General John Pemberton in the Civil War

General John Pemberton in the Civil War Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton was a Confederate commander during the Civil War. A native of Pennsylvania, he elected to serve the South as his wife was from Virginia. Pemberton had seen fighting during the Mexican-American War and was given command of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia. Though he proved unsuccessful in this role, he was admired by Confederate President Jefferson Davis and received a posting to lead the Department of Mississippi and West Louisiana. Heading west, Pemberton successfully protected the vital river town of Vicksburg in 1862, but was repeatedly bested by Major General Ulysses S. Grant the following year. His military career effectively ended after he was forced to surrender at the Siege of Vicksburg. Early Life Born August 10, 1814 in Philadelphia, PA, John Clifford Pemberton was the second child of John and Rebecca Pemberton. Educated locally, he initially attended the University of Pennsylvania before deciding to pursue a career as an engineer. To achieve this goal, Pemberton elected to seek an appointment to West Point. Using his familys influence and connections to President Andrew Jackson, he gained admittance to the academy in 1833. A roommate and close friend of George G. Meade, Pembertons other classmates included Braxton Bragg, Jubal A. Early, William H. French, John Sedgwick, and Joseph Hooker. While at the academy, he proved an average student and graduated ranked 27th of 50 in the class of 1837. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th US Artillery, he traveled to Florida for operations during the Second Seminole War. While there, Pemberton took part in the Battle of Locha-Hatchee in January 1838. Returning north later in the year, Pemberton engaged in garrison duty at Fort Columbus (New York), Trenton Camp of Instruction (New Jersey), and along the Canadian border before being promoted to first lieutenant in 1842. Mexican-American War Following service at Carlisle Barracks (Pennsylvania) and Fort Monroe in Virginia, Pembertons regiment received orders to join Brigadier General Zachary Taylors occupation of Texas in 1845. In May 1846, Pemberton saw action at the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma during the opening phases of the Mexican-American War. In the former, the American artillery played a key role in achieving victory. In August, Pemberton departed his regiment and became an aide-de-camp to Brigadier General William J. Worth. A month later, he earned praise for his performance at the Battle of Monterrey and received a brevet promotion to captain. Along with Worths division, Pemberton was shifted to Major General Winfield Scotts army in 1847. With this force, he took part in the Siege of Veracruz and the advance inland to Cerro Gordo. As Scotts army neared Mexico City, he saw further action at Churubusco in late August before distinguishing himself in the bloody victory at Molino del Rey the following month. Brevetted to major, Pemberton aided in the storming of Chapultepec a few days later where he was wounded in action. Fast Facts: Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton Rank: Lieutenant GeneralService: US Army/Confederate ArmyBorn: August 10, 1814 in Philadelphia, PADied: July 13, 1881 in Penllyn, PAParents: John and Rebecca PembertonSpouse: Martha ThompsonConflicts:  Second Seminole War,  Mexican-American War, Civil WarKnown For: Siege of Vicksburg Antebellum Years With the end of the fighting in Mexico, Pemberton returned to the 4th US Artillery and moved into garrison duty at Fort Pickens in Pensacola, FL. In 1850, the regiment transferred to New Orleans. During this period, Pemberton married Martha Thompson, a native of Norfolk, VA. Over the next decade, he shifted through garrison duty at Fort Washington (Maryland) and Fort Hamilton (New York) as well as assisted in operations against the Seminoles. Ordered to Fort Leavenworth in 1857, Pemberton took part in the Utah War the following year before moving on to the New Mexico Territory for a brief posting at Fort Kearny. Sent north to Minnesota in 1859, he served at Fort Ridgely for two years. Returning east in 1861, Pemberton assumed a position at the Washington Arsenal in April. With the outbreak of the Civil War later that month, Pemberton agonized over whether to remain in the US Army. Though a Northerner by birth, he elected to resign effective April 29 after his wifes home state left the Union. He did so despite pleas from Scott to remain loyal as well as the fact that two of his younger brothers elected to fight for the North. Early Assignments Known as a skilled administrator and artillery officer, Pemberton quickly received a commission in the Virginia Provisional Army. This was followed by commissions in the Confederate Army which culminated in his appointment as a brigadier general on June 17, 1861. Given command of a brigade near Norfolk, Pemberton led this force until November. A skilled military politician, he was promoted to major general on January 14, 1862 and placed in command of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia. Making his headquarters at Charleston, SC, Pemberton quickly proved unpopular with local leaders due to his Northern birth and abrasive personality. The situation worsened when he commented that he would withdraw from the states rather than risk losing his small army. Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton. Photograph Source: Public Domain When the governors of South Carolina and Georgia complained to General Robert E. Lee, Confederate President Jefferson Davis informed Pemberton that the states were to be defended to the end. Pembertons situation continued to degrade and in October he was replaced by General P.G.T. Beauregard. Despite his difficulties in Charleston, Davis promoted him to lieutenant general on October 10 and assigned him to lead the Department of Mississippi and West Louisiana. Early Vicksburg Campaigns Though Pembertons first headquarters was in Jackson, MS, the key to his district was the city of Vicksburg. Perched high on the bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, the city blocked Union control of the river below. To defend his department, Pemberton possessed approximately 50,000 men with around half in the garrisons of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, LA. The remainder, largely led by Major General Earl Van Dorn, was badly demoralized following defeats earlier in the year around Corinth, MS. Taking command, Pemberton began work to improve Vicksburgs defenses while blocking Union thrusts from the north led by Major General Ulysses S. Grant. Pressing south along the Mississippi Central Railroad from Holly Springs, MS, Grants offensive stalled in December following Confederate cavalry raids on his rear by Van Dorn and Brigadier General Nathan B. Forrest. A supporting thrust down the Mississippi led by Major General William T. Sherman was halted by Pembertons men at Chickasaw Bayou on December 26-29. Grant Moves Despite these successes, Pembertons situation remained tenuous as he was badly outnumbered by Grant. Under strict orders from Davis to hold the city, he worked to thwart Grants efforts to bypass Vicksburg during the winter. This included blocking Union expeditions up the Yazoo River and Steeles Bayou. In April 1863, Rear Admiral David D. Porter ran several Union gunboats past the Vicksburg batteries. As Grant began preparations to move south along the west bank before crossing the river south of Vicksburg, he directed Colonel Benjamin Grierson to mount a large cavalry raid through the heart of Mississippi to distract Pemberton. Possessing around 33,000 men, Pemberton continued to hold the city as Grant crossed the river at Bruinsburg, MS on April 29. Calling for aid from his department commander, General Joseph E. Johnston, he received some reinforcements which began to arrive in Jackson. Meanwhile, Pemberton dispatched elements of his command to oppose Grants advance from the river. Some of these were defeated at Port Gibson on May 1 while newly-arrived reinforcements under Brigadier General John Gregg suffered a setback at Raymond eleven days later when they were beaten by Union troops led by Major General James B. McPherson. Failure in the Field Having crossed the Mississippi, Grant drove on Jackson rather than directly against Vicksburg. This caused Johnston to evacuate the state capital while calling for Pemberton to advance east to strike the Union rear. Believing this plan to be too risky and cognizant of Davis orders that Vicksburg be protected at all costs, he instead moved against Grants supply lines between Grand Gulf and Raymond. On May 16, Johnston reiterated his orders forcing Pemberton to countermarch and throwing his army into a degree of confusion. Later in the day, his men encountered Grants forces near Champion Hill and were soundly defeated. Retreating from the field, Pemberton had little choice but to retreat towards Vicksburg. His rearguard was defeated the following day by Major General John McClernands XIII Corps at Big Black River Bridge. Heeding Davis orders and possibly concerned about public perception due to his Northern birth, Pemberton led his battered army into the Vicksburg defenses and prepared to hold the city. Battle of Vicksburg. Photograph Source: Public Domain Siege of Vicksburg Quickly advancing to Vicksburg, Grant launched a frontal assault against its defenses on May 19. This was repulsed with heavy losses. A second effort three days later had similar results. Unable to breach Pembertons lines, Grant commenced the Siege of Vicksburg. Trapped against the river by Grants army and Porters gunboats, Pembertons men and the citys residents quickly began to run low on provisions. As the siege continued, Pemberton repeatedly called for aid from Johnston but his superior was unable to raise the necessary forces in a timely manner. On June 25, Union forces detonated mine which briefly opened a gap in the Vicksburg defenses, but Confederate troops were able to quickly seal it and turn back the attackers. With his army starving, Pemberton consulted his four division commanders in writing on July 2 and asked if they believed the men to be strong enough to attempt an evacuation of the city. Receiving four negative responses, Pemberton contacted Grant and requested an armistice so that surrender terms could be discussed. The City Falls Grant refused this request and stated that only unconditional surrender would be acceptable. Reassessing the situation, he realized that it would take a tremendous amount of time and supplies to feed and move 30,000 prisoners. As a result, Grant relented and accepted the Confederate surrender on the condition that the garrison be paroled. Pemberton formally turned the city over to Grant on July 4. The capture of Vicksburg and subsequent fall of Port Hudson opened the entirety of the Mississippi to Union naval traffic. Exchanged on October 13, 1863, Pemberton returned to Richmond to seek a new assignment. Disgraced by his defeat and accused of disobeying orders by Johnston, no new command was forthcoming despite Davis confidence in him. On May 9, 1864, Pemberton resigned his commission as a lieutenant general. Later Career Still willing to serve the cause, Pemberton accepted a lieutenant colonels commission from Davis three days later and assumed command of an artillery battalion in the Richmond defenses. Made inspector general of the artillery on January 7, 1865, Pemberton remained in that role until the end of the war. For a decade after the war, he lived at his farm in Warrenton, VA before moving back to Philadelphia in 1876. He died in Pennsylvania on July 13, 1881. Despite protests, Pemberton was buried in Philadelphias famed Laurel Hill Cemetery not far from his roommate Meade and Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren.

About the Pendentive in Architecture and Engineering

About the Pendentive in Architecture and Engineering A pendentive is a triangular piece beneath a dome that allows the dome to rise high above the floor. Usually ornamented and four to a dome, pendentives make the dome appear as if its hanging in the air, like a pendent. The word is from the Latin pendens meaning hanging.   Pendentives are used for stabilizing a round dome on a square frame, resulting in enormous interior open space beneath the dome. The Dictionary of Architecture and Construction defines a pendentive as One of a set of curved wall surfaces which form a transition between a dome (or its drum) and the supporting masonry. Architectural historian G. E. Kidder Smith has defined the pendentive as A triangular spheroid section used to effect the transition from a square or polygonal base to a dome above. How did early structural engineers design round domes to be supported over square buildings? Beginning in about A.D. 500, builders began using pendentives to create additional height and carry the weight of domes in early Christian architecture of the Byzantine era. Dont worry if you just cant visualize this engineering. It took civilization hundreds of years to figure out the geometry and physics. Pendentives are significant in the history of architecture because they defined a new engineering technique that allowed interior domes to rise to new heights. Pendentives alsocreated a geometrically interesting interior space to be ornamented. Four pendentive areas could tell a visual story. More than anything, however, pendentives tell the real story of architecture. Architecture is about solving problems. For early Christians the problem was how to create soaring interiors that expresses mans adoration of God. Architecture also evolves over time. We say that architects build on each others discoveries, which makes the art and craft an iterative process. Many, many domes fell down into a crumble of ruin before the mathematics of geometry solved the problem. Pendentives allowed domes to soar and gave artists another canvas - the triangular pendentive became a defined, framed space. The Geometry of Pendentives Although Romans experimented with pendentives early on, the structural use of pendentives was an Eastern idea for Western architecture. It was not until the Byzantine period and under the Eastern Empire that the enormous structural possibilities of the pendentive were appreciated, writes Professor Talbot Hamlin, FAIA. To support a dome over the corners of a square room, builders realized that the diameter of the dome had to equal the diagonal of the room and not its width. Professor Hamlin explains: To understand the form of a pendentive, it is only necessary to place half an orange with its flat side down on a plate and cut equal portions vertically off the sides. What is left of the original hemisphere is called a pendentive dome. Each vertical cut will be in the shape of a semicircle. Sometimes these semicircles were built as independent arches to support the upper spherical surface of the dome. If the top of the orange is cut off horizontally at the height of the top of these semicircles, the traingular pieces still left will be exactly the shape of pendentives. This new circle can be made the base for a new complete dome, or a vertical cylinder can be built upon it to support another dome higher up. - Talbot Hamlin Summary: The Pendentive Look Sixth Century, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Salvator Barki/Moment/Getty Images 18th Century, Paris Pantheon, Chesnot/Getty Images 18th Century, St. Pauls Cathedral Dome, London, Peter Adams/Getty Images 18th Century, Mission Church in Conc, Arroyo Seco, Querà ©taro, Mexico, AlejandroLinaresGarcia via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 Sources Source Book of American Architecture, G. E. Kidder Smith, Princeton Architectural Press, 1996, p. 646Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Cyril M. Harris, ed., McGraw- Hill, 1975, p. 355Architecture through the Ages by Talbot Hamlin, Putnam, Revised 1953, pp. 229-230

The Current Health Status of Aboriginal Australian Population Essay

The Current Health Status of Aboriginal Australian Population - Essay Example It has constantly been emphasized that the poor health and wellbeing of Aboriginal Australians is brought about by economic and social factors such as higher unemployment levels, poor nutrition and sanitation, congested housing, lack of access to education, and poverty. As a result, it has been proposed that the additional health risks of obesity, diabetes, and substance misuse make mortality rates among Aboriginal Australians significantly higher than that of the overall non-Aboriginal Australian population (Lawrence & Worsley, 2007). This paper discusses the factors that contribute to the current health and wellbeing of Aboriginal Australians, factors that increase the prevalence of diabetes, and potential community-focused solution. Contributing Factors to the Current Health of Australian Aboriginal People As stated in the National Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Party report, â€Å"health to Aboriginal peoples is a matter of determining all aspects of their life, including co ntrol over the physical environment, of dignity, of community self-esteem, and of justice. It is not merely a matter of the provision of doctors, hospitals, medicines or the absence of disease and incapacity† (Connor-Fleming & Parker, 2001, 210). Customarily, in Indigenous communities there was no term or word for ‘health’ as recognized by non-Indigenous people, and it would not be easy for Aborigines to view ‘health’ as part of their existence (Eagar & Garrett, 2001). This traditional belief is one of the major determinants of Aboriginal health. Health advocates engaged in programs for Aboriginal communities should be sensitive to this culturally oriented perception of health. Apparently, the Aboriginal perception of health should shape the context for any program supporting Aboriginal health. Second contributing factor is social disadvantage. It is well documented that social disadvantage has the ability to endanger individual health and wellbeing. The connection between poor health and social disadvantage is demonstrated in the health condition of Aboriginal people (Larkin, 2006). As revealed in the National Health Strategy Research paper No. 1, and substantiated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Health and Welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples research in 1999, there have been several improvements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on wider social determinants, especially education (Connor-Fleming & Parker, 2001, 210). Nevertheless, according to Larkin (2006), on determinants of housing, economic standing, and employment status, these people were below Australian standards. Several scholars, like Thomson (1991) and Couzos and Murray (1999), claim that considerable economic and social disadvantage, political subjugation, and a history of cultural displacement and bigotry lead to seriously poor health and wellbeing for Aboriginal Australians. Matthews (1992) argued that a diverse paradig m that recognizes both the medical and social aspects of poor health is important. Where social circumstances are most unfavorable, the necessity for useful healthcare initiatives is

ATP biochemistry in the CNS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ATP biochemistry in the CNS - Essay Example It can be said to be a high energy molecule which is responsible for the storage of the energy required to carry out daily activities. Hence all the physiological mechanism in our body acquire energy for operation directly from Adenosine triphosphate. Cells maintain a supply of Adenosine phosphate through the oxidisation of food, as this releases energy. A remarkable ability of Adenosine triphosphate is that it may be involved in many reactions simultaneously, extracting and releasing energy at the same time. Adenosine Tri Phosphate in order to send messages and control chemical reaction is used as an on-off switch (Guyton& Hall 2000).  . Adenosine Tri phosphate induces the purinergic receptors in the brain (Matsuoka & Ohkubo, 2004). It may stimulate them directly or as a co-transmitter. This action is carried about via the P2 purinergic receptors. Adenosine Triphosphate is composed of an adenosine molecule attached to 3 phosphate groups. Adenosine itself is a purine nucleoside and has a role in not only various biochemical processes in the body but also serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter (Fredholm, Chen, Masino & Vaugeois, 2005). The formation of Adenosine triphosphate requires the addition of 3 phosphate groups to the Adenosine backbone. Adenosine is first converted into Adenosine monophosphate, then to Adenosine di phosphate and finally to Adenosine Triphosphate. ... Adenosine Tri phosphate is vital for all living cells, processes within the cell cannot use the energy stored in the bonds of a glucose molecule, and they have to rely on Adenosine triphosphate. Thus it is present in all living cells, and is particularly highly concentrated in the presynaptic terminals. This is because presynaptic terminals require a lot of energy for the maintenance of the resting membrane potential and the release of neurotransmitters (Burnstock 2013). Along with this, it is also the neurotransmitter in multiple areas of the brain. The neurotransmitter action is believed to be mediated by Adenosine Tri Phosphate as well as adenosine. And attempts to differentiate between the role of Adenosine Tri Phosphate and adenosine on post-synaptic terminals has been futile so far. Although their mechanism of action is different, they seem to have similar role in the postsynaptic cell. Adenosine Tri Phosphate acts via the P2X and P2Y receptors on the postsynaptic cell, and use s Ca++ as the second messenger. Meanwhile this Adenosine Tri Phosphate is also gradually broken down by hydrolysis to Adenosine Monophosphate and then to Adenosine by enzymes present on the surface of the plasma membrane (Dasgupta, Ferre?, Kull, Hedlund, Finnman, Ahlberg, Arenas, Fredholm, & Fuxe 1996). Ecto-alkaline phosphatase is thought to be the major enzyme in the formation of adenosine in the synaptic cleft. Adenosine then activates the A1 and A2 receptors and further augments the role of Adenosine Tri Phosphate. A1 and A2 receptors use cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate as the second messenger inside the cells and their activation leads to an increase in

Include strategies Essay Example for Free

Include strategies Essay Plan, implement and evaluate at least three activities for children in the foundation stage. You should ensure that across the three plans there are learning goals from each of the 6 areas of learning. Your plans should include strategies for differentiation.  Claire Field  Preston College  Introduction  The purpose of this work is to review the nature and content of the foundation stage curriculum and to consider the theoretical underpinning and underlying principles that have assisted in the formation of this early years practice. Through the planning and implementation of three activities, spanning the full spectrum of the foundation stage curriculum, the writer aims to identify and meet the needs of foundation stage children. This work will then evaluate the provisions for these children and investigate further the ways in which differentiation strategies can be implemented to ensure all children, regardless of their abilities, or stage of development, may receive the curriculum, delivered in a style appropriate to them and their own personal requirements. In 1988 the Conservative government, under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, legislated that a National Curriculum be in force for pupils between the ages of 5 and 16, because she believed that  a good educational system was essential for the future  success of the nation (Ridley, 1992, p92)  Although a curriculum was in place for ages 5 to 16, there was a distinct lack of standardised learning for the early years. Margaret Hodge joined the Department for Education in 1998 and was responsible for reforming pre-school education policy (www.news.bbc.co.uk 12/10/2006). She was actively involved in the implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum in September 2000 and the publishing of the guidance to accompany this. The abilities of children are multifaceted and the foundation stage curriculum gives practitioners a much less rigid approach than the National Curriculum, by following the childrens progress using stepping stones. As the foundation stage curriculum is a government legislated policy, this means that all children should follow it. As it is flexible in the way in which it is implemented, it means that different types of settings can fashion the teaching methods to follow it in their own way. This means that whether a child attends a pre-school, an LEA nursery, a work-based nursery, or indeed a childminder, they are provided with the same curriculum. This is governed by Ofsted who maintain this proviso through their regular inspections. Good planning is essential in ensuring that all the practitioners involved can build a picture of the childrens development programme. Not only does it provide them with a premeditated programme of learning, but it also gives an opportunity for discussion to take place, where they can think about how they can progress children through the various stages of learning. For the practitioner to ensure all areas of the curriculum are covered, the planning must,  entail attention to overall (long-term) planning, medium  and short-term planningfor every aspect of every  lesson (Cohen et al, 2004, p125) Long term planning ensures that all the areas and aspects of learning within the curriculum are covered throughout the whole year and provides a template for the medium term planning. Correct use of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, together with the knowledge of the practitioners relating to the individual children, means that the children experience new and exciting ways to learn through play. The long term plans of the settings must be flexible. They should incorporate the schools ethos and provide for an enriched curriculum with scope for differentiation to allow inclusion. Medium term planning then identifies the specific topics of work to be covered over the term, or half term. From these the practitioner then sets out the weekly activity plans, to guarantee full coverage of the learning outcomes within the set topics. It is vital that the plans cover the whole of the six areas of learning and that the practitioner assesses the progress of the children, in order to make certain that they are all progressing to the best of their capabilities. Recording achievements as stepping stones enables early years practitioners to carry out assessments whilst the children are involved in activities, thus preventing the child having any knowledge that an appraisal of their skills and understandings is being undertaken. Planning and evaluating the success criteria of an activity allows the practitioner to be certain that every area of the curriculum is covered. Piaget introduced three principles of cognitive development and these apply to all of the subjects studied in this report. His first principle is assimilation. He says that children do not absorb all the information they encounter. They actively engage in the assimilation process and learn what is relevant to them at their stage of development. The schema stage is next. During this phase the children relate what they know already to their current situation. The third phase is where the child wishes to seek stability cognitively. He utilises the knowledge gained and applies it to make a general logical picture (Oakley, 2004). From this it is clear to see how the children gain the learning and knowledge applicable to them by interpreting activities in their own way.

Hearing the Voice of God :: essays research papers

Do you like to talk out your problems with a friend? Do you like to hear other people’s problems? Why do we always need to share our problems with someone? The truth is, humans are weak. We’ve always known that we can’t live by ourselves. So, it’s not a question that we need to share our burdens with someone else. We want someone to feel what we’re going through. And we’re hoping that that friend of ours has a way out of it, right? Whatever it takes, we want our problems to be solved. Unfortunately, it’s not every time can we find someone who wants to hear our problems L. Well, that’s the way humans are. We’re not perfect. But our Father in heaven is. He will faithfully listen to everything we’ve got on our minds. He is the only one who has the way, the truth, and the life. Of course, He knows how to solve our problems and He will help us with them. Now, doesn’t that sound good? Well, don’t you want to learn to hear God’s voice? The question is†¦how does He talk to us? Here are a few ways: 1.)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He talks to us in audible voice. Wouldn’t that be totally cool? Can you imagine what His voice would sound like? Would it be deep like in the movies? Although not everybody could hear His audible voice like Paul and Samuel, there are many other ways for us to be able to hear Him. 2.)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He could speak to us through our surroundings. How? Well, let’s just say we’re going to go somewhere, but on the way there, there’s so many things that stands on our way. There could be an accident or traffic jam, or something. At a time like that we should probably ask God again if we should continue or not because we never know what’s going to happen there. 3.)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  God also speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit usually talks to us from our hearts. Have you ever experienced that? Like, sometimes, just out of the blue, you get this little voice or urge in your heart telling you to pray or read the bible? That’s the voice of the Holy Spirit and you shouldn’t ignore it. Or you could also be in the middle of a test and you’re stuck on one problem. You know you’ve seen the problem before, but you just can’t remember the right answer although you’ve prayed right before taking that test and all of a sudden the answer just came to you?

Obesity Crisis Speech

Thesis/Central Idea: Obesity Crisis Introduction: Obesity has become a controversial and great medical issue within today’s society. It is defined as a disease in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected. In other word, an increase of body fatty tissue mass. It can also be defined as a body mass index of around 30 or above (Mathur, 2007). Many studies show an association between excessive body weight and various diseases, particularly cancers and heart problems which directly relate to increased mortality and lower life expectancy.Body I. Main Point: In many countries, obesity has become a major problem. Obesity is rapidly rising especially in developing countries. A. Subpoint: Statistics indicate that obesity is a high-risk national malaise. 1. According to the World Health Organization, in year 2005, 400 million adults were obese. 2. And predicts that there will be more than 700 million adults will be obese in the world b y 2015. B. Subpoint: Childhood obesity is also at an all time high 1. According to the U. S.Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of obese children has increased by 54 percent in 6 to 11 year olds and 39 percent among 12 to 17 year olds. 2. That is to say that 16 to 33 percent of Americans within the ages of 6 to 17 are considered obese. 3. Unfortunately for children of the age of 7 who are obese, 40 percent of them will struggle obesity throughout their adulthood and be faced with many health complications. As for the obese adolescents, 70 percent of them will remain obese throughout their adult life. . Another statistic figures children between the ages 10 and 13 have an 80 percent chance of battling through the torments of an obese life as an adult. Transition: What causes obesity?II. Main Point: Genes, eating habits and a slow metabolism rate may all play a part. A. Subpoint: Most often, obesity tend to run in family which leads to genetic cause (Myers, 2004) 1. In one study, adults who were adopted as children were found to have weights closer to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents. . In this case, the person's genetic makeup has more influence on the development of obesity than the environment in the adoptive family home. B. Subpoint: Apart from hereditary factors, obesity also occurs when there is a combination of unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. 1. According to the American Academy of Child ;amp; Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), unhealthy weight gain due to poor dieting and lack of exercise is responsible for over an incredible 300,000 deaths a year. 2.Nowadays, most people indulge in static mental exercise such as surfing the internet, watching television and reading rather than physical activities. 3. This would lead to an increase in the rate of obesity as more and more people become lazier (Myers, 2004) C. Subpoint: Eating habits are essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preven ting the degenerate diseases in which are hand and hand with obesity. 1. The fast-food revolution and the carbohydrate-laden two-minute noodles as convenient substitutes for wholesome food also contribute to weight gain. .This is especially to those who have the eating habits of consuming a big portion of oily and fatty foods all at once. 3. Besides that, too much alcohol may also cause obesity because most alcoholic drinks are high in calories and this can lead to consuming more calories than we should. D. Subpoint: Obesity could also be caused by the slow metabolism rate of a person (Mathur, 2007) 1. Researchers found more metabolic and digestive disorders resulting from over consumption of trans-fats and refined white flour carbohydrates, combined with low fiber intake. 2.These eating patterns are known to interfere with food and energy metabolism in the body, and cause excessive fat storage. Transition: The effect of obesity is that people are getting fatter III. Main Point: Gro wing evidence shows that if you are overweight you are more likely to develop health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, gout and gallbladder disease. A. Subpoint: Being overweight can also cause problems such as sleep apnoea (interrupted breathing during sleep) and osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) B.Subpoint: Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes which reduces our body's ability to control blood sugar. 1. Therefore, a person’s blood glucose level will increase and later become obese 2. It is also a major cause of early death, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and blindness. C. Subpoint: Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women. 1. This is because overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight 2.Very high blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (blo od fats) can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to obesity. 3. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms (Mathur, 2007) Transition: There are many things we can do to control obesity IV. Main Point: Becoming more active is the best way to burn more calories and lose weight. A. Subpoint: As a citizen, we could help by walking or running at least 20 minutes a day. This will ensure that our heart stays healthy. . Also, if we know someone who is overweight, we should always try to support and encourage them to exercise. Quite often, people who are overweight will shy away from society, so any support we can give them will be greatly appreciated.2. We should be a role model for the younger generations to follow on how a healthy lifestyle is like. Also, a child could develop a healthier eating habit when they are still young as that’s their best learning time. B. Subpoint: It is imperative that the Government prioritize disease prevention and health promotion. . The government could organize health talks on obesity and publish advertisements through the media to show the damaging effects of obesity. 2. Measures have already been taken thanks to The Health Ministry’s Healthy Lifestyle campaign for promoting physical activity since factors such as environment, sports and recreational amenities influenced people’s inclination in this direction (Crawford, 2004) Conclusion: Obesity has a strong negative effect on the society and therefore, it is harmful.If society can take steps to solve the challenges faced, obesity will decline and people would have a healthier lifestyle. If obesity gets bad, then problems that come with it may be irreversible. Problems such as diabetes and heart conditions are common illnesses suffered by people who are obese. Therefore, there is a need to stop it from becoming a serious threat.Bibliography Crawford, Lester M. à ¢â‚¬Å"Government's role in combating the nation's obesity epidemic. Health & Human Services, June 2004 Mathur, R. â€Å"Obesity†, http://www. medicinenet. com/obesity_weight_loss/article. htm Myers, M. D. â€Å"Causes of obesity†, http://www. Weight. com. World Health Organization http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index. html U. S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention http://www. cdc. gov/obesity/index. html American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry http://www. aacap. org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens

Chipotle Case Analysis

Chipotle Case Analysis-By Team PYSHEN Strategic Issue: Chipotle plan to find out a correct and effective strategy to continue its sustainable growth and to maintain its profitability by penetrating high market share while competing with its powerful rivals in the fast-casual food industry. External Environment analysis: GENERAL: 1. Demographic: Population size (O): potential increase in US; Age structure: mainly servicing adult between 18-49 years old; Geographic distribution (O): 39 states in the US, 1 in British and 2 in Canada; Ethnic Mix: N/A; Income Distribution: medium or high income (Customers willing to pay the premium). . Economic (T): stagnate, increasing food cost price (demotic 3. 9%, global 37%) and customers’ dwindling budgets. 3. Political (T): ICE shifts its focus; PETA asked to use CAK; definition of healthy food. 4. Sociocultural (T): Higher wage for CIW. 5. Technological: Prevailing Social media (O); Tortilla grill machine (T). 6. Global: Cultural difference s for new stores (T) in international markets. 7. Physical Environment: N/A. INDUSTRY: 1. New entrants (H): Low Barrier, small economies scale, product taste better, and small capital requirements. 2. Suppliers (L): customized food, many local farms. . Buyers (H): low switch costs, sales represent all revenue. 4. Substitute (H), low switch cost, many choices. 5 Rivalry (H), many equally balanced competitors; low storage cost. Internal Environment Analysis: Tangible Resources: Financial (S): High ROI (approx. 10%) and operation cash flow. (V) Capacity to borrow: N/a. Organizational: autonomy in operation, strong incentive. (V). Physical: 22 independent distributers with high qualities. (R), hard to get â€Å"A† location, and higher cost of construct, new stores’ sales are cannibalized by existing ones. W), local supplier and regional distributer, which reduce cost of transportation (V, R, I) Tech: No tortilla grill (W). Intangible resources: Human (S): Restaurateur prog ram to train and reward managers to stay (V, I, R); Internal staff promotions and development (V). Innovation (S): Simple approach to menus with lots of combinations (V, I, R), Menu & Taste (V, R, I, N), Open kitchen design (V, I, R). Reputation (S): Brand name (V, I, R, N); organic, fresh and sustainable ingredients (V, I, R, N); LEED certified restaurants (V, R).Capabilities: relies on strictly chosen suppliers (I). HR: well motivated and empowered (V, I). Marketing (S): effective promotion of brand name (offer free burritos to neighboring; participation in charity fundraiser; setting up event) (V, I, R, N); valuable word-of-mouth from Facebook (V, I). Management information system: N/A. Management (W): simple structure with single office control may reduce the oversight. Manufacturing (S): food productions are reliable with high quality (V, R, I, N). R&D: (N/A).Core competencies: unique menu design, great taste with its sustainable ingredients and quick service visible for custom ers differentiate Chipotle from others. Strictly chosen suppliers help Chipotle meeting its food in integrity goals. Competitor Analysis: Chipotle has bunch of competitors, and Panera is the most powerful one. Both Panera and Chipotle strive to provide quality food with fast service, focus on building their brand image and establish loyal customer relationship to drive repeat sales, and are unwilling to finance themselves by credit (no long-term debt).However, Panera heavily relies on franchise to expand its market, and develops catering business to promote its sales in future, which parts Chipotle doesn’t involve. In fast-casual food market, Panera is a very strong competitor. Business level strategy: differentiation by offering sustainable ingredient and better taste as well as satisfied fast service. Alternatives: 1. Globalization by franchise: Chipotle only has three foreign stores, which located only in Anglo-Saxon countries.However, enlarging its foreign market is a lon g-term task, and is required more financial support. In current status, Chipotle has faced supplier shortage problem. Therefore building local suppliers is becoming more critical issue and need great efforts, and whether this activity can guarantee enough supplies, which meet Chipotle’s strict standards, is still in doubt. A better way is to franchise in international markets because local managers will more familiar with the needs of local customers. Another reason is that Chipotle is reluctant to finance by debt.Through franchising in foreign markets, Chipotle may gather positive cash flows to fund company owned restaurants in U. S. , and avoid large uncertain expense, cultural shock as well as political risks that may be incurred in foreign markets. 2. Exploiting its suppliers: A possible way to penetrate more market share is to exploit and streamline its suppliers. The case shows that the company developed its suppliers by restrict quality, price and protocol standards. S ome supplies shortages have been happened and some restaurants cannot operate smoothly without key ingredients.Chipotle did a good job in its downstream business, which is to provide a qualified food and services; however, it upstream still needs to be well exploited efficiently to meet the huge needs of customers. Two feasible ways may not only lower the food cost but also overcome the shortage. One is developing more qualified suppliers in foreign markets. Although, the requirement of suppliers is hard to meet, Chipotle could corporate with local governments to acquire standardized supplies (successful example is KFC in China). The tariff and freight may be offset by lower labor cost.The other way is to tap into more potential suppliers, with an enlarged supply chains, the company may enjoy a lower cost by economic scale effect. Recommendation: Comparing with the above alternatives, we recommend Chipotle to adopt the second one. The relationship with suppliers is considered as one of its capabilities, and thus, adopting the second method may involve less risky. If the company implements it appropriately, an efficient and effect supply chain could also become its core competency, reduce its cost of goods sold and achieve expected SSS growth.

Internet Privacy essays

Internet Privacy essays One of the most important advances in the rapidly developing world of electronic commerce is the ability of companies to develop personalized relationships with their customers. Personalization empowers companies to better understand their customers' wants and desires and improve customer service by tailoring offerings to the unique needs of individuals . At the same time, this has become a subject of hot controversy because the technology involves the extensive collection and use of personal data. Many, if not most, online shoppers and surfers are not aware of the extent of how much and what kind of info can be gathered about a person, even someone who is just visiting and not shopping or signing up for anything. Through the use of the "cookie" technology, a person's movement through the Web can be tracked to provide information. Using cookies a website assigns each individual a unique identifier (but not the actual identity), so that the he may be recognized in subsequent visits to the site. On each return visit, the site can call up user-specific information, which could include the consumer's preferences or interests, as indicated by documents the consumer accessed in prior visits or items the consumer clicked on while in the site. Websites can also collect information about consumers through hidden electronic navigational software that captures information about site visits, including web pages visited and information downloaded, the types of browser used, and the referri ng websites' Internet addresses. The result is that a website about gardening that Jane Doe that could sell not only her name to mail-order companies, but also the fact that she spent a lot of time one Saturday night last month reading about how to fertilize roses. More disturbing scenarios along the same lines could be imagined. However, although concern about privacy and security has long been the biggest issue with online shoppers ¾particularly with the sa...

Using JavaScript in Your C++ Applications for Chrome

Using JavaScript in Your C++ Applications for Chrome When Google released its Chrome browser, the company included a fast implementation of JavaScript called V8, the client-side scripting language included in all browsers. Early adopters of JavaScript back in the era of Netscape 4.1 didnt like the language because there were no tools for debugging and each browser had different implementations, and different versions of Netscape browsers differed as well. It wasnt pleasant writing cross-browser code and testing it on lots of different browsers. Since then, Google Maps and Gmail came along using the whole Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) technologies, and JavaScript had enjoyed a major comeback. There are now decent tools for it. Googles V8, which is written in C, compiles and executes JavaScript source code, handles memory allocation for objects, and garbage collects objects it no longer needs. V8 is so much faster than the JavaScript in other browsers because it compiles to native machine code, not bytecode that has been interpreted. JavaScript V8V8 isnt only for use with Chrome. If your C application requires scripting for users to be able to write code that executes at run-time, then you can  embed  V8 in your application. V8 is an open source high-performance JavaScript engine licensed under the liberal BSD license. Google has even provided an embedders guide. Heres a simple example that Google provides- the classic Hello World in JavaScript. It is intended for C programmers who want to embed V8 in a C application int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {// Create a string holding the JavaScript source code.String source String::New(Hello , World) ;// Compile it.Script script Script::Compile(source) ;// Run it.Value result script-Run() ;// Convert the result to an ASCII string and display it.String::AsciiValue ascii(result) ;printf(%s\n, *ascii) ;return 0;} V8 runs as a standalone program, or it can be embedded in any application written in C.

Case assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Case assignment - Essay Example He had to make the decision with the following factors to be considered: the current economic condition makes it difficult to find employment; his experience and recently completed associate’s degree in supervisory management could be plus factors; his seniority position could protect him from being considered for retrenchment and make him potentially accountable for claims for legal action from the department of labor. The dominant issue in the case is the right of employees to join labor unions. As part of a health care institution, Marilyn Becker, the nursing supervisor for the second shift cardiac care unit was noted to have overhead a colleague enjoining other nurses to join a union. Due to this, Becker reported the incident to Denise Capp, reportedly the director of nursing services. Capp was revealed to send a memo encouraging personnel to report those identified to encourage others in joining the union and to ultimately stop even considering joining it. As such, the concerns that were evident from the case facts include: could management preclude employees from joining the union? What are the rights of employees in joining labor unions? What are the factors which could justify employees’ decision or preference to join labor unions? Finally, given the memo that was issued by Capp, what courses of action should be taken which are consistent with labor laws regarding rights to join labor unions? The issue in the case focused on concepts of management and leadership. As disclosed, Bryan Scott was an area supervisor for New Vision Fast Food Shoppes (Leonard, LAST ONE OUT -LOCK THE DOORS). The recent acquisition of similar stores (eight Citgo convenience stores) inevitably put tremendous strain and pressure in Scott’s supervisory governance. Due to economic condition and difficulties, it was revealed that there were specifically identified stores to be closed (six to be exact). The current issues that need to be taken into consideration

Individualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Individualism - Essay Example The major schools of thought can be broken down into biocentrism, sentientism, ratiocentrism and anthropomorphism (weak and strong). In attempting to discover which of these views is most justified, it is necessary to understand the basic ideas each school of thought represents. Biocentrism is, roughly speaking, a system in which the criterion for inherent worth is based upon the simple-seeming criterion of whether one lives or not. Because all living things have the right to exist, we, as thinking beings, hold moral responsibility to ensure that we do not interfere with this right. â€Å"[Taylor] contends that in addition to our moral obligations toward our fellow humans, we also owe duties to wild living things in their own right †¦ He agrees with Goodpaster’s argument that one can deny that non-humans have rights and yet hold that they are moral patients toward whom moral agents have duties and responsibilities† (Kocer, 2001). Being the center of a life force is grounds enough to fulfill to the biocentrist viewpoint, but this introduces problems as one must consider that all life forms must hold inherent worth equally – the human as well as the cockroach – despite obvious differences in understanding and awareness. As even Taylor hints, there must be something more to the question than simply the idea that one respirates and reproduces. This is where the ideas of sentientism arise. While philosophers such as Singer suggest that this term is applied to any creature that demonstrates capacity to feel pleasure or pain, â€Å"the term ‘sentient’ refers more broadly to consciousness of something or other, rather than to consciousness of pleasure and pain specifically† (Jamieson, 2003: 192). However, when it is applied in this sense, it is usually limited to the view of something being able to express it is feeling pleasure or pain. Under this view, things gain inherent