Lone Survivor

The â€Å"Lone Survivor† is a story of courage, loyalty and even friendship. In any military organizations, we can see how courageous or loyal the armies or navies are especially in times of missions, not only in simple missions but also in tough and relevant missions. In this book test the combat skills and attitudes of military forces to deal and execute their missions. And also in the book we can see how these friendships were built and how strong were the friendships that were developed in the military organizations. This book truly gives the idea or shows some instances and how a military individual managed to act and deal with the circumstances or consequences of the missions they had given him. This book is my choice because of it tackled about military. And because I admire those individuals who are connected with the military services I choose the book. I admire these individuals because they were truly modern heroes who had so much or great obligations for the country as compared to President who held the highest position. These characteristics of individuals is what countries really needed because they were keep on protecting the countries and their fellowmen from dangerous terrorist acts. And also I chose this book because it is one of the greatest books that are familiar to more individuals. I chose this knowing that it is familiar because I think it would be a kind adventure book as heard from others. As reading the first part of the book â€Å"Lone survivor†, I took me to military setting that I thought I was really a part of that tour or journey of the missions. I also knew how well military were trained not physically but also emotionally and psychologically. I had seen how military individuals undergo training not just for their own sake but for nation’s sake. In the first part, after training a group of navy were given mission; a mission to search for an Al Qaeda leader (Luttrell, 2007). They were given the instructions to capture or kill that said leader. In this mission, the courage or loyalty or friendship of the group will be tested. And also, it will show how well the training had helped them build and develop more tough skills. As entitled â€Å"Lone survivor†, I can easily depict what would happen in the story. Only one of the groups that had been given the mission to capture an Al Qaeda leader will remain standing alone. Even though not given the title â€Å"Lone Survivor†, we can still foresee the result of the combat operations of the groups. Because once an army or navy in a battle they were already presumed dead. It only means that when they where in mission, expect it consequence is losing lives; both sides will possibly lost lives. In connection with friendship, courage and loyalty, the mission of the group will test their friendship on how they would take losing friends. It is whether they would take it as inspiration or mere discouragement for them to resume their mission or goal. I think when the time comes that they will loose their buddy, in the end those who remained standing will even take more courage and much eager enough to battle or combat with their enemies. They or he will be taking much strategic actions to fulfill the mission; it was not only for the countries honor but only in honor of his dead companions. I also presumed that in the end this lone survivor or the remaining standing will be recognize for the things he had done not only for the country but also for his buddies that he is considering his friends. He will be given honor for what the things he had done. Even if the mission was either a success or failure, he will still be given recognition. Reference: Luttrell, M. (2007). Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (1st edition ed.). New York: Little Brown and Company.       Lone Survivor The â€Å"Lone Survivor† is a story of courage, loyalty and even friendship. In any military organizations, we can see how courageous or loyal the armies or navies are especially in times of missions, not only in simple missions but also in tough and relevant missions. In this book test the combat skills and attitudes of military forces to deal and execute their missions. And also in the book we can see how these friendships were built and how strong were the friendships that were developed in the military organizations. This book truly gives the idea or shows some instances and how a military individual managed to act and deal with the circumstances or consequences of the missions they had given him. This book is my choice because of it tackled about military. And because I admire those individuals who are connected with the military services I choose the book. I admire these individuals because they were truly modern heroes who had so much or great obligations for the country as compared to President who held the highest position. These characteristics of individuals is what countries really needed because they were keep on protecting the countries and their fellowmen from dangerous terrorist acts. And also I chose this book because it is one of the greatest books that are familiar to more individuals. I chose this knowing that it is familiar because I think it would be a kind adventure book as heard from others. As reading the first part of the book â€Å"Lone survivor†, I took me to military setting that I thought I was really a part of that tour or journey of the missions. I also knew how well military were trained not physically but also emotionally and psychologically. I had seen how military individuals undergo training not just for their own sake but for nation’s sake. In the first part, after training a group of navy were given mission; a mission to search for an Al Qaeda leader (Luttrell, 2007). They were given the instructions to capture or kill that said leader. In this mission, the courage or loyalty or friendship of the group will be tested. And also, it will show how well the training had helped them build and develop more tough skills. As entitled â€Å"Lone survivor†, I can easily depict what would happen in the story. Only one of the groups that had been given the mission to capture an Al Qaeda leader will remain standing alone. Even though not given the title â€Å"Lone Survivor†, we can still foresee the result of the combat operations of the groups. Because once an army or navy in a battle they were already presumed dead. It only means that when they where in mission, expect it consequence is losing lives; both sides will possibly lost lives. In connection with friendship, courage and loyalty, the mission of the group will test their friendship on how they would take losing friends. It is whether they would take it as inspiration or mere discouragement for them to resume their mission or goal. I think when the time comes that they will loose their buddy, in the end those who remained standing will even take more courage and much eager enough to battle or combat with their enemies. They or he will be taking much strategic actions to fulfill the mission; it was not only for the countries honor but only in honor of his dead companions. I also presumed that in the end this lone survivor or the remaining standing will be recognize for the things he had done not only for the country but also for his buddies that he is considering his friends. He will be given honor for what the things he had done. Even if the mission was either a success or failure, he will still be given recognition. Reference: Luttrell, M. (2007). Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (1st edition ed.). New York: Little Brown and Company.      

An Analysis of the Myth and Issues of Our Organic Food System

An Analysis of the Myth and Issues of Our Organic Food System In the last decade, a new fad has been sweeping the nation: Organic Foods. All around America organic markets like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are popping up, offering a variety of organic produce, grass-fed beef, cage-free eggs, and all natural cosmetic products. People switch to organic products usually out of a desire to eat healthier, and take a stance on conventional agriculture and meat products. Food markets such as Whole Foods do indeed feel more welcoming when you step inside. As compared to most food and drug stores, you are greeting with warm lighting and earth colored walls and floor, instead of fluorescent lights and linoleum floors. The meat section has elaborate details, depicting pastoral settings of cows on wide, open grazing fields, and chickens running wild. Every object in the produce aisle is traced back to the place where it was grown, and the â€Å"USDA Organic Certified† label is printed on most everything. In this setting, consumers feel they a re eating the healthy alternative, with no synthetic hormones, pesticides, or GMOs. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. These foods do indeed come from organically certified farms, but these farms are not as airtight in regulation as one might assume. In reference to these welcoming organic products and their origin, Michael Pollan, author of Omnivore’s Dilemma, states â€Å"Theyre organic by the letter, not organic in spirit if most organic consumers went to those places, they would feel they were getting ripped off.† In the organic system, there are tons are loopholes allowing them to sell less than organic products to the consumer. And we fall for it. Today, we import more food from around the world than ever before. We have dissolved ourselves from a time where spices were one of the most valuable commodities to a time when we can walk into our local food and drug store and have everything we could want from all around the world at our fingertips. While this may seem like a dream come true compared to the old days, it does not come without severe consequences. Higher food prices come as a result, chemicals are being sprayed in mass amounts, from synthetic hormones to preservatives, and carbon emissions are at an all time high due in part to the use of fossil fuels used to transport these food stuffs from all around the globe. This is not sustainable. Many see organic farming as a feasible way to fix this mess. However, organic farming is not as different to regular agriculture as one might think at first. Upon further inspection, organic farming standards are not airtight, and leave plenty of room for harmful pesticide spraying. The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) requires that these chemicals and pesticides must come from a â€Å"natural source†. Take Rotenone for example. Rotenone was a chemical used for spraying organic produce for decades. In her article Mythbusting 101: Organic Farming Conventional Agriculture, Christie Wilcox writes â€Å"Because it is natural in origin, occurring in the roots and stems of a small number of subtropical plants, it was considered safe as well as organic. However, research has shown that rotenone is highly dangerous because it kills by attacking mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of all living cells.† Rotenone was linked to Parkinsons Disease in rats and can also resul t in death for humans. This was allowed because of it’s â€Å"natural source†, but natural does not always mean good for you. These chemicals that come from a natural source are then lightly processed, if at all. NOSB is an organization that also votes on proposed pesticides allowed for organic farming, so the list is always changing. Another troubling aspect about these chemicals is that the volume that they are sprayed is not monitored by the government. A lot of these chemicals are sprayed in heavy volumes, which can pose serious health hazard to people and the environment. This is because often times these chemicals are not as strong as conventionally used pesticides, so it takes more to have their proper effect. So then what is the point of these organic foods? The organic food market has made $52 billion in the last couple years worldwide, so it is most obviously turning a profit. Is certified organic food becoming widely available to provide the masses with a healthy, ethical alternative, or are corporations like Whole Foods painting these beautiful pictures of to gain a profit? It could possibly be a mix of both. Organic foods are not bad, despite what it might sound like, and do often provide a healthier alternative for consumers. However, these corporations are using a â€Å"supermarket pastoral† to sell their products that makes it easier to cover up what’s going on behind the scenes. As Michael Pollan states, â€Å"Supermarket Pastoral is a most seductive literary form, beguiling enough to survive in the face of a great many discomforting facts.† In order to ensure a healthier organic market with more accessible information, the organic food market must have different standards and more monitoring from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). As of now, the USDA still allows some GMO’s to be used in organic farming, but the screening process allows them to slip by unnoticed. USDA organizations like National Organic Program (NOP) set the regulations for organic food, grant certificates, and do investigations when certified organic farmers are under suspicion of violating code. But the level of regulation that actually exists is extremely lenient. This makes it so that the organic label is misleading, due to the product being treated with substances that are not truly organic. Once an organic farmer is certified organic, they must comply to a production plan. This plan is then approved by a certifying organic agent. Once the certification is granted, a farmer cannot be penalized if there is an unintentional us e of GMO’s or inorganic pesticides used on the plants as long as it is unintentional. This in turn creates a loophole that farmers can slip through, allowing them to use these inorganic substances as long as it is â€Å"unintentional† by nature. The products they put out can then be labeled organic even though this statement lacks truth, and their names are untarnished. If suspicion arises that an organic farmer is abusing their production plan, and intentionally using pesticides, the USDA will step in. The USDA requires that â€Å"certifying agents test five percent of their certified operations each year. The certifying agents themselves determine which operations will be subjected to testing. (Henri Miller).† These testing policies are supported by organic communities and federations. The USDA’s response to why they impose such minimal testing is that an increase of testing would result in higher operating and production costs for organic farmers beyond the high expenses they already pay. This is turn would lead to higher prices in food markets. The fact of the matter is that organic food is already much more pricey than their chain-store counterparts, which makes organic food barely accessible to those in the low income bracket. And is higher prices something the public wants to pay for more widespread testing? It would certainly b e better for those who can afford it, but it does not make much sense economically. â€Å"Wordy labels, point-of-purchase brochures, and certification schemes are supposed to make an obscure and complicated food chain more legible to the consumer (Pollan, 136).† While organic labeling certainly does clear up some of the confusion of point source, it could be doing more. For example, â€Å"free-range chicken† may not be what it seems. Tyler Cowen discusses this example in his article Can You Really Save the Planet at the Dinner Table? Which appeared on Slate.com, â€Å"though we feel good about eating free-range chickens—and are willing to pay more for them—many of those birds dont fare much better than their peers: They often receive only a few inches of additional space in factory farms and then a few weeks time to step outside through a tiny door—and most chickens stay inside, having learned a fear of the unknown.† The same can be said for organic milk. There are mass quantities or organic milk being produced in factory farms. Horizon, the largest organic dairy label was exposed by the Cornucopia Institute for having 4,000 10,000 cows in factory farms producing milk for the company. The company created the false sense that their cows were kept on green pastures with access to pristine grazing lands. The truth is, many more of their cows not in farming factories were being kept in southern Idaho in grassless conditions. Here they were milking thousands of cows that â€Å"spend their day milling around a dry lot a grassless fenced enclosure (pollan, 156).† When the USDA investigated complaints of the operation, they sent in the same agent that had originally approved the operation in the first place, as per policy. Eventually, due to the Cornucopia Institute filing legal cases against the company starting in 2004, Horizon was decertified and now remains under close speculation from the U SDA. Another myth that consumers are failing to realize is that organic farming is not always best for the environment. This is true for all agriculture, as pollutants from pesticides, fertilizer, and nutrients from unturned soil from the farm are swept away by rain and erosion, causing them to seep into the waterways surrounding them. This causes severe damage to rivers, lakes, and other water works, and is called nonpoint source pollution. Organic farms are not innocent of this either. And if while keeping in mind ecological preservation, it seems to make less sense to switch completely over to organic farming as more land would have to be cleared and cultivated for these farms to exist. A way to help this dilemma would be to support local organic farms, which are less likely to spray harmful pesticides. This in turn helps to promote local economy, and would also spark a decrease in fossil fuels being used and carbon emissions being emitted to transport large quantities of food from across the country. However, this switch would not come without consequences. It would mean a cut in the variety in food available year round, such as no bananas in the dead of winter. Berries and other out of seasons produce could still be frozen however. But these sacrifices are relatively little compared to what we would be gaining a more ethical, economically beneficial, and environmentally safer way to eat organically. On top of switching to small, local organic farms, there could also be tightening in the USDAs regulations on large-scale certified organic farmers. A possible way to do this without increasing production costs for organic companies would be the create government ince ntives and possible tax breaks for farmers to use better forms of pest control. Money could be saved simply by growing what is in season, considering it takes less pesticides to produce. When it comes to labeling, the â€Å"supermarket pastoral† may be a beautiful way to subdue our interests, but should be more transparent when it comes to where our food is sourced, including livestock and dairy products. Like Pollan says, we should be able to weigh out the pros and the cons in what we are eating. Organic farming is a step in the right direction, but like most things, could use some refining. It’s not an easy matter, Especially when large corporations like Monsanto show no interest in backing down. But if we were to work towards these guidelines, we would be closer to becoming healthier, for ourselves and for planet earth.

HD DVD VS. Blue Ray DVD Arguement of why HD DVD is Better Essay

HD DVD VS. Blue Ray DVD Arguement of why HD DVD is Better - Essay Example Currently, there are two different formats of new generation DVD, and both are competing to become the victor. On one side is the Blu-ray Disc technology, while the other side is HD DVD. These are two possible successors to the current disc format. While having different technical specifications, they both serve the purpose of meeting high definition requirements and are both prepared to make an impact on the world of entertainment. DVD, or the Digital Video Disc, is the current generation of optical disc format conventionally used for data and movie storage. DVDs share the same dimensions of a compact disc, but data is stored in a different format and at a much higher density. It had its peak usability back when the conventional movie storage media was VHS and Video CDs. With a higher capacity, DVDs are able to display higher quality video using a higher amount of data. Many retailers and movie rental stores today have stopped selling VHS in favor of DVDs. As technology continues to improve, DVD proves inadequate to meet the rising demand for high-definition video. High Density Digital Video Disc, or the HD DVD, and the Blu-ray Disc are developed to satisfy the need for storing high quality content. Blu-ray Discs may be the revolutionary storage disc however HD DVD will prove to be better choice in any case. Let's see why. The technology of HD DVD is prim... The name HD DVD is described in the review article "HD DVD vs. Blu-ray: Who Cares" by David Carnroy, an executive editor in CNet.com, as much more consumer-friendly product. Consumers are more likely to refer to the name as the new generation DVD (Carnroy). The HD DVD, introduced by the DVD Forum, is a format that shares the 12cm diameter and 1.2mm thickness of the current DVD discs, yet is able to deliver eight hours of High Definition video on a dual-layer, single-sided disc. HD DVD's improvement in capacity is made possible by the new Blue-violet laser technology that provides a shorter light wavelength than the traditional red laser. The new Blue laser can store data even more compactly than before, enabling six times more data to be packed on the same size disc (DVD Forum). Using the disc with the same dimension and structure as the current DVD, HD DVD is not only capable of playing the previous generation DVD videos, but also gives manufacturers an easy and cost-effective way to convert their DVD line to one for HD DVD. This advantage is further emphasized by Memory-Tech, a Japanese manufacturer of optical media, who stated it would cost only ten percent more to produce HD DVDs than the current format in the initial period (Compet ing for DVD Supremecy). Cost-effective conversion of the DVD line also implies the lower price of products, allowing HD DVD to take over the market and become popularized sooner than its competitor. The cost-effective manufacture line conversion and its consumer friendly brand name seem to have given HD DVD an unbeatable chance of becoming the exclusive standard of the new generation optical format. Yet, its flaw on capacity has given the Blu-ray Disc a chance.

Microeconomic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Microeconomic - Essay Example This academic paper will be focused on the logic behind warranties as signal of quality as well as what limits the attractiveness of warranties as signals for high-quality firms. Grossman (1981) argued that indicating enhanced efficient functioning of a perfectly competitive market in a situation where there is information deficiency. Warranties offered by most production companies are considered common types of signal sent by high-quality production companies. This is at reducing consumer’s quality doubt and information gaps in the product’s quality. Quality has been used to refer to observable and unobserved product characteristics in terms of product performance and durability. The common assumption is that firms producing low-quality products find it very expensive to offer a warranty. This product assumption makes offering of product warranty a credible signal of unobservable product performance and durability among many other features. In the production industry, product failures are highly linked with product quality and workmanship hence the cost of offering the warrant will be higher for poor quality products. As a result of innovation and technological advancements, the information asymmetry between consumer and manufacturer is great. This comes about due to an increase product modifications and releases on an annual basis. In the situation of new products, consumers have very little information on product information and quality due to the unavailability of past experiences and third party reviews. The injection of costly warranties in asymmetric information implies that warranties serve as pertinent projections of product quality in the production sector. The primary objective of all businesses remains profit-making through cost minimization and revenue maximization. In case the producers manufactured goods with high chances of product failures, they will be forced to incur high costs through repair and repl acement which will

COMPERATIVE STUDY TO DETERMINE THE BEST DIANOSTIC IMAGE MODALITY IN Essay

COMPERATIVE STUDY TO DETERMINE THE BEST DIANOSTIC IMAGE MODALITY IN PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD) - Essay Example Similar to pathology in the coronary arteries, the pathologic hallmark of the lesions involves plaques of atherosclerosis with calcium deposition, thinning of the media, patchy destruction of muscle and elastic fibers, fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina, and thrombi composed of platelets and fibrin (Duerschmied et al., 2006, 310-315). According to statistics delineated in different articles, the primary sites of involvement are the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries comprising 30% of symptomatic patients; the femoral and popliteal arteries consisting of 80 to 90% of patients, and the more distal vessels, including the tibial and peroneal arteries making 40 to 50% of patients (McDermott, 2006, S2). Mechanically and topographically, atherosclerotic lesions occur preferentially at arterial branch points, which are sites of increased turbulence leading to altered shear stress, and hence injury to the tunica intima. Epidemiologic and demographic data suggest that the distal vasc ulature is most commonly involved in elderly individuals, mostly in patients with diabetes mellitus (Marso and Hiatt, 2006, 921-929). The history and physical examination are usually sufficient to establish the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). An objective assessment of the severity of disease is obtained by noninvasive techniques. These include digital pulse volume recordings; Doppler flow velocity waveform analysis; duplex ultrasonography, which combines B-mode imaging and pulse-wave Doppler examination; segmental pressure measurements; transcutaneous oximetry; stress testing, usually using a treadmill; and tests of reactive hyperemia (Mohler, III, 2003, 2306-2314). In the presence of significant PAD, the volume displacement in the leg is decreased with each pulse, and the Doppler velocity contour becomes progressively flatter. Duplex ultrasonography is often useful in detecting stenotic lesions in native

Portfolio Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Portfolio Theory - Essay Example While it has already been established that Portfolio 2 gives the higher expected return rate, the risk involved would also have to be considered. Portfolio 3 has the higher standard deviation. This means that the projects that make up Portfolio 3 are riskier by nature, or that they involve more uncertainties as compared to those in Portfolio 2. This, however, is not to be counted as a disadvantage for Portfolio 3 since it has turned out that the investors are known to be high risk-takers. They do not mind taking in more risk in exchange for higher return. Based on these given facts, Portfolio 3 is the better choice to recommend to the Top Choice Investments group. As for the combination of the two projects making up Portfolio 2, it has a positive covariance figure. Computed at 97.50%, this means that the two projects generally tend to move in the same direction in terms of positive and negative developments. The factors that are favorable for one project in Portfolio 2 are equally beneficial for the other project. Accordingly, the factors that are detrimental to one project have high chances of also negatively affecting the other project in Portfolio 2. As a portfolio, this does not present a good combination, since bad indications for one would mean similarly bad things for the other. With a correlation coefficient computed at 0.65, Portfolio 2 would be expected to increase in value during the good days of both projects and to decrease in value during the bad days. With such positive correlation coefficient, Portfolio 2 would suffer badly during days when either project in it would be adversely affected by prevailing situations. Such a scenario occurs when two projects in a portfolio involve the same industry, like the real estate industry. Therefore, if a portfolio is composed of a project in a building and another in an apartment, it would mean big damages

Couch Surfing the website Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Couch Surfing the website - Essay Example The vision of the website is to see a world where everyone can explore and create friendships and connections with anyone that they encounter. The site has a rough estimate of about ten million users in more than two hundred different countries around the world. The site can be useful for students in student exchange programs and hitchhiking communities. Students and journalists use the site to meet new people, to hear about their travels, and make long lasting friendships. For professional journalists, this site can be of great use to them to learn about new places that they can visit. Website owners can use this website to create awareness for their websites. This is easy because one can generate traffic to their own website by connecting with friends on the social network site and directing them to website by providing web links. The platform is also useful for discussion forums where you can post pressing issues and invite friends to discuss them. This way, a student can get ideas about a project that needs assistance from the website