Alcoholic beverage Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic beverage Essay When the word alcohol is brought up, what do you think about? What comes to my mind is parties, and what people think they have to drink to have fun. Did you know that over 5,000 people under the age of 21 die each year from alcohol-related car crashes, suicides, homicides, alcohol poisoning, and other injuries such as falls, burns, and drowning? Alcohol can be a very dangerous substance if not treated correctly and drank responsibly. Alcohol is a form of a drug but unlike the other drug, marijuana, heroine, because this is socially accepted and is legal for anyone over the age of 21. It can have many good and bad affects to the body depending on whether you’re responsible or not. One way alcohol can be dangerous for the body is because it effects the brain and its functions. Long-term drinking can leave permanent damage, causing the brain to shrink and leading to several  ­deficiencies in the fibers that carry information between brain cells. Many alcoholics develop a condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which is caused by a deficiency of B vitamin. This deficiency occurs because alcohol interferes with the way the body absorbs B vitamins. People with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome experience mental confusion and lack of coordination, and they may also have memory and learning problems. The body responds to the continual introduction of alcohol by coming to rely on it. This dependence causes long-term, debilitating changes in brain chemistry. The brain accommodates for the regular presence of alcohol by altering neurotransmitter production. But when the person stops or dramatically reduces his or her drinking, within 24 to 72 hours the brain goes into what is known as withdrawal as it tries to readjust its chemistry. Symptoms of withdrawal include disorientation, hallucinations, nausea, sweating and seizures. One of the bad things that can happen from alcohol is how it can affect family relationships. Married couples and partners also take on spontaneous roles when living with an alcoholic. Many non-alcoholics go into denial about their spouses addiction, or become afraid to confront the alcoholic in fear of what they could do or losing them. The partner may then develop a high tolerance to the alcoholic’s behaviors. The partner will begin to feel depressed, confused, or maybe even guilty. When either partners or spouses are alcoholics, they often are in denial of their problem and neither believes they are dependent of the drug. Adults and children often don’t see themselves in many of these discussed roles, which is why it’s extremely important for families to be a part of the alcoholics recovery process and to be very supportive when they try to get help. Alcohol can affect your life in some good or bad ways depending on how you drink, how often you drink, and how much you drink. It is better to drink responsibly and that means knowing when you have had enough. This normally means drinking only 1 to 2 glasses a day with a meal, and to also have a healthy diet that goes along with that. Otherwise the health benefits of drinking alcohol are gone, and replaced with some horrible side-effects.

The Analysis Of The Crimson Shadow

The Analysis Of The Crimson Shadow The Crimson Shadow, by Walter Mosley, is a short story that depicts a lengthy morning encounter between two disparate, yet similar souls. It is a twining of events that connect and capture, evade, and then reunite under the bonds of commonality. The protagonist, an aging ex-convict who goes by the name Socrates, finds that a young man, a boy, really, has killed a rooster that resides across the alley, and someone he had considered his friend. Darryl, the boy who has committed the misdeed is an obvious product of his environment, struggling to survive the mean streets of Los Angeles, and who, at a very tender age, has also become its victim. The elements which make up this story are striking, and develop rapidly into a tightly woven interlude which allows the analysis of New Criticism to be utilized well, enabling an investigation which clarifies the components that help to create this piece. Both characters depict a sense of loss and tragedy, but also possess a keen intellect which helps them to overcome the depravity of their surroundings. When Socrates first realizes that Billy, the rooster to whom he had become attached-his crowing that had awakened him each morning for the past eight years has not been heard-he investigates by going out to where the bird lives, only to find that his head has been badly mangled by the serrated blade of a steak knife. When he sees Darryl move out of the shadows of the morning, he understands immediately that some wrong has been committed. The old man is, at first, justifiably angry at the fact that a senseless act of violence has been done, a crime committed by a troublemaking kid out to cash in on someone elses misfortune the boy has created; but the two have a shared past that connects them in more ways than either can initially appreciate. As the morning wears on, and Socrates gets to know the boy and his situation a bit better, the ex-con sees that the youngster and he have more in common than he would, possibly, like to admit. When Socrates gets the boy into his kitchen, and the two begin to talk, the elder sees how similar their situations are. Both have committed heinous crimes, that of murder, and he uses the time to try and reason with the boy as to the path hes headed toward, first, enticing him to open up when the man realizes his accusations of having killed his friend have the boy visibly nervous, and then understanding that its not only the rooster he has killed, but also another mentally challenged young man who wouldnt leave him and his friends alone. Although it was an accident, and Socrates tells him so, the older man sympathizes with Darryl, telling him that he is welcome in his home whenever he likes, this, an indication of his compassion, and perhaps of his empathy, with the boy. The setting of Crimson Shadow is marked by crushing poverty, the description of what is Socrates home scarred by time and neglect. Its depiction and its imagery are stark, as witnessed by the cabinets that are now simply shelves, the doors having been torn off, and the magenta tiles that have faded to grey. A red spider spins her web above a naked bulb that shines above a photo of a woman Socrates once knew. The use of sharp and focused vocabulary that prime colors and distinctive smells evoke is also prevalent and speaks of a harsh reality. When the boy enters the two room shack, he looks at the red spider, and the women in the picture who also wears a red hat and a red dress, which, as the sun shines down upon her, throws a similarly red, or crimson, shadow across her face, indicating heat, or maybe wrath at the wrong committed by Socrates. The picture also contains the primary colors of yellow and blue, as well, those of the sun and the sky, which can similarly indicate the simpli city of how these two must survive: only with the mixing of other elements can the blending and shading of emancipation occur. When the old man begins cooking the equally-aged rooster, the well-defined description of the ingredients used, tomatoes, basil, and garlic, each possess their own and equally pronounced hue and aroma, a luxury that both men revel in and that can help to begin to express a possible solution to their bleak existence. The tension is tightly woven into the Crimson Shadow, especially in the beginning, when Socrates confronts his much younger and much weaker opponent in the alley. His big hands, known as rock breakers, are seen as weapons, able to crush the young boy with a single blow, and his apparent time spent in prison is evidence enough that he is a disreputable man capable of both creating and enduring great harm. The story is immediately suspenseful when he realizes his friend, Billy the rooster, has been killed, but because he is an ex-convict who quickly acquires the position of a moral and upstanding citizen, a man who is eventually looked upon, ironically, as a role model, he is the protagonist, and as such, can be considered an anti-hero. This irony and its resulting paradox are, however, resolved in the end, when both boy and man agree, silently, to become friends in this hostile world they must both inhabit. The killing of the innocent rooster, as well as of the innocent young boy who would not leave Darryl and his friend alone, are both necessary catalysts for both Socrates and Darryl, for if the two are to survive at all, they need each other in an essential, yet obscure manner, a mirror in which Darryl is able to see himself, yet set himself apart from the man that Socrates has become. The name, too, that Socrates owns, is but a taunting mockery that he must live with, ever knowing, but forever damned. It is also essential for one to observe the discussion Socrates initiates when speaking to the young man, for this is indicative of a common theme seen throughout literature; that of the wizened elder, competent and worldly, offering advice to the younger, less experienced, and woeful Darryl. His advice, although unwanted and disregarded at first, is deemed highly authoritative and even indispensable later, when Darryl finds himself floundering at the mercy of his actions, a child in the hands of fate, ignorant and vulnerable. He decides that since Socrates might just well have power over his destiny, he might have power over his own. In the end, the utilization of the New Criticism theory in the analysis of the Crimson Shadow, by Walter Mosley, is quite effective in understanding the elements used in the creation of this work. Characterization, setting, imagery, theme, and dialog, all come together in unison to produce an effective tool in the dissection and ultimate recovery of this short story, especially taken individually, which allows the reader to view through a lucid and comprehensible lens, a work of innate truth and redemption.

Mental Capacity and Informed Consent to Receive Treatment

Mental Capacity and Informed Consent to Receive Treatment Legal, Ethical and Professional issues surrounding mental capacity and informed consent to receive treatment Throughout this essay, we will be reviewing and discussing the legal, ethical and professional issues associated with two key aspects of paramedic practice, these are mental capacity and the ability to provide informed consent to treatment and intervention. As the title suggests, the essay will be broken down into three separate sections which will individually relate to the topics in hand. The legal section will focus on how legislation affects the two stated aspects. The professional aspect will cover how mental capacity and informed consent can create professional issues for the paramedic, whilst the final part of the essay will focus on relating the four principles of ethics to the topics which are discussed in this essay. The regulator for Paramedics, the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) sets out standards of conduct, performance and ethics which states that you must make sure that you have consent from service users or other appropriate authority before you provide care, treatment or other services (HCPC, 2016). There are four principles of ethics will be related to throughout the essay and explanations for these principles are found in appendix A of the essay (UKCEN, 2011). Legally, it is always necessary to seek informed consent before beginning treatment and intervention, except in certain circumstances which will be detailed later in this essay. The department of healths guidance on consent states that consent is a general, legal and ethical principle which must be obtained before starting treatment or physical investigation (Dept. of Health, 2009). If a clinician were to being treatment/care without the informed consent of the patient, the patient may be able to present a case of battery against the clinician. Most cases where the clinician has failed in the process of gaining consent have been due to not thoroughly explaining risks; this can lead to medical negligence as the recipient of care would not be expecting the associated risks. (Laurie et al, 2016). In legislation in the United Kingdom, there is a standardised examination called the Bolam Test which needs to have its criteria fulfilled in order to prove that medical negligence has taken pl ace. The Bolam test involves a group of peers from the same profession as the clinical reviewing the procedure which the patient may see as being negligent (The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2016). In terms of the paramedic profession, the regulator will provide peers in order to conduct the Bolam test (HCPC, 2016). In some situations, it is very difficult to gain consent before beginning patient treatment, this can be for various reasons such as the patient being unconscious. In this situation, Paramedics/Healthcare providers are able to use the doctrine of necessity which allows them to provide initial life-saving interventions in order to save life/limb when the individual receiving the care is unable to provide informed consent (Hartman K, et al, 1999). The Mental Capacity act 1983 provides the main legal basis for providing guidance and regulation on whether an individual over the age of eighteen would be seen to have or lack mental capacity, it defines a person who lacks capacity as a person who at the time of assessment is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain. (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). The Mental Capacity act was created to safeguard and give power to individuals which may lack the capacity to make informed decisions about care and treatments (Brown M, 2014). The legislation in place provides clear guidance on how to safely identify when an individual lacks capacity and the rights of the individual which lacks capacity. Paramedics use a standardised approach when assessing whether an individual lacks mental capacity, this is known as the two-stage test of capacity (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007). The first stage of the test involves investigating whether there is cause to believe that there is an impairment in the function of the individuals cognitive functioning. There are many different reasons why there may be a disruption in the functioning of the mind, which can include but is not limited to: Dementia, Head injury, Stroke, Intoxication and learning difficulties (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007) . Stage two of the mental capacity assessment requires the clinician to evaluate whether the disturbance outlined from stage one causes the individual to be unable to make a specific decision with regards to their treatment, this is assessed by providing the individual with information regarding their condition and then asking them to repeat it at a later time so that the clinician is confident the patient is able to retain the information (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007). The Mental Capacity Act 2005 contains five principles which underpin the act and must always be applied i n the process of evaluating whether an individual may lack capacity, the five principles are explained in more detail in appendix B. Ethically, when a patient is deemed to not lack capacity, they are then in a position where they may be able to provide informed consent to treatment. For the patient to have informed consent they must have received or have the four components needed to make informed consent. The patient must have the capacity to make the decision. The Paramedic must fully explain the treatment, the side effects of the treatment, the risks of having the treatment and the risks of not having the treatment whilst also explaining the probability of said risks occurring. The patient must fully understand the information that has been given to them by the Paramedic and the patient must then voluntarily give consent to treatment without coercion from a third party such as a relative, friend, or the health care provider (David, 2010). In healthcare, the idea of consent may be sometimes misunderstood as doing what the doctor says which, in modern days, is not the case. There has been debate as to whether con sent was sought in the past, due to the fact the patient placed trust in the physicians beneficence (aim to reduce harm to the patient) and non-maleficence (doing no harm to patients intentionally) and therefore trusted in what the clinician was doing (Habiba, 2000). Beneficence and non-maleficence are two of the four ethical principles. The assessment of whether someone lacks mental capacity is vital in the Paramedics ability to use alternative pathways and referral systems. As Paramedics are highly skilled, autonomous practitioners and work in a variety of out-of-hospital areas, such as public places, patients own homes, and residential care settings, it sometimes proves more relevant to discharge patients from care on scene (Ball, 2005). To do this safely, in a way which will cause no further harm for the patient, the patient must have mental capacity to make their own decisions regarding their care and treatment. The key definition of mental capacity comes from the Mental Capacity Act (2005) which states that capacity is the ability of an individual to make their own decisions regarding specific elements of their life (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). Patients are only able to give informed consent to treatment/intervention if they have mental capacity and therefore it is imperative that Paramedics can effectively ass ess whether a patient lacks capacity. In assessing whether an individual lacks mental capacity, the paramedic is showing respect for the patients autonomy which is one of the four ethical principles. In terms of professional issues, the ability to provide informed consent can seriously affect the way in which Paramedics treat and advise patient. An example of this comes from a 2009 case in which an individual drank anti-freeze and then presented the ambulance crew with a letter, clearly stating that she did not consent to lifesaving intervention but did consent to analgesics in order to comfort her. Through the letter (which can be read and has been annotated in appendix C), the individual displayed she had full mental capacity to make her own decision and also accepted the responsibility for the outcomes of not receiving care (Armstrong W, 2009). In the context of a time critical situation where a decision would need to be made with regards to giving lifesaving saving intervention and withholding it, it can be sometimes difficult for the Paramedic to gather sufficient evidence that the patient (who may lack mental capacity) has created a living will, or that there is an advanced decision to refuse treatment (ADRT) put in place which clearly outlines the patients wishes (what they do and do not consent to) when it comes to end of life care. In the absence of this (or absence of any evidence of this) ambulance staff may be forced to act in the patients best interests. In the context of ambulance staff, the best interests of the patients may be difficult to decide as very little background may be available to the attending paramedic, however if the health care professional is unaware of any ADRT and has taken all reasonable steps in the time available to discover whether an ADRT is in place in the time frame available to them, the clinician making the decision will be protected from liability (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007). The HCPC states in their standards of conduct, performance and ethics that competent individuals have the right to refuse treatment and that this right must be respected (HCPC, 2016). Whether an individual is deemed to lack or have capacity can sometimes present similar professional issues to informed consent in terms of paramedic practice. For the individual who lacks capacity, it can be a very stressful time as they may be confused, disorientated or feel as though they have little control over what is happening to them. The Mental Capacity Act states that nobody has the right to deprive someone of their liberty except in situations where they lack capacity and it is necessary to give life-sustaining treatment or to prevent a serious deterioration in their condition. In this situation, any restraint used must be proportionate to the risks to the person from inaction (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). There are no additional rights or authority for paramedics to act in this situation, but if there was cause to believe that there was serious risk to an individuals life and that they lacked capacity, it would be within the Paramedics rights to act in such a way to protect the individual from further harming themselves or provide life sustaining treatment in the event of lack of capacity. Furthermore, the standards of conduct, performance and ethics provided by the health care professions council states that registrants must take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of harm to service users (HCPC, 2016), therefore if a registrant were to stand aside and allow an individual who lacked capacity to cause harm to themselves or to further deteriorate, they may be at risk of committing an act of omission or even committing wilful neglect which can constitute a criminal offence. In conclusion, the professional issues surrounding informed consent and mental capacity are applied in every single incident a paramedic may attend and are closely linked. A failure to recognise a lack in mental capacity or gain informed consent may cause detrimental legal and professional repercussions for both the clinician and service user. Although Paramedics are able to seek further advice from sources such as the local police force, senior members of ambulance staff, and general practitioners in order to safeguard their practice, a good working knowledge of the policies and procedures surrounding the issues mentioned in this essay will provide a good basis for gaining informed consent, the assessment of mental capacity and management of service users who lack capacity in the pre-hospital urgent care environment. Reference List Armstrong W, (2009) Kerrie Wooltorton Inquest Held 28 September 2009 Notes of Extracts From Summing Up By Coroner William Armstrong HM Coroner Norfolk District (page 1) Ball L . (2005). Setting the scene for the paramedic in primary care: a review of the literature. Emergency Medicine Journal. 22 (12), p896-900. Brown M. (2014). Should we change the Mental Health Act 1983 for emergency services?. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 3 (3), P114-115. Department for Constitutional Affairs. (2007). Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/497253/Mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice.pdf. Last accessed 11th Mar 2017. Department of Health (2009). Reference guide to consent for examination or treatment. London: Her Majestys Stationary Office. Habiba, M. (2000). Examining consent within the patient-doctor relationship. Journal of Medical Ethics. 26 (5), p183-187. Hartman K, Liang b. (1999). Exceptions to Informed Consent. Hospital Physician. 6 (3), p53 59. Health and Care Professions Council. (2016). Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Available: http://www.hcpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10004EDFStandardsofconduct,performanceandethics.pdf. Last accessed 1st Mar 2017. Health Care Professions Council. (2016). What happens if a concern is raised about me?. Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/100008E2HPC_What_happens_if.pdf. Last accessed 8th Mar 2017. Laurie GT, Harmon HE and Porter G (2016). Mason and McCall Smiths Law and Medical Ethics (10th Edition). Oxford University Press. Oxford. Mental Capacity Act (2005) . Available: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/2. Last accessed 11th Mar 2017. Sibson, L. (2010). Informed consent. Journal Of Paramedic Practice. 2 (5), p189. The Royal College of Surgeons of England. (2016). Consent: Supported Decision-Making. London: Professional and Clinical Standards. UKCEN. (2011). Ethical Frameworks. Available: http://www.ukcen.net/ethical_issues/ethical_frameworks/the_four_principles_of_biomedical_ethics. Last accessed 13th Mar 2016. Appendix A The four principles of medical ethics Respect for autonomy This principle involves respecting the decision-making capabilities of the service users and providing reasonable assistance in order to make informed choices regarding their care. Beneficence This principle considers the weighing up of the associated risks and costs of treatments against the benefits and likely outcomes. Paramedics should always aim to act in a way which benefits the patient Non-maleficence This principle surrounds the need for paramedics and other health care professionals to avoid causing harm to the individual. Although all treatments involve some level of harm, this should not be disproportionate to the benefits which are as a result of intervention. Justice This principle is about distributing treatments available to each individual fairly and not favouring one service user over the other by means of extra treatments/intervention. UKCEN, 2011 Appendix B The Five Key Principles of the Mental Capacity Act Presumption of capacity This principles states that an individual adult should always be presumed to have full mental capacity until they are proven otherwise. A presumption of capacity should not be made as a result of an individual having a certain medical condition or disability. Individuals being supported to make their own decisions This principle states that individuals should be supported in every possible way to make their own decision before they are deemed to lack capacity. It also means that if it is deemed the individual does lack capacity that they should still be involved in the decision-making process. Unwise decisions This principle states that the individual has the right to make unwise decisions and that the assumption the person lacks capacity should not be made based on a decision. This is due to a difference in cultural values, beliefs and preferences. Best interests This principle states that an individual who lacks capacity is entitled to the decisions which are made on their behalf are done solely in their best interests Less restrictive option This principle states that the individual who makes decisions on behalf of the incapacitated person must make decisions which will have the least effect on the individuals rights and freedoms. Mental Capacity Act, 2005 Appendix C Kerrie Wooltorton Advanced Decisions Letter Armstrong W, (2009)Â  

Before The Law :: Short Story Stories Essays

Before The Law BEFORE THE LAW stands a doorkeeper. To this doorkeeper there comes a man from the country and prays for admittance to the Law. But the doorkeeper says that he cannot grant admittance at the moment. The man thinks it over and then asks if he will be allowed in later. "It is possible," says the doorkeeper, "but not at the moment." Since the gate stands open, as usual, and the doorkeeper steps to one side, the man stoops to peer through the gateway into the interior. Observing that, the doorkeeper laughs and says: "If you are so drawn to it, 'just try to go in despite my veto. But take note: I am powerful. And I am only the least of the doorkeepers. From hall to hall there is one doorkeeper after another, each more powerful than the last. The third doorkeeper is already so terrible that even I cannot bear to look at him." These are difficulties the man from the country has not expected; the Law, he thinks, should surely be accessible at all times and to everyone, but as he now takes a c loser look at the doorkeeper in his fur coat, with his big sharp nose and long, thin, black Tartar beard, he decides that it is better to wait until he gets permission to enter. The doorkeeper gives him a stool and lets him sit down at one side of the door. There he sits for days and years. He makes many attempts to be admitted, and wearies the doorkeeper by his importunity. The doorkeeper frequently has little interviews with him, asking him questions about his home and many other things, but the questions are put indifferently, as great lords put them, and always finish with the statement that he cannot be let in yet. The man, who has furnished himself with many things for his journey, sacrifices all he has, however valuable, to bribe the doorkeeper. The doorkeeper accepts everything, but always with the remark: "I am only taking it to keep you from thinking you have omitted anything." During these many years the man fixes his attention almost continuously on the doorkeeper. He forgets the other doorkeepers, and this first one seems to him the sole obstacle preventing access to the Law. He curses his bad luck, in his early years boldly and loudly; later, as he grows old, he only grumbles to himself.

Legal and Political Environments Essay -- essays research papers

Legal and Political Environments The legal and political environments of global markets differ by country and often by region within a country. Global marketers must be aware of each environmental risk in global markets and develop contingency plans to overcome them. Legal Environment Clearly, the global legal environment is very dynamic and complex. It is the result of three forces: international law, U.S. domestic law, and legal requirements of host nations. According to Czinkota and Ronkainen, (2004), when a marketer conducts international marketing transactions with a country, it is very imperative that managers know and remain abreast of the policies and regulations of that country. Whether a firm is located abroad or domestically, it will be subject to government policies and the legal system. However, even though many of these laws and regulations do not pertain to international marketing transactions, they can have a major impact on a firm’s opportunities abroad. Therefore, the best course to follow is to get legal help. However, the astute, proactive marketer can do a great deal to prevent legal conflicts from arising in the first place, especially concerning the following legal issues such as establishment, jurisdiction, environmental superfund, intellectual property rights, counterfeiting, antitrust, licensing and trade secrets, bribery, gray market, trade sanctions, and embargoes. Further, the services of counsel are essential for addressing these and other ... Legal and Political Environments Essay -- essays research papers Legal and Political Environments The legal and political environments of global markets differ by country and often by region within a country. Global marketers must be aware of each environmental risk in global markets and develop contingency plans to overcome them. Legal Environment Clearly, the global legal environment is very dynamic and complex. It is the result of three forces: international law, U.S. domestic law, and legal requirements of host nations. According to Czinkota and Ronkainen, (2004), when a marketer conducts international marketing transactions with a country, it is very imperative that managers know and remain abreast of the policies and regulations of that country. Whether a firm is located abroad or domestically, it will be subject to government policies and the legal system. However, even though many of these laws and regulations do not pertain to international marketing transactions, they can have a major impact on a firm’s opportunities abroad. Therefore, the best course to follow is to get legal help. However, the astute, proactive marketer can do a great deal to prevent legal conflicts from arising in the first place, especially concerning the following legal issues such as establishment, jurisdiction, environmental superfund, intellectual property rights, counterfeiting, antitrust, licensing and trade secrets, bribery, gray market, trade sanctions, and embargoes. Further, the services of counsel are essential for addressing these and other ...

Francine du Plessix Gray’s: At Home with the Marquis de Sade: A Life :: Biography Family Papers

Francine du Plessix Gray’s: At Home with the Marquis de Sade: A Life In 1998, Francine du Plessix Gray, prolific author of novels, biographies, sociological studies and frequent contributions to The New Yorker, published her most acclaimed work to date: At Home with the Marquis de Sade: A Life. A Pulizer Prize finalist that has already appeared in multiple English-language editions as well as translated ones, Du Plessix Gray’s biography has met with crowning achievement and recognition on all fronts. Accolades have accumulated from the most acclaimed of eighteenth-century luminaries, such as Robert Darnton, in a lengthy review in The New York Review of Books that compares her biography with Laurence Bongie’s Sade: A Biographical Essay, to the list of scholars whom she thanks in her acknowledgements for having read the manuscript: Lynn Hunt, Lucienne Frappier-Mazur, and Marie-Hà ©là ¨ne Huà «t. Surely, any scholar can appreciate the vast amount of research that undergirds Du Plessix Gray’s narrative, and indeed, she takes g reat pains to meticulously inform the reader who might care to look at her sources and read her acknowledgements that she has done her homework and knows every inch of the scholarly terrain. Du PlessixGray wisely begins her acknowledgements with a debt of gratitude to Maurice Lever’s studies, which rest on years of archival research. However, what really frames Francine du Plessix Gray’s biography is not so much the â€Å"fin du dix huitià ¨me sià ¨cle† but the â€Å"fin du vingtià ¨me sià ¨cle† and the â€Å"reality† material from Sade’s life that made it possible to represent the Marquis, his sons, his wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and uncle as so many of the people who populate the running narrative of criminals, deadbeat dads, incestuous relatives, date-raping playboys, and battered women that fill soap operas, day-time talk, women’s magazines, talk radio, and the tabloids. This paper, then, explores Sade’s biography not as a narrative of (the Marquis de Sade’s) his life, but as a narrative that pleases today’s reader because it serves up a voyeur’s view of (in) his â€Å"dysfunctional† family life â€Å"at home† that we are all too familiar with. This becomes abundantly apparent when du Plessix-Gray’s rend ering of the Marquis and the Marquise’s lives are superimposed over the rà ©cit of lives that we read about all the time in the popular press and observe in television soaps and other series. Ultimately, we are interested in what such a reading, writing and representation of Sade’s life does to Sade’s persona and status, both in the world of letters, but more importantly, in the world at large.

America’s Dilemma and Vietnam

Vietnam War though ended by the Paris Peace Accord in the year 1973, yet it had left incredible marks in the heart of the political domain of America. The statement of Henry Kissinger, â€Å"Vietnam is still with us† 1 speaks the volume of effect the policies of respective Presidents on the Vietnam War has created in the minds of thinkers, critics and people alike. Since last many years, thinkers had been analyzing the reasons behind failure.Many are pointing towards the fact that America might have won strategically but had lost politically as well as militarily. There are also notions of the causes of the failure owing to military strategy at several levels. On the other hand, it is also said that failure was due to the political restrictions being posed by civilian leaders at home on the military leadership. Despite failures, this war proved as a lesson to be learnt while dealing in the foreign policy matters. H. R.McMaster, an Army Major, in his book, â€Å"Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, The Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam†, described 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Johnson who followed the strategy known as â€Å"graduated pressure† 2 preventing discussions on the Vietnam War until the situation went out of control. The President’s conduct was not only undemocratic but also removed any chances of corrective measures. His decision was based on his predicament for his position as a President.Secondly his decision to consider bombings as an alternative solution to the war was based on his miscalculations regarding the impact bombings could create. Many people in the administration argued against bombings on the point that bombings would not make the way for —————————————————– 1. Karnow, Stanley, Vietnam: A History, (New York: Viking Press, 1983), 436 . 2. Young, Rick, Lessons of Vietnam: A Conversation With Major H. R. McMaster, PBS. org. , ( 27 March 2008)a peace process and assurance for Hanoi to induce North Vietnam to recede back in their support for insurgency. Pentagon too predicted grave reaction from the side of enemy on the ground but McNamara did not heed to their advice. For McNamara, the war was nothing more than another business management problem and he tried to solve it by air bombings. Without analyzing the current political, social and cultural situation among the forces, McNamara tried to solve the problem based on the assumptions that bombings on the fixed installations and economic buildings would make North Vietnamese succumb to their demands.The bombings on the fixed installations did not create any effect on the forces that were always on the move. Johnson, in the spring of 1965, without giving any concrete strategic motives, ordered the Joint Chief of Staff to â€Å"kill more Viet Cong,† 3 a tacti cal mission. It was never clear how these bombs over the noncombatant population could bring this War to an end. Johnson Lyndon did not follow the strategy conducive for the situation. H. R. McMaster, said that, â€Å"The process of determining the means to employ must begin with a clearly stated policy goal or objective.Senior military advisers and commanders should then develop a military strategy that contributes to or achieves that goal or objective. Then, military commanders determine the level of force necessary to carry out that strategy† 4 but during this war, Lyndon Johnson and his advisers moved according to their own whims resulting in failure. Harry Summers clearly blamed the failure of military leadership to understand the real nature of the Vietnam War. Moreover, the way the issue of such a sensitive nature was decided raised the questions on the real motive of the War itself on the domestic front.He further stated ————— Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€ 3. & 4. Young, Rick, Lessons of Vietnam: A Conversation With Major H. R. McMaster, PBS. org. , ( 27 March 2008) that United States owe the failure to its incapacity to get congressional declaration of war. If it had been accomplished, the government would have gained public support and many legal sanctions to deal with their enemies. 5The reason that made Vietnam War emotionally devastating for the people in general is same as that of the attacks on World Trade Center on September 11. More over, the betrayal of America in the end gave it the reputation of not being loyal to its allies. Congress was not able to fulfill the Paris Peace Accord. And now this ongoing Iraq War has further resuscitated memories of the Vietnam War. Though Vietnam and Iraq have altogether been different conflicts and different situations but there are some similarities between the two.Two questions that come to the mind while dealing with the Iraq situation are: Fir stly, was it possible to have unilateral withdrawal when Richard Nixon took over the office and secondly, did the time require to fully accomplish Nixon’s purpose weakened the capabilities of the American people to maintain the results in what ever capacity they were? 6 When Nixon was holding the office of President-ship, there were more than 500, 000 United States troops in Vietnam, and their number was continuously increasing.Though Johnson administration had decided for the United States withdrawal after six months when North Vietnamese would withdraw, but the nature of the withdrawal was not agreed upon. There was still a doubt between the mutual withdrawal or unilateral withdrawal and no chance of diplomatic agreement could be clearly seen. Hanoi was insisting on obtaining a cease-fire but on the other ————————————————- 5. Summers, Harry, On Strategy, (Californ ia: Persidio Press, 1982), 17-19. 6.Kissinger, Henry, The lessons of Vietnam: Iraq desperately needs a political solution in the short term to make the war more manageable for the next president, Los Angeles Times,< http://www. latimes. com/news/opinion/la-oe-kissinger31may31,0,7527631. story> (27 March 2008) Hand, United States had to meet two conditions. Firstly, it had to overthrow the South Vietnamese Government, break up its police and army and form government based on Communism. Secondly, United States had to give an unconditional date and time to withdraw their troops.At this, Nixon was faced with two issues, â€Å"Shall we leave Vietnam in a way that — by our own actions — consciously turns the country over to the communists? Or shall we leave in a way that gives the South Vietnamese a reasonable choice to survive as a free people? † 7 When negotiations did not come to any conclusion, Nixon administration unilaterally between 1969 and 1972 withdrew 515,0 00 American troops, put an end to American ground combat in 1971 and reduced causalities to considerable degrees.The major advance took place in 1972 when the United States was able to isolate Hanoi regime by mining at North Vietnam’s harbors and Hanoi got defeated by South Vietnamese helped by the United States Air force. At this, Le Duc Tho, the principle negotiator of Hanoi accepted all the conditions placed by Nixon in 1972. The conditions at the Paris Peace agreement were, â€Å"An unconditional cease-fire and release of prisoners; continuation of the existing South Vietnamese government; continued U. S.economic and military help for it; no further infiltration of North Vietnamese forces; withdrawal of the remaining U. S. forces; and withdrawal of North Vietnamese forces from Laos and Cambodia†. 8 This agreement made Nixon administration to believe that it was able to achieve an opportunity to give South Vietnam a chance to decide the outcome and their fate. It wa s believed that now Saigon government would be able to handle any violations of the agreement, United States would give all assistance on any attacks and further South Vietnam would be able to form a conducive government.Kissinger rightly said that, â€Å"The imperatives of domestic debate ————————————————— 7 & 8, Kissinger, Henry, The lessons of Vietnam: Iraq desperately needs a political solution in the short term to make the war more manageable for the next president, Los Angeles Times, < http://www. latimes. com/news/opinion/la-oe-kissinger31may31,0,7527631. story> (27 March 2008) took precedence over geopolitical necessities. † 9 But these two basic points need specific consideration.Firstly, any strategic point cannot be fruitfully utilized unless a thorough study is undertaken on a ground root level and secondly, the decision should be a very calculate d move without causing any misconceptions on the common public. In Iraq, any kind of withdrawal would only lead to more disastrous results and even political situation is also not conducive. But the most appropriate approach is to create a situation for settlement taking into differing and varying views of opposition parties and forging a conducive environment looking at the social conditions at the time.That is the biggest lesson learnt from the mistakes during Vietnam War. Munich indirectly was responsible for the military attacks at Bosnia in 1995 and in Kosovo in 1999. Munich was an agreement signed in 1938 by the powerful nations of Europe. The Munich agreement was the basis on which America’s policy for tackling Sadam Hussain after September 11 was based on, and the situation was very conducive to adopt the Munich policy. Robert D Kaplan, who is a national correspondent for The Atlantic, made a comparative analysis of Munich and Vietnam.He said that, â€Å"Munich is ab out universalism, about taking care of the world and the lives of others, the Vietnam analogy—so prevalent following our overreach in Iraq—is domestic in spirit. † 10 He further said that Vietnam had its own limits but Munich’s was there to overcome these limits. But both the analogies cannot survive and can lead to dangerous consequences. The peaceful and concrete solution to any foreign policy dilemma can come to shape and fruitfully materialize only when both the analogies are treated and put to use equally. 9.Kissinger, Henry, The lessons of Vietnam: Iraq desperately needs a political solution in the short term to make the war more manageable for the next president, Los Angeles Times, < http://www. latimes. com/news/opinion/la-oe-kissinger31may31,0,7527631. story> (27 March 2008) 10. Kaplan, Robert D. , Foreign Policy: Munich Versus Vietnam, The Atlantic, < http://www. theatlantic. com/doc/200705u/vietnam-munich/2> (27 March 2008) Bibliography Kaplan, Robert D. , Foreign Policy: Munich Versus Vietnam, The Atlantic, < http://www. theatlantic. com/doc/200705u/vietnam-munich/2> (27 March 2008)Karnow, Stanley, Vietnam: A History, New York: Viking Press, 1983. Kissinger, Henry, The lessons of Vietnam: Iraq desperately needs a political solution in the short term to make the war more manageable for the next president. Los Angeles Times. < http://www. latimes. com/news/opinion/la-oe-kissinger31may31,0,7527631. story> (27 March 2008) McMaster, H. R. , Lessons of Vietnam: A Conversation With Major H. R. McMaster by Rick Young, PBS. org. , < http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/military/etc/lessons. html> (27 March 2008) Summers, Harry, On Strategy, California: Persidio Press, 1982.