South Beach Diet: The Healthy Low Carb Alternative :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

South Beach Diet: The Healthy Low Carb Alternative The South Beach Diet is a healthy alternative for promoting a healthy heart and lifestyle and for losing weight. Though often referred to as a low carbohydrate diet, South Beach does not endorse eating the unlimited fats and proteins that have become a signature criticism of the low carb diets. Instead, the diet was created with the intention of improving people’s cardiovascular health while also helping them to lose weight. The general concerns voiced about low carbohydrate diets do not apply to the South Beach Diet. The main criticism of the low-carbohydrate diets is that they allow unlimited consumption of fats and proteins, therefore putting people at a greater risk for heart disease. Although the South Beach Diet is often grouped in with other low-carbohydrate diets, Dr. Agatston, the diet’s creator, wants people to think of it as a healthy lifestyle, not a diet. To dispel any myths that this diet is unhealthy because it is viewed as a low-carb diet, let’s begin with a brief overview of what is and is not allowed on this diet. The South Beach Diet does begin with a strict two week phase of very few carbohydrates, excluding all bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. As soon as the two week phase is over, people can begin reintroducing â€Å"good†carbs such as whole wheat bread and fruit that have nutritional value, like fiber, while still excluding the â€Å"bad† ca rbohydrates such as processed flour that has lost most of the natural nutrients. With the reduction in carbs, there is a higher consumption of proteins (they are included in just about every meal), but some protein rich foods such as fatty meats (for example, duck and chicken wings) are prohibited. This is because fatty meats contain higher levels of saturated fats, the â€Å"bad† fat that is linked to heart disease, which are avoided as much as possible. On the other hand, good sources of unsaturated fats such as nuts, fish, and olive oil are encouraged. The South Beach Diet is really about making better choices when eating, which includes choosing the right carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for a healthier heart. More important than the structure of the diet is why the diet originated.

Fdi in North America

Analysis of Foreign Direct Investments of North America Kristin Daughdril & William Cassidy Business Administration 418 Abstract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an investment involving a long-term relationship and reflecting a lasting interest in and control by a resident entity in one economy of an enterprise resident in a different economy (UNCTAD). There are two types of FDI, inflows and outflows, which can be used to help determine the investment strategies and economies of countries engaged in FDI.North America has been the source of nearly one-half of all investment and almost three-quarters of the jobs created throughout the globe (Huggins, 442). North America is probably the most important continent when it comes to dealing with FDI. The three main countries of North America, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, all rank in the top 15 of world economies, proving them to be desirable partners in FDI transactions.The trends of FDI discussed in this report will be unpar alleled to this information and can lead to some predictions on how future trends of the countries of North America will continue to be superior to that of the other continents of the world. Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment, FDI Inflow, FDI Outflow Foreign Direct Investment is investment of a company located in a different country either by buying a company in the country or expanding its business into the country. FDI can be done for many purposes.Companies may have tax incentives abroad, cheaper labor, abundant resources, target-specific markets or other reasons to enter into direct investment with a foreign country. Three components of FDI include equity capital, reinvestment earnings, and intra-company loans. These three components are the values that, if changed, will affect FDI first-hand. FDI inflows are flows of investment into the reporting country from a non-resident entity. Outflows are just the opposite. They are the reporting countries’ investments into a coun try abroad.FDI has become a major factor in accessing economic power in the world economy. The North American continent consists of many countries including the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, Mexico, Belize, Haiti, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and many others. This report focuses on the only two developed countries in North America, US and Canada, as well as another top economy of the world, Mexico. It has been found that North America has been the source of one-half of all foreign direct investment in the globe (Huggins, 442). All three countries are ranked in the top 15 in world economies.All three counties are members of WTO and, in spite of the differences in views on international trade and investment among the three countries; they entered NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). NAFTA, along with the Canadian US Free Trade Agreement, CUSFTA, has increased the desirability of interest in the North American economic integration (Bird, 406). In the Americas, FDI is gove rned by a multi-layered system of agreements that include national investment statutes, bilateral investment treaties, free trade agreements, common markets, and multilateral instruments (Haslem).NAFTA: Recently, foreign direct investment has changed from relying on how much a country exports, to now focusing more on trade between countries. In order to focus more on trade, many countries have abolished some trade barriers between countries, causing countries to do away with the protectionism strategy. Mexico, Canada, and the US decided to become a part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. This agreement allows the countries to trade freely. As a result of NAFTA, their foreign direct investment rose dramatically; Mexico, as well as Canada, has seen a great increase in FDI and import production.This also lowers the cost of trading between these countries because they are close to each other. This reduces the cost of transportation, causing an incentive to trade together. This treaty is a big reason for Mexico and Canada’s success. Mexico: Mexico is the second largest recipient of FDI in Latin America and the Caribbean. Foreign direct investment plays a big role with Mexico’s success. More countries participate in trade with countries that have an open economy, since they do not have as many taxes and tariffs that many protectionist countries have.According to the World Investment Report 2006 published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in 2005, ‘Mexico received more than 19 billion U. S dollars which puts it among the top 13 in the world and among the top four in developing countries. The United States has a big impact on Mexico’s economy. The spike in foreign direct invest in 2001 was due to the $12. 5 billion purchase of Banamex by United States’ Citigroup. This caused a dramatic increase in the FDI of Mexico in 2001.By looking at the graph of FDI flows within Mexico, it appears that th ere was a major drop of FDI in 2002; this is only due to 2001 being such a good year for Mexico. Canada: Foreign direct investment in Canada has increased dramatically from 1990 to 2002, an increase of four and a half times within these twelve years. The United States has a major affect on FDI in Canada. In 2001, United States obtained 90 percent of the inflows and 62 percent of the outflows. This is due to the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement which has increased the cross-border transactions between the two countries.The removal of trade barriers has had a positive effect on the FDI in Canada. The increased presence of international entities in Canada helps to provide favorable economic conditions which are attractive to foreign investors. Since NAFTA, foreign direct investment has increased continuously; without it, Canada’s FDI would not be what it is today. United States: The United States have recently dominated the foreign investment playing field amon g the world economies. The position of the outward flow of FDI has exceeded that of the inward flow every year since 1982.Inflow and outflow are mainly dealt with developed economies, the largest partner being the United Kingdom, closely followed by Canada. Mexico is ranked number 12 as FDI partners with the US. Inward flows of FDI come mainly from the UK, Japan, Canada, and Switzerland. The US experienced steady growth from 1992 to 1998 followed by rapid growth in FDI inflow in 1999 and 2000. The high level of capital inflows between 1999 and 2001 reflects the strong foreign interest in US technology and telecommunications firms during the stock market boom years, prior to the market downturn in 2001 (Bloodgood). 001 recorded the lowest inflow increase the US had seen in many years. This could be due to the terrorist attacks on the world trade centers, causing the stock market crash. Investors may have feared the threat of potential future terrorist attacks. By 2004, investors saw past this threat and the US inflows went on the rise again (Dutta). United States’ outward flow of FDI transact mainly with the UK, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda (Bloodgood). The flow of FDI into other countries stayed steady up until 2004 when the flow increased drastically.This was due to reinvested earnings and the decline of the value of US dollar compared to important host affiliates. Earnings in several industries grew sharply. In 2005, the US recorded its lowest percentage increase in FDI since 1982. The reason for this was that reinvested earnings turned negative in 2005, as cumulative retained earnings of foreign affiliates were drawn down to fund distributors to US parent counties as a result of tax incentives provided by the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (Koncz).The rise of outward FDI continued, however, to rise as though 2005 did not occur. Predictions: All three of the countries that have been studied from North America in the research paper have come across many setbacks and burdens in the past years when dealing with foreign direct investment. All three have also overcome many obstacles in order to pursue economic power by becoming international market influencers. All three counties show continued signs of reasonably steady growth in FDI outflow. Inward flow of FDI seems to be similar between the US and Canada.They have both had somewhat inconsistent rises in the inward flow. Nonetheless, they both continue trade with each other and probably will never decline in that particular area. Mexico has had relatively steady increases in inward flow of FDI and continue to rise, leading us to believe that they will continue on their pace to trying to become a developed economy.References Bird, F. , Vance, T. , ;amp; Wollstencroft, P. (2009). Fairness in International Trade and Investment: North American Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 84, 405-425. Bloodgood, L. 2008). Inbound and Outbound U. S. Direct Investment with Leading P artner Companies. Journal of International Commerce ;amp; Economics, 63-111. Borga, M. , ;amp; Yorgason, D. R. (2002).   Direct Investment Position for 2001: Country and Industry Detail. Survey of Current Business, 82(7), 23-25. Braithwaite, W. , Ciardullo, J. (2006). Investors Set Sights on Canada. International Financial Law Review, 45-49. Dutta, A. S. , Theis, J. , ;amp; Su, R. (2007). FDI into the US, 1998-2004. International Journal of Finance, 19(2), 4370-4379. Galan, B. , Oladipo, O. 2009) Have Liberalization and NAFTA had a Positive Impact on Mexico’s Output Growth?. Journal of Applied Economics. 12(1):159-180. Haslem, Paul Alexander. (2010). The Evolution of the FDI Regime in the Americas. Third World Quarterly, 31, 1181-1203. Huggins, R. , Demirbag, M. , ;amp; Ratcheva, V. (2007). Global Knowledge and R;amp;D FDI Flows. International Review of Applied Economics, 21 (3), 437-451. Koncz, J. L. , ;amp; Yorgason, D. R. (2006). Direct Investment Position for 2005: Coun try and Industry Detail. Survey of Current Business, 86 (7), 20-35. Koncz, J. L. , ;amp; Yorgason, D. R. (2005). Direct Investment Position for 2004: Country and Industry Detail. Survey of Current Business, 85 (7), 40-53. Leitao, N. (2010). Foreign Direct Investment: The Canadian Experience. International Journal Of Economics ;amp; Finance, 2(4), 82-88. Oladipo, O. S. , ;amp; Vasquez Galan, B. I. (2009). The Controversy About Foreign Direct Investment as a Source of Growth for the Mexican Economy. Problemas Del Desarrollo. Revista Latinoamericana De Economia, 40(158), 91-112. Rosenzweig, P. M. (1994). The New â€Å"American Challenge†: Foreign Multinationals in the US. California Management Review, 36 (3), 107-123. Tancer, R. S. (1997). Foreign Investment in North America and the Pharmaceutical Industry in Canada. International Executive, 39 (2), 283-297. Waldkirch A. The Effects of Foreign Direct Investment in Mexico since NAFTA. World Economy [serial online]. May 2010;33(5) :710-745. Mexico: Inward FDI flow Mexico: Outward FDI flow Canada: Inward FDI flow Canada: Outward FDI flow United States: Inward FDI flow United States: Outward FDI flow

Usmle Step 2 Ck Review Notes

J 1 J Premenopausal Pelvic mass ?-hCG test + Sono: simple cyst + Sono: complex/solid + Acute severe pain  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH J J (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 2 CV disease & Hormone Therapy J Recommendations: HT (E+P) 2003 Critique of WHI study  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 3 Menopause WHI â€Å"WINDOW of OPPORTUNITY† Critical period for maximum response to HT 10 yrs too Late!! Start HT here  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH Nonoral Options in Hormone Therapy, OBG Management supplement to November 2004 Not Here Natural HistoryTreatment Non-contraceptive Benefits Steroid Contraception Progestin Progestin Progestin Hysterectomy v Dysmenorrhea v DUB v PID v Ectopic preg suppress PG release stabilizes endometrium thickens cervical mucus thickens cervical mucus TAH, BSO  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 4 Metabolic Effects Steroid contraception He althy lipid profile (^ HDL, v LDL) Oral Contraceptives Risk of CANCER Estrogen mediated THROMBOSIS ^ venous & arterial v Endometrial ^ Cervical = ^ Breast Ovarian Unhealthy lipid profile (v HDL, ^ LDL)Progestin mediated  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH Contraception Review Intrauterine Contraception Steroid Contraception  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH (August, 2011)  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 5 Contraceptive Failure Rates Reversible Methods Basic Principles of Contraception Avoid contraindications  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH Basic Principles of Contraception Avoid contraindications FEW Complic Completed childbearing Sterlization  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 6 FEMALE – Next step in management? -hCG ? -hCG ? -hCG ? -hCG PREGNANCY – Next step in management? OB sono OB Sono OB Sono OB SONO J J (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 7 Pathophysiology J F E T U S Vol of RBC need ed: varies from 0. 1mL to 450 mL M O M J Mechanism of FHR Decelerations HEAD Compression Compression CORD PLACENTAL Insufficiency  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 8 Fetal Fibronectin â€Å"Trophoblast Glue† Matrix that bonds Trophoblast to Decidua Predictor of Preterm Delivery  © Elmar P. Sakala, MD, MPH Cervical Length Vaginal Sonogram Saggital Image Normal: > 25 mm 1 3 4 (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 9 Described in notes p. 44 Agent TOCOLYTIC agents Side Effects Contraindications J MgSO4 ? -Adrenergic Agonists Ca++ channel blockers PG synthetase inhibitors Muscle weakness Renal insuffic Respiratory depression Myasthenia gravis Pulmonary edema v? BP, tachycardia, ^ glucose, v K+, Pulmonary edema Tachycardia, v BP Myocardial depression Cardiac disease Diabetes Uncontrolled ^T4 Cardiac disease Hypotension Oligohydram, Gestational age IU closure PDA, Necrotiz enterocolitis > 32 weeks J (c) Elmar P. Sakala, MD MPH (2011) 10

Taxi Driver Analysis essays

Taxi Driver Analysis essays One of the greatest artistic films of all time is none other than Martin Scorseses Taxi Driver. The film is less a realistic drama than it is a turmoil of the unconscious. The events depicted in the film could not haven take place in our modern world. Scorsese shows us a Hell on Earth environment, and by taking us out of our world of conventions; the film depicts a seemingly all too real depiction of the human mind, and the potential of its limits. The main aspect of the film captivating story is its exquisite development of the character, Travis Bickle. This man represents every man in his loneliness and potential for violence. His inner psyche is in no way real, but rather a nightmare. By constantly reinforcing the dreamlike nature of the story, the director makes it seem that we are floating in Bickles mind, and everything we see we realize is not the way it really is, but the way he sees it. The narratology of this film makes it no less a documentary of the human mind than it is a story. When we look at the movie from this perspective, we can see that the Bickle is very much like us. He is frightened by what he does not understand. He is alienated by a seemingly cold society that rejects his attempts at intimacy. Perhaps we have all not been alienated in this way, but surely all of us have felt alone and sometimes afraid. At certain times we agree to him as a sophisticated idealist, while other times we portray him as a ps ycho. The story makes his inner mentality all too realistically believable. Robert De Niro magnificently portrays his character right down to the core, intensifying the oh so shockingly real personality of Travis Bickle. He has exploited every aspect of his character and from his on screen performance; he has embodied himself into Bickles delirium. De Niro even went as far as actually getting a taxi driving license, to get a sense of what the ...

The Galapagos Affair

The Galapagos Affair The Galapagos Islands are a small chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean off the western coast of Ecuador, to which they belong. Not exactly a paradise, they are rocky, dry and hot, and are home to many interesting species of animals found nowhere else. They are perhaps best known for the Galapagos finches, which Charles Darwin used to inspire his Theory of Evolution. Today, the Islands are a top-notch tourist attraction. Normally sleepy and uneventful, the Galapagos Islands captured the worlds attention in 1934 when they were the site of an international scandal of sex and murder. The Galapagos Islands The Galapagos Islands are named after a sort of saddle which is said to resemble the shells of the giant tortoises that make the islands their home. They were discovered accidentally in 1535 and then promptly ignored until the seventeenth century when they became a regular stopping point for whaling ships looking to take on provisions. The government of Ecuador claimed them in 1832 and no one really disputed it. Some hardy Ecuadorians came out to make a living fishing and others were sent to penal colonies. The Islands big moment came when Charles Darwin visited in 1835 and subsequently published his theories, illustrating them with Galapagos species. Friedrich Ritter and Dore Strauch In 1929, German doctor Friedrich Ritter abandoned his practice and moved to the Islands, feeling he needed a new start in a faraway place. He brought with him one of his patients, Dore Strauch: both of them left spouses behind. They set up a homestead on Floreana Island and worked very hard there, moving heavy lava rocks, planting fruits and vegetables and raising chickens. They became international celebrities: the rugged doctor and his lover, living on a far-off island. Many people came to visit them, and some intended to stay, but the hard life on the islands eventually drove most of them off. The Wittmers Heinz Wittmer arrived in 1931 with his teenage son and pregnant wife Margret. Unlike the others, they remained, setting up their own homestead with some help from Dr. Ritter. Once they were established, the two German families apparently had little contact with one another, which seems to be how they liked it. Like Dr. Ritter and Ms. Strauch, the Wittmers were rugged, independent and enjoyed occasional visitors but mostly kept to themselves. The Baroness The next arrival would change everything. Not long after the Wittmers came, a party of four arrived on Floreana, led by Baroness Eloise Wehrborn de Wagner-Bosquet, an attractive young Austrian. She was accompanied by her two German lovers, Robert Philippson and Rudolf Lorenz, as well as an Ecuadorian, Manuel Valdivieso, presumably hired to do all the work. The flamboyant Baroness set up a small homestead, named it Hacienda Paradise and announced her plans to build a grand hotel. An Unhealthy Mix The Baroness was a true character. She made up elaborate, grand stories to tell the visiting yacht captains, went about wearing a pistol and a whip, seduced the Governor of Galapagos and anointed herself Queen of Floreana. After her arrival, yachts went out of their way to visit Floreana; everyone sailing the Pacific wanted to be able to boast of an encounter with the Baroness. However, she did not get along well with the others. The Wittmers managed to ignore her but Dr. Ritter despised her. Deterioration The situation quickly deteriorated. Lorenz apparently fell out of favor, and Philippson started beating him. Lorenz started spending a lot of time with the Wittmers until the Baroness would come and get him. There was a prolonged drought, and Ritter and Strauch began to quarrel. Ritter and the Wittmers became angry when they began to suspect that the Baroness was stealing their mail and badmouthing them to visitors, who repeated everything to the international press. Things turned petty. Philippson stole the Ritters donkey one night and turned it loose in the Wittmers garden. In the morning, Heinz shot it, thinking it feral. The Baroness Goes Missing Then on March 27, 1934, the Baroness and Philippson disappeared. According to Margret Wittmer, the Baroness appeared at the Wittmer home and said that some friends had arrived on a yacht and were taking them to Tahiti. She said she left everything they werent taking with them to Lorenz. The Baroness and Philippson departed that very day and were never heard from again. A Fishy Story There are problems with the Wittmers story, however. No one else remembers any ship coming in that week, and the Baroness and Wittmer never turned up in Tahiti. Additionally, they left behind almost all of their things, including ( according to Dore Strauch) items that the Baroness would have wanted on even a very short journey. Strauch and Ritter apparently believed that the two were murdered by Lorenz and the Wittmers helped cover it up. Strauch also believed that the bodies were burned, as acacia wood (available on the island) burns hot enough to destroy even bone. Lorenz Disappears Lorenz was in a hurry to get out of Galapagos and he convinced a Norwegian fisherman named Nuggerud to take him first to Santa Cruz Island and from there to San Cristobal Island, where he could catch a ferry to Guayaquil. They made it to Santa Cruz but disappeared between Santa Cruz and San Cristà ³bal. Months later, the mummified, desiccated bodies of both men were found on Marchena Island. There was no clue as to how they got there. Incidentally, Marchena is in the northern part of the Archipelago and not anywhere near Santa Cruz or San Cristà ³bal. The Strange Death of Dr. Ritter The strangeness did not end there. In November of the same year, Dr. Ritter died, apparently of food poisoning due to eating some poorly-preserved chicken. This is odd firstly because Ritter was a vegetarian (although apparently not a strict one). Also, he was a veteran of island living, and certainly capable of telling when some preserved chicken had gone bad. Many believed that Strauch had poisoned him, as his treatment of her had gotten much worse. According to Margret Wittmer, Ritter himself blamed Strauch. Wittmer wrote that he cursed her in his dying words. Unsolved Mysteries Three dead, two missing over the course of a few months. The Galapagos Affair as it came to be known is a mystery that has puzzled historians and visitors to the islands ever since. None of the mysteries have been solved. The Baroness and Philippson never turned up, Dr. Ritters death is officially an accident and no one has any clue how Nuggerud and Lorenz got to Marchena. The Wittmers remained on the islands and became wealthy years later when tourism boomed: their descendants still own valuable land and businesses there. Dore Strauch returned to Germany and wrote a book, fascinating not only for the sordid tales of the Galapagos affair but for its look at the hard life of the early settlers. There will likely never be any real answers. Margret Wittmer, last of those who really knew what happened, stuck to her story about the Baroness going to Tahiti until her own death in 2000. Wittmer often hinted that she knew more than she was telling, but its hard to know if she really did or if she just enjoyed tantalizing tourists with hints and innuendos. Strauchs book doesnt shed much light on things: she is adamant that Lorenz killed the Baroness and Philippson but has no proof other than her own (and supposedly Dr. Ritters) gut feelings. Source Boyce, Barry. A Travelers Guide to the Galapagos Islands. San Juan Bautista: Galapagos Travel, 1994.

Akagi Aircraft Carrier in World War II and the Battle of Midway

Akagi Aircraft Carrier in World War II and the Battle of Midway Ordered in 1920, Akagi (Red Castle) initially was designed as an Amagi-class battlecruiser mounting ten 16-inch guns. Laid down at Kure Naval Arsenal on December 6, 1920, work progressed on the hull over the next two years. This came to an abrupt halt in 1922 when Japan signed the Washington Naval Treaty which limited warship construction and placed constraints on tonnage. Under the terms of the treaty, signatories were permitted to convert two battleship or battlecruiser hulls into aircraft carriers so long as the new ships did not exceed 34,000 tons. Assessing the ships then under construction, the Imperial Japanese Navy selected the incomplete hulls of Amagi and Akagi for conversion. Work resumed on Akagi on November 19, 1923. After a further two years of work, the carrier entered the water on April 22, 1925. In converting Akagi, designers finished the carrier with three superimposed flight decks. An unusual arrangement, it was intended to allow the ship to launch as many aircraft as possible in a short period of time. In actual operation, the middle flight deck proved too short for most aircraft. Capable of 32.5 knots, Akagi was powered by four sets of Gihon geared steam turbines. As carriers were still envisioned as support units within the fleet, Akagi was armed with ten 20 cm guns for fending off enemy cruisers and destroyers. Commissioned on March 25, 1927, the carrier conducted shakedown cruises and training before joining the Combined Fleet in August. Early Career Joining the First Carrier Division in April 1928, Akagi served as Rear Admiral Sankichi Takahashis flagship. Conducting training for most of the year, command of the carrier passed to Captain Isoroku Yamamoto in December. Withdrawn from frontline service in 1931, Akagi underwent several minor refits before returning to active duty two years later. Sailing with the Second Carrier Division, it took part in fleet maneuvers and helped pioneer Japanese naval aviation doctrine. This ultimately called for carriers to operate in front of the battle fleet with the goal of using massed air attacks to disable the enemy before ship-to-ship fighting commenced. After two years of operations, Akagi was again withdrawn and placed in reserve status prior to a major overhaul. Reconstruction Modernization As naval aircraft increased in size and weight, Akagis flight decks proved too short for their operation. Taken to Sasebo Naval Arsenal in 1935, work began on a massive modernization of the carrier. This saw the elimination of the lower two flight decks and their conversion into fully-enclosed hangar decks. The topmost flight deck was extended the length of the ship giving Akagi a more traditional carrier look. In addition to engineering upgrades, the carrier also received a new island superstructure. Counter to the standard design, this was placed on the port side of the flight deck in an effort to move it away from the ships exhaust outlets. Designers also enhanced Akagis anti-aircraft batteries which were placed amidships and low on the hull. This led to them having a limited arc of fire and being relatively ineffective against dive bombers. Return to Service Work on Akagi came to an end in August 1938 and the ship soon rejoined the First Carrier Division. Moving into southern Chinese waters, the carrier supported Japanese ground operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War. After striking targets around Guilin and Liuzhou, Akagi steamed back to Japan. The carrier returned to the Chinese coast the following spring and later underwent a brief overhaul in late 1940. In April 1941, the Combined Fleet concentrated its carriers into the First Air Fleet (Kido Butai). Serving in the First Carrier Division of this new formation with the carrier Kaga, Akagi spent the later part of the year preparing for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Departing northern Japan on November 26, the carrier served as flagship for Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumos Striking Force. Akagi During World War II Sailing in company with five other carriers, Akagi began launching two waves of aircraft early on the morning of December 7, 1941. Descending on Pearl Harbor, the carriers torpedo planes targeted the battleships USS Oklahoma, USS West Virginia, and USS California. The dive bombers of the second wave attacked USS Maryland and USS Pennsylvania. Withdrawing after the attack, Akagi, Kaga, and the carriers of the Fifth Carrier Division (Shokaku and Zuikaku) moved south and supported the Japanese invasion of New Britain and the Bismarck Islands. After this operation, Akagi and Kaga fruitlessly searched for American forces in the Marshall Islands before launching raids on Darwin, Australia on February 19. In March, Akagi helped cover the invasion of Java and the carriers aircraft proved successful in hunting Allied shipping. Ordered to Staring Bay, Celebes for a brief period of rest, the carrier sortied on March 26 with the rest of the First Air Fleet for a raid into the Indian Ocean. Attacking Colombo, Ceylon on April 5, Akagis aircraft assisted in sinking the heavy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire. Four days later, it mounted a raid against Trincomalee, Ceylon and aided in the destruction of the carrier HMS Hermes. That afternoon, Akagi came under attack from British Bristol Blenheim bombers but did not sustain any damage. With the completion of the raid, Nagumo withdrew his carriers east and steamed for Japan. Battle of Midway On April 19, while passing Formosa (Taiwan), Akagi and the carriers Soryu and Hiryu were detached and ordered east to locate USS Hornet and USS Enterprise which had just launched the Doolittle Raid. Failing to locate the Americans, they broke off the pursuit and returned to Japan on April 22. A month and three days later, Akagi sailed in company with Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu to support the invasion of Midway. Arriving at a point approximately 290 miles from the island on June 4, the Japanese carriers opened the Battle of Midway by launching a 108-plane strike. As the morning progressed, the Japanese carriers evaded several attacked by Midway-based American bombers. Recovering the Midway strike force just before 9:00 AM, Akagi began spotting aircraft for an attack on the recently discovered American carrier forces. As this work progressed, American TBD Devastator torpedo bombers commenced an assault on the Japanese carriers. This was repulsed with heavy losses by the fleets combat air patrol. Though the American torpedo planes had been defeated, their attack pulled the Japanese fighters out of position. This allowed arriving American SBD Dauntless dive bombers to strike with minimal aerial resistance. At 10:26 AM, three SBDs from USS Enterprise dove on Akagi and scored a hit and two near misses. The 1,000 lb. bomb that struck penetrated to the hangar deck and exploded among several fully fueled and armed B5N Kate torpedo planes causing massive fires to erupt. Sinking Ship With his ship badly stricken, Captain Taijiro Aoki ordered the carriers magazines to be flooded. Though the forward magazine flooded on command, the aft did not due to damage sustained in the attack. Plagued by pump problems, damage control parties were not able to bring the fires under control. Akagis plight worsened at 10:40 AM when its rudder jammed during evasive maneuvers. With fires breaking through the flight deck, Nagumo transferred his flag to the cruiser Nagara. At 1:50 PM, Akagi came to a stop as it engines failed. Ordering the crew to evacuate, Aoki stayed aboard with the damage control teams in an effort to save the ship. These efforts continued through the night but to no avail. In the early morning hours of June 5, Aoki was forcibly evacuated and Japanese destroyers fired torpedoes to sink the burning hulk. At 5:20 AM, Akagi slipped bow first beneath the waves. The carrier was one four lost by the Japanese during the battle. Overview Nation:  JapanType:  Aircraft CarrierShipyard:  Kure Naval ArsenalLaid Down:  December 6, 1920Launched:  April 22, 1925Commissioned:  March 25, 1927Fate:  Sunk June 4, 1942 Specifications Displacement:  37,100 tonsLength:  855 ft., 3 in.Beam:  102 ft., 9 in.Draft:  28 ft., 7 in.Propulsion:  4 Kampon geared steam turbines, 19 Kampon water-tube boilers, 4 Ãâ€" shaftsSpeed:  31.5 knotsRange:  12,000 nautical miles at 16 knotsComplement:  1,630 men Armament 6 Ãâ€" 1 20 cm guns6 Ãâ€" 2 120 mm (4.7 in) AA guns14 Ãâ€" 2 25 mm (1 in) AA gun Selected Sources World War II Database: AkagiMidway 1942: Akagi

Communication 270 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication 270 - Essay Example The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reveals shocking statistics of on the increase in the number of deaths, serous injuries, physical and sexual assaults and drain development problems associated with underage drinking from kids as young as 12 years. As such, it is prudent to let the public know the truth about the consequences of maintaining the drinking age at 21 and the benefits and risks of legalizing drinking age at 18 years. The introduction of almost any changes in any sector is faced with controversy. People want to enjoy the benefits of the positive side of maintaining the drinking age at 21 years while criticize the negative effects despite they being two sides of the same coin. Keeping the drinking age at 21 years helps students concentrate with their studies as opposed to partying with alcohol all weekends. Furthermore, underage drinking expose children financial burdens which leads teenagers to crime and prostitution in order to finance their habits. Postponing drinking has direct health benefits as alcohol consumption causes liver and cancer problems. However, people cannot ignore the negative side which is sneaking outside and drinking the alcohol in unhygienic areas which expose the teenagers to major evils in the society. Furthermore, teenager who drink are required to part with a premium amount for alcoholic since a third party has to buy for them. This increases the financial burden on the teenager and may get involved in evil things to survive. 2. Focus: This research will focus on recent research on drinking age and discuss the main issues on the government restrictions on drinking age. It will also analyze both the pros and cons of having the drinking age at 21 years. At the end, I will draw conclusion and recommendations on the most prudent way to go on this issue. Self-control in teenagers is very low at 18 but improves by the time they are