Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam follows disc jockey Adrian Cronauer as he is reassigned to the Armed Forces Radio Saigon airwaves in Saigon, Vietnam in 1965. Throughout the film Cronauer experiences the bombing of a G. I. bar, and attempts to start a relationship with a Vietnamese woman. However, he runs into trouble as he finds the Vietnamese culture to be very different from his own. He experiences first hand the civilian attacks as buildings are blown up without warning or reason, and the tactics behind guerilla warfare as he befriends Vietnamese citizens who he doesn’t know are actually Vietcong. His radio shows provide comic relief to all the soldiers, but infuriates his superiors as he wants to report actual news about the war to the soldiers and not just what is approved to be aired (Good Morning, Vietnam). This movie is set during the Vietnam war so, it is crucial to understand the war in order to understand this movie. In 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson took office and had to make a crucial decision on America’s limited military involvement in the Vietnam conflict. This was because of the naval incident in the Gulf of Tonkin. North Vietnamese gunboats supposedly shot at U. S. warships in the Gulf of Tonkin allowing Johnson to persuade Congress that this was an act of aggression. Thus, Johnson received a blank check to take â€Å"all necessary measures† needed to aid the United States in Vietnam (Newman). Communist leader Ho Chi Minh led the Vietcong guerillas in the North. He developed an elaborate 9,940 mile network of roads built from the North to the South to aid North Vietnam troops and the Vietcong. This network of roads was referred to as the Ho Chi Minh Trail and was the target of numerous American air strikes (Ho Chi Minh Trail). However, the creation the Ho Chi Minh trail crossed the demilitarized zone, which had been established at the 17th parallel as a combat-free zone during the Potsdam Conference (DMZ Vietnam). With tensions increasing, especially after a car bomb detonates outside the U. S. embassy in Saigon wounding two-hundred and killing two Americans and twenty Vietnamese (Vietnam War Timeline: 1965). Johnson approved the deployment of an additional 18,000 to 20,000 men and, a few months later, increased the number of U. S. troops in Vietnam to 125,000 men (Vietnam War Timeline: 1965). In protest, Buddhist monks set themselves on fire and the Vietcong used guerilla warfare tactics (Newman). In February 1965, the United States mobilized Operation Rolling Thunder, an air war against North Vietnam in an effort to stop their movement South (Vietnam War 1965-1968). Air strikes were coupled with napalm, sticky fuel-gel fire bombs which severely burn their targets, and plastic explosives, a chemical bomb which produces an explosion that is impossible to outrun (Napalm, C-4 Plastic Explosives). By the end of 1965, U. S. roop levels approached 184,300 men, while South Vietnam soldiers abandoned the cause as the North infiltrated and captured Saigon in February of 1968 in the Tet Offensive (Vietnam War Timeline: 1965). This was a surprise attack on many of the South Vietnamese capitals and American bases. The chaos and destruction seen on television on the home front caused much controversy over the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War (Newman). The United States at this time was not just at war abroad, but also faced conflict on the home front. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as leading demonstrations against racial discrimination, especially at the polls (Newman). Anti-war movements also gained momentum in 1965 and peaked in 1968. The first march to Washington took place in 1967 and 1968 and were the largest anti-war movements of the time. This led to extreme pacifists following the Buddhist monk’s public burnings, as well as the public burning of draft cards, an act punishable by law (Vietnam Protest Movement). President Johnson faced dramatic opposition to the war on the home front, which only increased as the war progressed. Some argued that this was due to the relative freedom of television reporters to broadcast whatever they wanted about the war; thus, not only showing the positives, but also the downfalls in the war (Vietnam Protest Movement). Good Morning, Vietnam is entirely focused on the war as seen by those experiencing it first hand in Saigon. Therefore, the film does not greatly reflect any of these home front issues. It does however, contradict the idea of little censorship of war facts. Although on the home front journalists may have been able to report whatever they felt they wanted to share, this was not true on military airwaves (Newman). The film depicts Cronauer constantly fighting to get the true events of the war out for his listeners to hear; however, heavy censorship by the Armed Forces Radio Saigon prevent this from occurring. This creates a source of great conflict especially after a Vietcong bombing. The movie, therefore, reflects the element of surprise which was employed by the Vietcong through their guerilla warfare tactics (Good Morning, Vietnam). Before viewing this film, I knew that unusual war tactics were utilized and that people had strong opposition to the war. Yet, I felt that it was much like every other war the that the United States was involved in. This film reinforced my views as it showed the true devastation which the guerilla tactics cause through the killings of innocent civilians. When the bomb went off at Jimmy Wah’s G. I. bar, Cronauer was lucky to have been tricked into leaving by his new Vietnamese friend (Good Morning, Vietnam). All the innocent people inside, both American and Vietnamese were just unfortunate bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not only did it reinforce my view but it also altered my perceptions. This film added to my views just how much was being kept from the soldiers. This was illustrated through the identical twins who had to officially announce and approve all news which came in to the radio station before it could be read on air by Cronauer (Good Morning, Vietnam). Also, just the complete Americanization that was forced upon many of the Vietnamese was shocking to me. Although they may have been taking English classes from the American troops by themselves, just the presence of so many foreigners in their country and potentially clashing with their culture amazed me. There was no better way to feature this than with Cronauer’s love for Trinh, a Vietnamese girl. The first date with her entire family is something that would never happen in America, yet there it was totally normal (Good Morning, Vietnam). Overall, I did enjoy watching this film. It was a refreshing, yet eye opening view of the Vietnam conflict as it used humor to get the events of the war across, but also highlighted the intensity and chaos of war. It was an unusual way to see war portrayed and I found it very enjoyable. It helped me to feel the anxieties and frustration surrounding the war without focusing on just combat alone. Good Morning, Vietnam showcased the more social component to the Vietnam War which provided a fresh angle.

The Frontier in American History

There are quite several sharp notions in The Frontier in American History by Frederick Jackson Turner, and all of these notions very well contribute to the revelation that with diversity comes the great possibility of acquiring an identity independent as it is from everything else outside.Although much of what is written in the collected essays verifies the idea that the creation of a government of the people surpasses that which is merely imitated, the role of the external elements can be argued as indispensable elements in the establishment of an identity.   One of the central themes in The Frontier in American History is the idea of the formation of the government that is distinctive and proper to the Americans.The author, Frederick Jackson Turner’s viewpoint in the book evidently shows his aim towards rendering a piece which will devote on tracing the history of America as well as with the nature of civilization.It has been noted that Turner was one of the ambitious demo cratic leader with the bias on lurking deep on the â€Å"flaws† of those who are in office which furthers his conviction on self-reliance and the turmoil revolving around political idiosyncrasy.The author was a piece of hopeful being.   Further, another major limitation of Turner's thesis is that it does not adequately recognize the extent to which frontier societies are shaped by the economic and political systems of the states in which they are located or to which they are most closely linked.It is not merely expansion into a wilderness that explains the character of a frontier society, but rather expansion within a particular social, economic and political context. In the slave states, for example, westward expansion occurred within an economic and legal context that transplanted the slave system and the values that went with it into new areas.Written in the year 1920, several collaborations on the critique made in the light of The Frontier serves a moral vision, as pres ented in Chicago during the World’s Columbian Exposition and has even garnered his works Pulitzer Prize awards a year after he died[1].This Wisconsin legend in history and literature has made a large impact on the society that his works were often placed in the table of deliberation as either that which is intellectually beneficial in the astounding arena of history or that which defeats the sagacity of being a historian.The main fact that he held his theory on high hopes in building a feasible force in the economic, social and political discussion in America, it is undeniable that majority of historians having the attempt to fully bring up the marvel of The Frontier is admirably an epic as his works were given worth and space in encyclopedias as well as in classroom deliberations.Turner’s argument is grounded on the premise that a government that is shaped according to other nations or that which resembles or at least partly incorporates external elements from foreign nations will not be suitable for the people and for the entire nation. It can be observed thatTurner firmly adheres to the principle of having an identity that is solidly based on what is natural to the people and to the rest of the country. What is natural supersedes those that are artificial—what is essentially natural to America is ‘diversity’ in the truest sense of the word[2].Apparently, Turner makes it a point to bridge the issue with diversity to that of having a strong government structured according to the innate qualities of the American people. However, it fails to consider the fact that diversity also grants the substantial possibility of not actually unifying all the corners of the country into a single and identifiable sphere[3].What Turner does is to transcend this ‘diversity’ and patch all the different—albeit intrinsic—‘American’ elements into a unified concept that virtually quells, at least in theory, th e force of other external factors. He does this at least in the sense of proposing an ‘ideological’ battle, one that treats ideas far superior than brute or physical force.Although Turner argues that bloodshed is inevitable, he also suggests that the ideas of man will have to take the core of the movement towards the establishment of an independent and unique government and that these ideas should come from the American people themselves and not from anybody else.[1] Schultz, S. K. (1999). Turner, Frederick Jackson -Historian (1861-1932).  Ã‚   Retrieved October 19, 2007, from http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/bios/15.html[2] Thies, Cameron G. (2005), ‘War, Rivalry, and State Building in Latin America', American Journal of Political Science, 49 (3), 453.[3] Sullivan, John L. (1973), ‘Political Correlates of Social, Economic, and Religious Diversity in the American States', The Journal of Politics, 35 (1), 71.   

Defining Race and Ethnicity Essay

What do the terms race and ethnicity mean to you? Why are these concepts important to United States society? Race is usually defined by the color of a person’s skin such as black, or white. These words are used very frequently. Ethnicity is a more proper way to define us as people and usually refers to our cultural background/ancestry. For example: Africans, African Americans, Caucasians, and Hispanics. These concepts are important to the United States because of the diversity, and all walks of life, census plays a big role. Our ethnicity/race is what distinctively separates us from one another by groups. Also according to (Office Of Management and budget August 28,1995) In 1977, OMB issued the Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting that are set forth in Statistical Policy Directive No. 15. The standards in this Directive have been used for almost two decades throughout the Federal government for recordkeeping, collection, and presentation of data on race and Hispanic origin. The standards have been used in two decennial censuses and in surveys of the population, data collections necessary for meeting statutory requirements associated with civil rights monitoring and enforcement, and in other administrative program reporting. Data collection agencies have legislative authority to collect racial and ethnic data needed for Federal programs and in the case of the decennial census, for redistricting. They also use racial and ethnic data for analyses of social, economic, and health trends for population groups. Basically it is important for them to collect this info for federal, business, and statistical reasons. References: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_race-ethnicity

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 31

I crept through the house, cringing every time my foot hit a loose floorboard or a creaky corner. From the light at the far end of the house, I could tell Father had left the sitting room and was already in his study, no doubt writing down the record he and Jonathan had concocted in his own journal. I stood in the door frame and watched him for a moment. His hair was snow-white, and I saw age spots on his hands. Despite the lies I'd heard earlier, my heart went out to him. Here was a man who'd never known an easy life and who, after burying a wife, now had to bury two sons. I took a step toward him, and Father's head jerked upward. â€Å"Dear God †¦,† he said, dropping his pen to the floor with a clatter. â€Å"Father,† I said, holding out my hands to him. He stood up, his eyes darting wildly. â€Å"It's okay,† I said gently. â€Å"I just want to talk with you.† â€Å"Y ou're dead, Stefan,† Father said slowly, still gaping at me. I shook my head. â€Å"Whatever you think of Damon and me, you have to know that we didn't betray you.† The fear on Father's face abruptly turned to fury. â€Å"Y did betray me. Not only did you betray ou me, you betrayed the whole town. Y should be ou dead, after the way you've shamed me.† I watched him, anger rising up inside me. â€Å"Even in our death, you feel only shame?† I asked. It was something Damon would say, and in a way, I felt his presence beside me. I was doing this for him. I was doing it for both of us, so that at least we'd die with truth on our side. But Father was barely listening. Instead, he was staring at me. â€Å"Y ou're one of them now. Isn't that right, Stefan?† Father said, backing away from me, slowly, as if I were about to lunge and attack him. â€Å"No. No. I'll never be one of them.† I shook my head, hoping against hope that Father would believe me. â€Å"But you are. I watched you bleed and take your last breath. I left you for dead. And now I see you here. Y are one of them,† Father said, his ou back now against the brick wall. â€Å"Y saw me get shot?† I asked in confusion. I ou remembered the voices. The chaos. Vampire being yelled over and over again in the darkness. Feeling Noah pull me off Damon. Everything fading to black. â€Å"I pulled the trigger myself. I pulled it on you, and I pulled it on Damon. And apparently it wasn't enough,† Father said. â€Å"Now I need to finish the job,† he said, his voice as cold as ice. â€Å"Y killed your own sons?† I asked, anger of ou my own coursing through my veins. Father stepped toward me menacingly, and even though he thought I was a monster, I was the one who felt fear. â€Å"Y were both dead to me as ou soon as you sided with the vampires. And now, to come in here and ask forgiveness, as if what you did could be excused with an I'm sorry. No. No.† Father stepped away from his desk and walked toward me, his eyes still darting to the left and the right, except that now it was as if he were the hunter, rather than a hunted animal. â€Å"Y know, it's ou a blessing your mother died before she could see what a disgrace you've become.† â€Å"I haven't turned yet. I don't want to. I came to say good-bye. I'm going to die, Father. Y did ou what you set out to do. Y killed me,† I said. Tears ou sprang from my eyes. â€Å"It didn't have to be this way, Father. That's what you and Jonathan Gilbert should write in your false history, that it didn't have to be this way.† â€Å"This is the way it has to be,† Father said, lunging for a cane that he kept in a large vase in the corner of the room. Swiftly, he broke it in two on the floor and held the long, jagged end out toward me. Quickly, without thinking, I sidestepped Father and yanked his free arm back, sending him tumbling sideways against the brick wall. Father screamed in anguish as he hit the floor. And then I saw it. The stake was protruding from his stomach, blood spurting in all directions. I blanched, feeling my stomach rise to my chest and bile fill my throat. â€Å"Father!† I rushed over to him and bent down. â€Å"I didn't mean to. Father †¦,† I gasped. I grabbed the stake and yanked it out of his abdomen. Father shrieked, and immediately blood gushed like a geyser from the wound. I watched, horrified, but also entranced. The blood was so red, so deep, so beautiful. It was as if it were calling to me. It was as if I'd die that second if I didn't have the blood. And so, unbidden, I moved my hand to the wound and brought my cupped hand to my lips, tasting the liquid as it touched my gums, my tongue, and my throat. â€Å"Get away from me!† Father hoarsely whispered, pushing himself away until his entire back was pressed against the wall. He scratched my hand in an effort to bat it away from the wound, then slumped against the wall, his eyes closing. â€Å"I †¦,† I began, but then felt a shooting, stabbing pain in my mouth. It was worse than what I remembered about being shot. It was a feeling of tightness, followed by the sensation of a million needles sticking into my flesh. â€Å"Get away †¦,† Father breathed, covering his face with his hands as he struggled for air. I pulled my own hands from my mouth and ran my fingers over my teeth, which had become sharp and pointed. Then I realized: I was one of them now. â€Å"Father, drink from me. I can save you!† I said urgently, reaching down and pulling him up to a sitting position against the wall. I took my wrist and brought it to my mouth, allowing my newly knife- sharp teeth to easily rip the skin. I flinched, then held the wound toward Father, who backed away, blood continuing to gush from his wound. â€Å"I can fix you. If you drink this blood, it will heal your wounds. Please?† I begged, looking into Father's eyes. â€Å"I'd rather die,† Father pronounced. A moment later his eyes fluttered shut and slumped back on the floor, a pool of blood forming around his body. I placed my hand on his heart, feeling it slow until it stopped.

My Antonia and Huckleberry Finn Essay

Characters from various books that may or may not have anything to do with one another can be similar and different in many ways. Huckleberry Finn from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, and Antonia Shimerda from My Antonia by Willa Cather are similar in a variety of ways, however they have important differences. Huckleberry Finn is always ready to go on any type of adventure with his best friend Tom Sawyer. Also, the pair are extremely superstitious. Huck is discriminated against for a myriad of reasons. Some being, he is the son of the town drunk, so the adults frown upon him. Because of his father’s lifestyle he is basically an orphan, he has to find his own food, clothes, and a place to sleep. He also does not attend church or school. Opposite to that, the boys of the town envy him for his freedom and lack of discipline. The Widow Douglass who lives in town offers Huck a place to stay. She says he can live in her house, and with the money from the treasure he and Tom found she would be able to support him. Tom encouraged Huck to take advantage of this offer while he could. This was a hard decision for Huck to make because he is not willing to give up his independence that he is accustomed to. He lives with the widow for a short period of time then decides he enjoys being on his own and is willing to face the hardships of life by himself to maintain his freedom. Antonia Shimerda is extremely generous and optimistic. Through the hardships of immigrating to America from Bohemia, her father committing suicide, and her fiance leaving her before they get married, and at this time she is pregnant, she never looses hope. She looks for the best in every situation and tries to find a solution for everything. Everyday she has to face racial and gender discrimination. She is judged brutally by the townspeople because of her love for dance. Her and her family, which now consists of her mother, brothers and sisters, have to face the difficulties of life after the death of their father along with the difficulties of living in a new country. Her and her family are living in poverty, and are trying extremely hard just to survive. Later, Antonia works as a servant. Her boss does not like her habit of attending the dances she enjoys going to. He threatens to fire her if she continues to attend these dances. She loves her independence too much to let someone take it away. So she works for a brutal boss and suffers so she can have her independence and go to her dances. Huckleberry Finn and Antonia Shimerda have many similarities and differences. They have very different characteristics, however they both face many hardships, discrimination on a daily basis, and they both value their independence a lot that they would rather live harder lives so they can be independent.

DYSLIPIDEMIA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DYSLIPIDEMIA - Assignment Example Dyslipidemia is an important component of the cluster of abnormalities in metabolic syndrome, basically implying an imbalance of lipids in circulation in the blood stream (Ruotolo & Howard, 2002). Dyslipidemia is characterized by increased triglycerides, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDLc, postprandial accumulation of lipoproteins rich in triglyceride and small, low density lipoproteins, LDL. It involves reesterification, this being the process of circulating free fatty acids getting oxidized and then synthesized back into triglyceride. Being a component of a syndrome related to many risk factors, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia presents a complex pathology. Even so, Foster and Prevost (2012) cite oxidative stress as a key hypothesis regarding the pathology of dyslipidemia. Oxidative stress, referring to the surplus of reactive oxygen species, ROS to antioxidant, fosters insulin resistance. This could occur because of excessive production of ROS which would overwhelm the capacity of ROS antioxidant or decrease production of antioxidants to inactivate ROS. Obesity has also been cited as a metabolic predisposition which eventually leads to dyslipidemia. Genetics also affects metabolic predisposition to resistance to insulin and dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemic conditions require laboratory testing to establish the specific abnormal blood lipid content or the lipoprotein content. As such, laboratory testing would involve measuring a blood sample for blood lipid profile and should be done every 5 years from as early as age 20. The levels of LDLc could be determined directly or using the Friedwald formula given by: This formula would however not be applied in cases where the triglyceride level of an individual exceeds 400 mg/dl. Notably, the basic lipid profile totaling triglyceride, HDLc and LDLc could fail to provide a clinician with adequate information to effectively diagnose dyslipidemia. In such cases, more sophisticated procedures

Land law coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Land law coursework - Essay Example This certificate and the registration as the new owner of the property award him all the rights of the house (Dowden 4). His interests in this case are therefore beneficial interests since he is the proprietor of the instrument and hence the legal owner. In case of any court cases, the registration and the transfer of the certificate of registration and ownership will be proof enough of his binding interests in the property above all the others and it overrides the interests of all. Once the ownership rights have been transferred to him, it is up to him therefore to decide what to do with rest of the people who were intertwined with Abigail especially Thomas (her father) and Michael (the tenant). Thomas is a trustee of Abigail in the registered land and he therefore has his own overriding interests in the land and its instruments. His overriding interests in that property are brought about by the fact that the registrar did not record his interests or agreements with his daughter whe n transferring the property from Gareth and this is according to s 78 of the LRA 2002. Thomas assisted Abigail with one fifth of the payment money required to purchase Heavenly Mews and they drafted an express trust. The form of express trust drafted however was not revealed and hence the interest which Thomas has in the instrument is not known. There are different forms of trust which according to English Law may have been drafted in this scenario by the father and daughter. These trusts must have to mention the beneficiary since it is not a charitable trust that Thomas drafted with his daughter. The interest which Thomas may have on the property of Abigail being a trustee may however not be granted or addressed by the courts. This is because according to the Variation of Trusts Act of 1958, the court lacks power to consent trust ascertained to an individual who is suijuris that is the one who is above the age of consent and who is of sound mind like Abigail (Dowden 64). If the cas e of Savill v Goodall [1993] 1 FLR 755 is to be followed, then Thomas would have claimed his share of the money paid for the house since there was an express trust agreement. The fact that Thomas stayed on and off with his daughter Abigail before she sold the property does not have any effect on the interest according to the act and hence is also not admissible court. The interest therefore remains to be null and void unless Stephen who is the bona fide owner of the property instrument decides to share it or enter into joint tenancy or ownership with him (but it is not a must). The other person who may have an interest on the property once Abigail has sold it is Michael who was a tenant of Abigail for around two months before she sold the house to Stephen. There is no mention of any formality being written that explains the tenancy terms of Michael and Abigail. The case does not state whether the tenancy had commenced or it was to commence in less than three months. In the event tha t it was to commence in less than three months, then the interest will be considered as override interest. If the tenancy in this case was an actual occupation, Michael will have an interest according to Sch 3 para 2 as in the case Abbey National BS v Cann [1991]. If he has this interest, the Stephen will have to assume