the only way to successfully enter a market, since the process of internal development is too slow and when speed is important, acquisition is more likely to be used. Most acquisitions are consummated relatively quickly, whereas internal development of new products or services normally takes many months or years. Acquisition may allow the acquiring firm to realize revenue earlier, achieve economies faster, and capture a greater market share. When entry occurs through internal development, a decade or more is often required to fine-tune the business to achieve the profitability of established competitors Economies of Scale Economies of scale is an economic term describing a business model where the long-run average cost curve declines as production increases, or in a simple example explaining the principal, where a manufacturing company saves money as it produces higher quantities of its product, as in all business areas, the more you buy, the more you save. Economies of scale is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit cost as the size of a facility and the usage levels of other inputs increase. This refers to the fact that the company after takeover can often reduce its fixed costs by removing duplicate departments or operations, lowering the costs of the company relative to the same revenue stream, thus increasing profit margins. An example is that of a private soft drinks manufacturer. The more orders that the manufacturer receives, the more savings it makes, as it will in turn get cheaper prices for the materials it needs to produce its drinks (e.g. plastic, aluminium, sugar) as it will be buying them in larger quantities and receiving discounts, the manufacturing company in turn would give its customers cheaper prices for the more orders for drinks they make for this very reason, as they will gain the discounts, they can pass a saving onto their customers, making themselves stronger, a more respected company from its suppliers as it is buying in higher volumes and its turnover becomes higher. All these factors contribute to the benefits of economies of scale.. Why Economies of Scale Happen: An In Depth Look Corporations incur fixed costs when buying heavy machinery, buildings, or other large purchases. A fixed cost is called fixed because when production increases in the short run, new buildings and machines are not immediately needed. Because fixed costs are not tied to production, firms have an incentive to produce as much as possible (assuming they can sell their product). Intuitively, a large factory should produce a large number of units to minimize its fixed cost per unit. Say that an automobile factory costs 1 million dollars. If it only produces 1000 cars, then its Fixed Cost Per Unit is 1 million dollars divided by 1000 cars, or $1000/Car. If the factory produces 8000 cars, however, its Fixed Cost Per Unit is 1 million dollars divided by 8000 cars, or $125 per car. By producing 7000 more cars, the firm gets an 88% fixed cost reduction per car. This graph illustrates that increased production reduces fixed costs per unit. Figure 1 With fewer fixed costs per unit, firms can afford to lower per unit prices. If fixed costs are very significant to a particular firms industry, then firms who mass produce efficiently can cut costs, extract revenues, lower prices, and therefore capture market share. Higher market share and higher revenues mean more money to spend on machinery, and expand the firm. This in turn allows further cost cutting, higher production, and the development of better products. In the long run, firms which effectively mass produce take over industries dominated by high fixed costs. Figure 2 Financial markets Financial markets may provide conditions that motivate acquisitions. If the share value or price/earnings (P/E) ratio of a company is high, it may see the opportunity to acquire a firm with a low share value or P/E ratio. Indeed, this is a major stimulus for the more opportunistic acquisitive companies. An extreme example is asset stripping, where the main motive is short-term gain by buying up undervalued assets and disposing of them piecemeal. Eliminating Competition A buyer company, when absorbs a major competitor, eliminates the major competition and thus increases it revenue or market share. This motive of takeover comes into play when companies want to increase their market power which results in an increased share value and overall monopoly. Synergy Synergy is the potential additional value from combining two firms. It is probably the most widely used and misused rationale for takeovers. Operating Synergy Operating synergies are those synergies that allow firms to increase their operating income, increase growth or both. Operational synergy is deemed to be the main motive of the takeover when the bidder takes over a target in the same industry. We would categorize operating synergies into four types. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economies of scale that may arise from the takeover, allowing the combined firm to become more cost-efficient and profitable. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greater pricing power from reduced competition and higher market share, which should result in higher margins and operating income. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Combination of different functional strengths, as would be the case when a firm with strong marketing skills acquires a firm with a good product line. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Higher growth in new or existing markets, arising from the combination of the two firms. This would be case when a UK consumer products firm acquires an emerging market firm, with an established distribution network and brand name recognition, and uses these strengths to increase sales of its products. Operating synergies can affect margins and growth, and through these the value of the firms involved in the takeover. Financial Synergy With financial synergies, the payoff can take the form of either higher cash flows or a lower cost of capital (discount rate). Included are the following. 1. A combination of a firm with excess cash, (and limited project opportunities) and a firm with high-return projects (and limited cash) can yield a payoff in terms of higher value for the combined firm. The increase in value comes from the projects that were taken with the excess cash that otherwise would not have been taken. This synergy is likely to show up most often when large firms acquire smaller firms, or when publicly traded firms acquire private businesses. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Debt capacity can increase, because when two firms combine, their earnings and cash flows may become more stable and predictable. This, in turn, allows them to borrow more than they could have as individual entities, which creates a tax benefit for the combined firm. This tax benefit can take the form of either higher cash flows or a lower cost of capital for the combined firm. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tax benefits can arise either from the acquisition taking advantage of tax laws or from the use of net operating losses to shelter income. Thus, a profitable firm that acquires a money-losing firm may be able to use the net operating losses of the latter to reduce its tax burden. Alternatively, a firm that is able to increase its depreciation charges after an acquisition will save in taxes and increase its value. Diversification Companies takeover different product line companies to diversify their product or service range and to protect themselves against downturns in the core markets. This calls for a very well thought and specific policy keeping in mind the future steps and goals of a company. Moreover, can really help if there is a downfall in the core market and company shares of a particular product. Disadvantages of a Takeover The reasons for takeover are kept under account while targeting a company, but calculating the disadvantages associated with it are analysed with more precision and taking all situations under consideration. Companies mostly come up with the following disadvantages while acquiring other companies Costs of mergers and acquisitions Mergers and acquisitions can be costly due to the high legal expenses, and the cost of acquiring a new company that may not be profitable in the short run. This is why a merger or acquisition may be more of strategic corporate decision than a tactical maneuver. Moreover, if a poison pill unknowingly emerges after a sudden acquisition of another companys shares, this could render the acquisition approach very expensive and/or redundant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Legal expenses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Short-term opportunity cost à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cost of takeover à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Potential devaluation of equity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Intangible costs MA activity can also be exacerbated by the short-term cost of opportunity or opportunity cost. This is the cost incurred when the same amount of investment could be placed elsewhere for a higher financial return. Sometimes this cost does not prevent or deter the acquisition because projected long-term financial benefits outweigh that of the short-term cost. Consumer and shareholder drawbacks In some cases, acquisitions may not only disadvantage the shareholders but consumers as well. In both cases, this may happen when the newly formed company becomes a large oligopoly or monopoly. Moreover, when higher pricing power emerges from reduced competition, consumers may be financially disadvantaged. Some of the potential disadvantages facing consumers in regard to mergers are the following. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increase in cost to consumers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Decreased corporate performance and/or services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Potentially lowered industry innovation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Suppression of competing businesses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Decline in equity pricing and investment value Shareholders may also be disadvantaged by corporate leadership if it becomes too content or complacent with its market positioning. In other words, when takeover activity reduces industry competition and produces a powerful and influential corporate entity, that company may suffer from non-competitive stimulus and lowered share prices. Lower share prices and equity valuations may also arise from the merger itself being a short-term disadvantage to the company. Effects on management A study published in the July/August 2008 issue of the Journal of Business Strategy suggests that mergers and acquisitions destroy leadership continuity in target companies top management teams for at least a decade following a deal. The study found that target companies lose 21 percent of their executives each year for at least 10 years following an acquisition more than double the turnover experienced in non-merged firms. If the businesses of the acquired and acquiring companies overlap, then such turnover is to be expected; in other words, there can only be one CEO, CFO, etc at a time. Wages Settlement This could also be a problem if the acquiring company gives less wages to its employees then the acquired company. This may result in overpaying the new employees of acquired company or increasing the wages of its previous employees. This can really unsettle the budget and administration of the company. REASONS AND DISADVANTAGES OF TAKING OVER BRITISH PETROLEUM The idea of BP being taken over by anyone would have sounded crazy before the gulf of Mexico disaster, but it is now becoming commonplace to suggest that the UK oil major might even fall into the hands of rivals like Exxon Mobil, Shell or even Petrochina. The about turn has been extraordinary. Before its money and reputation began bleeding away in the Gulf of Mexico, the oil giant was considered the safest of blue chip companies, because its debts were so low and its income so high. BPs failure to stop an oil leak from spewing millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico may leave the biggest oil and gas producer in the U.S. in a fight to stay independent. BP Facts Clean-up: Cost to date: $3.1bn approx Escrow account promise: $20bn Shares: Share price on 20 April (before leak began): 656p Share price lowest point (on 25 June): 296p (55% fall) 2009 profits:  £10bn 2010 dividend:  £1.8bn in Q1; Q2-4 cancelled, saving  £5.4bn Debt: Total debts:  £17bn, of which  £4.9 due by end-2011 2009 cashflow:  £21bn Credit ratings: A2/A (Moodys/SP) Credit default swap spread (5 years): 4.1% per annum Strategic investors: Market capitalisation:  £65bn (at 345p current share price) Kuwait shareholding: 1.75% China shareholding: 1.1% (Data: Bloomberg as of 6 July 2010) Reasons for Takeover In addition to being the largest oil and gas producer in the U.S, BP is the biggest operator in the Gulf of Mexico, where it holds more than 500 leases and pumps 450,000 barrels of oil a day. The company plans 10 projects in the Gulf during the next five years, more than other regions of the world, according to a BP presentation. A takeover of BP will result in the acquisition of all these projects ultimately increasing the growth of the acquiring company. A takeover by Anglo-Dutch shell looks likely because synergies of $9bn had been estimated by former BP chief Lord Browne and it is revealed that merger of these companies were tried before in 1995 and 2004. These synergies will give the combined company the power to take advantage from economies of scale and great pricing power. If Exxon Mobil acquires BP that would be a combination of the first and second biggest gas producers in the US which will result in the monopoly of the whole oil market in the hands of the acquirer. If this happens, the joined company can dictate the stock market and gain other advantages as well. Chinese oil giant Petrochina which is not a major oil producer but an avid consumer of oil can divert scarce oil supplies of BP towards china to satisfy its needs rather than those of the west. This will not only give Petrochina access to BPs international oil and gas reserves, but also the expertise and latest technology which will result in higher value and growth of the combined company. The takeover will eliminate a fierce competition between the oil giants of the world as the acquiring company will absorb a major competitor in the form of BP. Thus increasing overall market power and share value. Disadvantages The huge and indeterminate cost of the oil spill cleanup, as well as damages, fines and compensation analysts forecast of the cash cost to BP have ranged up to about $40 bn, could spiral into tens of billions. Political Effects Technically any of Exxon Mobil, Shell or Petrochina can afford to buy BP, but in an industry which is already fraught with regulatory and political risk, it is a difficult to cope up with all the arising situations. There is already a statutory limit under US law for oil spill costs of a mere $75m, but BP long ago waived this limit, as hiding behind it would have been politically untenable. The oil firm could take more active steps to limit its liability, for instance through a selective bankruptcy of its US business. But this would almost certainly be unpalatable to the companys board, as it would enrage US politicians, including President Barack Obama, and probably cut off the entire US market to BP. So the political reality is that BPs liability in the Gulf of Mexico remains unlimited, and this continues to weigh down the companys share price. A takeover of BP in such a scenario will result in an unlimited liability for the acquiring company. Moreover, it may probably cutoff from the U.S market where BP is the biggest oil and gas provider. Environmental Effects The environmental threats after Mexico oil spills are still in account and acquiring companies will feel the effects of it for a long time. The cost of oil cleanup is indeterminate and in case of an acquisition, those cleanups and its effects will become the liability of the acquiring company and if they fail to clear them in a particular set of time, then the acquired company can feel the heat as well. Legal Effects The damages, fines and compensation forecasts of the spill are very unclear and there is no exact account of the litigations which BP will face. BP has crossed the $368 million mark till now in paying companies and individuals as a result of after-effects of the oil spill. Still there is a long way to go and no one wants to pay an unquantifiable liability. Other Disadvantages If Shell makes a move, then it will ace serious competition issues that would force divestments in Europe and the US. A combined company will be very difficult to manage and to sustain growth. Petrochina will be in a risk of overpaying the employees of BP as labour is cheap in Chinese companies and this could really effect the management and workforce from top to bottom. In case of Exxon Mobil, Most combinations of assets would have to be downsized for competition reasons. The overlapping management will lose their jobs and the old management will have to fit in the shoes of the BP management and become familiar with their systems and ways which will take time and incur cost. The costs of oil projects are set to soar as governments insist on tougher environmental safety standards in the wake of the spill. Already the Kazakhstan energy ministry has forced Shell to tighten up plans at its Kashagan development, meaning that the current $136bn budget dedicated for the project is likely to be busted. The result could be that smaller companies, that dont have market values in excess of $100bn might pull out of deep-water activities. Only the big boys of the industry would remain in the waters. Conclusion There are many likely motives to takeover BP but it carries a lot of dips and drops. If a buyer does try to overcome all these enormous hurdles, it would still need to agree a deal. At the moment, there is no sign of BP to surrender. Takeover talks are likely to keep swirling, but the chances are that BP will emerge with its independence intact.

The Power of Language in American Culture Essay -- Term Papers Researc

The Power of Language in American Culture Culture is a part of everyone's life, whether we choose to express it in our everyday lives or to just be aware of its presence. A major part of one's culture is a defining language. The topic of assimilation versus multiculturalism directly relates to culture in America, and even more specifically to the power of language in American culture. Since language is the basis of communication I think that all immigrants must assimilate to a certain degree by speaking English, while preserving their heritage if they choose to do so. Language is a very powerful thing. It is the way that people communicate with each other. For a foreigner living in America I think that this is essential. This is why I believe that if a foreigner only attempts to learn English, then they are already assimilating to American culture. Whether or not they choose to change their whole lifestyle into an American way of life, if they take on the English language then they are assimilating to a certain extent. Amy Tan is the author of the essay Mother Tongue. In this essay, she explains how the power of language has influenced her life through her mother and the experiences they have had together concerning her mother's English-speaking ability, or lack there of. She was born into a Chinese family where both Chinese and English were spoken. She is sensitive to and accepting of people's lingual differences. She talks about how the inability to speak English well in America gives others the wrong impression: "...everything is limited, including people's perceptions of the limited English speaker" (Tan 13). She is saying here that prolific English speakers place limitations on people who have limited English-speak... ...who you ask. It can mean many different things to many different people. I don't think that there is one right answer to the question: What is American culture? One thing for sure is that in order to truly be a part of a culture, you must be able to communicate with those around you. Therefore, I think it is essential that foreigners learn and speak English while preserving their heritage in America. The English language is a very powerful and useful tool. To those who enter this country, it can mean the difference between taken seriously or being taken for granted. Sources Cited Bray, Thomas. "Memorial Day and Multiculturalism." Detroit News 24 May 1998. 25 September 2005. . Tan, Amy. "Mother Tongue." Across Cultures. Eds. Sheena Gillespie and Robert Singleton. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. 26-31.

The Life and Works of Langston Hughes Essay -- essays research papers

The Life and Works of Langston Hughes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone, I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan – Ain’t got nobody all in this world, Ain’t got nobody but ma self. I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’ and put ma troubles on the shelf.† The above excerpt is from Langston Hughes prize winning poem, â€Å"The Weary Blues.† Hughes, considered to be one of the world’s outstanding authors of the twentieth century (Ruley 148), is a prolific poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, autobiographer, and a writer a of children’s books (Andrews, Foster, Harris 368). David Nicholson says of Hughes, â€Å"He strove to reflect an American reality ignored or distorted by other American writers (504).† The magnificent poet dealt with many struggles in his life and was criticized by many critics for the poem, â€Å"The Weary Blues†, as well as his other works. The lyricist overcame this scrutiny and his struggles, to become a successful, talented writer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Langston Hughes, of French, Indian, and African decent, was born in Joplin, Missouri, on February 1, 1902 (Andrews, Foster, Harris 368). His parents, Carrie and James Langston, were not apart of Hughes’ childhood. Carrie Langston was a small town debutante; she left her son with his grandmother to go live in Kansas City to pursue an acting career (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). As for his father, James Langston, a mixed, cold, man who detested blacks, ran off to Mexico (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). Hughes loved his mother hopelessly and yearned to be with her (Rampersad 4) but his mother showed no interest to be with her son (Bloom, Bloom’s 12). On the contrary, he vigorously loathed his â€Å"runaway† father (Rampersad 4). Without parents, his maternal grandmother, Mary Langston, in Lawrence Kansas raised the writer of verse (Andrews, Foster, Harris 369). Mary’s first husband rode with John Brown on the attack of Harper’s Ferry in 185 9 (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). Her second husband recruited soldiers for the fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth Massachusetts regiment (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). Being married to two men who aided in ending slavery, Mary raised young Hughes on the stories of her family’s ancestors who fought to end slavery (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). From his grandmother he learned the need to struggle on behalf of the ideals of social justice and African American progress (Smith 367). The ab... ... evident. The lasting impact Langston Hughes had on society through the twenties to the sixties is still apparent today. Works Citied Page Andrews, Williams L. Ed.; Foster, Frances S. Ed.; Harris, Tardien. Ed. The Oxford Companion to African American Literature: New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Bloom, Harold. Ed. Bloom’s Major Poets Langston Hughes. PA, Broomall: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999. Bloom, Harold. Ed. Twentieth Century American Literature. Vloume 4. New York, New Haven, Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Hall, Sharon K. Ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism Yearbook 1986. Volume 44. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1987. Marowski, Daniel G. Ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Volume 35. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1985. Rampersad, Arnold. Ed. The Life of Langston Hughes: Volume 1: 1902-1941 I Too, Sing America. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1986. Ruley, Carolyn. Ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Volume1. Detroit, Michigan: Gale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Research Company, 1973. Smith, Valerie. Ed. African American Writers. Volume 1. New, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2001. The Life and Works of Langston Hughes Essay -- essays research papers The Life and Works of Langston Hughes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone, I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan – Ain’t got nobody all in this world, Ain’t got nobody but ma self. I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’ and put ma troubles on the shelf.† The above excerpt is from Langston Hughes prize winning poem, â€Å"The Weary Blues.† Hughes, considered to be one of the world’s outstanding authors of the twentieth century (Ruley 148), is a prolific poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, autobiographer, and a writer a of children’s books (Andrews, Foster, Harris 368). David Nicholson says of Hughes, â€Å"He strove to reflect an American reality ignored or distorted by other American writers (504).† The magnificent poet dealt with many struggles in his life and was criticized by many critics for the poem, â€Å"The Weary Blues†, as well as his other works. The lyricist overcame this scrutiny and his struggles, to become a successful, talented writer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Langston Hughes, of French, Indian, and African decent, was born in Joplin, Missouri, on February 1, 1902 (Andrews, Foster, Harris 368). His parents, Carrie and James Langston, were not apart of Hughes’ childhood. Carrie Langston was a small town debutante; she left her son with his grandmother to go live in Kansas City to pursue an acting career (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). As for his father, James Langston, a mixed, cold, man who detested blacks, ran off to Mexico (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). Hughes loved his mother hopelessly and yearned to be with her (Rampersad 4) but his mother showed no interest to be with her son (Bloom, Bloom’s 12). On the contrary, he vigorously loathed his â€Å"runaway† father (Rampersad 4). Without parents, his maternal grandmother, Mary Langston, in Lawrence Kansas raised the writer of verse (Andrews, Foster, Harris 369). Mary’s first husband rode with John Brown on the attack of Harper’s Ferry in 185 9 (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). Her second husband recruited soldiers for the fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth Massachusetts regiment (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). Being married to two men who aided in ending slavery, Mary raised young Hughes on the stories of her family’s ancestors who fought to end slavery (Bloom, Bloom’s 11). From his grandmother he learned the need to struggle on behalf of the ideals of social justice and African American progress (Smith 367). The ab... ... evident. The lasting impact Langston Hughes had on society through the twenties to the sixties is still apparent today. Works Citied Page Andrews, Williams L. Ed.; Foster, Frances S. Ed.; Harris, Tardien. Ed. The Oxford Companion to African American Literature: New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Bloom, Harold. Ed. Bloom’s Major Poets Langston Hughes. PA, Broomall: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999. Bloom, Harold. Ed. Twentieth Century American Literature. Vloume 4. New York, New Haven, Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Hall, Sharon K. Ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism Yearbook 1986. Volume 44. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1987. Marowski, Daniel G. Ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Volume 35. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1985. Rampersad, Arnold. Ed. The Life of Langston Hughes: Volume 1: 1902-1941 I Too, Sing America. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1986. Ruley, Carolyn. Ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Volume1. Detroit, Michigan: Gale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Research Company, 1973. Smith, Valerie. Ed. African American Writers. Volume 1. New, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2001.

Surrogacy is Morally Wrong Essay -- Surrogacy Is Immoral

In this paper, I argue that if the debate about the morality of surrogacy is couched in terms of respect due to other human beings and the paramount importance of their intimate relationships with one another, then it may be shown that most ordinary instances of surrogacy are morally wrong. Human flourishing cannot be separated from one’s relationships with others and any circumstance which is destructive of such relationships must be considered immoral. The surrogate, unless she is treated as an object or merely as a means to an end, is intimately involved in the relationships between the child and its putative parents and important relationships become ambiguous and so harmed. Furthermore, if this view if rejected, then the feminist argument that surrogacy always involves the exploitation of the surrogate renders it immoral. The debate about surrogacy revolves around the following issues: (a) whether it is in the interests of the child involved or in the interests of society; or (b) whether it is exploitative of the birth mother or in the interests of women, as a whole. In considering the issues under (a) it is often argued that children are at risk of harm from having socially constructed family relationships rather than natural ones. Many commentators have likened the experience of children and birth mothers in surrogacy arrangements to children and relinquishing mothers in adoption, and point to the potential psychological and social harm that may result. (1) One argument against surrogacy therefore revolves around the relationships which are involved. Although talk of interests seems to couch the debate in utilitarian terms (2) it is not the only way in which the arguments about surrogacy may be seen. Another way of seei... ...s the potential for depersonalisation strong, quoting the case of a woman who said of her sister (in an a case of altruistic surrogacy), "We are just using Jacki as a suitcase really, an incubator to carry it. At the end of the day it’s our child". Rowland, R. Op. Cit., 164 (17) Ibid., 164-166 (18) Szikla, C. "Surrogacy, Why Women Lose",http://www.readings.com.au:8080/~wise/RT2.htm, 3-6 (19) Another solution is to say that this dichotomy does not hold and that there is nothing wrong with a mà ©nage à   trois (or à   quatre, if both sperm and ovum are donated). This solution, however, changes our conceptions of marriage and radically alters the context in which the problem is being discussed in this paper. (20) See Mitchell, J.D. "In Vitro fertilisation: The Major Issues - A Comment", Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 9, 1983, 196-199, who makes a similar point.

Revenue Allocation Among The Three Tiers Of Government In Nigeria

IntroductionRevenue allocation is one of the Constitutional functions of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission. Specifically, Part I, Paragraph 32 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which states that the Commission is to â€Å"review, from time to time, the revenue allocation formulae and principles in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities. Provided the any revenue formula which has been accepted by an Act of the National Assembly shall remain in force for a period of not less than five years for the commencement of the Act† Nigeria system of government has three levels namely, Federal, State and Local Governments.Each tier has its own constitutional responsibilities. And in a situation where the allocation of tax powers creates a resource imbalance amongst the stakeholders, it necessitates the need for an arrangement to allocate centrally-collected revenue so that revenue and development coul d spread evenly throughout the country. This is manifested in the Nigerian case, where more lucrative taxes are controlled by the Federal Government.Fiscal FederalismFiscal federalism is a system of taxation and public expenditure in which revenue-raising powers and control over expenditure are vested in various levels of government within a nation, ranging from the national government to the smallest unit of local government (Anyafo, 1996). Basically, fiscal federalism emphasizes on how revenues are raised and allocated to different levels of government for development. There is the problem of how to allocate revenue to different tiers of government in relation to the constitutionally assigned functions.The discordance between fiscal capacity of various levels of government and their expenditure responsibilities, the non-correspondence problem, is a striking feature of the Nigerian federal finance. There is also the problem of how revenue should be shared among the states and local councils. According to the resource allocation function of the government, revenue is allocated to federating units of a country for economic development, otherwise called fiscal federalism. Nigeria’s fiscal federalism has emanated from historical, economic, political, geographical, cultural, and social factors. In all of these, fiscal arrangements remain a  controversial issue in allocating distributable pool account (DPA) of the federation since 1946 (Ekpo, 2004).

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in War Veterans

POST traumatic STRESS DISORDER IN struggle VETERANS SC-PNG-0000009299 Alwin Aanand Thomson Ameri jackpot Degree Program SEGi College Penang 1. 0 INTRODUCTION stockpiletraumatic deform disorder (posttraumatic essay disorder) is a severe anxiety disorder that back develop later exposure to all after struggledwardmath that results in psychological trauma. This impression whitethorn involve the threat of expiration to oneself or to both(prenominal)one else, or to ones experience or well-nighone elses sensual, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individuals ability to cope.As an effect of psychological trauma, posttraumatic emphasise disorder is less frequent and to a greater extent enduring than the much comm alone(prenominal) seen penetrating focussing result. Diagnostic symptoms for posttraumatic stress disorder acknowledge reliving the original trauma(s) through flashbacks or nightm ares, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, and increased arousal such(prenominal) as difficulty falling or staying a stop, anger, and hyper vigilance. Formal diagnostic criteria in DSM-IV-TR admit that the symptoms last more than one calendar month and do significant impairment in social, occupational, or some other important areas of surgical operation (American Psychological Association). . 0 DIAGNOSIS Criteria The diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, stipulated in the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of cordial Disorders IV (Text Revision) (DSM-IV-TR), may be summarized as A Exposure to a traumatic nonethelesst This moldiness pee-pee snarly both (a) loss of physical integrity, or risk of adept injury or death, to self or others, and (b) a response to the event that involved tearing fear, horror, or assistancelessness (or in squirtren, the response must(prenominal) involve disorganise or agitated behavior). The DSM-IV-TR criterion differs easily from the previous DSM-III-R stressor criteri on, which specified the traumatic event should be of a type that would cause significant symptoms of grief in approximately anyone, and that the event was bulgeside the range of accustomed human experience. B retentive reliving One or more of these must be pay in the dupe flashback memories, recurring wretched dreams, subjective re-experiencing of the traumatic event(s), or big prohibit psychological or physiological response to any objective or subjective. C Persistent avoidance and worked up numbingThis involves a sufficient level of avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, such as certain thoughts or feelings, or talking ab let out the event(s) avoidance of behaviors, places, or people that might lead to distressing memories inability to recall major(ip) move of the trauma(s), or decreased involvement in significant animation activities decreased capacitor (down to complete inability) to feel certain feelings an vista that ones future will be somehow constrained in ways non normal to other people. D Persistent symptoms of increased arousal not pre direct beforeThese are all physiological response issues, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or problems with anger, concentration, or hypervigilance. E Duration of symptoms for more than 1 month If all other criteria are present, exclusively 30 days develop not elapsed, the individual is diagnosed with Acute stress disorder. F Significant impairment The symptoms account must lead to clinically significant distress or impairment of major domains of life activity, such as social relations, occupational activities, or other important areas of execution. (DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Assocation) . 0 posttraumatic stress disorder IN WAR VETERANS 3. 1 Facts & Figures army operation Iraqi immunity has receive the deadliest American milliliteritary conflict since the Vietnam struggle. Uto 13 part of the promenade returning from the deployment direct reported sympt oms of post-traumatic stress disorder (posttraumatic stress disorder). With the daily violence in this war torn country, portion men and women are subjected to increased levels of stress which can trigger posttraumatic stress disorder. After engagement for their country and risking their lives, allowing them to return home only to be haunted by their actions degrades eachthing they were sent to Iraq to accomplish.Since the Vietnam contend, methods of treating posttraumatic stress disorder feed au thustic and get down the number of cases, provided simply threatening the number of cases is not good enough. Unless improvement members can be prevented from experiencing these negative emotions, every one of them is engaged in a possible suicide mission. With the proper procedures introduced and carried out as proposed, not only the overhaul members can be admirered, exclusively their families as well. Due to current operations in the Middle East and the recent flake operat ions in the past decade, galore(postnominal) citizens have met some consistence who has experienced their dish out of battle related stress.When you nerve at somebody who has been in encounter, they may look like your average person on the outside, precisely on the inside lays memories of the knockdown-dragout scenes of war torn countries. Their noetic wellness may not be observably altered, but they could very well set up from haunting memories, flashbacks, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can produce ablaze responses ca utilize by the trauma endured during competitiveness operations. It does not have to emerge immediately, but can rattling happen weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic event.PTSD was frequently referred to as beset fatigue or shell shock until 1980 when it was given the conjure post-traumatic stress disorder. According to William Welch of USA Today, PTSD is produced from a traumatic event that create intense fear, helplessness, or horror. The events are sometimes re-experienced through intrusive memories, nightmares, hallucinations, or flashbacks. Symptoms of PTSD imply troubled sleep, irritability, anger, poor concentration, hyper vigilance, and hyperbolize responses.Emotions felt by victims of PTSD include depression, detachment or estrangement, guilt, intense anxiety, panic, and other negative emotions (2005). Out of over 240,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan al realize discharged from the assistance, close 13,000 have been in U. S. segment of Veterans Affairs (VA) counseling centers for adjustment problems and symptoms associated with PTSD (Welch, 2005). Operation Iraqi Freedom has become the deadliest American conflict since the Vietnam warfare and because of this, new selective information detailed by Cep79m. v shows that 12 to 13 per centum of forces returning from Iraq reported PTSD symptoms while virtually 3 to 4 pct reported other intellectual distre ss. A new Army tuition rear that 11 per centum of troop returning from Afghanistan reported symptoms of cordial distress. Although wartime psychology was just beginning during the Vietnam War era, afterward studies showed that nearly 15 portion of troops who served there come acrossed PTSD. The most recent studies found that nearly 30 percent of the Vietnam War veterans have developed physiological problems after returning from the war.PTSD estimates for veterans of the first Gulf War range between 2 and 10 percent (2004). These numbers are establish on several(prenominal) key factors. The arrive of invade related stress varies by unit and will determine the number of emotional stress a pass in that particular unit will experience. For example, agree to The New England daybook of Medicine, out of 1709 spends and Marines surveyed, those who returned from Iraq reported higher rates of combat experience and frequency than those returning from Afghanistan. Its probable t hat those who experience more combat situations are more likely to suffer to PTSD.As noted in The New England Journal of Medicine, out of those surveyed, 71 to 86 percent deployed to Iraq reported engaging in a send awayfight as apposed to only 31 percent in Afghanistan. Soldiers and Marines returning from Iraq were significantly more likely to report that they were currently experiencing a mental health problem, were interested in receiving help for their mental problems, and actually utilize mental health run (Hoge et al, 2004). As noted earlier, according to William Welch of USA Today, PTSD is produced from a traumatic event that raise intense fear, helplessness, or horror (2005).Being wound while in combat is a perfect example of an event which provokes intense fear. Among those who participated in a recent survey, 11. 6 percent reported existence injure or hurt while in Iraq compared to 4. 6 percent of those in Afghanistan (Hoge et al, 2004). This is a clear indication that the events a soldier experiences during deployment will have influence on the opening of PTSD after redeploying to the linked States. Intense situations do not orbit around being wounded or injured. Operation Iraqi Freedom has become the deadliest American conflict since the Vietnam War.As a result, CNN notes that 90 percent of those who served in Iraq reported being shot at. A high lot also reported killing an opposition combatant, or knowing somebody who was injured or killed. Approximately fractional tell they handled a body while service in Iraq (2004). In addition to CNNs article, Cep79m. tv announced amazing data showing one in quatern Marines reported killing an Iraqi civilian while one in quaternity Army soldiers reported engaging in hand-to-hand combat. More than 85 percent of those surveyed know somebody who has been injured or killed. More than half claimed handling corpses or human remains (2004). 3. Treatment and streak There is help available to those r eturning from the war torn countries. Almost 17 percent of the troops surveyed, who served in Iraq, suffered mental health problems while less than half of them have looked for professional help after ending their tours (Cep79m. tv, 2004). Sergeant First programme (SFC) Doug Sample of the American Forces Press helping reports that service members can get secret counseling through the military services One Source program. The 24-hour-a-day service is for service members and their families, and provides quick, professional assistance with problems (2004).The reason only half of them are seeking help could be the disaster of negative management from their unit. Dr. William Winkenwerder says that a main barrier preventing soldiers from get help is the perception of stigma that some individuals have about coming ship to get that care and counseling (Gilmore, 2004). CNN interviewed provide Sergeant (SSG) Georg-Andreas Pogany who saw an Iraqi body which had suffered severe trauma on his atomic number 42 day in Iraq. Suffering from a nervous breakdown and struggling to sleep that night, he decided to tell his skipper officer.He was afraid he would freeze up on patrol and was worried about the consequences. Instead of being given help, he was told to reconsider his concerns for the sake of his career. A translating program attached to the 10th Special Forces stem was sent back and charged with cowardice after experiencing the same type of emotional stress. Though his charge was dropped, his record is exempt uncertain (2004). Post-traumatic stress disorder may not be preventable in every individual who steps can inside a combat zone, but things can be done to trim down the number of cases which occur after deploying.The army, for example, plant life under a tough and pragmatic training motto. They train their soldiers during peacetime as if they were actually in a combat zone. Live-fire ranges on with tough and practical training have helped soldiers p repare for combat and the numbers developed from the data is surprisingly low. But that doesnt surprise many people because according to Gilmore, they have used information from causality prisoners of wars to help train todays service members to be ready for combat (2004). The military works on a schedule allowing units to use live fire ranges at certain times with a certain number of live rounds.A initiative to help swallow the amount of PTSD cases related to intense combat situations would be allowing soldiers to use live fire ranges more often. If this means raising taxes a micro more to allow for a large budget, then by all means, its worth it. Before, during, and after deployment, service members are given counseling sessions to prepare them for intense situations as well as commandment them about the possibility of mental health damage. This has been a change since the Vietnam War, which could be other factor which has helped lower the amount of PTSD cases throughout th e military.Another possible solution to PTSD would be to brief soldiers throughout their built-in career. Before Operation Enduring Freedom, it had been nearly 10 years since the last major conflict which involved ground forces. In those 10 years, if soldiers were given briefings on the possibility of mental health damage after combat, there is a chance they would have been more prepared to deal with those situations. The Department of denial could easily make it obligatory that each service member receives several briefings each year during their entire military career to include during deployments. Citing recent Centers for disease Control and Prevention research, Winkenwerder noted some people seem more incline to develop depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorders as a result of negative puerility experiences (Gilmore, 2004). Apparently, the better the life a child has while growing up, the more ready for combat they will be. The Department of Defense requires ea ch applicant for the armed forces to tackle a assay which allows them to qualify for a certain job within the military.Another possibility would be adding a section to the test which measures the type of childhood an applicant experienced. They could then choose only those who did not have many negative childhood experiences, if that educational activity is at all accurate, to fill their combat oriented positions. 4. 0CONCLUSION According to the data self-collected during recent surveys, it is clear that although the violence of war will remain the same, it is possible to lower the percentage of service members who experience mental disturbance such as post-traumatic stress disorder from combat situations. It may be impossible o completely liberate the volunteer force of the possibility of PTSD, but with enough counseling before, during, and after combat operations, the percentage of those who suffer from it may be lowered dramatically. More tough and realistic training will al so help set soldiers into the mindset of what it takes to survive a combat situation. The treatment and prevention is there, but does not seem to be used quite enough. Not using the prevention methods is almost like sending our troops on a suicide mission. Cep79m. tv, (2004, July 1). Soldier Mental Illness Hits Vietnam Level. Retrieved April 6, 2012 from http//www. cep79m. v/soldiermentalillness. htm (http//www. cep79m. tv/soldiermentalillness. htm) CNN, (2004, July 1). besiege stress The war within. Retrieved April 10, 2012 from http//www. cnn. com/2004/ health/07/01/post. traumatic. stress/ (http//www. cnn. com/2004/HEALTH/07/01/post. traumatic. stress/) Gilmore, G. , (2004, July 1). Combat Degrades Some Troops Mental Health, pass over Says. Retrieved April 16, 2012 from http//www. defenselink. mil/news/Jul2004/n07012004_2004070106. html (http//www. defenselink. mil/news/Jul2004/n07012004_2004070106. html) Welch, W. , (2005, February 28). Trauma of Iraq War haunting Thousands R eturning Home.Retrieved April 16, 2012 from http//www. commondreams. org/cgi-bin/print. cgi? file=/headlines05/0228-01. htm (http//www. commondreams. org/cgi-bin/print. cgi? file=/headlines05/0228-01. htm) NIMH Post Traumatic Stress Disorder enquiry Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Mental Health. Retrieved April 16, 2012 from http//www. nimh. org/ptsdfactsheet/ A soldier carrying his wounded compatriot smoke as a common stress reliever among soldiers. Traumatic flashback occurring on duty. Anti-depressants are common among veterans. Traumatic enough to beget the toughest of men to tears.