It 236 Navigation Assignment

Point Navigation IT/236 Instructor †¦ by †¦ The purpose of this paper is to search for and identify examples of how we would like our site navigation to work and function. I have included three different web sites that all use a similar style of navigation which is the same style I would prefer to use with my site. Since their styles are practically the same, I could agree with or use either one of their styles on my site and be satisfied with the way it functioned and the outcome.The apple web site navigation bar, allows the user to click on the tab of interest when ever he/she desires, and go to that section of the site from which ever page they are currently on. And, it is not difficult for the user to know where they are currently browsing either, because the site shows you by changing the color of the tab you’re viewing. The site also has gorgeous images of its products without slow loading times, which allows navigation of the site at great speeds. The user can easily browse the site jumping from tab to tab.Next on the list of choice is, the World of Warcraft site, it may not be familiar to everyone, however it is in the same category of navigation styles that I’m interested in using for my site. Similar to the apple website navigation, is a series of linear icons that allow the user to click and select an area of interest to load that page from what ever page they are currently viewing. It doesn’t matter if they are on the home page or not. This is the Web-structure that I also plan to use for my site.And, as it is definitely needed, the developers of this site have made it easy for the user to identify their current location on the navigation bar so they do not have to question their current location, or ever feel as though they cannot accomplish something on the site because they are lost. Finally, is the Expedia web site, which is primarily used for booking flights and hotels, rental services, even cruise line vacations and more. One can easily view this web page once it’s been entered and executed in the browser’s address bar (sometimes this site naturally takes a bit longer to load).And upon arriving at the site they can, similarly to the other two sites, click on whichever tab they desire based on their traveling, vacation, or rental needs. Without complication the user is capable of viewing their current location and loading the desired web page from what ever location that may be, as it is not required to return to the home page each time the user wishes to view a new section/tab. To my knowledge, each of these three web sites uses the Web-structure for their sites. Meaning the user doesn’t view the site and its pages in a linear manner.They are free to browse however they wish. And in my opinion, this is probably one of the most effective ways for a site to be constructed. All in all, these three web sites that I chose to display the navigation style that I’m inter ested in, all use the same type of style. They allow the user to comfortably jump to which ever section of the web site that they desire, without any required starting points, and at the same time they keep the user informed of which page they are currently viewing. Image here Image here New Image here New Image here

Despite ongoing changes in society, sexism still remains a burning issue

â€Å"Discriminating in favour of members in one sex; assuming a person's abilities and social function are predetermined by his or her sex.† – Definition of sexism taken from the Oxford English Dictionary. Sexism today is everywhere. Our society is extremely sexist. â€Å"1, an organized community; a system of living in this. 2; people of the higher social classes. 3; company, companionship. 4; a group organized for a common purpose.†(also taken from the Oxford English Dictionary), the definition of society, meaning simply states the society as it would be as if it is ideal, but it is far from it if we looked at it from a gender researchers point of view. Times are changing; our society is not as stereotypical as it has been in the past. There have been many changes in society to reduce sexism. In 1918 women finally won the right to vote after fifty-two years of campaigning. In the end women had to resort to methods of violence just to fight for the same rights as men. â€Å"In Victorian times writers (mostly men) were fascinated by the idea of an ideal woman. She was a very desirable creature innocent but sensual, passive but alert, and always obedient to men. Her aim in life was to be a patient and attentive wife, a loving and affectionate mother. Family was everything to her.† (taken from Hodder English 4, Victorian Women.) This shows us just how narrow minded the society was back in Victorian times. Also women's achievements in history are not publicised as much as men's if atall; they are now, but not as much as they should do In the English language there are lots of sexist words, for example the word ‘history'. This word ‘history' implies that all of the past is to do with men and not women. ‘Human' is also a sexist word and so is ‘woman', both of those words contain ‘man'. Here is a list of some sexist words in the English language: ‘human', ‘history', ‘woman', ‘mankind', ‘Walkman'. As we can see the English language is very ‘man' dominated. When people talk of God, ‘He' is wrote about and not ‘She' or ‘It'. ‘He' is always referred to as a male. The Bible itself is sexist, â€Å"And God said, let us make MAN†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . With women appearing as â€Å"an helpmeet†. All the sexism in language which is used to offend the same sex is of an opposing sex nature. For example men call other men ‘girls' if they are not as capable as they are in something, for example sports. There is a video about sexism and at the beginning of it the words ‘girls don't swear' came up in big bold lettering, which is clearly not true, society thinks females cannot be as grotesque as men but obviously they can. It seems to be acceptable for men to swear but if a women does it, she is sinned upon. On television programs which have swearing contained in them, mostly all of it is scripted to the males, and the women do not have hardly any swearing scripted to them. It also seems that women are not treated with as much respect as men are. If a woman is blonde they are thought to be ‘dumb', whereas a blonde man would not even be thought to be ‘dumb'. In the past women were not even entitled to the right to a free education, this changed in the middle of the nineteenth century, but black women were not entitled to a free education until the middle of the twentieth century. This shows us that women did not have as much respect as men and that still carries on today, but not as severely. Women are thought to stay at home and cook while the husband is at work. This is changing now partly because there is a considerable amount of male chefs on television. Young girls are thought to be very delicate, and are described as food, whereas young boys are thought to be rough and dirty and are described as animals: Girls â€Å"Sugar and spice and all things nice, thats what little girls are made of!† Boys â€Å"Slugs and snails and puppy dog's tails, that's what little boys are made of!† Clearly whoever wrote these little sayings had a very narrow mind, and the time in society in which these were wrote was very narrow-minded. When women are described as food they are described as sweet foods such as; crumpets and honey. When women are described as animals they are described as animals which are thought as to be ugly and medalling: cow, minx, dog. Men are never described as food, but they are described as animals which are thought to be dirty and slimy: slugs, snails. Men are very rarely described as sexuality but women are quite commonly. Some of the words which describe women as sexuality are: ‘tramp', ‘dyke', ‘lesbian', ‘slag', ‘tit', ‘slut', ‘whore', ‘hooker'. There are no words that describe men as sexuality, but it offends men to be called a ‘woman'. This implies that women are thought to be considerably weaker than men. Even middle-aged men call each other ‘little girls' if they are not as strong as another, for example. You cannot call a man the same names as a woman can be called e.g. ‘slag' which is very sexist. Men brag, gender is about power. Many people think when baby boys play with cars and when baby girls play with dolls it is nature. It could be nature but most things which are input into babies are from their parents, so it is most likely to be nurture. Also with babies it is expected that boys where blue and girls wear pink, if a boy wears pink people automatically think it is a girl and visa versa, it just shows how predigest our society is. The same applies for older males and females. Girls can wear trousers but boys cannot wear skirts, that is extremely sexist. Children's books mainly aim themselves at the different genders simply by their titles. ‘Ms Muffet' is â€Å"supposed† to be for girls, and ‘Fireman Sam' is â€Å"supposed† to be for boys. The media is extremely sexist, first of all starting with newspapers. At the beginning of every issue of â€Å"The Sun†, there is a half naked woman. Never a man, always a woman. Also the whole newspaper is aimed at men, the newspaper concentrates on women, and male dominated sport. Women's sport is never publicised on television, radio or in the newspaper. This could be because, it does not have an interest in people's lives. Newspaper articles are sexist in many ways, and in mostly all the newspapers which are sold. An article in ‘The Daily Mail' publicised on Thursday, February, 24th, 2000, was about women making men redundant i.e. women working instead of staying at home doing housework. The article also comments on how men are taking women's roles', â€Å"Everywhere we look these days, we see the complete feminisation of men.† The ‘Daily Star' newspaper is also aimed at men. It has countless pictures of women (clothed and un-clothed), male dominated sports and adverts for men's magazines. In one particular issue, (Saturday, September, 28, 2002), there was an article supposed to be about a golfer, but was mostly about his girlfriend, â€Å"Tiger Woods' gorgeous girlfriend Ellin Nordegren.† Another article in ‘The Evening Echo' publicised Wednesday, February, 2nd, 2002, was about a woman who worked in a post office who had to battle just for the right to wear trousers, â€Å"they can wear trousers and will not now be facing a disciplinary hearing.† This quote shows just how sexist our society is, women having to battle just to wear trousers. On television there are mostly male newsreaders though sometimes on the odd occasion there might be a man and a woman reading it together. The news on television, again only reports on male dominated sports with a female presenter, which shows who the sports are aimed at. I think our society is extremely sexist, but it is getting better, we have moved on very far since the Victorian times. But some people live their lives in the past and are a lot more sexist than others.

F1 Grenades

F1 – fragmentation grenades Introduction World War two plays a major role in our conception of human history, because, unlike the senseless massacre of World War one, it stands for an ideological struggle between Good and Evil. This deadly and bloody war between the allies and the axis alliance lasted for six years. At the end of the war victory was claimed by the allied powers, which were: Britain, France, the U. S, the Soviet Union, China, Canada and Australia. Canada plays an important role to the successful victory of the allied power because of their strong support of combat using f1 -fragmentation grenades. BodyA. First supporting idea (topic sentence): The f1 – fragmentation grenades were very small but that was a great advantage to the user. I. It provided soldier with personal artillery they could carry in their pockets. II. When the grenade was thrown, it was visible to the enemies since it was so petite. III. The grenade was small so it also had to be light w eighted, which meant it could be thrown further than larger grenades. B. Second supporting idea (topic sentence): The f1 grenade was very small but it still was lethal as an artillery shell. I. The grenade held 60 grams of explosion which could do a lot of damage.II. If there were a group of enemy troops attacking together, the grenade could come into play because a gun can’t kill all the enemies at once, unless there was collateral damage but that even couldn’t give a guaranteed kill. III. The grenade can kill an enemy with one explosion is the enemy is in the direct vicinity, of the projectile when it detonates. C. Third supporting idea (topic sentence): The f1 grenade had an excellent design which gave very good advantages to the user. I. The exterior of the grenade was notched which prevented hands from slipping off the grenade when throwing it.II. There is safety ring on the grenade so that the striker lever is not triggered accidently. III. It has a steel exterio r so it can facilitate fragmentation upon detonation. Conclusion The allied power was able to claim victory against the axis alliance because of their Canadian army’s powerful and impressing weapons which named them the premier fighters of the war. The f1- fragmentation grenade should be displayed to the public in the Canadian war museum; so that others can see what strategies did Canadians come up with when it comes to artillery weapons needed for war. .

ADA Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ADA Presentation - Essay Example suit because she believed that the employer had violated the rules of Americans With Disability Act (ADA) as well as Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The outcome of the case was that the employer secured the verdict in his favor. The first issue that the court had to decide about was whether an employee who is fired because of his duty of care for her child was experiencing discrimination at the hands of the employer and whether the employer violated the provisions of FMLA (Leagle.com 1). The second issue that was under scrutiny was whether an employer was in violation of ADA and whether the employer could be held responsible for indulging in discriminatory employment practices if the employer fires an employee on the basis of the employee being absent from his place of work because he/she had to look after a disabled child. The rules that were used for the case were that an employee cannot be terminated from his/her duty because she was looking after a disabled child who she had a duty to care for (Leagle.com 1). The second rule that was used in the case was that the employer fired the employee because he/she had been absent from work. The third rule that was considered in the case was that the ADA does not require and employer to provide reasonable accommodating for the disabled child of an employee. The analysis provided by the court was that the employee was working in a significant department which was the energy department of the healthcare facility and it was essential for her to attend work on regular basis. Furthermore, the employer in the case had clearly provided the employee with five warnings regarding her termination as a result of being absent. Furthermore, the employer and the employee had been in an agreement that the employee would be allowed to take time off the job to look after the child but there was no evidence of the employer officially providing the employee with the permission of being absent from the job for the amount of time she had

How the Vitamin War changed America Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How the Vitamin War changed America - Assignment Example Vietnam War badly shook public confidence in their government and an extraordinary number of Americans openly criticized their public institutions. The Vietnam War was lost inside America, and the victories and achievements on the war turf stood useless (Rother, 2007). The American Engagement in Vietnam took a huge economic toll on the country. The two decades of war necessitated huge human and financial resources. This resulted in a complete stagflation of American and European economies. Since the start of the war, the cost of living increased by 16% in 1970. Inflation led to complete wipe out of any economic gains that Americans could have had from their jobs. Others lost their jobs and still others saw their wages lowered to support the government spending on the war. President Lyndon Johnson asked Congress for extra taxes to help cover up the war expenses. There was only way he was getting this money; by cutting down on domestic spending. During this time, the government shut do wn many social programs to finance the Vietnam War, further incarcerating it in the public’s eyes. In the end, this war cost President Johnson his presidency. It made Americans skeptical about ever going to war again. Vietnam War taught Americans that there are limits to the supremacy of American power. America chose to remain out of world affairs for many years after the war (Rother, 2007). The Vietnam War changed the American presidency forever as well. People became more outspoken about putting a cap of presidential powers especially during war times. The â€Å"War Powers Act† of 1973 put an end to extraordinary presidential powers during wartime. The war also affected our military and Americans had a newfound respect and love for their soldiers that had never been experienced before. General Maxwell Taylor was one of the key figures during the war, he says, "first, we didn't know ourselves. We thought that we were going into another Korean war, but this was a diffe rent country. Secondly, we did not know our South Vietnamese allies †¦ And we knew less about North Vietnam. Who was Ho Chi Minh? Nobody really knew. Therefore, until we know the enemy, know our allies, and know ourselves, we had better keep out of this kind of dirty business. It's very dangerous." Many soldiers of the Vietnam War were young men, mere teenagers. They could not handle the stresses of war and indulged in drugs; marijuana was the drug of choice as it grew freely in Vietnam. At the end of the war, America welcomed thousands of men who had been scarred irreparably by the war. These soldiers could not be re incorporated into the society as they had no education or skills regarding anything but fighting (Brush, 2002; Wells & Gitlin, 2005). American culture during the Vietnam war was largely dictated by its image in media; and this I mage was not a good one. It was the first war in American history that was broadcast on television. This brought the war home for many pe ople as they witnessed the horrors firsthand. The nightly news counted the casualties everyday and people witnessed the bloody terror of bombings in their own living rooms. At the start of the war, the Vietnam War was depicted as a very positive event in American history, but s time passed the media and public view of the war changed drastically. It became a rat race among

Marketing campaigns of pepsi versus coca cola internationally Dissertation

Marketing campaigns of pepsi versus coca cola internationally - Dissertation Example However the weakened buying power of the consumer has also affected the consumer goods and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FRMCGs). This is because in general due to reduced jobs and lack of earning opportunities the consumers have reduced their spending on luxury items. This is even more evident in weaker economies and badly hit markets. As can be expected with an economic downturn, the reduced demand leads to more vigorous sales tactics. The companies try to increase sales or keep the sales levels on pre recession levels by introducing newer products. Many industries even face their worst nightmare of price wars. In order to increase sales the competitors try to reduce their gross profit margins. This strategy however mostly leads to suffering of the entire industry. The cola industry has evolved much over the last few decades. There was a time when the cola wars were in their full might. The competition between Coca Cola and Pepsi is an old rivalry. The battle for international domina nce is now not being fought in United States or Europe. This was the case during the cola wars. The new turf for this battle is none other than the emerging markets with their large populations and booming economies. The two giants have deployed interesting and diversified marketing strategies to dominate global markets. The term diversified here describes the unique strategies adopted for each different region. A very interesting example is the diversified portfolio of Pepsi China which will be studied and analyzed in detail. Literature Review Pepsi and Coca Cola (Coke) have always been at war with each other and this war has made their numerous encounters known as The Cola Wars. Today, both brands are well recognized all over the world where everyone has heard of the both brands at least once in their life. Whether its intense penetration strategy by flooding the market with their drinks or branding the logo on events and even celebrities, these two cola drinks have made sure peop le never get tired of them. It’s interesting to see how the two launched themselves initially and later transformed themselves into global warriors. Both used different strategies for this purpose and even though both of them have had their ups and downs, they have remained persistent which has left the brand impression on the minds of the masses. The very first marketing campaign in 1969 that Pepsi launched was based on the idea to attract youth and the young generation so that the drink would have something â€Å"cool† to associate themselves with (Bachmeier, 2009). The slogan â€Å"You’re in the Pepsi Generation† led the brand itself later on as well when the company continued to associate itself with the media and the popular entertainment figures so that it can maintain its hip image. Pepsi’s association with Michael Jackson and his famous Billie Jean song was one of the best decisions that the brand made which led the drink to be propelled to unlimited heights. The slogans of 1984 till 1997 which played on the notions of being young and hip made the brand launch itself with the same theme outside its physical borders as well geographically. With the logo of the â€Å"

Environmental Impact Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Environmental Impact Assessment - Essay Example In view of this the need for a well-developed account of how scientific research ought to be integrated into public policy in general and into environmental policy in particular has never been more urgent (Thompson, 1986; Stonehouse & Mumford, 1995; Litfin, 1994). This article makes a contribution to the ongoing debate by examining one of the newer, and fast-growing, scientific fields, i.e., environmental impact assessment (from hereon EIA) with the aim of highlighting the question of uncertainty and its implications for policy dependent on this field. EIA is a relatively new field, and most accounts date its inception to the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act in 1969 in the United States. From this rather limited and inauspicious beginning EIA has now spread to almost all countries. In addition, bi- and multi-lateral agencies have now or are in the process of incorporating EIA at some stage in their policy process (Goodland & Edmundson, 1994). There are almost as many definitions of EIA as there are experts and, naturally, each expert has a preferred definition. Briefly, however: EIA may be described as a process for identifying the likely consequences for the biogeophysical environment and for man's [sic] health and welfare of implementing particular activities and for conveying this information at a stage when it can materially affect their decision, to those responsible for sanctioning the proposals. (Munn, 1979:6) In the early stages of its use, the EIA process was seen as a forecasting technique to provide decision makers with an indication of the possible consequences of a proposed intervention. This conceptualisation has been criticized on the grounds that it tends to relegate EIA to being a type of "add on" process. It can be argued that using EIA in this fashion feeds public suspicion that EIA is another scientific technique coopted by policymakers to legitimate decisions. Technical specialists have continuously agitated for closer integration of EIA in the policy process as a means of overcoming this limitation. Policymakers, however, are reluctant to integrate EIA any further into the policy process for several reasons. Two of the most significant of these are: 1. the cost of the impact assessment process makes policymakers reluctant to embark on impact assessment before a proposed project has been given the "green light;" and 2. there is a perception that EIAs make negative information about proposed interventions available to opponents. Thus, further integration of EIA, for example, from project to program level is seen by policymakers as being tantamount to giving opposing stakeholder interests an overview of the entire program. Both of these views gain credence from the fact that EIA reports have often been the baseline documents in well-publicized disputes between governments and environmental activists. Notable cases include the Alaskan pipeline dispute (Gray & Gray, 1977:509-14) and the Hydro Quebec Power Plant controversy (Gariepy & Henault, 1994). Impact identification is usually accompanied by a scoping process in which the probable impacts worthy of study are singled out. Ideally, this process

English Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English - Thesis Example It means larger reception hall or church, more drinks and food, more invitations and a bigger wedding cake. The first deliberation to make when deciding about the guests’ numbers is who is significant and who must attend the wedding. To reduce the wedding size, send invitations to the most important people as this will minimize the cake size to be baked, the reception hall and church size and, cut down on the total cost. The section is among the prime expenses depending on the category selected for a wedding. An important decision to be made involves whether the couple prefers a formal meal of sitting down which would be more expensive since it requires more staff or a buffet presentation. Another important factor includes considering what will be served before and after food if necessary. Always prefer the quality cheaper alternatives which could come as a package. The other central element of the wedding is the photography and music session. Depending on what the partners would like, either music playing in the event, live entertainment or hiring a DJ, options must be weighed. A wedding is a one-time occasion in individual’s life so planning must be made bearing in mind the benefits to the partners for the

How is inclusion understoodan examination of different approaches to Essay - 1

How is inclusion understoodan examination of different approaches to meeting diverse needs - Essay Example vely developed in countries with different cultural and moral beliefs; The above questions are related to the following facts: the level at which social inclusion is supported by the government of a particular country is depended not only on the willingness of the political parties involved to face the specific problem but also on the level at which the relevant policies will be accepted by the local society. Current paper focuses on the social inclusion policies developed in Britain during the 21st century; emphasis is given on teenage mothers and the terms under which their inclusion in the British society is promoted. It is concluded that the position of British governments in regard to the specific issue has not been standardized being depended by the social conditions of each particular period; however, it is clear that the Labour party has been more supportive to teenage mothers compared to the Conservatives who emphasize on the moral aspects of the particular problem. The poli cies developed in Britain for the social inclusion of teenage mothers during the 21st century are analyzed by referring primarily to the concept of social inclusion – as a reflection of the social relationships and ethics of modern societies. The concept of social inclusion, as an element of social policies of governments worldwide has been explained using different approaches. In accordance with Munck (2005) the social inclusion should be considered as the result of globalization; it is noted that through the establishment of ‘global cities’ – ‘like New York, Tokyo, London, Paris’ (Munck 2005, p.33) new modes of life were developed; moreover, not all people have been able to align their daily activities with the new style of life; the exclusion of certain people of these cities, which was developed gradually, led to a series of severe social problems and turbulences which could be confronted only by developing effective social inclusion policies. From another point of

Health Program Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Health Program Evaluation - Essay Example The questions will be as follows: For collection of data and information regarding the HIV/AIDS control, quantitative methodology will be employed by making use of questionnaire, in which there will be questions concerning HIV/AIDS and the control strategies that are considered much acceptable and resulting by people. Along with employing quantitative methodology, qualitative methodology will also be effective in getting information and answers to the asked questions, in which the research work and other written content by authorized writers will be assessed in order to get answers for the asked questions. Many research questions are the result of issues that are highlighted by the hypothesis. They also reveal experientially resulting constructs from initial experience (Hair, 1998). These questions support in recognizing the data, which is required and are able to serve as a foundation for the thorough analysis required establishing a model (Dillman, 1978). Altogether, the research questionnaire resolves different aspects of both propositions and is planned to assist the de-construction of system into its specific elements for establishing the normal nature of multi-cultural system (Dillman, 1978). The order of different questions can support to define the approach of evaluation and structure. It is suggested by the social theory that actions of individuals are in fact inspired by the response of actions expected to bring (Hair, 1998). Respondents are inspired to complete and thereafter, return questionnaire if benefits, cost and confidence are appropriate (Dillman, 1978). It should be ensured that respondents are properly rewarded for completion and thereafter returning the questionnaire. These rewards can depict positive regard such as offering thanks, seeking advice, providing tangible benefits, making the format of questionnaire interesting and offering social validation (Dillman, 1978). It is further suggested that the

Q5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Q5 - Essay Example ate and likely to be useful in a less developed country such as Chad where access to electrical grids may not be feasible due to geographical problems and in remote locations where establishing electric connections may be expensive.(www.electricityforum.com). It is also expensive to develop such grids and Chad is a poor country where substantial expenses on these developments may not be possible. But sunlight is a commodity available in plenty in this country, and this can be harnessed to generate solar power to operate cell phones and enhance communications. Such relay stations are already in use in the U.K., where grids connect PV systems are integrated into office buildings and connected to the local solar electricity network. They are used in monitoring stations, radio repeater stations, telephone kiosks and for street lighting. Solar powered relay stations were installed by the Israeli Government in 2005, all along Israeli highway no: 2 to provide electrical power for cellular phones using the energy harnessed from the sun and assimilated into the microwave relay stations. 2. Voice over Internet protocol helps in enabling voice communications through the use of IP networks such as the Internet. It offers the facility of telephony services, i.e, the facility of making and receiving calls from regular telephone lines using a computer (Wallingford, 2005). The only requirement is the availability of a broadband connection which facilitates good sound transmission quality and in the case of telephony services such as Skype, even allows chatting and calling applications in computers with firewalls that normally break such applications. As a result, it brings about a substantial reduction in the cost of making telephone calls. VoIP systems also allow for a converge of voice and data networks. The VoIP facility is useful to a knowledge worker because it enables fast and easy communication lines to be established to and from any part of the world. A knowledge

Larson in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

Larson in Nigeria Essay The legislation and the regulations by Nigerian officias has become one of the major problems of Larson. The value of the company by the Securities and Exchange Committee has been extremely low and the sales collection and payment to suppler are delayed in Nigeria. All these factors affect the liquidity and cash flow and raise the total cost of the company. Maintaining the operation was also complicated by problems in staffing. Expatiate staff is very costly. Additionally, entry visas for those expatriate are very complicated. The recruitment of qualified skilled experts is difficult and they are not staying long in the country. Because Larson had a promise to increase the share of local ownership, the local partners participation seems very important. If the local equity participation keeps very low like current situation, the profit of both companies will become little or even lost capital. Recommendation The vice-president of international operations should decide to continue the companys joint venture in Nigeria. However, the company needs to address the problems of coping with local indigenization and hire a new joint venture general manager. Discussions Although the expatriate general manager of the Nigerian operation has delivered a very negative report, the operation should still continue. There are great amount of demands for products in Nigeria and competitions seem not very high. Since different country have different business cultural, to successfully operate the company in Nigeria, we have to cope with their way of doing business. After the share of local ownership increase, they cultural of the business might change to the local way. And the company will have more access to negotiate with the government. As a result, after increase the local equity percentage, in order to maintain the business in Nigeria, Larsons first step is to deal with the Nigerian business cultural. This will help the company solve the problems of cooperate their joint venture partner with divergent views. In order to increase the cooperation, senior management might have to give early retirement to Ridley and hire a new joint venture general manager who has more adaptability. The new manager will help Larson to negotiate and keep good relation with the local equity side. Moreover, the new manager should have an excellent human recourses skill and understand the labour market. This will help the company with the staffing problem which they can hire or train the local experts.

Social Construct Of Mental Illness Stigmatization Sociology Essay

Social Construct Of Mental Illness Stigmatization Sociology Essay In order to begin this essay it is worth outlining some of the meanings behind the terms mental illness and stigma. Mental illness is a conceptually problematic term as there as different ways of speaking about normal and abnormal behaviour (Pilgrim and Rogers, 1999). It can broadly be described as a type of health problem which affects an individuals thoughts, feelings and the way they interact around other people. It also has a cognitive dimension as it can affect anybody at any time and may be temporary or permanent (Pilgrim, 2005). Scheff (1984) discusses the medicalisation of mental illness, he argues that residual deviance (pg. 36) can refer to the variety of conditions which are held under the umbrella term of mental illness simply because they do not come under any other category, such as criminal. Essentially, any form of unacceptable or deviant behaviour which is not classed in other ways, becomes a form of mental illness. Scheffs approach uses labelling theory to discuss m ental health; this is something I will turn to later. Surveys have revealed that the majority of us are acquainted with mental illness and are familiar with it damaging effects either through a friend or relative etc. 15% of us have had a mental health problem ourselves (Layard, 2005). Stigma can be defined as the social consequences of negative attributions about a person based upon stereotype. In the case of people with mental health problems, it is presumed that they lack intelligibility and social competence and that they are dangerous (Pilgrim, 2005, pg 157). Goffman (1963) argued that stigma spoils a persons social identity, it creates a gap between a typical, ordinary social identity which we expect others to have and our real social identity. It disrupts everyday social interaction because normal individuals do not know how to behave with stigmatized individuals and vice versa (pg. 15). Goffman identified three types of stigma, stigma deriving from physical defects or abnorm alities, stigma of race and religion and finally perceived blemishes of individual character this includes such things as sexuality, political beliefs and mental health (Goffman, 1963, pg. 14). Goffmans work is very important in discussing the complexities of stigma and discrimination and I plan to use his work throughout this essay. Skinner et al (1995) argue that a hierarchy of stigma exists in which inferior social statuses such as prostitute and alcoholic are ranked. They identified mental illness as being at the bottom of the hierarchy. The stigma of mental illness is different from others because it involves changes in behaviour which attracts negative judgment by others. It makes people wander about an individuals stability and whether they pose a risk to themselves or others (Bury, 2005). In order to better understand the stigma of mental illness it is necessary to conduct research into the lay views held amongst the public, this includes accounts from people with mental health problems (MHP) who discuss their experiences, and also the views of those without MHP (Pilgrim, 2005). A qualitative study by Dinos et al (2004) which researched the experiences of 46 people with a mental illness revealed that stigma was a major concern to most of the participants. Stigma defines individuals in terms of their mental illness and has the potential to impact on all aspects of life. Goffman (1963) formulated stigma into a double perspective, the first is obvious to others and cannot be hidden. He referred to this as discrediting. The second type is discreditable and is not necessarily noticeable to others (pg. 14). With this form the problem is managing personal information, whether this means hiding the fact that they have a mental illness, or hiding the nature and extent of the c ondition. Dinos et al (2004) found that the management of information was a major problem and a potent source of stress, anxiety and further feelings of stigma even in the absence of any direct discrimination (pg. 176). Some of the patients chose to downplay their illness by telling others it was another type, such as depression. Experiences of stigma were also dependent on the nature of the illness, those with depression and anxiety were more likely to feel stigmatized. While those with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder were more likely to experience physical and verbal attacks. The effects of stigma can be extremely damaging, individuals may feel depersonalized, rejected and disempowered (Pilgrim, 2005, pg 158). This can lead to isolation and an acceptance of the treatment received as justified. This in turn can cause a further decline in their health (Dinos, et al, 2004). In terms of lay views of mental health held amongst the public, these are usually ones of distrust and sometimes hostility. Many people hold stereotypical views of mentally ill people in which psychotic behaviour is expected (Pilgrim, 2005). The influence of the media is important here and is something I will turn to later. Attribution theory (Corrigan et al, 2000 and Bury, 2005) can be used to explain stigma and discriminatory practices. It consists of two aspects, controllability and stability the former refers to the extent to which individuals are responsible for their own mental illness and stability refers to whether the illness can improve over time and to what extent. Studies which use attribution theory reveal that many believe that individuals with MHP are to blame for their illness and do not deserve any sympathy. They believe them to be potentially dangerous and should be avoided. Also, they show no optimism about people reaching recovery (Corrigan, et al, 2000). An examp le of such a study comes from Weiner and colleagues (cited in Corrigan, 2000), they asked 59 students to rate various disability groups according to aspects of controllability and stability, the results revealed that they viewed mental illness much more severely than other illnesses. The widespread stigmatization of mental illness is rooted historically in fear of the unknown, our tendency to attack ridicule or laugh at what we dont understand (Lalani and London, 2006). Since the deinstitutionalization of mental illness and the introduction of care in the community initiatives, this fear of the other has become much more significant as the boundaries between the sane and insane have become blurred. We have a strong need to distance ourselves from things that we fear, therefore the stigma of mental illness is one of panic and hostility. Having discussed the stigma of mental illness and the perceptions held amongst the population in a little more depth, this leaves the question of how it is culturally constructed. Thoits (1985) discusses how we learn to act and feel through repeated social interaction. Our emotions are governed by the norms of society which we internalize from an early age. We know how we should feel in a variety of circumstances e.g. sad at a funeral lively at a party, happy at a wedding, proud on success, angry at an insult and so on. (pg. 224). Equally, we recognize when our behaviour may be viewed as inappropriate to others and learn to control it. For example, big boys dont cry and keep a stiff upper lip (pg. 224). We have a shared awareness of how we ought to behave in the social world, therefore anybody who breaks these norms is subject to ridicule. Thoits develops a theory which contrasts with Scheff (1984). She argues that self-labelling processes are significant in mental health, as people assess their own behaviour and seek professional help voluntarily. Scheff on the other hand focuses on the involuntary nature of mental health treatment and how people come to be defined as mentally ill; his concern lies with the institutionalization of mental illness. The perceptions of people with mental illness held by wider society are ones of devaluation and discrimination (Link cited in Gaebel et al, 2006). When a person is labelled as mentally ill, these conceptions become part of his or her sense of self. Labelling theory is useful in understanding the stigma of mental illness. We react to mental illness is a similar way to crime and the criminal. This approach to deviance focuses on the reaction of others in maintaining and amplifying rule breaking or secondary deviance (Marsh et al, 2000). The labelling process can have a detrimental effect on a persons status and identity. Their old identity is discarded and a new master status label takes its place. In the case of the mentally ill individual, his or her condition comes to define who they are, regardless of the other roles they may have (such as parenthood or their job). Their stigmatized role of mentally ill dominates their existence (Marsh et al, 2000 and Pilgrim, 2005). The negative e ffects of labelling are very clear, research has suggested that employers are less likely to offer jobs to those who have been labelled mentally ill. They are also less likely to be given housing and more likely to have charges made against them for violent crimes. Some studies however, have indicated that labelling has had positive benefits for the individual (Pilgrim, 2005). The main source of information for the general public about mental illness comes from the mass media. The media have come to represent the beliefs and perceptions of wider society and frequently exaggerate events and portray inaccurate stereotypes of people with MHP. There is an unquestioning acceptance in the media of the rising toll of killings as a result of community care (Dunn, 2002). For example, in the Daily Mail (21 February, 2003) the headline 400 care in the community patients living by murder park was printed after a woman was found dead in East London. After discovering that a large number of care in the community patients lived near the park, the police and the media assumed she was murdered by a deranged psychiatric patient living in the community. Headlines like this are not uncommon and newspapers consistently present the image of the dangerous, unstable, incurable mental patient (Lalani and London, 2006). Other examples of hard-hitting headlines include violent, mad. So docs set him free. New community care scandal (The Sun, 26 February 2005) and Bonkers Bruno locked up (The Sun, 22 September 2003). Philo (1996) found that two thirds of news coverage made associations between mental illness and violence, but media depictions are not consistent with the facts about mental health and violence. Home office statistics indicate that there is little or no correlation between violence and mental illness. In reality, people with MHP are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators (Dunn, 2002). There is a lot of empirical evidence to suggest that the media informs us about mental illness and that their depictions are characteristically inaccurate and unfavourable (Wahl, 1992, pg. 351). Wahl and Roth (cited in Wahl, 1992) found that mentally ill characters in prime time TV shows lacked a social identity. They were usually single, unemployed and described negatively with adjectives like aggressive confused and unpredictable (pg. 345). Man y other studies have produced similar results, with dangerousness and violence being the most common traits of people with MHP. Wahl argues that these portrayals must have an effect on our behaviour and attitudes towards mental illness. Many studies have demonstrated that repeated exposure to media stereotypes in general influences conceptions of social reality (pg. 346). He cites research that demonstrates that heavy viewers of television tend to relate the real world to televisions distorted representations. One study asked students to complete a questionnaire about mental health before and after a viewing of One flew over the cuckoos nest those who saw the film had a less positive view of mental illness than those who hadnt seen it (Wahl, 1992). It is clear then that the overall relationship between the media and the mentally ill is not in dispute: it is one of sensationalism, exaggeration and fear mongering (Lalani and London, 2006). It is important however to mention that not a ll aspects of the media perpetuate negative stereotypes and it can be a useful tool in tackling discrimination and stigma. For many people living with a mental illness, the cultural attitudes of fear, hostility and ignorance has contributed to experiences of isolation and social exclusion. A report by the Citizens advice Bureau (CAB, 2003) revealed that most people with a MHP are unemployed and that those who did have jobs end up leaving because their employers convince them that they are unable to cope. Jo, a mental health service user discussed her experiences at work in a report to the mind inquiry (Dunn, 2002 pg. 11) when she informed her boss that she had to see a psychiatrist his reaction said it all, as soon as mental illness is mentioned people literally back away from you. Pilgrim (2005) highlights that people with MHP are three time as likely to be unemployed than those with physical disabilities. This is mainly because of the attitudes of employers and not because of a lack of willingness on the part of the individual (CAB, 2003). There also exists a disincentive to work for those who are in r eceipt of welfare benefits. For many, their income upon finding work would only increase at a small rate, if it all, and they would lose out on any supplementary benefits such as housing benefits. Further to this is the difficulty in having their benefits reinstated should the job not work out (CAB, 2003). Social exclusion is a complicated and often cyclical process. It can affect a persons access to education, social services and health care. Such limited access to one service can have a knock on effect on others. For example, restricted use of education and training opportunities can sustain unemployment further which in turn contributes to the benefit trap and can of course deepen a persons exclusion and cause a further decline in their health (Dunn, 2002). It is clear then that the social exclusion of people with MHP denies them the basic levels of citizenship, happiness and wealth available to everybody else (Pilgrim, 2005). To conclude, the stigma of mental illness is based on generalizations about insanity. These stereotypes are constructed through feelings of fear and anxiety over things we do not understand and struggle to relate to. There is no doubt that our views of mental illness are completely ungrounded and are transmitted repeatedly through the mass media, thus reinforcing a distorted image in our collective psyche. Stigma is used to identify and expose something abnormal about an individual (Goffman, 1963). However some are critical of the stigma framework and argue that it is too individualistic. If we study the collective discriminatory practices which cause exclusion for many people with mental illness, such as poverty and labour market disadvantage, then strategies for change may be easier to develop (Pilgrim, 2005). Layard (2005) identified mental health as our biggest social problem. It is not just a major health concern, it is a political issue. With such high numbers of people affecte d my mental illness, the costs to the economy are significant. Tackling stigmatization is an essential step in improving the lives of those affected. This involves inclusion of groups themselves, as only those with the knowledge and experience cans suggest what is right for them.

The Turbidity Test for Pasteurized Milk

The Turbidity Test for Pasteurized Milk Milk and dairy products, such as cream and yoghurt, are an important food group in the food pyramid. This food group provides us with calcium, which is not only crucial in strengthening our bones, but also important in many biological processes, such as facilitating the release of neurotransmitters that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse. Since dairy products serve such importance in our diet, dairy products manufacturing industry takes extra precaution in ensuring that these products meet the guidelines set by statutory bodies, one of which is that the maximum lactic acid content allowed in milk is 0.15% w/w. Hence, the industry will employ various methods to determine the quality of milk. As such, in order to better understand these industrial methods, 2 groups of experiments relating to titratable acidity (TA) of selected foods and turbidity test for pasteurized, UHT and sterilized milk were carried out. The titratable acidity test allows us to determine the titratable acidi ty of a sample as lactic acid (for dairy products) or citric acid (for lemon curd) equivalent. Basically, TA, as an acid equivalent, of a food product measures the total amount of that particular reference acid in the selected food. This reference acid is the major acid component, amongst all types of acid present in the food, which we want to quantify. TA is different from pH as pH only measures the [H+] dissociated from the acid molecules. Hence, TA is a more accurate measure of the degree of spoilage of dairy products than pH. The turbidity test however, serves a different function in terms of quality control. It is usually used by the industry to test if sterilized milk products have been sufficiently sterilized. Titratable Acidity of Selected Foods Materials Phenolphthalein as indicator 50.00ml burette 10.0ml graduated pipette White porcelain basin Magnetic stirrer Experiment 1: Titratable Acidity of Milk Pasteurized milk (Farmhouse Fresh Milk), expires on 20/9/12 UHT milk (Marigold UHT Full Cream), expires on 15/6/13 0.01M sodium hydroxide (actual concentration is 0.0107M) Experiment 2: Titratable Acidity of Cream Sour cream (Bulla Sour Cream), expires on 14/9/12 Yoghurt (FN Alive Yoghurt), expires on 11/9/12 0.1M sodium hydroxide (actual concentration is 0.105M) pH meter Experiment 3: Titratable Acidity of Lemon Curd Lemon curd (Waitrose lemon curd), expired on Feb 12 0.1M sodium hydroxide (actual concentration is 0.105M) Methods Titration of selected food products against NaOH of known concentrations were carried out in order to determine the titratable acidity of these food products. The titratable acidity in lactic acid or citric acid equivalent was then determined by via stoichiometric ratio of the acid to the amount of NaOH, as seen in the stoichiometric calculations below. 3 sets of titrations for 3 different groups of food products, mainly pasteurized milk and UHT milk, sour cream and yoghurt, and lemon curd, were carried. Experiment 1: Titratable Acidity of Milk 10.0 ml of pasteurized milk was transferred to a white porcelain basin. 1.0 ml of phenolphthalein indicator was then added to this sample. The burette was filled up with 0.01M NaOH and then titrated against the pasteurized milk sample. End-point of titration was identified when a pale pink colouration persisted for at least 10 s. Initial and final burette readings were recorded in Table 1 below. The procedure was repeated thrice for both pasteurized and UHT milk. Experiment 2: Titratable Acidity of Cream 10.00 g of sour cream was transferred to a white porcelain basin. 10.0 ml of water was added to the sample and mixed and pH was then measured. 1.0 ml of phenolphthalein indicator was added to the diluted sample. The burette was filled up with 0.1M NaOH and then titrated against the sour cream sample. End-point of titration was identified when a pale pink colouration persisted for at least 10 s. Initial and final burette readings were recorded in Table 2 below. The procedure was repeated thrice for both sour cream and yoghurt. Experiment 3: Titratable Acidity of Lemon Curd 10.00 g of lemon curd was transferred to a white porcelain basin. 10.0 ml of water was added to the sample and mixed. 1.0 ml of phenolphthalein indicator was added to the diluted sample. The burette was filled up with 0.1M NaOH and then titrated against the lemon curd sample. End-point of titration was identified when a pale pink colouration persisted for at least 10 s. Initial and final burette readings were recorded in Table 3 below. The procedure was repeated two more times. Results Experiment 1: Titratable Acidity of Milk Table 1: Titration of pasteurized and UHT milk against 0.01M NaOH Milk sample vol. of milk measured (ml) average vol. of milk (ml) initial burette reading (ml) final burette reading (ml) vol. of NaOH used (ml) average vol. of NaOH used* (ml) ÂÂ  Pasteurized Milk 10.0 10.0 50.00 37.65 12.35 12.35 10.0 37.65 25.15 12.50 10.0 25.15 12.80 12.35 ÂÂ  UHT Milk 10.0 10.0 50.00 37.70 12.30 12.30 10.0 37.70 25.30 12.40 10.0 25.30 13.00 12.30 Pasteurized Milk CH 3 CH OH C O- Na+ O CH 3 CH OH C OH O + NaOH Ã   + H2O (1) Amount of NaOH used = (Average vol. of NaOH used) x [NaOH] = (12.35/1000)(0.0107) = 1.32 x 10-4 mol From (1), lactic acid : NaOH is 1:1 amount of lactic acid in 10.0ml of pasteurized milk = 1.32 x 10-4 mol Concentration of lactic acid (in mol/100mL) equivalent in pasteurized milk = (1.32 x 10-4) / (10/100) = 1.32 x 10-3 mol/100mL Concentration of lactic acid equivalent in g/100mL in pasteurized milk = (molar concentration (in mol/100mL) of lactic acid equivalent) x (molar mass of lactic acid) = (1.32 x 10-3)(90.08) = 0.119 g/100mL UHT Milk Amount of NaOH used = (Average vol. of NaOH used) x [NaOH] = (12.30/1000)(0.0107) = 1.31 x 10-4 mol From (1), lactic acid : NaOH is 1:1 amount of lactic acid in 10.0ml of UHT milk = 1.31 x 10-4 mol Concentration of lactic acid (in mol/100mL) equivalent in UHT milk = (1.31 x 10-4) / (10/100) = 1.31 x 10-3 mol/100mL Concentration of lactic acid equivalent in g/100mL in UHT milk = (molar concentration (in mol/100mL) of lactic acid equivalent) x (molar mass of lactic acid) = (1.31 x 10-3)(90.08) = 0.118 g/100mL From the calculations, it can be seen that both the titratable acidities of pasteurized milk and UHT milk in lactic acid equivalent are below 0.15%, the maximum allowed titratable acidity of milk in lactic acid equivalent. As such, both samples are deemed safe for consumption. The titratable acidity of pasteurized milk is also observed to be slightly above that of UHT milk by a very minute concentration of 0.001 g/100mL. This suggests that pasteurized milk contains slightly more microbes than UHT milk, which goes in tandem with the properties of pasteurized milk. This is because pasteurized milk is heated to about 65oC for at least 30 minutes in order to preserve the flavor of milk, while UHT milk is heated at 135oC for about 2 seconds6. Hence, fewer microbes are killed in pasteurized milk than UHT milk. As such, pasteurized milk will have slightly higher lactic acid concentration which is produced from the fermentation of lactose by microbes. However, the magnitude of difference of 0.001 g/100mL obtained from the titration results is too small to make the above conclusive deduction. The average vol. of NaOH used is almost identical for both milk samples as there is only a difference of 0.05 ml, making the titration results somewhat anomalous. The main reason for this anomaly is the subjectivity of the end-point of titration. The colour change of phenolphthalein from colourless to pale pink is very difficult to ascertain by naked eye for the inexperienced, unlike workers in this industry who carry out large volumes of titrations every day. As such, the faint pink that I observed in pasteurized milk is most probably not the true end-point of titration or it could be that the faint pink I observed in UHT milk is over the end-point of titration for UHT milk. Experiment 2: Titratable Acidity of Cream Table 2: Titration of sour cream and yoghurt against 0.1M NaOH Cream sample pH of sample average pH mass of sample (g) average mass of sample (g) initial burette reading (ml) final burette reading (ml) vol. of NaOH used (ml) average vol. of NaOH used* (ml) ÂÂ  Sour Cream 4.48 4.49 10.00 10.00 50.00 44.60 5.40 5.40 4.50 10.01 44.60 39.20 5.40 4.50 9.99 39.20 33.80 5.40 ÂÂ  Yoghurt 4.43 4.38 10.01 9.99 50.00 37.90 12.10 12.30 4.34 10.00 37.90 25.60 12.30 4.38 9.98 25.60 13.30 12.30 Sour Cream Amount of NaOH used = (Average vol. of NaOH used) x [NaOH] = (5.40/1000)(0.105) = 5.67 x 10-4 mol From (1), lactic acid : NaOH is 1:1 amount of lactic acid in 10.00g of sour cream = 5.67 x 10-4 mol Mass of lactic acid in 10.00g of sour cream = (amount of lactic acid) x (molar mass of lactic acid) = (5.67 x 10-4)(90.08) = 0.0511g Concentration of lactic acid equivalent (in %w/w) in sour cream = (mass of lactic acid in 10.00g of sour cream) / (average mass of sour cream) x 100% = (0.0511) / (10.00) x 100% = 0.511% (w/w) Yoghurt Amount of NaOH used = (Average vol. of NaOH used) x [NaOH] = (12.30/1000)(0.105) = 1.29 x 10-3 mol From (1), lactic acid : NaOH is 1:1 amount of lactic acid in 9.99g of yoghurt = 1.29 x 10-3 mol Mass of lactic acid in 9.99g of yoghurt = (amount of lactic acid) x (molar mass of lactic acid) = (1.29 x 10-3)(90.08) = 0.116 g Concentration of lactic acid equivalent (in %w/w) in yoghurt = (mass of lactic acid in 9.99g of yoghurt) / (average mass of yoghurt) x 100% = (0.116) / (9.99) x 100% = 1.16% (w/w) From the results of this experiment in Table 2, we can see that titratable acidity is not equal to pH, and it shares an inverse relationship with pH, where pH = -lg[H+]. This is because lactic acid is an organic acid and hence it is a weak acid. As such, lactic acid only partially dissociates, giving a [H+] that is lower than the total lactic acid concentration. This is due to the low acid dissociation constant, Ka, of lactic acid. However, by proportionality, it is observed that higher concentrations of lactic acid molecules will give a higher deprotonated [H+]. This is observed in Table 2 where the lower pH of yoghurt corresponds to a higher average volume of NaOH required to neutralize the lactic acid present. In addition, another observation is that yoghurt requires more than twice the volume of 0.1M NaOH to neutralize the lactic acid present as compared to sour cream even though yoghurt is lower in pH by 0.11. This is mainly attributed to the presence of probiotics added into yoghurt. As such, this means that more lactose in yoghurt is converted into lactic acid, resulting in the marked difference in average vol. of NaOH required for neutralization. This second observation also proves that pH is not a true measure of total lactic acid content in dairy products as this small difference in pH is accompanied by a larger than proportionate difference in volume of NaOH required for neutralization. Experiment 3: Titratable Acidity of Lemon Curd Table 3: Titration of lemon curd against 0.105M NaOH Sample mass of sample (g) average mass of sample (g) initial burette reading (ml) final burette reading (ml) vol. of NaOH used (ml) average vol. of NaOH used* (ml) Lemon Curd 10.00 10.00 50.00 29.20 20.80 20.35 10.00 29.20 8.90 20.30 10.00 50.00 29.60 20.40 *As 3 sets of titration were conducted for each sample in order to improve the precision and reproducibility of the titration results, the average volume of NaOH was taken as the average of the 2 closest values of vol. of NaOH used in titration so as to be more precise. C Na+O- O CH 2 C OH C O- Na+ O CH 2 C O- Na+ O C HO O CH 2 C OH C OH O CH 2 C OH O + 3NaOH Ã   + 3H2O (2) Amount of NaOH used = (Average vol. of NaOH used) x [NaOH] = (20.35/1000)(0.105) = 2.14 x 10-3 mol From (2), citric acid : NaOH is 1:3 amount of citric acid in 10.00g of lemon curd = (amount of NaOH used) / 3 = 7.13 x 10-4 mol Molar mass of citric acid = 6(12) + 8(1) + 7(16) = 192 g mol-1 mass of citric acid in 10.00g of lemon curd = (amount of citric acid) x (molar mass of citric acid) = (7.13 x 10-4)(192) = 0.137 g Concentration of citric acid equivalent (in % w/w) in lemon curd = (mass of citric acid in 10.00g of lemon curd) / (average mass of lemon curd) x 100% = (0.137) / (10.00) x 100% = 1.37% (w/w) As calculated above, the concentration of citric acid equivalent in lemon curd is 1.37% (w/w), which is well above the minimum standard of 0.33% (w/w) set by legislation in some parts of the world. Hence, it can be deduced that this sample of lemon curd has passed the quality control measure. Citric acid is used as the reference for quality control of lemon curd mainly because citric acid is present in the largest quantity in lemons. Hence, measuring citric acid concentration present will be a good measure of the quality of the lemon curd. As such, this is a quality lemon curd sample. Even though this lemon curd product expired on February 2012, the citric acid content should not be significantly affected by microbial decomposition mainly because the acidic environment due to citric acid is not suitable for most bacteria to thrive. Discussion There are a few experimental procedures which can be improved on. Firstly, as mentioned in the results of experiment 1, the faint pink observed to mark the end-point of titration is subject to a large margin of human error. As such, a better method to solve the issue of colour subjectivity is to use a colorimeter to determine an intensity of pink as the end-point of titration, thus eliminating any inaccuracies that result from human error. Secondly, it was observed that the dilution of products of a more viscous consistency, such as sour cream and lemon curd, did not yield a homogenous consistency as compared with the milk samples and yoghurt. As such, the titrated NaOH may not have actually reacted with all the acid molecules as some acid molecules may be trapped inside the granular particles. This can be overcome by vortexing the cream and water mixture in a sealed round-bottom conical flask to ensure a homogenous solution is obtained, allowing us to obtain more accurate titration results. Thirdly, for runny liquid samples such as milk, there is a risk of spillage due to splashing when the magnetic stirrer operates probably due to the large exposed opening of the porcelain basin. Splashing can be overcome by using a conical flask to contain the samples and place a white tile under the conical flask so that the change in colour of milk can be made more obvious. This is because a conical flask has a much narrower neck and therefore a significantly narrower opening, thus minimizing spillage from splashing. In this way, more accurate titration results can be obtained. For lemon curd, simply measuring the citric acid concentration is insufficient to conclude a quality product. This is mainly due to the possibility of adulteration of lemon curd by adding more citric acid chemical, just like how milk was adulterated by the adding melamine. As such, additional qualitative methods can be employed, such as measuring the concentration of certain chemical substances more unique to lemon, such as limonene. Turbidity test for pasteurized, UHT and sterilized milk Materials Ammonium sulphate powder Pasteurized milk UHT milk Sterilized milk Method 4.0g of ammonium sulphate, (NH4)2SO4, was dissolved in 20.0 ml of pasteurized milk. The mixture was allowed to stand for at least 5 min and subsequently filtered. 5 ml of the filtrate was collected in a test-tube and then placed in boiling water bath for at least 5 min. The test-tube containing filtrate was then cooled in cold water and the contents were examined for presence of turbidity. Results Discussion Table 4: Turbidity test results Sample Observation Pasteurized milk A cloudy pale yellow solution with precipitation was observed. UHT milk A cloudy pale yellow solution was observed. Sterilized milk A clear pale yellow solution was observed. The turbidity test is useful in telling us if a sample of milk is sufficiently sterilized, whereby a clear solution will be observed. The turbidity test is first carried out by adding a denaturing agent, usually ammonium sulphate, (NH4)2SO4, to the milk sample. As NH4+ exhibits acidic properties, as shown in the following equation, NH4+ + H2O Ã   NH3 + H3O+ this addition of ammonium ions will bring about an increase in [H+], resulting in the disruption of casein micelle structure. This causes casein proteins to precipitate and coagulate as they interact with the ammonium and sulphate ions. For those casein and whey proteins that are already denatured by heat treatment during processing, ammonium and sulphate ions will form interactions with the charged R-groups of the acidic and basic amino acid residues, causing them to precipitate out of the solution. These precipitate are obtained as the residue from filtration. The filtrate obtained contains mostly undenatured whey proteins and probably some unprecipitated protein molecules encapsulated in the casein micelle structure amidst a solution of ammonium sulphate and other soluble milk products such as lactose. Upon heat treatment in a 100oC water bath, the milk proteins denature and are thus exposed to ammonium sulphate. They undergo the same mode of action with ammonium sulphate as described above, resulting in the observed precipitation. Referring to AVA regulations, pasteurised milk is defined to be milk that has been subjected to a single heat-treatment of 62.8 65.6oC for at least 30 min or 72 73.5oC for at least 15 s; UHT milk is defined as milk that has been heated at a temperature of at least 135oC for at least 2 s; sterilized milk is milk heated to 100oC long enough to sufficiently kill all microbes. As such, sterilized milk will have all the casein and whey proteins fully denatured and free in the milk due to prolonged heating. Whereas UHT milk will have a slight concentration of undenatured proteins present due to a short high heat treatment. For pasteurized milk however, it will contain the highest concentration of undenatured proteins due to lowest heat treatment temperature. Hence, the experimental observation in Table 4 clearly fits the hypothesis. On a side note, the yellow pale solution observed is most likely due to the Maillard reaction between lactose in and amino compounds in milk. Conclusion Titratable acidity and the turbidity test for milk is but only 2 out of the many methods that the milk processing industry employs to ensure that the heat treatments have produced milk that are safe for human consumption. The main disadvantage that lies with milk treated with higher heat processes is the loss of flavour. The nutrients that are lost during heat are usually replaced (e.g. enriched milk) and hence this is less of a concern for milk. As such, it is the companys decision on whether to process milk with an emphasis on taste or shelf-life. Nevertheless, it is of utmost importance that the milk products remain well within the margin of safety as stated by regulations. At the same time, regulatory bodies need to stay alert and play a part in ensuring that companies follow the safety guidelines, less an incident like the adulteration of dairy products through melamine addition may occur again.

Carrying A Concealed Weapon, In California, Is A Threat To Society Essa

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Matilda Crabtree, 14, was shot and killed by her father when she jumped from the closet and yelled ‘BOO’ to scare her parents; her last words were, ‘I love you, daddy.†(Rottenberg 87) Laws that regulate carrying concealed weapons (CCW) have been wildly debated in the California and the US. There have mainly been two different types of laws. One is a type of legislation known as â€Å"may need† laws, which issues licenses to people who are in absolute need of carrying a concealed weapon. The other is known as â€Å"shall use† laws, which is a lot more lenient for people and makes it easier for the general public to get a gun. This law gives state authorities to issue concealed weapon licenses to any adult who does not have a felony conviction or history of mental illness. The use of firearms is justifiable only when a person is threatened with serious bodily injury. It does not mean that if a person is stealing your system from your car, you can shoot them. Legalizing concealed weapons to the general public is a direct attack on society’s safety in public places. Too many people will resort to force instead of a chance to runaway; everyone would rather be a hero. At the moment there are 31 states in the United States that permit people to possess a concealed weapon; California is not one of them. Carrying a concealed weapon is a threat to society because there have been too many accidents, concealed weapon laws might cause criminals to act more violently, and finally carrying concealed weapons might stimulate violent confrontation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Shall use† CCW laws do not cut down the amount of gun violence. Even though these laws are pretty recent, studies show that more carefree concealed weapon laws will not decrease the amount of gun related violence. Based on data collected from three states, University of Maryland researchers David McDowall, Colin Loftin, and Brian Wiersema found that the homicide rates did not significantly drop in these states following the adoption of Concealed Carry Laws. Instead, in three of the five cities studied these researchers found a statistically significant increase in the rate of gun related homicides - 74% in Jacksonville, 43% in Jackson, and 22% in Tampa (Ford 65).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Carrying a concealed weapon creates a false sense of security and diverts attent... ...nal, even when well-trained police officers are involved. The idea that poorly trained, self-appointed vigilantes are running through our streets looking to become heroes, should not make any of us feel safer. Arming a society does not create civility nor does it produce solutions to gun violence. We cannot solve our society’s disease of violence by arming ourselves with the epidemic. Work Sited Fisherman, Steve (1993, October). â€Å"What You Know About Guns Can Kill You,† Vogue, 32-38. Ford, Liam T.A. (1994, August/September). â€Å"Gunning for Change,† Reason, 64-66 Kirchner, Paul (1994, February). â€Å"Defending Gun Ownership,† Chronicles, available from 934 N. Main St., Rockford, IL. 61103-7061 Reese, Charley (1996, January). â€Å"You Can’t Beat an (Armed) Woman,† Conservative Chronicle, available from Box 29, Hampton, IA. 50441. Rottenberg, Annette T. (1997). Cease fire advertisement. The Structure of Argument. Boston: Bedford Books a division of St. Martin’s Press Inc. Sojourners (1994, March). â€Å"Annie Get Your Gun,† available from 2401 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009. Voll, Daniel (1995, March). â€Å"The Right to Bear Sorrow,† Esquire, 79-83

Evaluation of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon Essay -- Deforestat

Nowadays deforestation is the one of the most destructive and controversial environmental issues. Deforestation is defined as cutting down, clearing away or burning trees or forests. Particularly tropical rainforests are the most destructed type of forests because of its location in developing countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, India, central African countries and Brazil. Deforestation rate in those places is high enough to worry about, because of good economic potential of forests. As the result of causes such as agriculture land expansion, logging for timber, fire blazing and settling infrastructure there might be serious impacts in future, for instance, extinction of endemic species of animals and plants which will be feral, increase of greenhouse gas emissions which may lead to global warming and consecutive catastrophes, destruction of home for indigenous dwellers which is considered as violation of human rights. Some people can argue with this drawbacks telling that deforestation have more valuable benefits such as growth of economics, production of food and providing better opportunities for life for poor families. However, government of that countries and world organisations tries to stop deforestation proposing several solutions. Deforestation problem is especially acute in Brazilian Amazon, where its rate is much high comparing with other regions. This paper will rigorously describe causes and effects of deforestation, and evaluate possible solutions of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Tropical rainforests which is located between tropic of Capricorn and tropic of Cancer covered 12% of land surface few thousand years ago. However, today is it covers only 5% of planet. In spite of this small area, it is... ...ious environmental problem with some significant ecological consequences such as global warming and loss of rich biodiversity and with some economic benefits which are just temporary. These actions against nature must be stopped, and I am recommending that all of us, starting from simple people and ending with government must solve this problem together. Simple human can donate some money which is not sufficient at the moment, businessmen again can help with money, global organisations can provide volunteers and donated money and government can make huge investments, enforce more strict laws, cleared from corruption and try to strictly secure whole Amazon with strict punishments for criminals. In addition, there are recommendations of further research in improving agriculture and finding more sustainable nutrients which would allow using lands for longer period.

Diana in the Docks

Diana In the Dock : does privacy matter? ‘Diana' as used in the title is referring to the Former Princess of Wales ‘Princess Diana'. In November 1993 The mirror newspaper published photos of ‘princess Diana' while she was working out at a gym. These photo's were taken out of consent by Diana by the Gym owner Bryce Taylor who was paid over 100,000 pounds for the photos . Thus Princess Did had his assets frozen and sued him.Due to the fact Bryce Taylor was broke he seeded legal aid where he was provided with Geoffrey Robertson o defend him. Robertson describes this case through the use of a paradox in the opening paragraph â€Å"Diana had been the victim of a dirty trick which provided windfall profits to undeserving people† these undeserving people being ‘Bryce Taylor' and the mirror magazine. Donna's perspective is that her privacy was breached for common greed of monetary benefits by that of Bryce Taylor.However, Ironically for Bryce Taylor benefit his legal aid, lawyer Geoffrey Robertson â€Å"was the tutor of a textbook that analyses and deplored that absence of any privacy law In Britain† which represents to the reader Robertson's extents knowledge within the topic of privacy, Wealth Robertson's defense of Bryce Taylor he states when Diana places her self in the gym â€Å"It was like working out in a shop window† representing that her privacy was automatically violated and she's â€Å"nonetheless been inviting It to happen†.Thus puts us in a position to view Diana as someone who manipulates the Edie in order to suit her own ends. Robertson also states her relationship with the media as ‘a Faustian bargain' which refers to the story of Faust who sells his soul to the devil in order to gain greater power. This again supports Robertson's use of the disjunction of ‘bur In â€Å"but Diana wanted privacy only when It suited her†. Nonetheless as Robertson describes Donna's relationship with the media as ‘ a Faustian bargain' It shows that Diana had to sell her soul to the media in order to main good publicity and power.This is significantly supported by Robertson use of the metaphor In the concluding paragraph † In 1997 Diana was killed fleeing the flashbulbs† which has Robertson positions us to see Diana as someone who seeded the attention of the media and as this back fired she tried to ‘flee' where the consequence became death. Just like that of Faust who sold his soul to the devil , regretted it and was sent to hell. Therefore Robertson believes It's her own fault for her lack of privacy.

The Definition of E-commerce

E-commerce is the buying and selling of products and services by both businesses and consumers over the Internet. Such practices have exploded over the last year as security has improved with more and more consumers now buying goods and services online. This coupled with the computer revolution of the late twentieth century has lead to e-commerce now becoming the buzzword of trade and industry as hundreds of companies are now moving online in an attempt to broaden their product range and direct contact with customers. Firstly we must understand why companies are being drawn towards selling their products online. An e-commerce site that is implemented well can significantly lower both order taking costs up front and also customer service after the sale has been made. For example being located on the Internet means that place does not enter into the marketing mix of an e-commerce company. As its customers will not visit the business, it means having a prominent high street location is no longer of importance; in fact a business can be set up in someone†s home (if space for storage allows!). Also when considering mail order companies there is no longer the need to endure the costs of designing, printing and sending out catalogues. These factors contribute to e-commerce companies being able to offer products at greatly reduced prices as overheads have been minimised. A company now has the ability to provide customers with a catalogue that has a far more extensive range than that of which any mail-order catalogue could provide. Recently Amazon have advertised that they currently offer more than 3 million books, to further their service they also give the customer the opportunity to read a description of every book supplied and also other titles buyers of the book have purchased. It is inconceivable to imagine all this information being provided in any catalogue that comes through the letterbox. So we now can see some of the benefits that firms encounter from locating on the web but what do the consumers get out of this? It is now far easier to collect market research and make reasonable comparisons as by using the Internet you have the ability to amass, analyse and control large quantities of specialised data. The Internet can give the opportunity for customers to try before they buy. For example the online record store Klik-Klik-Whirly-Bleep-Bleep gives the online shopper the opportunity to listen to any record before they buy it, an essential factor to regular purchasers of records and especially dj†s. There is also the potential of wider availability of hard-to-find products and wider selection of items due to the width and efficiency of the Internet. One such example being â€Å"Squaddies Online†, this company has developed its success by selling goods that are normal in everyday life in the United Kingdom but are sorely missed by those that are overseas for any great length of time. For instance amongst the current best selling items are Heinz Tomato Ketchup and HP Brown Sauce! The increase in the ability to undertake market research has inevitably led to the reductions in prices as more suppliers are able to compete in an electronically open market place. This increase in competition has lead to better quality and variety of goods through expanded markets and the ability to produce customised goods. When the motorbike company Dukati recently launched their online site they sold their stock within 31 minutes of opening with a popular feature being giving the customer the opportunity of designing the exact colour scheme of the bike. So far the benefits of e-commerce are outlined and you would be forgiven for immediately wanting to dream up your own way of becoming rich through the internet. But it is by no means plain sailing. Seven out of ten internet businesses located within the United Kingdom fail to trial their service before it is launched. Even then almost all are likely to have experienced problems and over a fifth are now experiencing significant customer service disruption as a result of sudden surges in demand or server overload. Hundreds of web sites and not just e-commerce services have been launched in the United Kingdom during 1999. The Pricewaterhouse Cooper group informs us on there website that this figure is set to explode to  £60 billion within the next three years. However market shares are going to be effected in ways previously unseen before through the failures of sites and service providers. Failure in e-commerce is not always going to be caused by poor products but rather by not building sites that are as efficient and usable as its competitors. For an e-commerce business to be successful it is essential that the sites are given thorough pilot tests so that faults can be found and also customer behaviour patterns can be learnt. It is possible that such a venture can take off as an amazing success however there is also the danger of overselling. This can cause potentially lethal consequences as if the server used is not big enough to cope with the demand then the site is likely to crash or be severly disrupted through overload. Indeed any e-commerce system should have some sort of early warning device to notify the programmers that there are problems as soon as possible. So far the e-commerce has only been covered in terms of the internet through use of the home computer. Digital television uses television to access a range of interactive services including e-mail and the internet. Once companies build websites to generate businesses they start to recognise the role the Internet could play in the communications process. However there are still worries that the Internet is still not receieving enough coverage in terms of those with access. However didgital television has the potential to cause a far greater impact. Digital television provides access to a larger target audience as its popularity is currently growing at an exponential rate. The large range of channels also means that communications can be tailored to suit the person viewing more effectively especially with the wide range of visual and audio devices at the sellers disposal. Security is not seen as the same potential mishap as on the internet as there aren†t fears hackers being able to break into sites and accessing personal information. By accessing the Open interactive service on digital television you are able to visit stores such as Next, Woolworths, WH Smiths and Dominos Pizza. All of which are firms that are highly reputable which will also give the customer confidence when using. However it is not such an easy options for companies as there is currently a high cost of entry when wishing to move into such ventures. Indeed currently companies are having to rely on the consumer having access to this technology E-commerce is growing at an explosive rate on the Internet. Before the end of this decade, millions of people will be buying, selling, bidding and advertising on a daily basis as the internet merges with other branches of the information highway. The new economies of scale that are evident for such companies drastically lower the cost of establishing and maintaining a successful company. It is vital that any business wanting to start up in e-commerce should continually examine the risks and opportunities created by such a venture. It is essential that designers make use of the technologies that are available. In the long-term the risks of lagging now are likely to exceed those of continuing with less then maximum adoption strategies. Currently the Internet does have its limitations that may not make it suitable for all ventures. However with the rate that technology is expanding the Internet will soon become â€Å"industrial strength† whereby it will be possible to comply with all requirements and safety regulations. This will also include what services can be accessed and by who. The emergence of Digital Television has also increased the significance of e-commerce as now even more people are able to purchase goods within a matter of seconds even if it is in a slightly different way. By encouraging e-commerce all sides will gain through lower prices and better quality. It is only a matter of time before e-commerce becomes an obvious part of our lives.

Love in “A Midsummer Nights Dream” Essay

In Shakespeare’s â€Å"a Midsummer Nights Dream† love is shown in many different ways. During the play there are many different sub-stories and extra plots that it is easy for Shakespeare to add many different ideas, these sub-stories in the play are the story of Pyrimus & Thisbee and also the story of the Fairy King and Queen Oberon and Titania. With these added plots in place Shakespeare adds the themes of deceit, magic and confusion. In Act 1 Scene 1 parental love is shown when Hermia’s father Egeus tries to get his daughter to marry Demetrius who he believes is much better for Hermia than her true love Lysander. Egeus believes he is protecting his daughter by attempting to force her to marry Demetrius but is actually going against his daughters wishes as she wants to marry Lysander, Egeus then presents her with an ultimatum which makes her choose to marry Demetrius of live a Celibate life in the church and it is at this point in the play that Hermia and Lysander choose to runaway. This is a good example of parental love going terribly wrong as Egeus loses control over his daughter when she deceives him by running away with the man her father disapproves of her marrying, this also starts of the plot of the confused lovers. Shakespeare portrays the confusion between Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius by using the fairies and the ideas of dreams and magic so the reader cannot tell what is reality and what is fantasy. It is at this point in the play when the fairies are brought into the play as the mischievous ‘Puck’ causes mayhem between the four Athenians. The confusion is caused when Oberon sees Helena constantly doting over Demetrius despite Demetrius’s love for Hermia, he then sends Puck to fetch a magical flower to put on the eyes of Demetrius so that he would wake and set eyes on Helena and fall in love with her, but this all goes wrong when he places the flower on Lysander’s eyes and he is woken by Helena, consequently falling in love with Helena and snubbing Hermia. The confusion thickens further as Puck then also applies the magical flower to Demetrius and he also falls in love with Helena and results in Lysander and Demetrius fighting over Helena. This keeps the r eaders interest because of the sudden role reversal between Hermia and Helena. The Confused Lovers is written into the play well into the play very well and effectively and by portraying it using fantasy and  magic Shakespeare is able to add another dimension to the play. By bringing magic into the play Shakespeare introduces the deceitful element to the love and also a higher level magical degree. The story of Oberon and Titania is one of Male Dominance, Jealousy and Conflict. Titania and Oberon are king and queen of the fairies and there relationship affects the goings on of nature. Titania’s part in the play is highly unpredictable as she shows love for 3 different characters; these characters are Oberon, Nick Bottom, and The changeling child. These are three different types of love, her love for Oberon seems forced and full of conflict, her love for Nick Bottom is due to the same magic as used on the confused lovers and her love for the Changeling Child is out of care and consideration as she has rescued it. The changeling child sparks the argument between Oberon and Titania and this leads to Titania’s abrupt love for Nick Bottom. This is planned by Oberon as revenge for Titania not giving him the changeling child as a servant. Titania’s love for Bottom is only due to magic and many other aspects, one of these aspects is Titania’s love of being in love and the love for bottom is very wrong. It is wrong as he is an innocent victim of Oberon and Puck’s trouble making and cannot do anything to stop what has happened and Titania takes advantage of this using her beauty and the luxurious treatment he gives him to get what she wants while he believes it is a dream, we realise this as he isn’t sure where he is or what happened to him. There is love between Hermia and Lysander and also Demetrius and Helena either side of the confusion when the four venture into the forest. The love between Lysander and Hermia is very true and exists from Lysander to Hermia and vice versa. This is displayed very early on in the play when Lysander refuses to give up on Hermia when her father demands she marry Demetrius and also when Hermia is willing to run away from a life of spoils and riches just to be with Lysander. This love is still the same at the end as neither Hermia nor Lysander have any memory of what happened due to magic yet again. On the other hand the love between Demetrius & Helena is forever changing up until the end of the play, at the start Helena’s love for Demetrius is doting and obsessive but Demetrius returns none of this love. This is well  shown when they are in the forest and Helena says â€Å"the more thy object me the more I dote on you† she continues to make comments like this even when Demetrius continually rejects her, it is obvious he dislikes Helena as he makes comments such as â€Å"I love thee not, therefore pursue me not† this makes it obvious to Helena that Demetrius dislikes her but she still pursues him right up until the end of the play when he finally falls in love with her. Although once more this love is only due to the magical works of Puck. The problems between Hermia and her father are resolved when the four now unconfused lovers are found by Theseus and Egeus in the forest, Theseus then heard of there love for each other and declared â€Å"fair lovers you are fortunately met† and all happiness is achieved. The four lovers have no memory of the events that have happened and think it is all a dream but it is actually reality. Shakespeare uses a variation of techniques and themes to portray love in â€Å"A Midsummer Nights Dream†. Many are successful but the sub plot of Pyramus and Thisbee is unsuccessful as it does not play a major part in the play and the reader knows that the happenings of the play are not reality but with the other themes the reader does not know whether the happenings were reality or not. The other themes are successful because of the fact that there is no differentiating between reality and dreams, I think Shakespeare is successful in portraying love in the play and I also believe that his extensive use of various themes is a key to this success.

I can not help but wonder why they would do this to me. I have been at peace with these humans for many years

For 300 years I have guarded my treasure. My family and I had taken it from a human's town that we once fumed upon. I took my share and placed it on the upland heath concealed in a barrow. No man should have seen it or even caught a reflection of these jewels sparkling in the light of the sun. I was isolated from this world because of what I am, the fire-drake, they call me. When Hygelac was king I did not bother his people often, even when the new ruler came to power for 50 years I did not bother his kingdom. A dirty human then snatched one of my treasure pieces right out of the barrow. The day I came back to my lair I knew something was missing. The precious cup made of gold and jewels had disappeared. Angry and full of rage I set forth to seek out the wretched thief, while returning to my barrow numerous of time to see if my eyes had deceived me. The gold treasure-cup was still no where to be found. I will burn them all to ashes. The fury that I possessed was uncontrollable. I could feel the anger slowly making its why through my body, and until I found the thief I was going to contain it. There were so many of these creatures how was I to know which one had my treasure-cup. They are all alike it does not matter who stole my gold treasure-cup. † Do not think to start anything with these humans Draco,† I turned around to see that it was my father and the leader of my kind, Drace. † You do not understand. I will not let these so called humans take advantage of me.† † It was just one golden treasure-cup that is all!† Why is Drace not agreeing with me? † It is that it was my treasure-cup and they came and bothered me first!† I roared back. † You are on your own then. For if one gold treasure-cup is worth starting a war over then so be it! But let this be known that I will not help you in any way. This is your battle. But let me also warn you of a man called, Beowulf, for he is unlike the rest of their kind.† With that, Drace left, and I was alone once again. The fact that my family was not on my side did not help the fact that I wanted to conceal my anger until the right time. I went out and nearly burned everything to the ground. That was my big mistake for now my barrow was now visible to any eye. I knew that they would soon come after me. I knew that some of these humans were not cowards. I began to prepare myself for the upcoming battle. I did not have much to fear, for my breath could do more harm than all of their swords combined. It still would have felt good to know that I had my family behind me. Shhh.. What was that? I know that they could not be coming for me so soon. Sweat begins to pour from his pores. I must remember that they are only humans. As the barbarians moved up the mound towards me I could see their leader very clearly. For he walked with his head high and look the strongest of all. This must be the man, Beowulf, that my father was talking of. But something about him caught my eye, why he did not look his age, but in his eyes I could tell that he had gone through many winters. Gaining back my confidence I proceeded upon them. Ha! Look at that old fool. Does he really believe that he can defeat me. The leader prepared himself for battle by putting up his shield. Ha! That shield will not protect you old fool. The man Beowulf swung his sword and I roared as it made contact with my body. The strength of this blow was something that I had never felt before. I was sure I had been wounded, but as I look not even a scratch was on me. I'm invincible! The look of shock replaced the courageous expression Beowulf once had. I enveloped him with a huge flame of fire I produced at that exact moment. The other humans with him ran off like cowards towards safety. The leader was left there fighting off the flames. I stopped in rejoiced in my glory, but the second I was going to end his life, the only noble warrior of his pushed him out of my grasp. This man was trying to save his leaders life. He was whispering something to him in a language I could not make out. Roar! I rushed at them and through the flame I could see the man protecting his leader. The leader shaking stood up and swung his great sword-blade and hit my head. Staggering, I saw the sword break. Running towards them I sunk my fangs into the throat of the man, Beowulf. As I turn I felt the blade of another sword. This time there was pain. The other man had drawn his sword upon my body and I was wounded. My vision began to fail and in pain I try to gather my strength back. Beowulf removed an object from his corselet and sharp sensations overwhelmed me.