Human Trafficking in America Essay

According to the report submitted to the U. S. Department of State in 2004, every year there is an estimated account of 600,000 to 800,000 people being trafficked for force labor and sex worldwide. In the United States alone, there are around 14, 000 to 17,000 men, women and children of different nationalities being trafficked each year passing discreetly international borders just to come inside the territories of the United States. Of these numbers, 70 percent are female while 50 percent are children or minors and most of them end up working forcibly in the illegal sex industry. The report also said that most of these trafficked foreign nationals mostly come from Asia. In America, however, an estimated 200,000 missing American children (minors usually women) from the past years are also getting the risk of having trafficked also in the sex industry (Shurter). While the United States has an open policy in accepting foreign nationals to its territories, the succeeding events of terrorism in the American soil during the past years has reorganized its system of policies and became more aware in allowing foreign nationals to stay in America. But then America remained to be the main transit and destination country for trafficking people if compared to other countries in the world. To adhere to the strong commitment of fighting human trafficking in the US and other countries, the US government has enacted The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 or the TVPA to redefine pre-existing criminal penalties and provide better protection for the victims of human trafficking. This act establishes Cabinet-level federal interagency task force to use their federal program in providing services to the trafficked victims. Initially the monitoring program done by the US in the early 1990s was primarily focused on trafficking women for the sex industry. But ever since the U. S. Department of State has included in their report in 1994 that not only women are being trafficked, the department began monitoring all persons with questionable citizenship status in the US beginning in that same year. To greatly reduce human trafficking, the U. S. has begun initiating anti-trafficking programs to aid countries fight this illegal trade. The office of the TVPA was assigned to monitor and allowed by the US State Department to combat human trafficking in the international level while millions of dollars were poured out as grants to organizations around the world to implement programs combating human trafficking. The U. S. has also helped these countries in enacting their laws for anti-trafficking legislation and provided training to law enforcers, prosecutors, border guards and judicial officers in determining, investigating and prosecution of traffickers and providing protection for the victims. Two years after the resolution of TVPA, The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2000 was reformulated to 2003 to provide resources and initiatives in helping the 18,000 to 20,000 victims of human trafficking saved in the US. Then in 2006, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 was signed into a stronger law (Justice). To show that there is clearly the cause for alarm with human trafficking which brought about white slavery in the United States, CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith explores and exposes the world of human trafficking in America by making her own series of research in America’s suburbs and reported her findings for The Early Show in series. Tracy interviewed a number of people who were victims of illegal sex trade and one of these is Shauna. Shauna is a 17 year old girl from Florida who was looking for friends in school because she was the new girl in the campus. Finally she was befriended by another student and invited her for a sleepover in her house. But a man who posed as the friend’s father drugged her drink and woke up to a nightmare. She found herself tied still dizzy with the drug. Not long after, she was brought to a place where she was sold. She was raped and beaten if she refused to have sex. Her parents searched for her and finally she was found by investigator Brad Dennis in a club. According to Dennis, Shauna was a victim of human trafficking which becomes the growing problem in the suburbs of Florida. Tracy Smith has discovered that the syndicates who are behind the kidnapping and human trafficking know the profile of the most potential targets that can be used for their sex trade. In this manner they connive with other people to do their deeds. Dennis said usually girls who are victims of human trafficking are moved around a circuit by their captors hitting major hotels and convention centers looking for potential and moneyed clients. Wan Kim of the U. S. Justice Department said that this kind of business has now developed into a very prolific business and usually undetected. The problem for the authorities is that the people behind this crime have wide connections and they have become even wiser with the trade. They can keep women for years without people knowing they live there as sex slaves. In the case of Shauna, her case has never been pursued because until today her captors remained at large (Smith). Human trafficking has developed into a lucrative business formed by different individuals grouped together to run a ring of syndicate. However, this is not always the case. In 2008, Maribel Rodriguez Vasquez, a 28-year old Guatemalan woman was arrested in Los Angeles for her involvement in her family’s human trafficking business. She was the sixth member of her family who was nabbed by immigration authorities as she was charged with 50 counts of human trafficking cases specifically luring Guatemalan minors to the United States with a promise of well-paid jobs but all ends up being prostitutes. Vasquez who was known as the â€Å"L. A. Madam† by her clients was posted on television as one of â€Å"America’s Most Wanted†. But Vasquez’ case was only one of the few cases of human trafficking that was highlighted by the media which makes people believe cases of immigrant sex trafficking are not literally important to be known by the masses. Lisette Arsuaga, director of Development for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking in Los Angeles said we have a clear reality that human trafficking operates in every American city and even to towns but it is craftily hidden it is hard to uncover (Johnson and Rodriguez). The state of San Francisco is known for its liberalism toward sex and it has continuing history of arresting prostitutes around the city. Unfortunately it has also become one of the top American cities to be the favorite sanctuary of international sex traffickers and so large numbers of illegal immigrants pour out to the city each year. This is because sex trafficking is now an $8 billion international business and sadly traffickers consider San Francisco to be the best place to operate their largest commercial trades. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom who is not ignorant about this trade said although the city despised such reputation, being underground with unending source of clients makes the state helpless. Mayor Newsom said girls are forced to come to America because their families are being threatened and so the cases of human trafficking seem to be endless. While the U. S. Department of Justice states that thousands of illegal immigrants are being brought to the United States each year, there are still no quantifying data which assure that many of them fall as sex or force labor victims. The CIA is now involved to stop this trade and it has used its significant methods to come up with reliable sources of illegal immigrants. They now rely on law enforcement data, government data, international reports and academic research just to come up with backed-up information and track the sources of this trade. The CIA also confirmed that trafficked women for the sex industry generally come from Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union and also South America. As usual, they are lured to work in the United States for more meaningful opportunities but once they are in, they are held captives and sold to brothels, strip clubs and outcall services. Even high-society call girls who come to the United States admit to the Federal investigators that being in captivity and held as sex slaves can be the most degrading and unimaginably unacceptable. In other parts of the world, human trafficking has also become an insatiable growing business which has overtaken drugs and arms trafficking. According to Barry Tang who is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement attache with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security in Korea, human traffickers in Korea are now highly organized with full logistical network between Korea and the United States. They have recruiters, intermediaries, brokers and even designated taxi drivers and influential pimps. On other countries, women are the usual traffickers and they acquire women from clubs, bars, colleges, restaurants and even pool halls. Their international contacts target mostly developed countries such as the United States, Japan and Australia because this is where the money is. When everything is settled in these countries, they even set up their own shops in the main cities particularly in California, New York, Las Vegas and Texas (May). As a conclusion, we may never stop human trafficking for the moment because it has already rooted itself in our societies. Not even America who advocates for human rights and preservation of human dignity find it hard to control such a phenomenal dilemma. But though this has become an uncontrollable ailment because it made its evil influence to the different form of culture and societies, we might still reduce its havoc in degrading human dignity by involving ourselves and be guardians for the sake of our children and our society. The governments are trying hard to pursue what is necessary but they cannot do it alone. We might not be the victims here but our children maybe their next target. Works Cited: Johnson, Alex, and Cesar Rodriguez. â€Å"Human Trafficking in America. † The World Race (2008). April 14, 2009 . Justice, U. S. Department of. â€Å"Report on Activities to Combat Human Trafficking: Fiscal Years 2001 – 2005. † (2006). April 15, 2009 . May, Meredith. â€Å"Sex Trafficking: San Francisco Is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave. † San Francisco Chronicle2006. Shurter, David. â€Å"The Problem with Human Trafficking in America. † Now Public: Crowd Powered Media (2009). April 15, 2009 . Smith, Tracy. â€Å"Slavery in the Suburbs†. United States, 2007. CBS Evening News. (September 12, 2007): CBS Interactive, Inc.

Alexander Gavin’s Dilemma: Cultural Relativism and Business as Usual Essay

I. Viewpoint The viewpoint I am taking will be the writer of the letter himself, Alexander Gavin, since the matter at hand is a delicate one and Mr. Gavin is just asking the professor for his thoughts on the matter at hand. II. Statement of the Problem The central problem of the case is if Mr. Gavin should accept the deal which includes his cut or to find another way for the project to push through without involving himself. III. Objectives To be able to push through with the project and close the deal no matter what since this opportunity is highly profitable to the company. IV. Areas of Consideration a. Alexander Gavin and his direct boss, the Senior VP for urban projects, are both Americans. b. The construction company they are working for deals with major projects in the Middle East. c. The project with Ajax, Ltd. is highly profitable to their company. d. Pay-offs are common in the Middle East. V. Alternative Courses of Action From Alexander Gavin’s point of view, there are four courses of action he could take: a. He can forward this dilemma to his superiors and wait for their decision. b. He can stick with his ethics and reject the proposal then wait for the consequences. c. He can contact the other managers of Ajax, Ltd. and inform them of the corruption and also to take legal action against  the manager who offered the deal to him. d. He can disregard his ethics and accept the offer given by the manager of Ajax, Ltd. VI. Conclusion and Recommendation The best solution for this ethical dilemma would be the fourth course of action for Alexander Gavin. As a Senior Product Manager of a prestigious construction company based on Kuwait, he must put the company’s interests first before his personal reasons. Also, considering that pay-offs are quite common in the Middle East, a 3 million increase from their initial bid is only a small fraction to the company’s expense considering the high profitability of the project. Additionally, taking into account the cultural norm of pay-offs, which the company would be aware of, and Alexander Gavin’s ethical beliefs. He could offer up his $1 million to the company as an extra or other income. That way, the project pushes through, the company highly profits and Alexander Gavin’s ethical beliefs would not be broken. Lucky Goldstar – Management, Korean Style I. Viewpoint The viewpoint I am taking would be that of Mr. P.W. Suh, the president of Goldstar of America plant. II. Statement of the Problem The key issue of the case is on how the Lucky-Goldstar Group, with its Korean style management, has affected the domestic electronics industry. Be it in a negative or positive way. III. Objectives a. To be able to identify if the effect on the domestic industry is positive or negative. IV. Areas of Consideration a. Korean management’s core value is harmony. b. Lucky-Goldstar took a gamble in manufacturing overseas. c. Integration of Korean management principles onto Dixie or Southern U.S. principles. d. Indicators of better growth than its U.S. counterparts. e. Speed of technological change. V. Case Questions a. The LG group has integrated its management style which influences its workers with harmony. Its methods which are borrowed from the U.S. would be the democratic approach to decision making and management. b. The LG group has started manufacturing in the U.S. to be able to avoid the protectionist rule which bars foreign products from entering from outside the country and also to gamble that they would be able to profit from this venture. c. It would have a positive impact on the domestic electronics industry because competition is always good for big companies. Competition is what motivates companies to be better than other companies. d. Their recent success can be best explained by economic and cultural factors. VI. Conclusion The Korean management style has positively affected the domestic electronics industry of the U.S. because of its strong competitive power in the market. Competition motivates companies. Its recent success can be explained because of economic and cultural factors. They allocated a huge budget on innovation which resulted in an edge in the  technological market. Korea’s economy has boomed ever since they started this economic move. Also, this venture generated a lot of job opportunities for the sector.

For-Profit Colleges Essay

You ever watch television and see the commercials for colleges and hear the people say â€Å"this college changed my life† or hear that the school has classes for the major your interested in. Then you get the urge to go back to school and you see that there’s not much requirements to get into these schools as long as you have money for tuition. Those are what you call for-profit schools. Now the question is are these schools actually good for you? Can they help you in the long run or just give you classes and you’re on your own after you get the degree. I feel that for-profit schools should not be federally regulated because these colleges provide opportunities for students ignored and rejected by traditional colleges, they provide flexibility for students and some regulations may reduce graduation rates. Some people didn’t do the best in high school or probably didn’t finish high school and have a GED but still want to attend college. Most tradition and private colleges probably won’t even look at their application if their grade point average is below a certain number or if they don’t have a high school diploma. This is why we need for-profit colleges because they tend to those people who still want to further their education. It may seem like for-profit colleges only focus on getting money from students but they still offer the same education that private and traditional colleges offer just in a different way or amount of time. If there is government regulation then most people probably wouldn’t be able to attend any schools. With government regulations, there’s most likely going to be government requirements along with the school requirements. â€Å"The for-profit sector is not only more robust than the rest of higher education, it is helping to force some changes in the way traditional colleges do business. †(Wilson) For-profit colleges are giving traditional colleges a run for their money. Not only do these colleges help those who can’t get into traditional and private schools it also helps adults who are working during the day or have children. For-profit colleges provide connivence and flexibility. They offer a lot of classes online and during hours that some other colleges may not be open. Most for-profit schools classes are in sessions and not just spread out throughout the day. â€Å"The Art Institute of Pittsburgh runs three sessions a day: from 8am until noon, 1pm until 5 pm and 6pm until 10pm. † Classes like this will benefit those who can’t find a babysitter or who needs to take an extra class to get the degree they want but have a 9-5 job. Another thing is the classes aren’t as long as the traditional schools. In a traditional school you may have to take a class for four or five months. In for-profit schools the classes may last from five to nine weeks. Now that may not seem like a good idea but these classes help those students to plan their life around their schedule. Once again with government regulations it may be against the law to have classes after a certain time of day or some classes it may be mandatory to be in class and not online and then it messes with people schedule. â€Å"At a time when American public higher education is cutting budgets, laying people off, and turning away students, the rise of for-profit universities has been meteoric. † If other colleges are turning down students how will the graduation rate increase like President Obama wants it to. We need these for-profit schools to help the economy and to get more people educated and working. â€Å"Enrollment in the country’s nearly 3,ooo career colleges has grown far faster than in the rest of higher education. † This means that more people are getting an education and graduating with degrees and certificates. For-profit schools may cost more than traditional schools but the government helps traditional schools out with money. These schools are getting there revenue from sponsors and the students tuition. â€Å"For-profit universities now educate about 7 percent of the nations roughly 19 million students who enroll at degree-granting institutions each fall. And the proportion rises 10 percent, or 2. 6 million, if you count who enroll year round. † In conclusion with students enrolling into these for-profit schools and getting an education in a shorter time period than traditional schools that will increase the graduation rate. These schools teach the same information as traditional schools and the main reason why people are complaining about these schools are because they do not have accreditation. These schools have to prove themselves to get accreditation so they still have to run until they can get it. What would be the difference between the classes being taught now and when they get accreditation? Job placements for some majors are granted and some may not be because of experience not of the education.

Overview of Bhopal Disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Overview of Bhopal Disaster - Essay Example The number of deaths and injured people however did not stop during the release of MIC in the atmosphere but continued to kill Bhopal residents for months that followed that the Indian government reported to its Parliament that the tragedy has taken 1,430 lives in just four months. By 1991, the number of people in Bhopal who died from the tragedy reached more than 3,800 and the number of people who contracted disability reached approximately 11,000 (Jackson 1983). Later investigation showed that the disaster was caused by a disgruntled plant employee who poured water into a batch of batch of methyl isocyanate in a storage tank. The water caused chemical reaction to the effect that it created heat and pressure in the tank. These chemical reaction in tank forced the valve to open that forced the chemical to be released into the atmosphere where the chemical compound was transformed into a lethal gas that killed the nearby Bhopal residents (Union Carbide a 2013). This report was both confirmed by Union Carbide’s panel of experts as well as the Indian government. After the incident, the company who owned the plant, Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) sought permission from the government to clean up the area and this clean up drive extended until 1998. In this year (1998) UCIL was taken over by the Madhya Pradesh State Government, which owns and had been leasing the property to Eveready assumed responsibility of the facility and shouldered all accountability for the site (Bhopal.com c). After the disaster, UCIL provided around $2 to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to help aid in the easing the tragedy and also brought in its own panel of experts and medical experts along with the medical equipment and supplies. The company also donated $5 million to the Indian Red Cross as a supplement to the initial donation. The company also shared its available information and study about methylisocyanate (MIC) with the Government of India to effectively respond to the ill effect of the chemical (Bhopal.com b).

Effectiveness of Three Classical Leadership Styles Essay - 10

Effectiveness of Three Classical Leadership Styles - Essay Example Differences between leadership and management entail the scope, nature, and objectives. While management may merely pertain to the administrative work and organization, leadership entails the guidance, the direction setting, leading from the front and setting examples. The domain of work of a leader is far broader than the management handling individual. Leader’s span of command and control may also be an expanded one as compared to management. A leader can be a manager, but a manager may not be necessarily a leader. Open systems and closed systems based organizations are the two broad line categories of organizational structure. The former pertains to the kind of organization where the interactive environment is observed and the stakeholders are invited from outside. The closed system, in contrast, comprises a substantially conservative and closed-ended system with little interactive environment and activities towards the outer world and other enterprises. The chances of progress and development are relatively higher in the case of open system based organizations. Closed organizations are often effective in case of small to medium scale projects and businesses (Tokoro, 2010 ¸p. 6). Theory X and Theory Y are two different terminologies and concepts used in the field of sociology as well as administrative management. It pertains to the leadership style, the individuals’ mindsets, their aptitude, and tendency towards the kind of environment they work in and they find themselves comfortable in. Theory X, in particular, is related to the kind of individuals who take risks, take initiatives and want to lead from the front. They do not have the fear element.  

MGMT670 Week 4 Conf Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGMT670 Week 4 Conf - Assignment Example A second situation in which SWOT analysis would be useful for the company is to evaluate other companies. A few years ago the firm was looking for a strategic to form a marketing alliance. The executive management team of the company utilized SWOT to evaluate the different partner alternatives. â€Å"SWOT chart can help to uncover opportunities that your company is well placed to take advantage of† (Smith, 2006). A third potential application of SWOT analysis is that it can be used to analyze different locations for international expansion. To fully analyze external opportunities an analyst has to monitor the key macroeconomic forces which are demographic-economic, technological, political-legal, social-cultural (Kotler, 2003). The identification of the strengths of a company can be used to formulate plans and operational procedures to improve the efficiency and profitability of a company. The analytics of opportunities can help an organization gain a competitive advantage. Analyzing the threats of a company is crucial to adequately incorporate a risk management plan. It can also help firms mitigate and resolve problems when they occur through proper strategic planning. Our firm should expand the use of SWOT beyond the executive management team in order to take full advantage of the capabilities and reach of this powerful managerial tool. SWOT analysis is a great tool, but it does have its limitations. For instance the use of SWOT does not provide alternative solutions to managers for specific problems. The analysis is too broad base which hinders the ability of a firm to solve specific problems that are hurting the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of the company. Project management requires the ability of the project managers and his team to prioritize specific issues. The use of SWOT does not help the leader

(criminology)managing crime part 2 community safety Assignment

(criminology)managing crime part 2 community safety - Assignment Example Under the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act, there are strategies are implemented for this purpose. Work is achieved with partnerships with several agencies, and other representatives of the business and voluntary communities and local groups. A crime audit is an essential part of this process (What is community safety? 2013). The primary objective of the Act is to â€Å"make provision for preventing crime and disorder† (Crime and Disorder Act 1998 1998). This includes the preventing crimes against children or aggressive offences taking place in the society and also bringing in changes in the criminal justice system. With this Act various amendments have been made in the system along with abolition of the death penalty for criminals (Crime and Disorder Act 1998 1998). While partnership working has benefitted different regions to deal with crime, mostly after the occurrence of the offence (Berry et al 2009); failure occurred as the concept of community safety was considered too broad ly. Hence it involved so many issues, such as education, housing, social work and others, along with the issue of crime that eventually it failed to bring advanced changes in the system as it planned to do (Helms 2012). The Crime and Disorder Act of 1998 â€Å"served to completely restructure the youth justice system in England and Wales by establishing a new national and local infrastructure† (Goldson and Muncie 2006). Youth Offending Team was an agency developed that reflected the shift from the conventional justice system (Goldson and Muncie 2006). Yet, the Act failed to mainstream community safety as several issues had started cropping in regard to the crime audits and in enhancing the sense of community. Crime audits were a lot dependent on data obtained from police that was narrowly focused on crimes. Enhancement of community safety could not be achieved as the projects largely depended upon groups and organizations that were existent in the society and hence failed to address groups that were sidelined. Thus â€Å"community safety projects† under the Act â€Å"could divide communities rather than unite them† (Joyce 2013). Thus it could be concluded from this section that the Crime and Disorder Act of 1998 failed to mainstream community safety successfully primarily due to the broad conception of community safety, along with the ineffectiveness of the Act to enhance the sense of community. The groups and the causes behind crimes could not be successfully addressed by the community safety projects thereby not allowing the Act to mainstream community safety and crimes could still occur in the society that were dealt with after the occurrence of the crimes. Section 2: The â€Å"ultimate goal of crime prevention is to reduce the risk of being a victim† (What is Crime Prevention? 2006). In order to achieve this, it is essential that opportunities to criminal minded people are not provided to commit illegal activities (What is Crime Prevention? 2006). This section of the study discusses about the strengths and weaknesses of crime prevention measures in reducing crime and disorder, considering theories associated with crime prevention. Over the years, the police departments have evolved in their ways to handle crime and their methods of prevention. The strengths of the system lie with the measures that are considered by the police departments effectively such as â€Å"

Fiji Electricity System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fiji Electricity System - Research Paper Example The value of imports from Fiji has been increasing and hit the $3 billion US mark in 2006. The main contributing factor to the increase is the mineral fuels importation. The mineral fuels have increased in value since 2004 to 2008. It represents a change from US$400 to about $1.2 billion. The overdependence of the industry’s on fuel importation reveals how the economy is vulnerable to the rising fuel prices. The vulnerability is of concern given that the increase in demand for electric power has overwhelmed Monasavu Hydropower Station limits over the last decade. It results in the supplementation of its energy requirements with diesel generation (F.E.A. n.d.). Fiji can be termed as better than its larger neighbors. It has about 80% of its people (about 92% in urban areas) accessing electricity. By 2008, its average electricity production mix was composed of 33.7% diesel, 62.1% hydro, 0.6% wind and 3.6% biomass. Energy consumption in Fiji has increased to 715.2 million kWh in 2009 from 202.8 million kWh in 1980. Because the hydropower component is variable as it depends on the weather patterns, the ever growing demand for electric power has to be fulfilled by importing diesel-based generation. FEA has an ambitious plan of producing 90% of its electricity by use of renewable energy resources by 2015 (Lal & Atul n.d) Fijis pricing tariff rates are the lowest in the Pacific Islands region. As of recent times, its rates have stagnated though there was a marked increase in its demand and diesel usage. The cause of its low tariff prices is its rejection by the independent power producers because FEA could not pay them suitable buying rates. As at present, FEA supplies about 54% of the electricity market from its hydropower stations as it gets the rest from thermal generation. This condition is expected to change upon the installation of a new 42-MW hydropower system. In regards to estimates made by FEA, generation of

Journal III Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Journal III - Research Paper Example In support of his emphasis on the imagination, Lefebvre elucidated why people relate serial killing to cannibalism, but did not refer to films depicting such themes. Hence, he wanted to establish facts out of the imagination, not through the actual thematic presentation but by way of the figure, which represents â€Å"the poetic and imaginary logic,† from where an individual draws his or her conception of the work (Lefebvre 43). The film Monster by Patty Jenkins relates to the reading since it is a story about a lesbian woman, who was compelled to become a prostitute to survive, and later on became a serial killer because of her uncontrollable hatred to men. Aileen, the prostitute turned serial killer, became a victim of her own memory and lived a life of misery because of her past – the terrible past that left her yearning for love – the love that she found in Selby. Aileen justified her wrongdoings by deeming them as acts of survival with her life already being torn apart. In the end, despite all the sacrifices, despite earning the money she needed for her and Selby to survive, Aileen was again left with no one by her side and was betrayed. Aileen was jailed and executed for being a serial killer, and now there was no point to life for her. In a major way, there is this connection between the serial killer in Monster and the serial killer that Lefebvre described in his written piece. The serial killer in Lefebvre’s description was motivated to kill for no reason, and Aileen killed some of her victims only because of anguish and despair and not because of hatred to the individual being victimized. Therefore, she had no substantial reason whatsoever to kill some of her victims. In another way, the film Party Monster by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato also forms a connection with Lefebvre’s idea of the modern day serial killer, which is to him the â€Å"locus memoriae of cannibalism† (58). Although there was no serial ki lling involved, the film showed how the imagination of Michael Alig brought him to the world of drug addiction and to committing a crime that ended his position as the leader of the fabulous and popular group party kids. Michael Alig was blinded by fame and was drowned by it. All he wanted was to be himself and to show what he could do, but he ended up struggling to prove something. Cannibalism or serial killing may not be the theme of the film but it leaves a message in regard to the significance of loving oneself and to staying away from things that could bring harm to oneself and to others. Drugs turned out to be the reason why the party kids were insanely partying, and drugs were also the cause of the lead character’s downfall. There may be no cannibalism or serial killing, but the act of drug addiction may be likened to the act of killing oneself slowly every single day for no justifiable reason. A person addicted to drugs is like feeding on his own meat, nourishing it w ith medicine that brings it to bereavement. The metaphor â€Å"queers that kill† was formed because of homosexuality. Homosexuality is viewed by some as a termite eating beneath the surface to inflict damage on the foundations of society. Some people deem homosexuals as a menace to society, which have to be killed, or be forced to live life the way it

Paper on Music in Times of Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Paper on Music in Times of Conflict - Essay Example escalated over the years as it used its massive firepower, advanced technology, and huge manpower to suppress Vietcongs, who were mostly farmers armed with recoilless rifles (â€Å"Enemy’s Weapons†). Until now, Americans are divided in their sentiments about the war (Schroeder). This may have been because U.S. involvement did not bring any substantial change to Vietnam. It only caused America to lose â€Å"58,000 lives and billions of tax dollars† (Schroeder). The Vietnam War began in 1963 and ended in 1975. â€Å"Machine Gun† by Jimi Hendrix was first performed in a concert on New Year’s Eve of 1970 (Perone 62). It is likely that the song was composed in the closing months of 1969. Hence, it was composed during the war. 1969 is also the year when the number of U.S. military personnel in Vietnam reached its peak and the year when My Lai Massacre, a massacre of 504 unarmed Vietnamese civilians, was revealed (â€Å"Vietnam War Timeline†). The 1960s was a decade when music has become very political. There was no other period in music history when it embraced politics more closely as it did in the 1960s (Hopkins 255). Jimi Hendrix was among those musicians who expressed their political sentiments through their craft. There is no record on how it affected Vietnam War politically. However, several researchers attest that it did affect public sentiment towards the war. Westergaard, describing Hendrix’s guitar solo during the performance, says it is â€Å"the most devastating guitar solo ever† (qtd. in Perone 62)—hinting at the feeling of war terror it gave to listeners and the dismantling of pro-war sentiments on some. In reference to the My Lai Massacre, Hopkins writes that during the performance, sounds like â€Å"dive-bombing planes and Vietnamese women shrieking at the sight of their children’s deaths† were heard by the audience (255). Such effect on the audience is likely to have ar oused or increased anti-war sentiments among Americans. As the lyrics implies,

The Pyramids At Giza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Pyramids At Giza - Essay Example Christopher Dunn, an engineer, and craftsman are one of the promoters of the idea that the pyramids were built by a more advanced civilization. Dunn, 1998) claims that pyramids were not used as simple tombs for people, but they were developed as power plants that could develop energy from resonating with the earth. The researcher stresses that the size of pyramids as well as precision of the construction suggests that people could hardly build them with the help of technology and knowledge available at that time. Dunn (1998) adds that even modern technologies may fail to complete such demanding tasks. However, the vast majority of researchers agree that the pyramids were built by people and these edifices served as tombs for great Pharaohs. Lacovara (2004) states that the pyramids were erected as a symbol of the might of Pharaohs and they stand in line with many other grand monuments created by people. Brabin (2010) provides a number of plausible arguments that show that the pyramids were created by people. Thus, archaeological findings show that there were settlements near the pyramids. These settlements were created for people who built the great edifices. Discoveries of Lehner support this assumption and provide new insights (Shaw, 2003). Shaw (2003) stresses that Lehner found remnants of food that show the way the builders were treated, and it is clear that those were not slaves but free workers who got enough food and good shelter. Of course, there are still open questions as to the time needed for building the pyramids. Brabin (2010) suggests that the construction could last 300 years while Petroski (2004) assumes that even 23 years could be enough if the technology of using the pyramids as planes to lift huge blocks was used.

Alcoholic Beverage Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic Beverage Essay An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing chemicals from the alcohol family. Mostly ethyl alcohol (ethanol, EtOH), other alcohols are usually present only in small quantities, notably consumable t-Amyl alcohol (t-Amylol, t-AmOH) which is about 20X more potent than ethanol, and hazardous methanol with much weaker sedative effect than ethanol, thus are not prohibited by law or regulated by taxation in most if not all countries. However, alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes for taxation and regulation of production: beers, wines, and spirits (or distilled beverage). They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption.[2] In particular, such laws specify the minimum age at which a person may legally buy or drink them. This minimum age varies between 16 and 25 years, depending upon the country and the type of drink. Most nations set it at 18 years of age.[2] In the human body, ethanol affects the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and produces a depressant (neurochemical inhibitory) effect. Ethanol is similar to other sedative-hypnotics such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines both in its effect on the GABAA receptor, although its pharmacological profile is not identical. It has anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, and sedative actions similar to many other sedative-hypnotic drugs. Ethanol is also cross-tolerant with benzodiazepines and barbiturates.[3] In fact, a synthetic alcohol based on benzodiazepines is currently developed by a team at Imperial College London, led by Professor David Nutt (chair of ISCD). The alcohol substitute give the drinker the effects of drunkenness without many of the risks of alcohol;[4] Accordingly to ISCD alcohol was the most harmful of all drugs considered, scoring 72%. Alcohol is the most available and widely abused substance and its chronic consumption causes neurobehavioral disorders.[5] A high-functioning alcoholic (HFA) is a form of alcoholism where the alcoholic is able to maintain their outside life such as jobs, academics, relationships, etc. – all while drinking alcoholically.[6] Under the DSMs new definition of Alcoholism about 37 percent of college students may meet the criteria. Doctors are hoping that this new definition of the term will help catch severe cases of alcoholism early, instead of when the problem is full-blown.[7] Alcoholism is a neurodegenerative disease which may lead to physical dependency that can be fatal in alcohol withdrawal syndrome due to its propensity to induce withdrawal convulsions. The production and consumption of alcohol occurs in most cultures of the world, from hunter-gatherer peoples to nation-states.[8][9] Alcoholic beverages are often an important part of social events in these cultures.

Septic Shock: Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis

Septic Shock: Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis An illusion of Septic Shock: Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis with Multi organ Dysfunction Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare cutaneous eruption, most often caused by commonly used antibiotics. It is characterized by an acute onset of non-follicular sterile pustular rash and erythema within hours or days of drug exposure and usually resolves spontaneously within 1-2 weeks once the drug is discontinued. Hemodynamic involvement in the form of shock is rare. Here, we present a severe case of AGEP, manifesting with systemic involvement and hemodynamic instability resulting into shock with multi-organ dysfunction. The associated drugs were Erythromycin and Fluconazole with a possible combined effect of these two drugs that resulted in systemic involvement. Our patient improved markedly, both his hemodynamically and dermatologically, after discontinuation of the drugs and with systemic steroid therapy. BACKGROUND Why you think this case is important why did you write it up? Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare condition which presents with rapid onset of several non-follicular sterile pustules occurring diffusely on an edematous and erythematous background (1) (2). Systemic manifestations are typically restricted to fever and leukocytosis. Reversible mild hepatic and kidney injury have been reported in some cases (1) (3). AGEP is caused by drugs in 90% of the cases (3) and spontaneously resolves rapidly after the offending agent has been discontinued. Topical steroids are used for symptom relief and systemic steroids have been used in atypical severe presentations with systemic involvement (4) (5). Here we describe a unique case of Erythromycin and Fluconazole induced severe form of AGEP presenting with shock requiring vasopressors and multi-organ dysfunction requiring CVVHD. Despite prompt discontinuation of the offending agent, patients condition continued to deteriorate until systemic steroids were initiated. CASE PRESENTATION Presenting features, medical/social/family history A 61-year-old man with morbid obesity, COPD, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital for acute onset rapidly progressive diffusely erythematous rash within the deep folds of his pannus and scrotum, which was refractory to over-the-counter topical therapy. There was concern for erythrasma so he was started on erythromycin and fluconazole. Within three days, the patients rash spread diffusely across his trunk and extremities to form erythematous morbilliform papules which coalesced to form plaques. Within 12 hours of noticeably worsening rash, the patient acutely decompensated, became short of breath and developed metabolic and respiratory acidosis, requiring transfer to the Intensive Care Unit. He was initially started on BiPAP, however due to increasing somnolence he was intubated. He was noted to be hypotensive with blood pressure of 66/42 mmHg, not responsive to intravenous fluid resuscitation. Patient was started on vasopressor support with norepine phrine. On laboratory analysis, he was found to have leukocytosis (WBC 31.10 10^3/uL), a mixed metabolic and respiratory acidosis, lactic acidosis, as well as hepatic injury with AST of 4902 units/ml and an ALT of 3073 units/ml. He subsequently developed acute renal failure with a creatinine of 3.06 mg/dL, hyperkalemia of 6.3 mmol/L and phosphorus of 7.0 mg/dL and was started on CVVHD. INVESTIGATIONS If relevant More detailed The patient was thoroughly evaluated for an infectious source with radiographic studies and blood and urine cultures, however all work up was negative. Skin biopsy was performed which showed diffuse spongiosis, as well as numerous subcorneal pustules filled with a mixed inflammatory infiltrate, predominately consisting of neutrophils, with some associated lymphocytes consistent with AGEP. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS If relevant Other differentials included septic shock, pustular psoriasis, Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens- Johnson syndrome TREATMENT If relevant Erythromycin and Fluconazole were immediately discontinued upon acute decompensation. Due to concern for septic shock initially, he was started on broad spectrum antibiotics, with Vancomycin, Meropenem and Micafungin. However, when the infectious work up was negative, antibiotics were discontinued. With suspicion of AGEP, he was treated with methylprednisolone 80 mg every 8 hours for three days and eventual slow taper on oral steroids. OUTCOME AND FOLLOW-UP The patient had marked improvement in both hemodynamics and rash once started on steroids. He no longer required vasopressor agents and was extubated on Day 3 of methylprednisolone. He required four days of CVVHD and had complete recovery of both kidney and liver function. He was maintained on oral prednisone with slow taper for 2 weeks. DISCUSSION Include a very brief review of similar published cases Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a relatively rare cutaneous condition provoked by drugs- mainly by anti-infective agents, less commonly by infections (3)(4) and sometimes the cause remains unclear. It is believed to be a T-cell mediated neutrophilic inflammation and the histological hallmark is a spongiform subcorneal/intraepidermal pustule. The rash typically starts in the intertriginous area, as seen in our patient, or the face and rapidly spreads to involve the rest of the body. Systemic manifestations are typically just limited to include fever and neutrophilic leucocytosis and organ involvement is rare. In a few patients, mild hepatic and kidney dysfunction has been reported (1)(6)(3). Our case of AGEP was an atypical presentation with severe systemic involvement leading to hemodynamic instability and multi-organ dysfunction, thereby giving an illusion of septic shock. To the best of our knowledge,ÂÂ   there have been only a few reported cases of AGEP w ith such severe presentation and none of these cases were associated with the use of Erythromycin and Fluconazole (7)(8)(9).ÂÂ   In most of the severe presentations, Vancomycin was the culprit medication (7)(8)(9). It is possible that the combined effect of Erythromycin and Fluconazole which are both hepatically metabolized and alter each others metabolism leading to increased drug levels resulted in the drug reaction being severe with systemic involvement as an affect. Other differentials to consider would be pustular psoriasis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic epidermal necrolysis. The patient had no history of psoriasis and the concern for SJS and TEN was low based on the history, lack of mucosal involvement and the timing of the drug eruption within a few days of the antibiotics was more in favour of AGEP which was later confirmed by the biopsy results. Treatment of AGEP involves prompt removal of the offending agent which typically leads to improvement in symptoms within a few days. Topical steroids can be used for symptom relief. Systemic steroids are not indicated , but have been used in rare cases with severe presentations such as in our case, but currently there is not enough data to support the use of systemic steroids to reduce the duration of the symptoms and early recovery (11)(5)(4)(10). LEARNING POINTS/TAKE HOME MESSAGES 3 to 5 bullet points this is a required field AGEP is a rare cutaneous drug eruption which can be severe and mimic septic shock. It should be suspected in patients being managed as septic shock with negative infectious work up and the patients condition continues to deteriorate while on anti-infective agents. Several medications have been known to cause AGEP, but it is unclear as to which factors contribute to its severity. Discontinuation of the culprit agent might not always result in clinical improvement , especially in severe cases and there might be a role for systemic steroids to promote early clinical recovery.

The Role of Music in Politics

The Role of Music in Politics If theres any hope for America, it lies in a revolution. And if theres any hope for a revolution, it lies in Elvis Presley to become Che Guevara. These words by Phil Ochs, an American protest singer, reflect the power of the political use of music (Street, 2003). Since music is a strong way of expressing inner thoughts and feelings, it reveals the political views and stands of people; thus serving as a political tool. Music has the power to get massive crowds pumped up, which is why it is used to bring support to various causes. In war times, governments used music as propaganda to boost nationalism and promote fighting. In addition, music is used in elections numerous times. From a different standpoint, many musicians benefited from music as their resistance. Rock and roll was the voice of anti war protests in 60s, folk music stood for civil rights (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, 2012). These examples also proves us that music is closely related with issues going on at a certai n time; just as soul music, which focused on lives of Afro Americans in 30s. All of the things mentioned above show us music and politics are inseparable. Music is just not about entertainment, its the reflection and expression of people; therefore music serves humans as their truth bearer, so the political use of music should be done strongly and continuously. If we look at the role of music in politics, well see that it is used to aid two causes (generally); either serving or rebelling against dominant institutions in society (Williams, 2009). Due to musics irresistibility and ability to change peoples ideas, it has an integral part in public; therefore music is used by various political sides to promote their beliefs. National anthems are highly respected by their citizens and boost nationalism, for instance. Governments also benefited from other songs, especially in war times. American government frequently has songs to raise support for troops in war, as in God Bless America, which was used in WW2 (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, 2012). Also during WW2, Soviet government funded bands and other forms of entertainment to maintain military morale, and infamous Nazis specified the use of songs in their Nazi Youth trainings, as John Street stated (Street, 2003). Music was also used against governments, as in anti war protests. Redgum, a n Australian rock group, recorded a song called I Was Only 19 to show what young Australian soldiers been through in Vietnam. Song had exploded in Australia and became the voice of people against war. Through 60s, hippie music was considered as a threat to government because of its peaceful attitude. All these situations are great examples of how music is used successfully to promote a belief, a stand; therefore I think its safe to say that music plays a big role in determining politics. Music is a great way to create a bond between people and make them act as one. It is also the unofficial voice of resistance. An intriguing case study is provided by Peter Wicke, who argues that rock musicians in East Germany were the catalysts for collapse of the East German regime. He states that governments repression of rock turned it into a resistance, which was more or less impossible to control (Street, 2003). A local example from Turkey, a protest rock group named Grup Yorum had released countless recordings which created conflictions with government, and often resulted in group members ending up in jail. All of these happened because of the groups political stand, but these events made them the #1 protest group in Turkey. In addition, Woodstock music festival was the biggest event of its time, showing youths resistance to government, while uniting the general young population. Bennett stated that Woodstock 69 is remembered as much for its bringing together of counter cultur al generation, as for the music performed. The festival was a milestone for the political use of music and it opened the way for events (Williams, 2009). Woodstock 69 festival spread to the world the concepts like free love, civil rights and anti war stance. Just like this, summer of 1967 was called Summer of Love, due to the events going on in that summer, as freedom or anti war thoughts, similar to Woodstock. Music was one of the main parts of these events, it helped to re shape the community, united youth and resisted to the existing reactionary thoughts. Music created a better way of living for us, starting from these events. For many times, music was used to inform the society about various issues. Soul music in 1930s demonstrated the hardships of anguished Afro Americans. Folk singer Woodie Guthrie wrote many songs about the lives of black people, especially in rural areas, where black people were used as slaves. An example for this, is the song I Aint Going to Be Treated Like This Way. His outspoken lyrics caused him to be labeled un American, but his work informed the US society and influenced many artists to follow his way (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, 2012). There are also much more peaceful attempts, just as the USA for Africa. Many famous artists including Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen etc. founded this group and recorded We Are The World. It made the community aware and raised millions of dollars to stop the growing famine in Africa. Some artists wrote a song called Sun City, criticizing the Apartheid in South Africa. Bob Geldof can be considered as the father of charity concerts, su ch as Live Aid, which was also started for the poor living standards in Africa. These concerts raised hundreds of millions and created conscious in society, while giving immeasurable pleasure to its audience. Grossberg stated that so many attempts are being made to articulate rock with politics, although these attempts mainly have little or no impact on society (Shuker, 1994). Some might say that music is irrelevant with politics and the political stance of a musician does not need to be shared by its listeners. This is partly true, considering the apolitical youth in 2000s and so. But they are forgetting something. People identify themselves with music. They want to connect with the artist, and if the artist is not on the same page with its audience in politics, the songs wont be listened. Dixie Chicks, which is a then famous country music group, created a confliction, regarding to Iraqi War and US President Bush. Lead singer Natalie Maines said that she was ashamed of her president, because of Bushs war policy (Dixie chicks: Shut up and sing! [DVD], 2006). The words were incendiary and the US society jumped on this. They were criticized in every possible way and eventually, they lost t heir popularity. This wouldnt have happened if the listeners were not considering the groups political stance. Another example for this is the music following 9/11. John Parales said that People wanted to hear something to comfort them. They wanted to hear something that captured the anger people felt. (McMasters, 2003). Any song irrelevant with the political stand of the US society, which was supporting war then, would not be listened. Also, rock music in 1960s integrated the black and white youths. Since they were all listening to the same songs, they supported the same political views. This was not viewed as a good thing by the government and the parents at that time. Still, it opened a way for future, and its a wonderful example of the political relevancy of music. Music is closely connected with politics. In conclusion, political use of music is being done by the governments, protest groups, literally every single group in every society. Music is a reflection of people, and the political issues at a certain time, as seen in the examples that were mentioned. Music brings support to various causes. Plus, it connects people and opens a way for a better future, also raising money and consciousness in societies. It is being said that music is irrelevant with politics, but people define themselves with music and search for same political views in artists, as written here in examples. All these points emphasize that music is an effective political tool, and the political use of music should be done strongly and continuously.

Essay example --

There are others who researched on the effects of obesity on the labour market and concluded that obesity is seen as an issue of discrimination based on individual’s appearances. Hamermesh and Biddle (1994) researched on the impact of physical appearances to earnings. The purpose of this experiment is to study the labour market favoritism due to more attractive appearances. Looks were measured by using the ratings of the responders by the interviewer on their physical appearance and by using stand-earning equations. Their analysis found that the wages of below average looking workers was less than for wages that are above the average looking workers. They also concluded that women who were obese earned 12% less than an average weight. A study that was used to examine this analysis in the past was the national longitudinal survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79). This study was a sample of 12,686 young men and women who were from ages of 14 to 22 years old when they were first surveyed in 1979. They surveyed the same people except a few exceptions for the next 14 years until 1998. The purpose of the national longitudinal survey of youth in 1979 was to explore the effect of obesity on the labour market outcomes in the long term. The age distribution in this research will help study the extensive margin and the intensive margins of the labour market due to obesity. The extensive margin that this study examines are the labour market participation choice and occupation choices. The intensive margins can be the change in wages overtime throughout their work and employment changes. The conclusion they reached was that obese women earn about 12% less than normal weight women and no major effect in males earning even when they are obese. In 2004 ... ... research concluded were women overall who’s wages are significantly being affect due to being overweight and obese while this analysis finds that women’s wages are not directly due to excess weight. Another interesting result was that overweight and obese variables with different industries and occupations. This analysis showed how excess weight had negative effect on a women’s income, but only in the sales and entertainment industry for obese women only. Although it is difficult to this hypothesis but since 60% of the American population is considered overweight at least which does support the analysis we obtained plausible since that majority of the population cannot be discriminated. Even though obesity is a disease and causes many health conditions there seems to be no negative effect on income and this can be due to the improvements in health care overtime.

President Abraham Lincoln :: Biographies Bio Biography

Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Lincoln. He was raised in a farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. During his childhood Abraham was in the period of slavery, but the Lincoln family did not own any slaves, not only because they couldn’t afford it, but also his father Thomas did not approve of it. Later in 1816 the Lincoln family had to move to Indiana, near the Ohio River. Soon enough in 1818 Abraham’s mother, Nancy Lincoln, died of milk sickness. After the mother died, Thomas found a new wife named Sarah Bush Johnston. A few years later, the life in Indiana wasn’t as expected and the family had to move to Macon Country, Illinois. Abraham believed that he should be off by himself, and soon enough is what he did at the age of 23, and later he began his political career and became a member of the Whig party, and also a candidate for the Illinois House of Representatives. In 1832, after being fired from his job at a store, he decided to join the Illinois militia to help fight in the Black Hack war, and was chosen captain by his group. He served his country for 3 months, and it changed his life forever, because during the time he was in the militia, he saved an innocent Native American from being attacked from the other soldiers in the camp. When things were bad for him, he gave it his best to bring himself up again, and in 1834 Lincoln ran for state legislature, and in a few years he learned everything to become a lawyer and took an oath to the Illinois state bar. His life changed after that, and had many opportunities, even to run for governor of Illinois, but he declined it. Then in 1839 when he was at a cotillion in Springfield, he met the love of his life Mary Todd. She was from Lexington, Kentucky but from an upper class background. They were from different worlds, but they managed to work things out, and they married on November 4, 1842. The next year was their time of their life when they found out that Mary was pregnant with their son Robert, he was born August 1, 1843. Soon, they Lincoln family owned a house where they could have their own space, and a few years later, they had their second child named Edward on March 10, 1846.

Andrew Jackson :: Biography Biographies Bio

Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States of America, was born on March 15, 1767 in the Waxhaw’s area near the border of North and South Carolina. His parents lived in North Carolina but historians are not sure exactly where. Jackson was the third son of Scots - Irish parents. His father died a few weeks before he was born in a logging accident. His mother, Elizabeth Hutchison Jackson was a strong independent woman. After Jackson’s father died she was able to raise their three sons while they lived with one of her sisters. When Andrew was nine years old the Declaration of Independence was wrote and signed. Then when he was only thirteen he joined the Continental Army as a courier. The Revolution hurt the Jackson family. All three boys saw the front lines. Andrew’s oldest brother Hugh, died in the Battle of Stono Ferry. Then two years later Andrew and Robert, his other older brother, were taken for prisoners for a few weeks in April of 1781.They both got smallpox and within a few days of getting let go Robert died. Later on that year Elizabeth Jackson went to Charleston to nurse American prisoners of war. There she contracted either ship fever or cholera and died. After the war was over, Andrew found himself an orphan and an only child at 14. The next year and a half he spent living with relatives and being apprenticed to a saddle maker. He taught school for a short time after the war but did not enjoy it. When he was seventeen he went to Salisbury, North Carolina which is where he studied law for a few years. He was admitted in to the North Carolina Bar in September of 1787. In June of 1796 Tennessee separated from North Carolina and admitted to the Union as the 16th state. Andrew was soon elected Tennessee’s first congressman. He was also elected as a U.S. senator but resigned after only one session. He then went home and became a judge for six years on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Andrew’s military career which had all started when he was only 13 years old became even more successful when he was elected major general of the Tennessee militia. Jackson later lead troops during the First Seminole War in Florida. General Jackson came from the battlefields of the War of 1812 a national hero. It was during this time he got his nickname which is â€Å"Old Hickory.